Clytemnestra

Also known as: CLY / CLY. / CLYTEMNESTRA / CLYTÆMNESTRA / Clytaemnestra / Clytæm / Clytæm. / Clytæmnestra / Clyætmnestra / Ghost of Clytaemnestra · Family: Argos · Role: queen of Argos · First appears: Aeschylus, Agamemnon — Scene 1

Clytemnestra, daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, was queen of Argos. Before her marriage to Agamemnon, she had been married to Tantalus; Agamemnon then took her as his wife, and she bore him Orestes and three daughters. When Agamemnon planned to sacrifice Iphigenia, deceiving Clytemnestra by presenting the journey as her daughter’s marriage to Achilles, she refused to return to Argos, learned the truth, and accepted Achilles’ help in trying to save Iphigenia. Iphigenia nevertheless departed for sacrifice, while Clytemnestra asked Achilles to protect her and urged Orestes to raise the boy.

While Agamemnon was away, Clytemnestra was unfaithful with Aegisthus, and they secretly plotted against her husband. After his return from Troy, she ordered Cassandra from the chariot into the house; Cassandra recognized that Clytemnestra was preparing his death. Clytemnestra then killed Agamemnon and confessed, saying, “I stand where I Did smite him down, with all my task well done. So did I it, (the deed deny I not,)” Afterward, she and Aegisthus ruled Argos together, with Aegisthus as her trusted companion.

Later, a fearful dream led Clytemnestra to send Electra with offerings to Agamemnon’s tomb. Orestes, aided by Pylades, returned in disguise and was welcomed into the palace; Clytemnestra ordered Kilissa to summon Aegisthus to hear his report. Orestes then led her inside and killed her as Agamemnon’s murderess. In other accounts, Electra helped plan the killing and Pylades helped carry it out; Orestes was subsequently driven from Argos by the Erinnys and ordered by Apollo to face trial at Athens.

Clytemnestra was also mother to Electra and Chrysothemis, guardian of Hermione, and sister to Helen, Phoebe, Castor, and Polydeuces. Tyndareus condemned her as a woman who had killed her husband, while Apollo was named as bearing responsibility for the deed through his command to Orestes.