#orestes finding iphigenia...a sister he thought dead...

[finalgirlsamwinchester]

sam winchester....sooo iphigenia coded to me

[afraschatz]

The Children of Atreus

Let's talk a bit about the coolest of the mythological Greeks, the children of Atreus - Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Anaxabia. And let me just name three things about them that are guaranteed to make you fall in love with them.

Before that, here is a quick summary of the things that everyone already knows anyway: Menelaus is the famous king of Sparta whose wife Helen’s disappearance sparked the Trojan War. The Greeks’ troops are led by his brother, Agamemnon, king of mighty Mycenae (who, when returning from the war, gets murdered by his wife Clytemnestra). Anaxabia is their sister, and she is married to Strophius, king of Phocis.

Secondly, here are three of the (many) reasons why they are The Best:

 1 - They are the best of siblings.

Obviously, they are called the Atrides (or Atreides) after their father, Atreus, who is the son of Pelops and grandson of Tantalus. That makes them part of the forever cursed family of the Tantalides. That curse manifests itself in their father’s relationship with his brother, Thyest. Atreus and Thyest come to Mycenae after they get thrown out of Elis, the territory around Olympia, for murdering their half-brother. They then quickly gain power and influence in Mycenae and use the majority of it to stab each other in the back - repeatedly and quite literally, as they both end up dead.

With role models such as these (plus the curse that Tantalus brought on his family for murdering and cooking his own son just to prove a point), it is absolutely amazing and quite heart-warming how close the Atrides are. Despite their family history of betrayal and murder, they always, ALWAYS stand by one another and support each other.

I mean, Agamemnon starts a war to end all wars to get justice for his brother, for fuck’s sake (yeah, yeah, there’s that bit about the oath of Helen; I’ll get to that later), and for that ten-year-long war they are practically joined at the hip.

And it’s not just a matter of obvious power-politics either: Agamemnon sends his son Orestes to his sister and brother-in-law in Phocis when he has to leave for war. To entrust his only male heir to them is massive proof of his trust in them, in her. Anaxabia and Strophius continue to raise Orestes as their own, and Orestes becomes best friends (and quite definitely lovers, according to my man Euripides) with their son, Pylades who supports him through thick and thin.

Pylades ends up marrying Electra, Agamemnon’s daughter, while Orestes gets wed to Hermione, Menelaus’s kid with Helen. While for today’s standards this might be a bit too incestuous for comfort, it is further proof how tightly knit that family now (in contrast to previous generations and their fondness for throwing people down wells / dismemberment) is because of the bond of the three siblings.

 2 - They are strategic and diplomatic masterminds.

Agamemnon and Menelaus are often reduced to being one entitled and power-hungry dick and his arrogant but ultimately impotent little brother. While that makes them the perfect cardboard-cut-villain for everyone in need of one (such as grieving Achilles, for one) and while I enjoy Brian Cox and Brendan Gleeson as “Troy”’s villains as well as Sophocles's characterization of them in "Aias" as much as the next guy, it really doesn’t do them justice.

First of all, as for the notion that they are entitled and/or feeble: Both of them are self-made men. Not only are they (as well as Anaxabia) kids of a refugee / man living in exile, after their uncle Thyest overthrows their father and has him murdered, they have to flee from Mycenae and seek refuge in Sparta, with king Tyndareos, their future father-in-law, (step) father of Clytemnestra and Helen. From there, they not only manage to mobilize enough man power to overthrow Thyest and conquer Mycenae. They also turn Mycenae into the most influential and mightiest of all the Greeks’ kingdoms. And by proving himself over and over again, Menelaus inherits the right to the throne of Sparta from his father-in-law, while Anaxabia marries the king of Phocis, a kingdom North of the gulf of Corinth with influential Delphi right in the center.

The Atrides’s influence is not just gained by clever marriage and perseverance, however. Sure, the famous oath of Helen (in which all the kings that asked for Helen’s hand in marriage swore to protect her and her husband-to-be) is thought up by wily Odysseus. But who makes sure (for all those years before Paris) that it would be upheld? It’s not like alliances between Greek kingdoms are all that stable. And yet, the council of kings - including extremely strong-willed characters such as Achilles, Aias, and Odysseus - WORKS and works well for ten years, even under the pressure of a prolonged war. Why? It’s because Agamemnon knows how to choose advisers (such as wise Nestor), knows how to utilize the human equivalent of an eel (I am looking at you, Odysseus) etc. He is a fucking brilliant politician. (And it was his RIGHT (AND a necessity) to demand Briseis from Achilles, however much the Myrmidon may moan about it; but more about that later).

Simple proof in numbers: Three exiled kids with NOTHING; fast-forward a decade or two and you have this: Agamemnon commands the largest of the Greek fleets (100 ships). If you add to those the number of Spartan (60) and Phocian (40) ships as well, that’s a whooping 200, even if you disregard for instance the huge Cretan fleet (80) which is led by their uncle, Idomeneus. Brilliant strategists and politicians.

 3 - They are so highkey EXTRA when it comes to the love department. (Well, the brothers are. Anaxabia rolls her eyes at them.)

Before I talk about the brothers and their highkey Extra relationships to their wives, let me just again go back to Anaxabia. Her marriage to Strophius is delightfully stable and uneventful and no one ends up dead (which is quite rare in Greek mythology, really). It produces delightfully stable and unproblematic children, such as the original bestest of mates, Pylades. Just think of Anaxabia and her husband just looking at each other silently at a family dinner,when her dramatic brothers and their dramatic wives start throwing food (and possibly knives) across the table. Next year, we’re doing a couple’s retreat in Delphi, my dear. I love her.

But the brothers’ marriages are equally fascinating.

Paris kidnaps Helen while Menelaus is attending his grandfather Catreus’s funeral btw - dick move, prince of Troy -, and for some reason THEIR relationship is the stuff of legends? Well, fuck that. While I have all the love in the world for one (1) flamboyant and canonically cowardly favourite of Aphrodite, let’s not forget how superglue-strong Menelaus’s bond with Helen is.

First of all, out of all the suitors for her hand in marriage, she chooses HIM without hesitation - after they must’ve known each other for years, btw considering Menelaus’s time in exile in Sparta.

And when she is suddenly gone, he mobilizes literally every available man in Greece to get her back.

That’s a matter of pride, you say? That’s because - much like Agamemnon when he demands Achilles’s prize of war, Briseis, because he had to give his own, Chryseis, back to appease Apollo - he would lose face and power (and thus massively endangering the stability of his reign and consequently the safety of his country, btw)? Sure, it’s that as well.

But.

It’s not like other kings haven’t “misplaced” a wife before. It’s not like he couldn’t simply have claimed she died. He could have. And you know what? It would have saved him from being both the laughing stock of all of Greece (“Here comes Menelaus who couldn’t hold on to his wife”) and also everyone’s favourite villain for having to go to war for him.

And later, what does he do when he finds her again - either in the ruins of Troy or in far away Egypt? Does he kill her? Does he demand a divorce?

No. They sail back to Sparta together and - and this is the kicker - rule together for many years, quite happily reunited.

He fucking loves her, and she loves him. (Okay, she might ALSO love Paris and that whole war could’ve been avoided if they just got into a poly relationship. I wouldn’t have been opposed to that either.)

The same goes for Agamemnon and his family.

Iphigenia, you yell at me in outrage? Well, the unquestioned villain in THAT story is so clearly vengeful Artemis for demanding her life in the first place. And yes, you may fight me on this.

And okay, I am having a slightly harder time explaining away Agamemnon murdering Clytemnestra’s first husband as a romantic gesture, fine. But my point is, Agamemnon’s and Clytemnestra’s relationship status throughout is clearly “it’s complicated”, it’s ENDLESSLY fascinating. Plus, Clytemnestra is such a fierce and badass (Spartan) woman who without problem competently takes care of Mycenae during the war. They are SO well suited for one another, and their relationship is brilliant, from a storytelling point of view.

 So, in conclusion: Give me Rufus Sewell as Agamemnon, Dominic West as Menelaus, and Oona Chaplin as Anaxabia, and I’d watch the hell out of twenty plus seasons about the Atrides and how they feel rightfully superior to all those other Peloponnesian peasants .

The Atrides are the best. It’s just a fact.

[authorgirl1111]

Demigod’s Grief Ch. 4

Thalia

Thalia had begged Artemis, to at least let her see her brother’s funeral. Artemis had been hesitant, but Thalia had refused to back down. Insisted that she would leave anyway, with or without Artemis’s permission.

She had fully expected Artemis to take away her gifts. To tell her that if she left, Artemis would no longer consider her a huntress.

At that moment Thalia no longer cared.

But Artemis allowed her to leave the hunt. Allowed her to go see her brother’s funeral. Artemis had given her a few provisions, including a couple of beads that would allow her to be transported back to the hunt when she was ready to rejoin them.

Artemis had insisted that she take one of the hunters with her. That she would need someone there. Thalia hadn’t cared, so Artemis sent Iphigenia with her, one of the more levelheaded hunters.

Artemis smiled at her sadly before waving her hand, and Thalia and Iphigenia were transported to Camp Jupiter.

---        

Thalia blinked as she appeared just outside Camp Jupiter. Iphigenia looked at her, waiting for Thalia to make the first move.

For a moment Thalia couldn’t move. Afraid of what she would find, when she asked to see her brother.

She looked at Iphigenia, dead dad, killed by her mom, then her brother killed her mother. Who was then hunted by furies for killing his mother?

Iphigenia’s brother had been told to kill his mother by Apollo as well.

Was there anything Apollo did, that didn’t make anyone’s life worse?

That hardened her resolved and she took a step, she had been Told that Apollo was escorting her brother, she needed to see him, to… talk to him.

Thalia stalked forward, Iphigenia following her.

Guards rushed her, Thalia’s hands sparked with electricity, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Calm Down” Iphigenia insisted. “This is how we get locked away, not how we get them to let you see your brother.”

Thalia took a deep breath, and the electricity on her hands went away. “I am Thalia grace, sister Jason Grace former Preator of the twelfth legion”

Some of the guards lowered their weapons, others kept the raised. “We shall take you to the Praetor”

Thalia nodded when some of the male guards tried to grab her, she hissed. “I am a hunter of Diana, don’t touch me.” Iphigenia nodded beside her. The guards immediately let her go, but she kept walking beside her.

“Praetor,” The Guards said when the entered the room. Reyna was sitting on her throne, two dogs made of gold and silver were sitting alert at her heals, and in front of her was Apollo and Meg.

“You!” Thalia cried. “What do you think you're doing here? Do you think you have the right, to handle my brother’s body after you got him killed?”

“Thalia-” Apollo tried. But Thalia’s fingers were already starting to spark.

“You should have left him alone,” Thalia said. “He was happy. He was finally away from all this danger, and you just tossed him, back in. Do you even care? Of course, you don’t, you gods never change.”

Meg stalked forward, but Apollo placed a hand on her and shook his head Apollo didn’t say anything. He turned to Reyna, “Should I leave you to speak with Jason’s sister?”

Reyna’s eyes flicked to her, before turning back to Apollo, “We’ll talk later.” Apollo nodded once before he and his little master walked out leaving Thalia, Iphigenia and Reyna alone.

Thalia turned to Reyna. “I would like to see my brother.” She said.

Reyna paused for a moment before she nodded. “Of course.”

She stood and walked away. “He mentioned you on occasion,” Reyna said. “He never really forgot you.”

Thalia smiled a little. It was the first smile she had given in days.

Reyna walked down to the funeral home, where Jason’s body was kept, lying in wait. She stepped forward and opened the door.

Thalia entered the building and found a man flipping through a magazine at a desk. He looked up and saw Reyna.

“She wishes to see Jason,” Reyna said her head jerking in Thalia’s direction.

Thalia took a deep breath, Iphigenia put a hand on her shoulder.

The man nodded and stood, he took out his keys and lead them to another room. This room was kept colder. There was a figure lying down ahead and Thalia almost felt her throat close.

She ran ahead and stared down.

He was resting in a coffin a dark toga was wrapped around him. His hair was brushed back, glasses framed his face. Thalia looked at him and clasped his hand. “I miss you, little brother,” Thalia said tears rolling down her cheeks.

Thalia looked back at Reyna, and back at her younger brother. She could still see the scar on his lip from when he bit the stapler.

He had always been braver than her. He was the one who could fly. Not her, who was too scared of heights to try.

She broke down crying. “I’m sorry. I should have been there. I’m so sorry.” Thalia clasped his hand tightly. “Maybe if I had been there, I could have prevented this stopped Apollo from making you go,” Thalia said. “I’m so sorry.”

Neither Iphigenia nor Reyna said anything. Thalia wasn’t entirely sure if they were even still there.

She kissed her brother’s cheek. “I’m so sorry” She whispered.

---            

She met Apollo again as she was leaving the building. He was avoiding her gaze; she clutched his arm. “No,” She told him. “You don’t get to see him.”

Reyna stepped in. “Thalia, maybe you should- “

Thalia shook her head. “You said I had a say. I don’t want him anywhere near Jason.”

Iphigenia coughed. “maybe you should- “

Apollo nodded once. “if that is your wish,” He said before he turned and walked away.

---            

Thalia stayed, looking over the plans for the funeral, while Apollo was off with Reyna doing whatever he had roped her into. Iphigenia occasionally gave some advice but for the funeral but all in all, she stayed quiet.

The next she heard; Apollo was in the infirmary. Reyna was fine as far as she knew. Maybe scarred.

Thalia hadn’t honestly cared, the only reason she left her plans was out of idle curiosity.

Apollo was lying down, his eyes were closed, bandages covered every inch of his body. The only part of him that wasn’t covered was his chest, where a giant scar rested just beside his heart. Meg was sitting up in a bed next to his, she glared at Thalia as she walked in.

Thalia looked at it confused. “Where did he get that?”

“He doesn’t want you to know,” Meg said. “Leave him alone!”

Thalia backed away. “Kind master aren’t you.”

Meg threw one of her rings at her. It transformed mid throw into a sword, Thalia ducked just before it hit her face. “What is-”

“Leave!” Meg cried.

Thalia hesitated for a minute, but Meg threw another ring at her Thalia ducked away and left before meg could toss something else.

---

“I don’t understand why she’s so protective.”

Iphigenia shrugged. “Same reason we’re so protective of Artemis?”

“Artemis didn’t send people to their deaths.” Iphigenia turned to stare at Thalia,  her dark eyes calculating.

She remembered Iphigenia’s family. Father dead, killed by the mother, mother killed by my brother on the orders of Apollo.

She clenched her fist. “You must hate Apollo too.”

Iphigenia shook her head. “No, I’d have to hate Artemis too.”

Thalia turned to Iphigenia.

Iphigenia smiled a little. “Artemis asked for my father to sacrifice me, so she would allow them to go to war. In the last moment she saved my life, but the damage was done, my mother refused to believe that I was alive, and she plotted my father’s death, killed him, and yes, Apollo sent Orestes to kill my mother, but he also protected Orestes from the Furies when they attacked him for that act. And it all started with Artemis asking my father to sacrifice me.”

Thalia hadn’t remembered that part of the myth.  

“How can you forgive her?”

Iphigenia shook her head.  “I chose too, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life angry. And she did save my life, she did regret her actions, she told me herself.”

Thalia sighed. “I just can’t.”

Iphigenia nodded. “I understand. Just maybe hear what he has to say before you decide you hate him forever”

---            

Meg refused to leave, but something told Thalia that she needed to talk to Apollo, ask him about the scar.

“I need to talk to Apollo,” Thalia said.

Meg shook her head. “leave him alone” Meg said.

“I just want to ask him about his scar.”

“He stabbed himself in the chest to help Jason and me, what’s there to ask?” Meg said. “Are you going to mock him, because his plan failed, it already hurts him, leave him alone.”

Thalia’s looked at Meg. “What?”

“Caligula needed his essence to become the new sun god, in an attempt to bargain, Apollo threatened to kill himself so Caligula couldn’t get what he wanted. Caligula refused, he stabbed himself, Medea ran to fix him, her concentration broke and Jason broke free of the venti controlling him.”

Thalia's eyes went to the infirmary. “What?”

Meg turned away. “So please. Leave him alone. He’s been through enough.”

Thalia paused. “tell, tell Apollo he can come to the funeral, and that, that I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Meg didn’t say anything.

---        

The Funeral went by quickly. Lots of crying, lots of music. Thalia had been asked if she wanted his body cremated or buried. Thalia had asked for a cremation, ashes could be moved more easily if they were in an urn, and Thalia was unsure if she wanted his remains to stay in Camp Jupiter.”

They burned his body and collected his body in an urn. The presented it to Thalia who held it tightly.  

Apollo hovered in the back. When the funeral ended, he turned and left.

Thalia wanted to go after him, talk to him but what do you say after realizing you were wrong?

---        

She held the urn in her hands and stared up at the sky.

So, Apollo was braver than she thought. She couldn’t’; t believe she had had him so wrong before. Apollo? Artemis’s annoying younger brother, was about as selfless as they come? Her brother would have been so disgusted with her if she found out how she treated Apollo.

That was assuming Meg wasn’t lying of course. But something told her that Meg was being honest.

She saw Apollo ahead, apparently, the next prophecy had a stipulation of being around June, so Apollo had a bit of time off before needing to leave. He spent most of that time in the training grounds, practicing his sword fighting, and archery.

Thalia hesitated, then walked forward.

“Hey”

Apollo paused and turned glancing at her warily. “Yes?” He asked.

She paused and thought about it. She wanted to confront him about what he had done on Caligula’s ship, but she found herself incapable.

She licked her lips. “Can you fly?”

Apollo looked at her shock. “What?”

“Can, could you fly… back when you were immortal, without transforming into a bird, or a fly, or something.”

Apollo scrunched his face as though trying to remember. “I think so?”

“Think?”

Apollo looked away. “My memory hasn’t quite been the best since I was turned human.”

Thalia nodded. Apollo stared at her for a moment.

“Why?”

Thalia shrugged. “I’ve never tried it, never thought I could, then my brother revealed to me he could fly, and… I- well I- “

“It’s a mixture of faith, belief, and trust in yourself and letting yourself fall,” Apollo said. “You have to control the winds around you, and concentrate or else you’ll fall, and since your mortal, probably die”

Thalia nodded. “Thank you.”

---        

Thalia had given Iphigenia one of the beads and told her to go back to Artemis. When Iphigenia argued Thalia had said that she was better, and but had still wanted to spend some time away from the hunt. Iphigenia had nodded, had promised to explain everything to Artemis before breaking the beads.

Thalia practiced and practiced and practiced. Before it had just been a way to speak to Apollo, but now… now it felt like something she should try. A way to keep her closer to Jason.

Apollo helped, or tried, he couldn’t remember much, but what he did was helpful.

After a couple of weeks, Thalia became impatient, so she climbed a hill and looked over the city, it was high up. She could feel her heart beating so fast. She hated heights, she tried hard to avoid them, hadn’t been up so high since the quest to find Artemis years ago.

She closed her eyes and felt the wind whip around her. Stepped back and jumped.

Later she would say it was the greatest feeling in her life. 

A/N So... yeah, hope you all like it. I did take a little from roman funerary practices. The crying women, the music, Jason wearing a dark toga. That kind of stuff. I hope I remembered it all. 

Thalia kissing him is something I got from wikipedia. The closest living relative gave the deceased a kiss and closed his eyes, but Jason’s eyes were already closed. So... (Also got the ‘dark toga’ from their too.)

Everything else i got from here

[thewritermuses]

The Birth Of Justice

The Oresteian trilogy by Aeschylus 8/10 The Oresteian trilogy consists of three plays: Agamemnon, The Choephoroi, and The Eumenides. It is the only complete remaining trilogy of Greek dramas.

Agamemnon

Agamemnon follows the return of the victorious king following the defeat of the Trojans. The home that he is met with is not the one he left when they sailed to war. His wife is not happy at the return. Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter to appease the gods and allow them to sail to war She has taken Agamemnon's cousin, Aegisthus, as her lover. When the king arrives with Cassandra, oracle to Appollo, as his concubine, Aegisthus and Clytemnestra decide to kill him. Cassandra also accepts her fate and is killed. The play ends with a reminder that revenge will follow swiftly on the heels of these actions. Surely the heir to the throne, Orestes, son of Agamemnon, will avenge his father's death. Agamemnon - Themes This play examines some interesting themes. It is very interesting that Agamemnon is punished in this manner for sacrificing his daughter. This is an action that Agamemnon believed that he had to take. Menelaus' (the Spartan king, and brother of Agamemnon) wife, Helen, had fled with Paris, prince of Troy. Agamemnon declared war on Troy to avenge this wrong done. The play makes it clear that this wrong that Paris committed is terrible and war is an appropriate response. Did he have to kill his daughter? As Agamemnon seeks to sail but Artemis is angered because of all the Greek lives that will be lost. Artemis causes the wind to stop and it is prophesised that the only way to appease the god is to sacrifice his own daughter. Agamemnon kills her and the winds pick up and they sail. As far as Agamemnon is concerned he has had no choice in any of these decisions. He must avenge the dishonour Paris and Helen brought upon his house. In order to do this he must sail to Troy. In order to do this he must appease Artemis. In order to do this he must sacrifice his daughter. But Clytemnestra feels equally justified. She doesn't engage with the facts that led to Iphigenia's death. All that the queen cares about is that her daughter is dead at her husband's hand. So she must avenge her daughter's death. In order to do this she must kill Agamemnon. And thus with a perfect unity of opposites the play ensues. Agamemnon is slain. The stage is set for further revenge killings.

The Choephori

Synopsis The Choephori translates into The Libation Bearers. This play takes place a few years after the events of Agamemnon. Orestes, Agamemnon's son has been living in exile in Phocis. Orestes was raised with Pylades, son of the King of Phocis. Apollo threatens Orestes with a curse of disease, exile and even death if he does not avenge his father.

Orestes accepts that this is his duty and he and Pylades return to Argos in disguise. Having been away since the death of his father they travel to his grave. Here Orestes meets up with his only remaining sibling, Electra. Together they pray to the spirit of Agamemnon to aid them in their quest for vengeance. They are also lamenting the life Agamemnon should have led. The chorus argues for them to keep their resolve and avenge their father. Brother & Sister Unite Together they concoct a plan to enter the palace undetected. When Orestes attempts to enter the palace he is greeted by his mother. He tells her that he has come with news of Orestes' death. His mother is shocked by the news and orders Orestes' Nurse to summon Aegisthus, escorted by an armed guard, to hear the news. The nurse encounters the Chorus and they tell her to send for Aegisthus without an armed guard. Rise of the Furies Aegisthus arrives and is killed by Orestes. The noise summons Clytemnestra but Orestes hesitates to kill his own mother. Pylades reminds Orestes of his duty to Apollo. Orestes kills his mother and is pursued from Argos by the furies. These supernatural creatures are brought into being to bring further vengeance for Orestes blood crime. The play ends with Orestes fleeing Argos. Agency or Agent? This play is very different in terms of agency of the main characters and the thought that what they are doing is right. Orestes questions every step along the way. He has to be threatened by the oracle of Apollo to avenge his father before he will even return home. Once he has returned home and meets up with his sister they are immediately on the same side of plotting vengeance but are soon turned towards reminiscing. And when he has his mothers breast bared before him he hesitates again. At each three of these pivotal moments in the story he is forced, guided or pushed on his path by another. In Phocis it is the oracle of Apollo who guides Orestes path. At the tomb of Agamemnon it is the Chorus of Trojan slaves. When he hesitates to kill his mother it is Pylades that firms his resolve. Orestes really sounds like he doesn't want much to do with the whole thing. But because of the rules of justice vengeance all the others understand that it must be Orestes who avenges Agamemnon. And it turns out he was right as the furies pursue him from Argos at the end of the play.

The Eumenides

This play begins shortly after the events of the previous one. Orestes has fled to Delphi to be cleansed by Apollo. Apollo puts the furies to sleep and has Hermes guide Orestes to Athens so Athena can judge his case. Orestes and Hermes leave and the furies are awakened by the ghost of Clytemnestra. The argue with Apollo for attempting to steal their power and vow to destroy Orestes as Apollo vows to protect him. The furies catch up with Orestes in Athens as he is praying to Athena. As they toy with their soon to be victim Athena appears. Both sides state their case and Athena summons a jury to hear the case. Athena is concerned about making the judgement herself. If she finds in favour of Orestes  the furies "anger falls/Like death and terror, blight and poison my land." ln 477-478. Athena is also concerned about finding in favour of the furies. This is because Orestes came cleansed of his crimes by Apollo and as a suppliant of her temple. Orestes has also been granted sanctuary in her city. Not a good look. So she empanels the jury, hoping that by not making the decision herself she will avoid these outcomes. Both sides make their cases. The jury returns its verdict. They are split six to six and Athena has to cast the deciding vote. She rules in favour of Orestes and the furies lose it. They swear to destroy Athens for taking away their ancient power. Athena offers for them to become gods of the city. The furies rage on for a bit longer but finally agree. Justice defeats blood vengeance and Athena bribes the furies with honeyed words and promises of power to end the cycle of death. Analysis  This play is different from the previous two again. Here we see a struggle between old gods and the new. The power of the furies appears undeniable as both Athena and Apollo are worried about them. Although, Athena appears confident that should it come to it Zeus would be able to defeat them. But it isn't about power. It's an argument about what is right and just. Apollo and Athena argue for a new way, justice. The furies cling to the old way of vengeance. Aeschylus cleverly puts this on display via the trial system of the new way. The trilogy needed to end in this sort of fashion otherwise nothing would have stopped the cycle of vengeance that had been the driving force of the plot of the other two plays. Read the full article