Editing Orestes (section)

=== Aeschylus ===
In Aeschylus's ''[[Oresteia#The Eumenides|Eumenides]]'', Orestes goes mad after killing his mother and is pursued by the [[Erinyes|Erinyes (Furies)]], whose duty it is to punish any violation of the ties of family piety. He takes refuge in the temple at [[Delphi]]; but, even though [[Apollo]] had ordered him to kill his mother, the god is powerless to protect Orestes from the consequences. At last [[Athena]] receives him on the [[Acropolis of Athens]] and arranges a formal trial of the case before twelve judges, including herself. The Erinyes demand their victim; Orestes asserts that it was indeed he who killed his mother,<ref name="EB1911"/> though he was acting on the orders of Apollo.  At the close of the trial, Athena votes on the verdict last, announcing that she is for acquittal; the votes are counted and the result is a tie, forcing an acquittal in accordance with the rules previously stipulated by Athena. The Erinyes, who insisted on Orestes' responsibility in the murder, are converted into the Eumenides, who now offer him wisdom and counsel.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aeschylus |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9895300 |title=The Oresteia |date=1984 |others=Robert Fagles, William Bedell Stanford |isbn=0-14-044333-9 |location=New York |oclc=9895300}}</ref> They are then propitiated by the establishment of a new ritual, in which they are worshipped as "Semnai Theai", "Venerable Goddesses", and Orestes dedicates an altar to ''Athena Areia''.

[[Image:Orestes Iphigeneia Pylades BM GR1960.2-1.1.jpg|thumb|Orestes, [[Iphigeneia]], and Pylades on a repoussé silver cup, Roman, first century ([[British Museum]])]]
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