Cover for Agamemnon
Project MimesaAgamemnonAeschylus
Catalog cover adapted from Clytemnestra by John Collier.

Agamemnon

by Aeschylus

Agamemnon by Aeschylus is a drama first published in 458 BC/BCE. The Agamemnon of Aeschylus is a Greek tragedy written in the 5th century BC. As the first play in the Oresteia trilogy, it chronicles King Agamemnon's fateful homecoming from the Trojan War. Awaiting him is his wife Clytemnestra, who harbors murderous intentions, driven by vengeance for their daughter Iphigenia's sacrifice and her desire for power. The play explores the moral complexities of revenge, loyalty, and justified bloodshed as betrayal unfolds within the royal house of Mycenae. Questions surrounding Agamemnon, King of Mycenae (Mythological character) deepen the book beyond its surface movement. Aeschylus relies on a dialogue-driven form whose tensions unfold through voice, gesture, and confrontation, allowing mood and structure to carry as much meaning as subject matter. At roughly 17,692 words with an easy reading profile, it offers a reading commitment that is easy to judge before beginning while still leaving room for close attention. Readers still return to it because of its life both on the page and in performance. Readers drawn to drama and Agamemnon, King of Mycenae (Mythological character) will find a work that combines a distinct period voice with questions that remain recognizable today.

Translated by Gilbert Murray
Drama 458 BC/BCE Ancient Greek 2,930 catalog downloads

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