The Oresteia Trilogy” is the three plays of “Agamemnon,” “The Libation Bearers,” and “The Eumenides,” all written by Greek playwright Aeschylus. In these works, and in most of ancient Greek literature, the same basic theme prevails: the concept and ethics of revenge. 

“The Eumenides” was the third and final play of the trilogy. Eumenides were monstrous beings from the underworld, and it was explained in this poem that Greeks referred to them as “eumenides” while Romans referred to them as “furies” as they were described in previous plays. Greatly feared by the population, the furies were described as “goddesses of hate” by Apollo. The Olympian gods had long-standing animosity with the gods of the underworld. Oretes was lured outside the city of Athens, which was safe and was caught by the furies. The furies claimed Orestes was without hope and would be taken to the underworld for justice. Thankfully for him, Orestes was being protected by Apollo. The goddess Athena assembled a court in the underworld for Orestes’ trial, but she stated that she could not save Orestes. Going on she proclaimed that without the furies, there would be murder in families because of the lack of retribution handed down by the furies. 

Eventually, the furies consented to the trial but quarreled with Apollo over whose system of justice is sovereign. The jury was made of citizens of Athens and was divided, and the vote came down to Athena’s ballot. Orestes was finally set free, although this angered the furies who vowed revenge on Athens, but were later compelled by Athena to not destroy the city. Athena predicted prosperity and military victory for Athens, and the citizens pledged loyalty to her. The city’s religion triumphed over the underworld, making the jury the source of justice in Athens. The conflict between the gods of the underworld and the Olympian gods was eventually settled because the people of Athens promised to offer sacrifice to the Olympian gods, the gods of the hearth, and the underworld gods. Also, the city gained autonomy by means of its sacrifices and jury system.