Oresteia

<p>Aeschylus' <em>Oresteia</em> the only ancient tragic trilogy to survive is one of the great foundational texts of Western culture. It begins with <em>Agamemnon</em> which describes Agamemnon's return from the Trojan War and his murder at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra continues with her murder by their son Orestes in <em>Libation Bearers</em> and concludes with Orestes' acquittal at a court founded by Athena in <em>Eumenides</em>. The trilogy thus traces the evolution of justice in human society from blood vengeance to the rule of law Aeschylus' contribution to a Greek legend steeped in murder adultery human sacrifice cannibalism and endless intrigue. This new translation is faithful to the strangeness of the original Greek and to its enduring human truth expressed in language remarkable for poetic intensity rich metaphorical texture and a verbal density that modulates at times into powerful simplicity. The translation's precise but complicated rhythms honor the music of the Greek bringing into unforgettable English the Aeschylean vision of a world fraught with spiritual and political tensions.</p>