In The Eumenides, the final part of The Oresteian trilogy, Orestes must face the consequences of his revenge plot. After killing Clytemnestra he flees from Agos and seeks refuge in Delphi inside a temple of Apollo. However, Furies, deities of justice, follow him in an attempt to punish Orestes for his misdeed. While he is in the temple, the God Apollo protects him and subdues the Furies with a sleep spell lasting long enough for Orestes to escape them again. Orestes seeks further help from the gods, begging for their interference. Under the protection of Hermes, Orestes travels to Athens. He is haunted by his mother's ghost, who encourages the Furies to continue to hunt her son and torment him as punishment for her death. When the Furies find Orestes in Athens, he prays to Goddess Athena to help him. As the Goddess of Justice, Athena appears and holds a trial for Orestes which she presides over. An epic murder trial unfolds with Orestes as the defendent and the Furies advocating for late Clytemnestra. Apollo comes to his aid once more and testifies before a jury of Athenians making a plea for why Orestes was right to avenge King Agamemnon. If the jury finds Orestes guilty he will be tormented for an eternity by the Furies, but if they acquit him, Orestes can return home to Agos as the rightful heir to the throne.The Eumenides is the final part of the highly esteemed Grecian trilogy, The Oresteia. Written by the father of tragedy, Aeschlyus, The Eumenides is an entertaining and enthralling work of literature as well as a vital piece of history, as it is one of the few works that were recovered from Aeschylus. With heart-pounding drama and emotion-driven prose, The Eumenides promotes a message of mercy over wrath and depicts complex characterizations of popular Greek gods, satisfying even modern readers. This edition of The Eumenides by the legendary Greek playwright Aeschylus features an eye-catching cover design and is printed in a modern font to cater to contemporary audiences.
