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Clytemnestra
Clytemnestra’s lover, and her accomplice in murdering Agamemnon, Aegisthus hates the house of Atreus, which was responsible for his own family’s ruin. He rejoices when he learns (falsely) that Orestes is dead, but remains deeply suspicious about whether or not this report is true. Aegisthus also is shamefully unmasculine, allowing Clytemnestra to dominate and rule him at every turn. He is also impious, neglecting the basic Greek laws of hospitality when the disguised Orestes shows up at his door as a guest.
Aegisthus Quotes in The Libation Bearers
The The Libation Bearers quotes below are all either spoken by Aegisthus or refer to Aegisthus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Lines 1-585 Quotes
For our enemies I say,
raise up your avenger, into the light, my father—
kill the killers in return, with justice!
So in the midst of prayers for good I place
this curse for them.
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Explanation and Analysis:
After being unable to pray for peace for her father's spirit, Electra instead, at the prompting of the chorus, begs the gods for vengeance. Her prayer highlights the close bond within The Libation Bearersbetween piety and vengeance. Although most of Electra's words involve "prayers for good" for herself and her brother, she also includes curses for Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus. This mixture of good wishes and bad is not contradictory to Electra or the Chorus—they believe that both vengeance and reverence can exist within a truly pious and reverent person, because part of the holy law is vengeance.It is Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint
Lines 653-718 Quotes
Slave, the slave!—
where is he? Hear me pounding the gates?
Is there a man inside the house?
For the third time, come out of the halls!
If Aegisthus has them welcome friendly guests.
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Explanation and Analysis:
In order to enter the palace of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra (and eventually kill them both), Orestes poses as a traveler and knocks on the gates. Aegisthus ignores the guest at his doors, however, causing Orestes to become increasingly enraged.The Ancient Greeks firmly believed that hospitality to strangers and guests was one of the most important virtues that a person could display. That Aegisthus does not come out to greet a guest is proof of his unfitness to rule a kingdom, and—even more basically—his failings as a person.When someone does finally come to greet Orestes, it is not Aegisthus, but Clytemnestra. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores.
Lines 719-1065 Quotes
The butcher comes. Wipe out death with death.
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As the murderous plan of Orestes and Electra begins to work, Aegisthus enters, believing Orestes to be dead and exulting in that fact. The Chorus calls him a "butcher," proof of their contempt for him, before urging Orestes to "[w]ipe out death with death."This quote displays the difference in opinion that the Chorus has of Aegisthus versus Orestes. They think of Aegisthus as nothing more than a butcher, even though in killing Agamemnon, he was in fact avenging the deaths of his own brothers at the hands of Agamemnon's father. Meanwhile the Chorus reveres Orestes, despite the fact that he Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim
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Aegisthus Character Timeline in The Libation Bearers
The timeline below shows where the character Aegisthus appears in The Libation Bearers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Lines 1-585
...Chorus tells Electra that she should say a prayer for “those who love you…[and] hate Aegisthus.” Electra laments that she is entirely alone except for the Chorus, but the leader urges...
(full context)
...Orestes, whom she feels her mother Clytemnestra has sold in exchange for her murderous lover Aegisthus. She describes her near enslavement and Orestes’ exile, asking that Orestes be returned home, and...
(full context)
...the appearance of an avenger to free the house from the corruption of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.
(full context)
The Chorus leader warns Orestes and Electra to be wary of Aegisthus’ and Clytemnestra’s spies. Orestes responds that he is under the protection of Apollo, and that...
(full context)
...died an honorable, warrior’s death at Troy. The Chorus prophecies the end of Clytemnestra’s and Aegisthus’ reign, and then all three begin to beg the gods for violent, bloody vengeance. They...
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...the grave. Orestes prays for the power “to rule our house” while Electra begs for Aegisthus’ death, and her own freedom. The siblings promise their father’s spirit offerings, prayers, and honor....
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Lines 653-718
Orestes and Pylades (both now disguised) reenter. As Orestes predicted, Aegisthus makes the two knock three times at his gates before being allowed in (a grave...
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...orders Electra to escort Orestes and his servants to their rooms, before resolving to tell Aegisthus the news. All exit.
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Lines 719-1065
...nurse when he was a child, in tears. She recounts how Clytemnestra is looking for Aegisthus so that he can go speak to (the disguised) Orestes, and then relates her own...
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Cilissa then reveals that Clytemnestra has told Aegisthus to bring his bodyguards with him when he talks to Orestes, but the leader of...
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...mother), and to “go through with the murder.” As they finish their prayers, the “butcher” Aegisthus enters. They pray that Orestes will “[w]ipe out death with death.”
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Aegisthus, having heard that Orestes is dead, worries that this terrible news may destabilize his kingdom...
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With Aegisthus gone, the Chorus prays to Zeus once more, begging the god for Orestes’ success. They...
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To answer their question, out rushes a wounded servant of Aegisthus, incoherently lamenting his master’s death. He attempts to open the door to the women’s quarters...
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The doors of the palace open to reveal Orestes and Pylades with the body of Aegisthus. Giving Clytemnestra no time to mourn, Orestes drags his mother towards her lover’s body. She...
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Turning back to Clytemnestra, Orestes tells her that he will kill her on top of Aegisthus’ body. She continues to beg, telling him that she will bring down a mother’s curse...
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...future. Last they turn to time, anticipating a future of prosperity and peace, free of Aegisthus’ and Clytemnestra’s corruption.
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Orestes and Pylades reemerge, standing over the bodies of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. Orestes remembers how the two killed his father, adding that it is appropriate that they...
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