#odysseus: *frames diomedes as a traitor by planting trojan gold in diomedes' tent like 5 years into the war

[ginathethundergoddess]

Actually I'm not done.

Agamemnon wad a genuinely shitty, immoral bastard even by ancient terms because he lured Clytembestra and Iphegenia to the island the Greeks were trapped on (also by agamemnons own folly) BY SAYING ACHILLES HAD ASKED FOR IPHEGENIA'S HAND IN MARRIAGE. IPHEGENIA CAME FOR A WEDDING. SHE WAS SO YOUNG. Like. To a Greek lady of high birth this was the end game and plus Achilles was Greece's most eligible bachelor too (even tho he was like 15. Iphegenia also was pretty young too.) So she was naturally overjoyed. Her mother even more so.

AND AGAMEMNON DIDNT TELL ACHILLES EITHER. HE JUST USED THE BOY'S NAME. WHEN ACHILLES SAW THE GREEKS SPRING ON IPHEGENIA TO RIP HER FROM CLYTEMNESTRA HE LEGIT FOUGHT THEM.OFF.

AND THEN AGAMEMNON HAD THE GALL. TO BE MAD ABOUT IT? LIKE. ACHILLES SHOULD HAVE JUST KILLED THE FUCKER THERE AND THEN I SWEAR TO GOD BECAUSE EVERYTHING AGAMEMNON DOES FROM THERE OUT SCREWS EVERYONE OVER REGULARLY. I'M SURPRISED NO ONE STABBED HIM EARLIER INTO THE WAR. I WOULD HAVE. I'D HAVE FUCKING POISONED HIM ON THE SHIP NGL.

Further: Iphegenia loved her father and was loyal to him. So even after he lied to her, was set on killing her to get this war rolling, and set his own men to capture her, she still went to the temple of Artemis and allowed herself to be sacrificed to soothe Artemis' wrath. She did what she considered her highest duty and honor.

I have no idea why the Greeks thought Agamemnon fit to run the army. My professors always implied it was because he was the wealthiest of the Greek kings.

What makes me even angrier is that everyone in the Odyssey demonises Clytemnestra over it. Every single person on ithaca's council is like "oh Penelope is probably cheating on odysseus and ready to murder him anyway. Just like Clytemnestra did to poor Agamemnon." AS IF PENELOPE WASN'T THE MOST PATIENT AND FAITHFUL WIFE.

THEY TELL TELEMACHUS THIS DAILY. THAT THEY FULLY EXPECT TRECHERY FROM PENELOPE. LIKE CAN YOU IMAGINE YOUR FATHER'S MOST TRUSTED FRIENDS AND COUNCIL DAILY WARNING YOU THAT YOUR MOTHER, WHO HAS BEEN BOMBARDED BY SUITORS DAILY FOR YEARS, WHO HAS REJECTED ALL OF THEM AND DONE HER BEST AS REGENT TO PROTECT HER LANDS, WHO HAS BEEN THE ONLY PARENT IN YOUR LIFE AND HAS DONE ALL.OF THIS WITH ONLY THEE SUPPORT OF HER HANDMAIDENS-- THAT THEY EXPECT HER TO BE FAITHLESS? THAT THEY EXPECT HER TO BE WEAK?

The only reason Penelope got caught with her weaving plot is because she was betrayed by one of her personal maids. She was just as wily and clever as Odysseus and her every action in the Odyssey shows that. She is given more agency than most women in Greek myth and I forever stan her.

Fucking hell. I'd have run through my halls and killed them for putting my mother's name in their mouth. I'd have been like "well if my mother loves her husband this much, what did agamemnon do that turned Clytemnestra so thoroughly against Agamemnon that she killed him on sight?"

"Oh??? He lied to his wife and daughter and then ripped Iphegenia from her arms and had her brutally sacrificed to repay a goddess for HIS OWN TRANSGRESSIONS? yeah no he had it coming. Keep my mother's name out of your filthy, lying mouths or I'll have your tongues cut from them."

Clytemnestra deserved better. And someone should have given Penelope a gun. She wouldn't have used it because she's the most clever woman in all.of Greece and was an excellent diplomat. But she should have the option.

Moral of the story: Greek myth boys need to defend their mothers better. Clytemnestra was justified in her vengeance and Orestes wad a little bitch about it. She should not have all this bad press-- ti the point that the odyssey pits two bad bitches against each other as foil characters. Send tweet.

99% of all murders committed by women in ancient greek plays are completely justified