Orestes is placed on trial for matricide in “The Eumenides”, one of the worst crimes a person can commit in Ancient Greece. Part of the reason he did so is because Apollo convinced him he should avenge his father’s murder. The furies now want justice served to him, and so Athena holds the trial to determine if he is guilty or not. Apollo makes an argument in his defense of Orestes that seems to slander woman, but in reality is not.
In his argument, Apollo states, “[t]he woman you call the mother of this child / is not the parent, just a nurse to the seed, / … The man is the source of life - the one who mounts. / She, like a stranger, keeps / the shoot alive unless god hurts the roots” (260). It sounds like Apollo is saying the mother is really no mother to the child at all, and the only purpose for which she exists is to bear the child. He then presents his reasoning behind his statement. “The father can father forth without a mother. / Here she stands, our living witness” (261). Apollo then goes on to explain how Athena was born from Zeus, not from a mother’s womb, proof that a woman is not needed to have children. Instead, he deems marriage bonds more powerful than parenthood. “Why, you’d disgrace - obliterate the bonds of Zeus / and Hera queen of brides! … Marriage of man and wife is fate itself, / stronger than oaths, and Justice guards its life” (240). His phrasing makes it sounds like to obliterate marriage bonds in any way, especially through death, is a far worse crime than parenticide. Therefore, Clytaemenstra’s action is more terrible than her son’s because she messed with something so sacred.
Keep in mind that the god has to sway the jury to his side so Orestes can go free. One way to do this is to convince the panel and Athena that the murder is not as terrible as it seems because Clytaemenstra never mattered that much. After the woman has the child, her job is over, signifying the end to her importance. If mothers are no longer important, then matricide is no longer a tremendous crime. If what the crime is for is no longer of much importance to avenge, the furies do no need to pursue Orestes to gain it for the dead queen. He also knows that Athena taking his side in the trial will be beneficial, for her vote can break a tie, and she is also a goddess, and Olympians hold power.
Apollo’s argument sways Athena to vote in favor of Orestes, so it seems like it was effective. “No mother gave me birth. / I honour the male, in all things but marriage. … I cannot set more store by the woman’s death - she killed her husband, guardian of their house” (264). She implies that Clytaemenstra’s death does not mean as much to her as Agamemnon’s because she prefers the male gender. Since she does, and deeply loves her father, the king’s murder goes against her beliefs, especially since the queen killed the person who protects the house, an important person in her view. If Apollo had not proposed what he did, he might not have persuaded Athena and half the jury to take Orestes’ side. He merely stated that women basically have no purpose, not because he necessarily believes it himself, but because it is the best way for the trial to swing in the direction he wishes.
Though what Apollo says sounds sexist, in turns out not to be when the his true motives are revealed. He really wants to have Orestes to go free, and in order to let him, he must appeal to the judges of the case. His way of doing that is to make Clytaemenstra seem less important so the charge of matricide is not so severe. Apollo is successful, for Athena clearly states that because of his words Orestes has gained her favor. She sides with him because his argument appealed to her since she is born from Zeus and favors men. She most likely also believes after his statement that a destroyed marriage holds more significance than what Orestes did, and so favors the one on trial instead of the furies who desire revenge for a woman who does not deserve it.
In his argument, Apollo states, “[t]he woman you call the mother of this child / is not the parent, just a nurse to the seed, / … The man is the source of life - the one who mounts. / She, like a stranger, keeps / the shoot alive unless god hurts the roots” (260). It sounds like Apollo is saying the mother is really no mother to the child at all, and the only purpose for which she exists is to bear the child. He then presents his reasoning behind his statement. “The father can father forth without a mother. / Here she stands, our living witness” (261). Apollo then goes on to explain how Athena was born from Zeus, not from a mother’s womb, proof that a woman is not needed to have children. Instead, he deems marriage bonds more powerful than parenthood. “Why, you’d disgrace - obliterate the bonds of Zeus / and Hera queen of brides! … Marriage of man and wife is fate itself, / stronger than oaths, and Justice guards its life” (240). His phrasing makes it sounds like to obliterate marriage bonds in any way, especially through death, is a far worse crime than parenticide. Therefore, Clytaemenstra’s action is more terrible than her son’s because she messed with something so sacred.
Keep in mind that the god has to sway the jury to his side so Orestes can go free. One way to do this is to convince the panel and Athena that the murder is not as terrible as it seems because Clytaemenstra never mattered that much. After the woman has the child, her job is over, signifying the end to her importance. If mothers are no longer important, then matricide is no longer a tremendous crime. If what the crime is for is no longer of much importance to avenge, the furies do no need to pursue Orestes to gain it for the dead queen. He also knows that Athena taking his side in the trial will be beneficial, for her vote can break a tie, and she is also a goddess, and Olympians hold power.
Apollo’s argument sways Athena to vote in favor of Orestes, so it seems like it was effective. “No mother gave me birth. / I honour the male, in all things but marriage. … I cannot set more store by the woman’s death - she killed her husband, guardian of their house” (264). She implies that Clytaemenstra’s death does not mean as much to her as Agamemnon’s because she prefers the male gender. Since she does, and deeply loves her father, the king’s murder goes against her beliefs, especially since the queen killed the person who protects the house, an important person in her view. If Apollo had not proposed what he did, he might not have persuaded Athena and half the jury to take Orestes’ side. He merely stated that women basically have no purpose, not because he necessarily believes it himself, but because it is the best way for the trial to swing in the direction he wishes.
Though what Apollo says sounds sexist, in turns out not to be when the his true motives are revealed. He really wants to have Orestes to go free, and in order to let him, he must appeal to the judges of the case. His way of doing that is to make Clytaemenstra seem less important so the charge of matricide is not so severe. Apollo is successful, for Athena clearly states that because of his words Orestes has gained her favor. She sides with him because his argument appealed to her since she is born from Zeus and favors men. She most likely also believes after his statement that a destroyed marriage holds more significance than what Orestes did, and so favors the one on trial instead of the furies who desire revenge for a woman who does not deserve it.
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