theCryptofishist wrote:Let's remember that Athena okayed Orestes' killing of his mother. He killed his mother (Clymanestra) because she killed his father (Agamemnon.) He had killed their daughter Iphegenia (or is that the beach in Rio?--boy I'm addled) in order to raise a wind to sail to Troy and fetch Helen back. So potentially it's okay to kill your mom and your daughter (if you're a man) but not to run away from your husband for someone cuter or to kill your husband for killing your kid. (Of course, Athena didn't have a husband or kids, so no telling if she knew how irritating and precious they are.) She also had a bad habit of helping proto-patriarchal heroes overthrow women with power.
Yo, Cryptofishist;
You are wrong! You need a better source of the "the Iliad". Agamemnon killed a sacred stag of Aphrodite and the greeks were thought to be plagued by her (most likely not though). Calchas, the Soothwayer, wrongfully thought that if Agmemnon sacrificed his own daughtter, Iphigenia, she would be appeased. Though Calchas had an ulterior motive because Iphigenia shunned Calchas' romantic advances. Aphrodite distainded human sacrifice and saved Iphigenia and was made her priestess.
As far of your condemnation of Athena, she never OK'ed Orestes for killing his mother, pitied him for doing so.
Athena, called upon the Court of Areopagus to finalize a judment so that the Eumenides (the avenging Gods) would stop hounding him. In the court, the Erinyes made their accusations and Orestes made his defense that Delphic Ofacle instucted him to do so. After the court VOTED, they were equally divided and Athena then acquitted Orestes!
So Crypto, you cannot fault Athena for her actions anymore then you could fault a judge on which our modern courts are instructed to so as well!
In my opinion, I would say Orestes was justified in killing his mom, though I do so reluctantly. Clytemnestra would have known then, as today, that killing one's husband in league with one's paramour, that it was custom to kill all male offspring as well (see Godfather II ); for it is the duty of the son (s) to avenge the death of his father and to reclaim his kingdom. Orestes would have had to kill clytemnestra's new husband Aegisthus, in order to avenge his father and reclaim his lost Kingdom.
Wow, I still have to admit that Athena is a great role model. She kicks Ass!
Crypto, are you saying that a woman is less then a woman if she doesn't bear a child? And It's OK to run away from your husband for someone cuter and kill him too?
Wow that's a really fucked up statement and please keep away from me on the playa. I've got arms and a vibrator and I know how to use them!
A II Z
