Persons of the Play

Persons of the Play

THYESTES, brother of Atreus, in exile from his fatherland

THE GHOST OF TANTALUS, doomed for his sins to come back to earth and inspire his house to greater sin

THE FURY, who drives the ghost on to do his allotted part

ATREUS, King of Argos, grandson of Tantalus, who has quarreled with his brother and driven him into exile

AN ATTENDANT of Atreus

THREE SONS of Thyestes, only one of whom, Tantalus, takes part in the dialogue

A MESSENGER

CHORUS of citizens of Mycenae

The scene is laid partly without the city of Argos, and partly within the royal palace.

Pelops, the son of Tantalus, had banished his sons for the murder of their half-brother, Crysippus, with a curse upon them, that they and their posterity might perish by each others’ hands. Upon the death of Pelops, Atreus returned and took possession of his father’s throne. Thyestes, also, claimed the throne, and sought to gain it by the foulest means. For he seduced his brother’s wife, Aërope, and stole by her assistance the magical, gold-fleeced ram from Atreus’ flocks, upon the possession of which the right to rule was said to rest. For this act he was banished by the king.

But Atreus has long been meditating a more complete revenge upon his brother; and now in pretended friendship has recalled him from banishment, offering him a place beside himself upon the throne, that thus he may have Thyestes entirely in his power.