Throughout his trilogy, the Orestia, the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus, explores the theme of retribution, as one family member kills another, raising question of whether or not their actions are a form of justice, or revenge. Aeschylus seems to present a clear dichotomy between the two throughout the first parts of the trilogy, Agamemnon, and The Libation Bearers. However, the distinction falls apart by the end of the third play, The Eumenides. Here justice is shown to be little different than revenge, it is not about satisfying a higher rational law, or good for its own sake, rather, through the way the Eumenides (Furies) are persuaded to give up their claims towards Orestes, justice is presented as based on assuaging the concerns of those who feel a wrong has been committed.
[...] The Eumenides are not persuaded by this line of argument. It seems to undercut the whole idea of the importance of motherhood and uses an irrelevant example since Athena is a God, not a human being. They remind Apollo that they are wise to his tricks of flattery and bribery, that he has used these in the past to get his way, won the ancient Goddesses over with wine, and so destroyed the orders of an elder time” (161). However Athena decides the case in Orestes' favor after a split vote by a jury. [...]
[...] Understanding that the desire for justice has caused the Eumenides much grief, she makes them an offer of a special place in Athens, “free of all grief and pain” (166). When they say they want powers, Athena promises them, household shall be prosperous without (166). Through a combination of bribery and coercion, the Eumenides agree to cease their persecution of Orestes. They tell the citizens of Athens and Athena that they, “shall not forget the cause of this in the process forgetting the cause of Clytemnestra (167) in accepting a home by Athena's side. [...]
[...] Cassandra's death is never thought of by Orestes or mentioned in his trial later on in the Eumenides. This nature of justice is something that Clytemnestra is clearly aware of. When she sees the Eumenides sleeping during the beginning of the play, she laments, yet I suffered too, horribly, and from those most dear, yet none among the powers is angered for my sake” (138). She knows that without them calling out for justice, she will never get it. She calls on the Furies to fight for her (139). [...]
[...] Athena tells the Eumenides that wish to be called righteous rather than act right,” (150) when they wish to overlook the rights of the defendant, revealing that they might be pursuing justice for its own sake, but this can have negative consequences, an idea that will eventually be expounded on more by the end of the play. The Eumenides call for preserving the defense of blood ties in order to promote stability within the family and by extension, society. They claim that if Orestes gets off for the crime, then matricide will become the norm, warning that, “Parents shall await the death stroke at their children's hands” (152). [...]
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