Who Sacrificed For Fair Winds To Sail For Troy?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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In texts featuring the stories surrounding the Trojan War, and most notably Euripides play Iphigenia at Aulis, King Agamemnon’s daughter Iphigenia is sacrificed in order for the Greeks to be rewarded with fair winds to allow them to sail to Troy.

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Who sacrificed his daughter to the gods so his fleet would arrive safely at Troy?

Then the Chorus recalls how Clytemnestra’s husband Agamemnon (Menelaus’ brother) sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to the god Artemis to obtain a favorable wind for the Greek fleet. The Queen appears, and the Chorus asks her why she has ordered sacrifices of thanksgiving.

Why was Iphigenia sacrificed?

The story concerns the legendary sacrifice of Iphigenia by her father, Agamemnon. When the Greek fleet is becalmed at Aulis, thus preventing movement of the expeditionary force against Troy, Agamemnon is told that he must sacrifice Iphigenia to appease the goddess Artemis , who has caused the unfavourable weather.

Who demands that Agamemnon sacrifice Iphigenia in order for the Greek fleet to sail to Troy?

In order for the Greek fleet to sail away to Troy, Agamemnon sacrifices Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis , much to his wife’s utter disgust and total outrage. He had lured her to the place of sacrifice, called Aulis, by telling his wife that Iphigenia was going to be married to the Greek warrior Achilles.

What sacrifice did King Agamemnon make for the gods to travel safely to Troy?

What sacrifice did King Agamemnon make for the gods to travel safely to Troy? Agamemnon offends the goddess Artemis, who retaliates by commanding him to kill Iphigenia as a sacrifice so his ships can sail to Troy. Agamemnon had killed a sacred deer of Artemis , and the goddess, furious, had caused all winds to cease.

Who is sacrificed his daughter to obtain a favorable wind for his fleet?

Agamemnon is the older brother of Menelaus, whose wife Helen was stolen by a Trojan prince, thus igniting a decade-long war. A great warrior, he sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia in order to obtain a favorable wind to carry the Greek fleet to Troy.

How old was Iphigenia when she was sacrificed?

A tale recounted by Euripides was that the king of Mycenae had once made an unthinking vow, shortly before the birth of his daughter, which proved fatal to both of them: he had promised to sacrifice to Artemis “whatever the year produced that was the most beautiful.”​ 11 Barely born , Iphigenia, a virgin of marvelous ...

Is Iphigenia sacrificed?

She retaliates by preventing the Greek troops from reaching Troy unless Agamemnon kills his eldest daughter, Iphigenia, at Aulis as a human sacrifice. In some versions, Iphigenia dies at Aulis, and in others, Artemis rescues her.

Who describes the sacrifice of Iphigenia?

Descriptions of the sacrifice by Pausanias

Pausanias was a traveler who wrote the Description of Greece which depicted his accounts of what he has seen on mainland Greece. He recorded a few depictions of the death of Iphigenia. He mentions that the temple of Artemis was where the sacrifice was to take place.

Where is Iphigenia’s sacrifice?

The Site of Iphigenia’s Sacrifice, within the Cursed Land of Oedipous in Boeotia , is a place of great significance in Greek mythology. According to legend, this was where King Agamemnon of Mycenae attempted to appease the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, after his fleet was immobilized by her on the way to attack Troy.

Was Clytemnestra justified in killing Agamemnon?

The actions of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are not justified because they are caused by their blinding hubris and desire for power. Agamemnon makes the choice to kill his daughter just so he could lead his troops to Troy. ... Agamemnon kills his daughter, Iphigenia, for power and respect.

How does Agamemnon want to punish Achilles?

How does Agamemnon intent to punish Achilles for arguing with him? Agamemnon’s scepter will strike Achaea’s sons and all your armies . ... He had two Heralds to go to Achilles lodge and take Briseis and bring her to Agamemnon at once.

Who was the first man to jump out of the Greek ship and sacrifice his life?

An oracle had foretold that the first invader to set foot on Trojan soil would be the first Greek to die there. Only Protesilaus , commander of 40 ships from Thessaly, dared defy this oracle. Though he killed several Trojans in this first attack, Protesilaus was indeed the first Greek to fall.

Who killed Agamemnon in Troy?

Clytemnestra , in Greek legend, a daughter of Leda and Tyndareus and wife of Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. She took Aegisthus as her lover while Agamemnon was away at war. Upon his return, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus murdered Agamemnon.

Why does Agamemnon want to conquer Troy?

But Agamemnon has a different motive for this venture. He just wants to conquer Troy, presumably for the same reason people climb mountains [—] because it’s there. And for this he’s eager to risk lives – not his own, of course, but the lives of thousands of his soldiers.

Why did Agamemnon visit Troy?

When Helen was abducted by the Trojan prince Paris, Agamemnon led the Greek expedition to Troy to take back his brother’s wife . In order for the Greek fleet to set sail from Aulis, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis.

Why does Menelaus change his mind about pushing Agamemnon to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia?

Furthermore, not sacrificing Iphigenia could lead to a mutiny and the destruction of the Greek army. Agamemnon and Menelaus debate with one another and change each other’s minds. Menelaus now believes they should not sacrifice his niece and Agamemnon believes it would be better if they did.

What did thyestes do to anger?

An oracle then advised Thyestes that, if he had a son with his own daughter Pelopia, that son would kill Atreus . Thyestes did so by raping Pelopia (his identity hidden from her) and the son, Aegisthus, did kill Atreus.

Is Aegisthus a God?

In Greek mythology, Aegisthus was the lover of Clytemnestra , and son of Thyestes and Pelopia. Thyestes, having a long – time rivalry with his brother and king of Mycenae, Atreus, was advised by an oracle to have a son with his own daughter, Pelopia, who would then kill his brother. Thus, Aegisthus was born.

Who Won the Trojan War?

The Greeks won the Trojan War. According to the Roman epic poet Virgil, the Trojans were defeated after the Greeks left behind a large wooden horse and pretended to sail for home. Unbeknown to the Trojans, the wooden horse was filled with Greek warriors.

What happened after Iphigenia sacrifice?

The most popular version of what happened afterwards is that on the moment of the sacrifice, the goddess Artemis substituted Iphigenia for a deer , but Calchas who was the only witness remained silent. Iphigenia was then brought by Artemis to the city of Tauris where she became the goddess’ priestess.

Why did Achilles rejoin the war?

Achilles stops fighting for the Greeks because Agamemnon took away his prize, Briseis. Fearing of defeat to the Trojans, Agamemnon summons Ajax , Odysseus, and Phoenix to persuade Achilles into rejoining the battle by means of offering gifts and the return of Briseis .

What happened between Atreus and Thyestes?

At a banquet Atreus served Thyestes the flesh of Thyestes’ own son (or sons), whom Atreus had slain in vengeance for the death of Pleisthenes. Thyestes fled in horror to Sicyon; there he impregnated his own daughter Pelopia in the hope of raising one more son to avenge himself.

What did Euripides believe?

Euripides was known for taking a new approach to traditional myths: he often changed elements of their stories or portrayed the more fallible, human sides of their heroes and gods. His plays commonly dwelled on the darker side of existence, with plot elements of suffering, revenge and insanity .

Does Homer mention Iphigenia?

The story of Iphigenia is not one that appears in the Iliad, the work of Homer, although Homer does make mention of a daughter of Agamemnon called Iphianassa , which may or may not be an alternate name for Iphigenia. Much of the tale of Iphigenia is thus taken from other writers, including Euripides.

Who does Cassandra prophecy will avenge Agamemnon’s and her own death?

After explaining this, she prophecies that she and Agamemnon will die at the hands of a woman, “a woman-lioness, who goes to bed / with the wolf” (1258-59). Eventually, a son will emerge to kill the murderess and avenge his father’s death.

Who were Protesilaus and laodamia?

Protesilaus was the first man to leap ashore and the first man to die by a Trojan spear. Laodamia was Protesilaus’s wife . She killed herself after she saw Protesilaus brought up from the dead so she could be with him.

Where is Aulis?

Aulis (Ancient Greek: Αὐλίς) was a Greek port-town, located in ancient Boeotia in central Greece , at the Euripus Strait, opposite of the island of Euboea.

Who was chryseis what part did she play in the war?

During an attack on Troy, the Greek army captured two beautiful maidens, Chryseis and Briseis, and gave them to Agamemnon and Achilles as war prizes. Chryseis’ father prayed to Apollo for help in rescuing his daughter, so Apollo sent a horrible plague on the Greeks.

Who killed Aegisthus?

Electra and Orestes killing Aegisthus in the presence of their mother, Clytemnestra; detail of a Greek vase, 5th century BCE.

Who is the daughter of Agamemnon?

Electra, (Greek: “Bright One”) in Greek legend, the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who saved the life of her young brother Orestes by sending him away when their father was murdered. When he later returned, she helped him to slay their mother and their mother’s lover, Aegisthus.

Who is Odysseus son?

Within Greek mythology, Telemachus is the son of Odysseus and Penelope. He is a character in Homer’s “Odyssey” whose story is told in the first four books named “The Telemachy”. Telemachus is very young when his father leaves for the Trojan War.

Who built labyrinth?

Daedalus , (Greek: “Skillfully Wrought”) mythical Greek inventor, architect, and sculptor who was said to have built, among other things, the paradigmatic Labyrinth for King Minos of Crete. Icarus and Daedalus, etching by Giovanni David, 1775; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Who launched a 1000 ships?

The character of Helen of Troy is often remembered only in terms of her beauty. The general public associates the name Helen of Troy with a kind of unworldly attraction and physical perfection of a woman who could drive men to war, “the face that launched a thousand ships”.

How does Clytemnestra behave when facing death?

How does Clytemnestra behave when facing death? She almost accepts her death when she says , “i killed by deceit and by deceit i was killed.” She is almost hypocritical and has not changed since Agamemnon. How does orestes react after killing his mother?

How does Clytemnestra justify her actions throughout the Oresteia?

No matter the order in which the motives are listed, it is generally agreed upon that revenge, jealousy, and to further the curse are the three reasons for Clytemnestra’s actions, although Aeschylus seems to make it very clear that he believes she is motivated by motherly grief in his beginning description of ...

Who kills Odysseus?

The royal couple, together again after ten long years of separation, lived happily ever after, or not quite. For in a tragic final twist, an aged Odysseus was killed by Telegonos , his son by Circe, when he landed on Ithaca and in battle, unknowingly killed his own father.

What grave tactical error does Hector make out of overconfidence?

A B What grave tactical error does Hector make out of overconfidence He orders his men to camp outside Troy’s walls what amazon queen fought for the trojans penthesilea who killed her and fell in love with her lifeless body achilles what ugly greek worrier mocked achilles and was therefore killed thersites

Who is Achilles lover in Troy?

movie “Troy,” Briseis plays the love interest of Achilles. Briseis is portrayed as a war prize given to Achilles, taken by Agamemnon, and returned to Achilles. Briseis is a virgin priestess of Apollo.

Why is Achilles mad at Hector?

In the end, it is Achilles’ own thirst for war and revenge that brings about his death. ... The Trojan war began over the love of a woman, Helen, and ended with the death of Patroclus that led to Achilles’ vicious attack and his killing of Hector.

Who killed Helen of Troy?

According to a variant of the story, Helen, in widowhood, was driven out by her stepsons and fled to Rhodes, where she was hanged by the Rhodian queen Polyxo in revenge for the death of her husband, Tlepolemus, in the Trojan War.

Who Killed Paris?

Late in the war, Paris was killed by Philoctetes .

Who killed Patroclus?

While fighting, Patroclus’ wits were removed by Apollo, after which Patroclus was hit with the spear of Euphorbos. Hector then killed Patroclus by stabbing him in the stomach with a spear.

Maria Kunar
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Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.