Athena Timeline and Summary

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• Athena first appears onstage right after the Furies finish their "binding-song" directed against Orestes.
• The Furies explain how they are pursuing Orestes because he murdered his mother.
• Athena doesn't accept this as an answer, however. She wants to know why Orestes killed his mother.
• The Furies don't think that's relevant. After some arguing back and forth, Athena finally suggests that they put the matter to a trial.
• Then, Athena turns to Orestes, and asks if he would be willing to put the matter to a trial.
• Then Athena says something unexpected. She says that this is too big a deal for her—a goddess—to judge on her own. Instead, she is going to appoint a jury of mortal Athenians to help her out.
• This will be the beginning of an institution, responsible for presiding over murder trials, which will last for all time (or so she says).
• Then she tells Orestes to go get his witnesses and get his case together, while she rounds up the best citizens of Athens to sit on the jury.
• Then Athena goes offstage.
• When she comes back, she has a group of Athenian citizens to serve as jurors with her.
• She tells everybody to shut up so that the appropriate proclamations can be made.
• Then Apollo walks into the scene.
• Athena tells him to say what he's got to say.
• After the trial, Athena suggests turning the matter over to the jury to decide.
• Athena then turns to the jurors and gives them a long speech. She tells them that the court she has just established is to last for all time; it will be known as the Areopagus (literally "hill of Ares"; this hill was sacred to the god of war).
• Athena tells them that the citizens should always be fearful of this court, because only through fear will they act justly.
• Now Athena says that she is casting her vote in favor of Orestes. Why? Out of sexism, plain and simple.
• When the votes are tallied, it turns out there is a tie. But because Athena is the judge, she gets to break the tie in favor of Orestes.
• Immediately, the Furies start dancing and singing: the content of their song expresses their total rage at what has happened.
• In response, Athena reminds them that they submitted to the judgment willingly, and that the trial was fair.
• She promises to give the Furies a home in Athens, where they will be honored as divinities. But, in return, they must promise not to destroy the Athenians' crops, and so on.
• Then Athena repeats her promise to make the Furies goddesses in Athens.
• She is careful to speak respectfully towards them, honoring them for being older.
• But she is also firm: she tells them that, if they do stay in Athens, they can't stir up any trouble between the citizens. There's already enough war with other cities, no need to start it within the city.
• Athena explains that she wants them to change their job. She wants them now to be goddesses responsible for bringing good things to good people.
• Athena invites the Furies to follow her to their new home. This home will be under the ground.
• Athena makes a long speech about all the good stuff that is going to come about once the Furies take up their new role.