Choephori

The Choephori, also known as The Libation Bearers, is the second play in Aeschylus' Orestian trilogy, following the Agamemnon and preceding the Eumenides. It tells the story of Orestes' return to Argos to avenge the murder of his father, Agamemnon, by his mother, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus.

The play opens with Electra, Orestes' sister, pouring libations at Agamemnon's tomb. She is grief-stricken and prays for the return of her brother and for vengeance. Orestes, disguised as a traveler, arrives and reveals himself to Electra. Together, they plot their revenge.

Guided by the oracle of Apollo, Orestes confronts Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. He kills Aegisthus first, and then, after a moment of hesitation and struggle, murders his mother as well. The play ends with Orestes being pursued by the Furies, the avenging goddesses of his mother's blood, setting the stage for the final play in the trilogy. The Choephori explores themes of justice, revenge, familial duty, and the consequences of matricide. It is a powerful drama of retribution and its inescapable repercussions.