What is the motive of the Crimson Tapestries? I think the tangling robe must have been in the tradition, as the murder in the bath certainly was. One motive, of course, is obvious: Clytemnestra is tempting Agamemnon to sin or “go too far.” He tries to resist, but the splendour of an oriental homecoming seduces him and he yields. But is that enough to account for such a curious trait in the story, and one so strongly emphasized? We are told afterwards that Clytemnestra threw over her victim an “endless web,” long and rich (line), to prevent his seeing or using his arms. And I cannot help suspecting that this endless web was the same as the crimson pall.
If one tries to conjecture the origin of this curious story, it is perhaps a clue to realize that the word droitê means both a bath and a sarcophagus, or rather that the thing called droitê, a narrow stone or marble vessel about seven feet long, was in pre-classical and post-classical times used as a sarcophagus, but in classical times chiefly or solely as a bath. If among the prehistoric graves at Mycenae some later peasants discovered a royal mummy or skeleton in a sarcophagus, wrapped in a robe of royal crimson, and showing signs of violent death—such as Schliemann believed that he discovered—would they not say: “We found the body of a King murdered in a bath, and wrapped round and round in a great robe?” ↩
Agamemnon is going through the process of temptation. He protests rather too often and yields. ↩
Tell me but this.—This little dialogue is very characteristic of Aeschylus. Euripides would have done it at three times the length and made all the points clear. In Aeschylus the subtlety is there, but it is not easy to follow. ↩
These bound slaves.—i.e. his shoes. The metaphor shows the trend of his unconscious mind. ↩
This princess.—This is the first time that the attention of the audience is drawn to Cassandra. She too is one of Aeschylus’ silent figures. I imagine her pale, staring in front of her, almost as if in a trance, until terror seizes her at Clytemnestra’s greeting in line. ↩
The cry.—i.e. the cry of the possessed prophetess which rang from the inner sanctuary at Delphi and was interpreted by the priests.—The last two lines of the speech are plain in their meaning but hard to translate. Literally: “when the full, or fulfilled, man walketh his home—O Zeus the Fulfiller, fulfil my prayers.” ↩
The victim has been drawn into the house; the Chorus sing a low boding song: every audience at a Greek tragedy would expect next to hear a death cry from within, or to see a horrified messenger rush out. Instead of which the door opens and there is Clytemnestra: what does she want? “Come thou also!” One victim is not enough.—In the next scene we must understand the cause of Clytemnestra’s impatience. If she stays too long outside, someone will warn Agamemnon; if she leaves Cassandra, she with her second sight will warn the Chorus. If Cassandra could only be got inside all would be safe! ↩
“One there was of old.”—Asklêpios, the physician, restored Hippolytus to life, and Zeus blasted him for so oversetting the laws of nature. ↩
Alcmêna’s son.—Heracles was made a slave to Omphalê, Queen of Lydia. His grumbles at his insufficient food were a theme of comedy. ↩
Belike thou canst not yet.—Cf. below, line The Elder speaks in sympathy. “Very likely you cannot yet bring yourself to submit.” ↩
Thou show her.—It seems odd to think that this passage has for centuries been translated as if it was all addressed to Cassandra: “But if you do not understand what I say, please indicate the same with your barbarous hand!”—What makes Cassandra at last speak? I think that the Elder probably touches her, and the touch as it were breaks the spell. ↩
Cassandra.—“Otototoi” really takes the place of a stage direction: she utters a long low sob.—The exclamation which I have translated “Dreams!” seems to occur when people see ghosts or visions. Alcestis, 261; Prometheus, 567. Cf. Phoenissae 1296.—“Mine enemy!” The name “Apollon” suggested “apollyon,” Destroying … the form which is actually used in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 9:11).
Observe how, during the lyric scene, Cassandra’s vision grows steadily more definite: First vague horror of the House: then the sobbing of children, slain long ago: then, a new deed of blood coming; a woman in it: a wife: then, with a great effort, an attempt to describe the actual slaying in the bath. Lastly, the sight of herself among the slain. (This last point is greatly developed by Euripides, Trojan Women, ll. 445 ff., pp. 33 f.).
The story of the Children of Thyestes is given below, ll. 1590 ff., p. 73. Procnê (or Philomêla) was an Attic princess who, in fury against her Thracian husband, Tereus, killed their child Itys, or
