Aeschylus' Oresteia: Structure

I: Agamemnon

• 1-39: Prologue: Watchman sees beacon fire
• 40-263: Parodos

1. 1-82: chorus explains Trojan war and themselves
2. 83-103: chorus questions Clytemnestra
3. 104-257 chorus tells of sacrifice of Iphigeneia and sings a hymn to Zeus
4. 258-263: chorus questions Clytemnestra

• 264-350: 1st Episode: Clytemnestra tells chorus of beacon fires
• 361-502: 1st Stasimon: chorus rejoices about victory and sings of the retribution against Paris, but also reveals discontent in Argos
• 503-680: 2nd Episode: Herald reports victory, suffering of troops, and disappearance of Menelaus
• 681-782: 2nd Stasimon: chorus sings of Helen's destructiveness, hubris, and justice
• 783-974: 3rd Episode: Agamemnon enters triumphantly and is led into house by Clytemnestra
• 975-1034: 3rd Stasimon: chorus expresses foreboding
• 1035-1330: 4th Episode: Cassandra reveals her own past, the past of the house of Atreus, and the murders to come, then enters the palace
• 1331-1371: 4th Stasimon: chorus responds to death of Agamemnon
• 1372-end: Exodos: Clytemnestra reveals corpses and justifies her action; Aegisthus enters and argues with chorus; Clytemnestra ends argument

II. Libation Bearers

• 1-20: Prologue: Orestes enters with Pylades and leaves a lock of hair on Agamemnon's tomb
• 21-83: Parodos: chorus brings libations, sings of blood guilt
• 84-584: 1st Episode:

1. 84-305: Electra finds lock of hair, then Orestes
2. 306-509: Kommos: Orestes, Electra, and chorus sing to Agamemnon's shade
3. 510-584: Orestes learns of Clytemnestra's dream and reveals his plan

• 585-652: 1st Stasimon: chorus cites mythological examples of female crimes
• 653-718: 2nd Episode: Clytemnestra lets Orestes and Pylades into house
• 719-729: 2nd Stasimon: chorus prays for success for Orestes
• 730-782: 3rd Episode: Cilissa mourns Orestes and carries news (altered at request of chorus) to Aegisthus
• 783-837: 3rd Stasimon: chorus prays for success and encourages Orestes
• 838-854: 4th Episode: Aegisthus enters palace
• 855-869: 4th Stasimon: chorus prays for success
• 870-930: 5th Episode: Clytemnestra learns of Aegisthus' death and is dragged into palace
• 931-972: 5th Stasimon: chorus rejoices
• 973-end: Exodos: Orestes enters with corpses and robe, justifies himself, and is driven off by Furies

III. Furies

( Because of the unique role of the chorus in this play, the traditional division into episodes and stasima will not be useful here.)

• 1-139: Prologue:

1. 1-33: Pythia describes herself
2. 34-63: Pythia leaves, shocked by Furies
3. 64-93: Apollo sends Orestes and Hermes to Athens
4. 94-139: Shade of Clytemnestra goads on Furies

• 140-178: Parodos: chorus expresses anger at Apollo
• 179-234: Apollo and chorus argue

CHANGE OF SCENE TO ATHENS

• 235-298: chorus finds Orestes at statue of Athena; he justifies himself
• 299-396: "Binding Song": chorus dances around Orestes
• 397-489: Furies and Orestes present cases to Athena, who proposes a trial
• 490-565: chorus sings of value of fear
• 566-777: Trial: at his acquittal, Orestes exits with Apollo
• 778-end: Athena offers Furies a place in Athens; play ends in a grand procession

Things to think about while reading the Oresteia

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