In Greek mythology, Agamemnon was the king of Mycenae or Argos (different names for the same region), son of King Atreus and Queen Aerope. His brother was Menelaus, who was married to Helen, the main characters who participated in the events that led to the Trojan War.
When Agamemnon and Menelaus were still young, they were forced to flee Mycenae, as their cousin Aegisthus seized the throne by force, an act that culminated after a long confrontation between their fathers. Agamemnon and Menelaus found refuge in Sparta, at the court of King Tyndareus, and later married Tyndareus’ daughters, Clytemnestra and Helen, respectively. After Tyndareus’ death, Menelaus became king, while Agamemnon managed to regain the throne of Mycenae, exiled by Aegisthus and his father.
Who was Agamemnon, the Greek hero?
He was the commander of the Greek army that fought against the Trojans in the Trojan War. He was often confused with Zeus in Greek mythology because of his Spartan upbringing and his nickname “Zeus Agamemnon.”
Agamemnon and his Greek forces besieged and fought Troy for ten years after Paris kidnapped Helen, the wife of Menelaus, Agamemnon’s brother. Despite Agamemnon’s good intentions, bloodlust, murder, adultery, deception, and superstition reigned over his lineage. Problems plagued and divided his family and ultimately sealed his fate.
Agamemnon’s Family
It is surely impossible to understand Agamemnon’s life without knowledge of his tumultuous past. Even before he was born, members of his family were fighting among themselves.
His father, King Atreus, had a twin brother, Tyndareus. According to the story, Tyndareus wanted everything Atreus had and had an affair with Aerope, Atreus’ wife. Upon learning of Queen Aerope’s affair and the two children she had with Tyndareus, Atreus committed an incredibly cruel act; he boiled the children and fed them to Tyndareus. But Tyndareus had another son named Aegisthus from his incestuous relationship with his daughter Pelopia. Saving Aegisthus’ life was a big mistake on Atreus’ part.
Children of Agamemnon
He was married to Clytemnestra and had four children: Iphigenia, Orestes, Chrysothemis, and Electra, also known as Laodice.
Myths of Agamemnon
The Price of Arrogance
Greek myths reflect a very different view of life from that expressed in the earlier myths of Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamians lamented the fact that humans could not live forever like the gods. Their mythical heroes sought eternal life even though the gods showed them that they were doomed to failure. In contrast, one of the basic ideas of Greek mythology is that all human beings have a destiny that cannot be escaped and limits that they should not try to overcome.
The Greeks believed that individuals should face their fate with pride and dignity, earning as much fame as possible. People like Agamemnon who believed they could change fate through their own actions were guilty of arrogance. They would eventually be punished by Nemesis, the vengeance of the gods.
A seer told him that he could please Artemis and obtain favorable winds by sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess. The king tricked Clytemnestra into sending Iphigenia to him, saying that she would marry the great warrior Achilles. When his daughter arrived, Agamemnon killed her. Although the sacrifice pleased Artemis and allowed the Greek ships to sail, it would later have terrible consequences for Agamemnon.
The Trojan War
The Greeks fought against the people of Troy for nine years and captured many of their cities. However, they failed to capture the city of Troy. This is the point at which the Iliad begins, and Agamemnon’s arrogance and pride come into play once again.
After winning a battle against the Trojans, he received a prisoner named Chryseis as part of his spoils. The girl was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of the god Apollo. Chryses begged for his daughter’s return, but Agamemnon refused. Angered, Apollo sent a plague to ravage the Greek forces.
The hero Achilles demanded that Chryses be returned to his father. Agamemnon still refused. He finally agreed on the condition that Briseis, a slave whom Achilles had grown very fond of, be given to him. Achilles was so angry that he laid down his arms and refused to fight any longer. This proved to be a costly mistake because without Achilles, the Greeks began to lose heavily.
Achilles returned to battle only after learning of the death of his close friend Patroclus. When he rejoined the Greek forces, the tide of battle turned. The Greeks drove out the Trojans, killed the great Trojan warrior Hector, and then defeated the people of Troy and destroyed their city. After the war, Agamemnon took the Trojan princess Cassandra back home as his prize. Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey tells the story of Agamemnon’s return to Mycenae.
The Death of Agamemnon
While he was away fighting the Trojans, his wife, Clytemnestra, took a lover named Aegisthus. While Agamemnon was sailing home from Troy, Clytemnestra was plotting to kill him in revenge for the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia.
Meanwhile, Cassandra, who had the power to predict the future, warned Agamemnon that his wife would kill him. However, the gods had placed a curse on Cassandra: although she would make accurate predictions, no one would believe them. True to the curse, Agamemnon ignored Cassandra’s warning.
The riches of the spoils or property gained through conquest
When he returned home, Clytemnestra welcomed him by preparing a bath in which he could purify himself. However, when the king emerged from the bath, Clytemnestra wrapped him in a garment or net that bound his arms so that he could not move. Aegisthus then stabbed him to death while Clytemnestra killed Cassandra. It is also said that Clytemnestra herself killed Agamemnon with an axe. Agamemnon’s son, Orestes, eventually avenged the murder by killing both Clytemnestra and Aegisthus with the help of his sister Electra.
Agamemnon in literature
He is a favorite character in many literary works, in addition to the Iliad and the Odyssey. The ancient Greek playwrights Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles wrote a series of plays based on the life of Agamemnon. He was also a popular subject of ancient Roman authors such as Ovid and Seneca. Later writers, such as William Shakespeare and the French playwright Jean Racine, included Agamemnon as a character in their works. In modern times, he has served as a model for characters in works by the poet T. S. Eliot and the playwright Eugene O’Neill.
The deeds of Agamemnon
- Agamemnon’s life was full of struggle and controversy. For a quick summary, here are the most important facts:
- His lineage was tainted by adultery. He came from a line of murderers.
- He was born in Mycenae, more commonly known as Argos.
- He was denied his birthright and exiled to Sparta.
- He married a princess who turned out to be an adulteress.
- He was the father of four children.
- He claimed the throne
- His sister-in-law was Helen (of Troy).
- He was deceived by prophecy
- He went to war for his family.
- He was killed in revenge.
