Editing Aeschylus (section)

===''The Oresteia'' (458 BC)===
{{Main|Oresteia}}
Besides a few missing lines, the ''[[Oresteia]]'' of 458 BC is the only complete trilogy of Greek plays by any playwright still extant (of ''[[Proteus]]'', the satyr play which followed, only fragments are known).<ref name=F244/> ''[[The Oresteia#Agamemnon|Agamemnon]]'' and ''[[The Oresteia#The Libation Bearers|The Libation Bearers]]'' (''Choephoroi'') and ''[[The Oresteia#The Eumenides|The Eumenides]]''<ref name=F244246/> together tell the violent story of the family of [[Agamemnon]], king of [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]].

====''Agamemnon''====
[[Image:Murder of agamemnon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|''The Murder of Agamemnon'' by [[Pierre-Narcisse Guérin]] (1817)]]

Aeschylus begins in Greece, describing the return of King [[Agamemnon]] from his victory in the [[Trojan War]], from the perspective of the townspeople (the Chorus) and his wife, [[Clytemnestra]]. Dark foreshadowings build to the death of the king at the hands of his wife, who was angry that their daughter [[Iphigenia]] was killed so that the gods would restore the winds and allow the Greek fleet to sail to Troy. Clytemnestra was also unhappy that Agamemnon kept the Trojan prophetess [[Cassandra]] as his concubine. Cassandra foretells the murder of Agamemnon and of herself to the assembled townsfolk, who are horrified. She then enters the palace knowing that she cannot avoid her fate. The ending of the play includes a prediction of the return of [[Orestes (mythology)|Orestes]], son of Agamemnon, who will seek to avenge his father.<ref name=F244246/>

====''The Libation Bearers''====
''The Libation Bearers'' opens with Orestes' arrival at Agamemnon's tomb, from exile in [[Phocis]]. Electra meets [[Orestes]] there. They plan revenge against Clytemnestra and her lover, [[Aegisthus]]. Clytemnestra's account of a nightmare in which she gives birth to a snake is recounted by the chorus. This leads her to order her daughter, [[Electra]], to pour libations on Agamemnon's tomb (with the assistance of libation bearers) in hope of making amends. Orestes enters the palace pretending to bear news of his own death. Clytemnestra calls in Aegisthus to learn the news. Orestes kills them both. Orestes is then beset by the [[Erinyes|Furies]], who avenge the murders of kin in Greek mythology.<ref name=F244246/>

====''The Eumenides''====
The third play addresses the question of Orestes' guilt.<ref name=F244246/> The Furies drive Orestes from Argos and into the wilderness. He makes his way to the temple of Apollo and begs Apollo to drive the Furies away. Apollo had encouraged Orestes to kill Clytemnestra, so he bears some of the guilt for the murder. Apollo sends Orestes to the temple of [[Athena]] with [[Hermes]] as a guide.<ref name=F246/>

The Furies track him down, and Athena steps in and declares that a trial is necessary. Apollo argues Orestes' case, and after the judges (including Athena) deliver a tie vote, Athena announces that Orestes is acquitted. She renames the Furies  ''The Eumenides'' (The Good-spirited, or Kindly Ones), and extols the importance of reason in the development of laws. As in ''The Suppliants'', the ideals of a democratic Athens are praised.<ref name=F246/>