Thursday 15 January 2015

Clytemnestra

In Greek mythology, Clytemnestra was described as the daughter of Leda and Tyndareus and wife of Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. 



Clytemnestra

According to the Greek mythology, Zeus appeared to Leda in the form of a swan, seducing and impregnating her. Leda produced four offspring from two eggs: Castor and Clytemnestra from one egg, and Helen1 and Polydeuces from the other. Therefore, Castor and Clytemnestra were fathered by Tyndareus, whereas Helen and Polydeuces were fathered by Zeus. 
Leda.......


                         The Trojan War lasted ten years. During this period of Agamemnon's long absence, Clytemnestra began a love affair with Aegisthus, her husband's cousin. Upon Agamemnon return, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus murdered Agamemnon. 

                                      In some versions,  when  Agamemnon  arrived at his palace with his concubine, the Trojan princess Cassandra in tow and being greeted by his wife, entered the palace for a banquet while Cassandra remained in the chariot. Clytemnestra waited until he was in the bath, and then entangled him in a cloth net and stabbed him. Trapped in the web, Agamemnon could neither escape nor resist his murderer.  Meanwhile, Cassandra saw a vision of herself and Agamemnon being murdered. Her attempts to elicit help failed (she had been cursed by Apollo that no one would believe her prophecies). She realized she was fated to die, and resolutely walked into the palace to receive her death.

Cassandra and Aegisthus plotting to kill Agamemnon


                   According to some versions, Clytemnestra is driven to murder Agamemnon partly to avenge the death of her daughter Iphigeneia, whom Agamemnon had sacrificed for the sake of success in the war, partly because of her adulterous love for Aegisthus and partly as an agent for the curse on Agamemnon’s family, the House of Atreus. 

                                                                After the murders, Aegisthus replaced Agamemnon as king and ruled for seven years with Clytemnestra as his queen. In some versions, Aegisthus and Clytemnestra had three children: a son Aletes, and daughters Erigone and Helen2. Later Clytemnestra was then killed by her son, Orestes, with the help of his sister Electra3, in revenge for his father’s murder. 

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