How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #4
(Ghost of Clytemnestra): "You licked up many enough things from me, libations without wine, plain offerings of appeasement. Meals too, solemnized by night in burning altar-hearths, were my sacrifices, at an hour shared by no god; and yet I see all these heeled and trodden down, while the man has made his escape and is gone like a young deer, and lightly at that: he bounded from your nets' midst, with a great mocking leer at you. Hear me! I have been talking about my existence; give it thought, you goddesses under the earth! I am Clytemnestra, and I call on you, in your dream!" (106-116)
What do you think: in this play are the gods obligated to serve mortals that ply them with tasty sacrifices?
Quote #5
(Chorus of Furies): "Don't you try to curtail my prerogatives by what you say!"
(Apollo): "I wouldn't even consent to have your prerogatives."
(Chorus of Furies): "No, because you're accounted great in any case, with a place by Zeus' throne. I will pursue this man for justice, however, because a mother's blood is drawing me on, and I will hunt him down." (227-231)
Here we see an interesting dynamic, which comes from the Greeks' polytheism ("polytheism" is the practice of believing in multiple gods). That's because the different gods of the Greeks had different jobs, different histories, and could command differing levels of respect. Here, the Furies reveal that they don't want to budge an inch in their pursuit of Orestes, because that's their job and they can only get respect for doing their job. They say that Apollo can't see things from their perspective, because he already has enough respect that the outcome of one little problem with Orestes doesn't matter so much.
Basically, it looks like things boil down to the Furies' being insecure. Now, insecurity is a pretty human problem, and not one we typically associate with gods. What does it say about the Greeks' view of the gods that they had these human foibles? If the gods have such foibles, what does that say about their ability to deal out justice effectively?
Quote #6
(Orestes): "Now my lips are pure as I call reverently upon Athena, this land's queen, to come to me with her help; and without warfare she will gain myself, and my land, and the Argive people as her true and ever-faithful allies. So, whether she is marching straight forward or standing defensively to aid her friends in Libyan places along Triton's flow, her natal stream, or surveying the plain of Phlegra like a manly captain bold in command, I wish she may come—a god can hear even when far away—to set me free from what I have here." (287-298)
Here we see that "you scratch my back, I'll scratch your back" idea once again. Orestes is promising Athens and Athena lots of cool stuff if Athena will help him out in his current troubles. Now, think about what would happen nowadays if a criminal defendant promised a judge a lot of cool stuff in return for letting him or her off the hook. That wouldn't be considered okay, would it? Does this suggest that there are problems associated with having a goddess as a judge in your law-court? Would things be any better without her?