Greek Mythology

Clytaemnestra

First appears: Apollodorus, Library 3.10

Clytaemnestra was the daughter of Tyndareus and Leda. She became the wife of Tantalus, son of Thyestes, before Agamemnon slew Tantalus and his newborn child and married her; as the account says, “Agamemnon getting Clytaemnestra to wife, after he had slain her spouse Tantalus.”

She was the parent of Iphigenia, Orestes, and Erigone, whose father was Aegisthus. After Agamemnon returned to Mycenae with Cassandra, Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus murdered him and Cassandra, with Aegisthus then reigning over Mycenae. Not long afterwards, Orestes returned secretly with Pylades and killed both Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus to avenge Agamemnon’s murder.

Relationship record

Life events

  • Agamemnon married Clytaemnestra after killing Tantalus and his child, while Menelaus married Helen.(Apollodorus, Epitome 2)
    • With: Agamemnon Tantalus (son of Thyestes) Menelaus Helen
    • “And they became the sons-in-law of Tyndareus by marrying his daughters, Agamemnon getting Clytaemnestra to wife, after he had slain her spouse Tantalus, the son of Thyestes, together with his newborn babe, while Menelaus got Helen.”
  • Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra murdered Agamemnon and Cassandra, and Aegisthus seized the throne.(Apollodorus, Epitome 6 · 📍 Mycenae)
    • With: Agamemnon Aegisthus Cassandra
    • “After Agamemnon had returned to Mycenae with Cassandra, he was murdered by Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra; for she gave him a shirt without sleeves and without a neck, and while he was putting it on he was cut down, and Aegisthus reigned over Mycenae . And they killed Cassandra also.”
  • Orestes killed his mother Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus to avenge Agamemnon's murder.(Apollodorus, Epitome 6 · 📍 Mycenae)
    • With: Orestes Aegisthus
    • “so he departed secretly to Mycenae in company with Pylades, and killed both his mother and Aegisthus.”

Apollodorus, Library 3.10

  • parent: Tyndareus “and Castor and Clytaemnestra to Tyndareus.”
  • parent: Leda “and Castor and Clytaemnestra to Tyndareus.”
  • married with Agamemnon “Clytaemnestra, whom Agamemnon married”

Apollodorus, Epitome 2

Apollodorus, Epitome 3

  • child: Iphigenia “So Clytaemnestra sent her”

Apollodorus, Epitome 6

  • with Orestes (interaction) “killed both his mother and Aegisthus”
  • with Aegisthus (They were adulterous partners.) “Clytaemnestra with Aegisthus”
  • with Agamemnon (interaction) “Agamemnon ... was murdered by Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra”
  • with Cassandra (interaction) “And they killed Cassandra also”
  • child: Erigone “Erigone, daughter of Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra”
  • with Agamemnon (Clytaemnestra murdered Agamemnon.) “he was murdered by Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra”
  • courtship with Aegisthus “Clytaemnestra with Aegisthus”
  • child: Orestes (Clytaemnestra is Orestes's mother.) “killed both his mother and Aegisthus”

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