Galaxy/The codex of Agamemnon

King of Mycenae and commander of the Achaean expedition to Troy, whose victorious return ended in murder at the hands of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.1

I

Homer presents Agamemnon as the son of Atreus and king of men. At Troy he names Orestes and three daughters at home: Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa.2

II

Apollodorus calls him the son of Atreus and Aerope and lists Orestes, Chrysothemis, Electra, and Iphigenia as his children. He commanded one hundred Mycenaean ships and the whole army at Troy.3

III

Before marrying Clytemnestra, Agamemnon killed her first husband Tantalus and their newborn child. Pausanias treats this as the earlier crime that may have begun the next turn of vengeance between the houses.4

IV

On returning with Cassandra, Agamemnon was trapped and killed. Homer emphasizes the guile of Aegisthus with Clytemnestra's aid; Apollodorus and Hyginus make the pair joint murderers.5

the spine ignites as you read · hover a bond on the card — every mention of them lights in the story

BEYOND THE POETS

How the centuries since have seen Agamemnon — art, artifacts and echoes.

The Anger of Achilles
Mask of Agamemnon
Clytemnestra and Agamemnon
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