The second play of Aeschylus's great Oresteia trilogy continues the tragic cycle of vengeance within the cursed House of Atreus.
In The Libation-Bearers, Orestes returns secretly to Argos after years of exile to avenge the murder of his father, King Agamemnon. Accompanied by his loyal companion Pylades, he encounters his sister Electra at Agamemnon's tomb, where she has come to pour ritual libations for the dead. Recognizing one another, the brother and sister unite in their shared determination to punish those responsible for their father's death.
Their targets are Clytemnestra-Agamemnon's wife and Orestes' mother-and her lover Aegisthus, who together seized the throne after murdering the returning king. As Orestes carries out the grim task commanded by the god Apollo, the cycle of blood vengeance deepens, setting in motion the terrible consequences that will unfold in the trilogy's final play.
First performed in the fifth century BCE, The Libation-Bearers forms the central movement of the Oresteia, one of the greatest achievements of ancient Greek tragedy. Through powerful choral poetry and intense dramatic conflict, Aeschylus explores justice, revenge, divine command, and the burden of inherited guilt.
