HUMA 1105 Lecture : Week 5
Document Summary
Agamemnon begins with a watchman on duty on the roof of the palace at argos, waiting for a signal announcing the fall of troy to the greek armies. A beacon flashes, and he joyfully runs to tell the news to queen clytemnestra. When he is gone, the chorus, made up of the old men of argos, enters and tells the story of how the trojan prince paris stole helen, the wife of the greek king. Menelaus, leading to ten years of war between greece and troy. Then the chorus recalls how clytemnestra"s husband agamemnon (menelaus" brother) sacrificed their daughter iphigenia to the god artemis to obtain a favorable wind for the greek fleet. The queen appears, and the chorus asks her why she has ordered sacrifices of thanksgiving. She tells them that a system of beacons has brought word that troy fell the previous night.
