Editing Oresteia (section)

==''The Libation Bearers'' {{anchor|The Libation Bearers}}==
{{Infobox play
| name = The Libation Bearers
| image = Orestes_Elektra_Hermes_Louvre_K544.jpg
| image_upright = 0.65
| caption = ''Orestes, Electra and Hermes in front of Agamemnon's tomb'' by Choephoroi Painter
| writer = [[Aeschylus]]
| chorus =  Slave women
| characters = {{hlist | [[Orestes]] | [[Electra]] | Servant | [[Clytemnestra]] | [[Pylades]] | [[Cilissa]] | [[Aegisthus]] | Attendants}}
| setting = {{hlist | 1. [[Ancient Argos|Argos]], at the tomb of [[Agamemnon]] | 2. Argos, before the royal palace}}
}}

In ''The Libation Bearers'' ({{lang|grc|Χοηφόροι}}, ''Choēphóroi'')—the second play of Aeschylus' ''Oresteia'' trilogy—many years after the murder of [[Agamemnon]], his son [[Orestes]] returns to [[Ancient Argos|Argos]] with his cousin Pylades to exact vengeance on [[Clytemnestra]], as an order from [[Apollo]], for killing Agamemnon.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vellacot|first1=Philip|title=Aeschylus' Orestes|journal=The Classical World|year=1984|volume=77|issue=3|pages=145–157|jstor=4349540|publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press on behalf of the Classical Association of the Atlantic States|doi=10.2307/4349540}}</ref> Upon arriving, Orestes reunites with his sister [[Electra]] at Agamemnon's grave, while she was there bringing [[libation]]s to Agamemnon in an attempt to stop Clytemnestra's bad dreams.<ref name="Classical Association of Canada">{{cite journal|last1=O'Neill|first1=K.|title=Aeschylus, Homer, and the Serpent at the Breast|journal=Phoenix|year=1998|volume=52|issue=3/4|pages=216–229|jstor=1088668|publisher=Classical Association of Canada|doi=10.2307/1088668}}</ref> Shortly after the reunion, both Orestes and Electra, influenced by the Chorus, come up with a plan to kill both Clytemnestra and [[Aegisthus]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kells|first1=J. H.|title=More Notes on Euripides' Electra|journal=The Classical Quarterly|year=1966|volume=16|issue=1|pages=51–54|jstor=637530|publisher=Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Classical Association|doi=10.1017/S0009838800003359|s2cid=170813768}}</ref>

Orestes then goes to the palace door, where he is greeted by Clytemnestra. He pretends he is a stranger and tells Clytemnestra that he (Orestes) is dead, causing her to send for Aegisthus. Unrecognized, Orestes is then able to enter the palace, where he then kills Aegisthus, who was without a guard due to the intervention of the chorus in relaying Clytemnestra's message.<ref name="Cleveland Museum of Art">{{cite journal|last1=H.|first1=R.|title=Orestes Sarcophagus and Greek Accessions|journal=The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art|year=1928|volume=15|issue=4|pages=90–87|jstor=25137120|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}</ref> Clytemnestra then enters the room. Orestes hesitates to kill her, but Pylades reminds him of Apollo's orders, and he eventually follows through.<ref name="Classical Association of Canada"/> Consequently, after committing the matricide, Orestes is now the target of the [[Furies]]' merciless wrath and has no choice but to flee from the palace.<ref name="Cleveland Museum of Art"/>

=== Chorus ===
The [[Greek chorus|Chorus]] in ''The Libation Bearers'' is distinctly different from the one in ''Agamemnon.'' From ''Agamemnon'' to ''The Libation Bearers'', the Chorus switches from a collection of old, Argive men, to foreign slave women.<ref name=":0">Monohan, Marie Adornetto. ''Women and Justice in Aeschylus' “Oresteia.”'' 1987. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.</ref><sup>p.&nbsp;46-48</sup> Furthermore, the Chorus in ''Agamemnon'' possessed a fearful voice, characterized by their critical commentary on the events and characters of the play. Despite this, they play a passive role and do not influence the plot.<ref name=":0" /><sup>p.&nbsp;47-48</sup> In contrast, ''The Libation Bearers''{{'}} Chorus desire vengeance, and influence both [[Electra]]'s and [[Orestes]]' actions, shepherding Orestes towards revenge.<ref name=":0" /><sup>p.&nbsp;48-52</sup>[[File:The Genealogy of Orestes.jpg|center|thumb|234x234px|Genealogy of Orestes]]