Poetry · Chapter
A Fragment from the Agamemnon of Aeschylos explained
Cassandra, left alone after Agamemnon enters the palace, is overwhelmed by prophetic visions of blood, murder, and her own impending death.
What happens
Cassandra, left alone after Agamemnon enters the palace, is overwhelmed by prophetic visions of blood, murder, and her own impending death. The chorus of old men dismisses her warnings as madness, but she foresees the fatal blow and resigns herself to her fate.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Redemption
Cassandra's anguish and acceptance of death as a healer highlight the theme of suffering leading to a grim form of redemption.
Classical Mythology and Antiquity
The fragment draws directly from Greek myth, featuring Cassandra, Agamemnon, and references to Scamander, Cokytos, and Acheron.
Characters to notice
- Cassandra
The prophetess left alone on stage, overwhelmed by visions of death and doom.
- Agamemnon
Has entered the House of Doom; his cry of death is heard offstage.
- Apollo
Implied as the god who sends prophetic visions but offers no mercy.
- Death
Personified as the healer of all earthly pain, close at hand for Cassandra.
Key passages
“Thy prophecies are but a lying tale, For cruel gods have brought thee to this state”
The chorus dismisses Cassandra's prophecies as false, blaming the gods for her madness.
The chorus's disbelief underscores Cassandra's tragic isolation.
“I will not shirk the blow.”
Cassandra resolves to face her death without resistance.
Her final line conveys acceptance of fate, a key moment in the fragment.