Clytemnestra
mythological figure · 13 works · 24 mentions · 61 anchored passages
mother · daughter of Tyndareus · Clytaemnestra · daughter of Leda · his wife · my mother · Clytemnestra, the daughter of Tyndareus · Clytemnestras · Lady · child of Tyndareus
in the texts
Orations
Wife of Agamemnon, described as harsh and given to effrontery
But when she heard what manner of household Agamemnon's was, how harsh, and of Clytemnestra's cruelty and effrontery, then she came to dread the journey to Argos.
and he, together with Clytemnestra, killed Agamemnon, the shepherd of the Achaeans;
but coming to his own house after so long a time, having sacrificed to the gods and set forth his own table, he was so cruelly slain by his own wife.
Iphigenia in Aulis
Agamemnon's wife and Iphigenia's mother, who arrives at Aulis believing she is bringing her daughter to marry Achilles.
Take from the chariot the dowry I am bringing for my daughter and convey it within with careful heed.
My daughter, leave the horse-drawn chariot, planting your faltering footstep delicately.
As for him, to whom you have betrothed our daughter, I know his name, it is true, but want to learn his lineage and the land of his birth.
Odyssey
Wife of Agamemnon, courted by Aigisthos during Agamemnon's absence at Troy.
but we were over there, fighting hard [ athlos] at Troy, and Aigisthos who was taking his ease quietly in the heart of Argos, cajoled Agamemnon's wife Clytemnestra with incessant flattery.
but when heaven had counseled her destruction, Aigisthos led this bard off to a desert island and left him there for crows and seagulls to batten upon - after which she went willingly enough to the house of Aigisthos.
See how many of us fell for Helen's sake, and now it seems that Clytemnestra hatched mischief against you too during your absence.
Electra
Agamemnon's widow, now living with Aegisthus, and the intended second target of Orestes's and Electra's revenge.
But your adultery killed the lord of such mighty warriors, evil-minded daughter of Tyndareus!
For the deadly daughter of Tyndareus, my mother, has cast me out of the house to please her husband;
but at home he died by the guile of his wife Clytemnestra and the hand of Aegisthus, son of Thyestes.
Iphigenia in Tauris
Wife of Agamemnon and mother of Iphigenia, Orestes, and Electra, who murdered Agamemnon on his return from Troy and was killed in turn by Orestes.
then your wife, Clytemnestra, bore a child in your house—ascribing the prize of beauty to me—whom you must sacrifice.
Daughter of Agamemnon, and of Clytemnestra, hear a strange report from me.
Yes, for he was dreadfully murdered by a woman.
Orestes
Mother of Orestes and Electra who murdered her husband Agamemnon and was in turn killed by Orestes.
For as I was pouring libations on Clytemnestra’s grave I heard that he had come to Nauplia with his wife, safe home again after many years.
It is now the sixth day since the body of his murdered mother was committed to the cleansing fire;
while lord Agamemnon married Clytemnestra, notorious in Hellas;
Electra
Agamemnon's widow and Electra's mother, ruling with Aegisthus after killing Agamemnon and defending the act as repayment for Iphigenia.
and when I see the chief outrage of them all, the murderer in my father’s bed at my wretched mother’s side, if I must call her mother, even though she shares her bed with that man.
how can you say in vain when you have brought me sure proofs of his death?
For I cannot even grieve to the full extent which would please my heart, since this lady, who is in fact no lady, loudly reproaches me with such shameless taunts as these:
Against the Stepmother for Poisoning
Mythological queen who murdered her husband Agamemnon; invoked rhetorically by the speaker as a scornful comparison for the stepmother.
Upon reflection, she decided that it would be better to give it afterwards, thereby carrying out the suggestion of this Clytemnestra here.
On Fate
Mythological figure, daughter of Tyndareus and wife of Agamemnon, cited in the causal-antecedent example.
nor was the fact that I went down to the Campus the cause of my playing at ball, nor was Hecuba the cause of the Trojans’ destruction because she bore Alexander, nor Tyndareus the cause to Agamemnon because he begot Clytaemnestra.
Andromache
Mother of Orestes, killed Agamemnon and was in turn killed by her son at Apollo's bidding.
The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, by name Orestes, on my way to the oracle of Zeus at Dodona.
The son of Atreus is no more, slain by the hand of his wife, and she herself hath paid the debt of blood by death, and from her children’s hands received her doom.
so he slew her, aye, spilt his own mother’s blood.
Hecuba
Referred to obliquely as Agamemnon's wife and the daughter of Tyndareus; prophesied by Polymestor to kill Cassandra and later to slay Agamemnon himself.
The wife of Agamemnon, grim keeper of his palace, shall slay her.
Never may the daughter of Tyndareus do such a frantic deed!
Polymestor:
Dissertations on Early Law and Custom
Mother of Orestes in the Eumenides.
This passage is parallel to a better known passage in the Eumenides of Æschylus, in which Apollo, as advocate for Orestes, argues that he was not of kin to his mother, Clytemnestra, whom he had killed.