Agamemnon is the first book in the Orestiean Trilogy written by the famous Greek tragedy writer, Aeschylus. Agamemnon is a story of justice and revenge. The story takes place in a city called Argos. It starts with Agamemnon, the king of Argos, away at the Trojan War. The city is eagerly awaiting the news of their king"s welfare and the outcome of the war. Watchmen are posted in the city, watching for the beacon that would report the capture of Troy and Agamemnon"s return. Beacons are set up from Troy to Argos; when one beacon is lit, the next one will be lit, until the last. The play starts when a palace watchman discovers the beacon and tells Agamemnon"s wife, Clytemnestra, the good news.

             The chorus enters relating the story of Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus. When Menelaus" wife, Helen, ran away to Troy with Paris, the prince of Troy, Menelaus gathered an army, led by Agamemnon, to attack Troy and retrieve Helen. Most important about the chorus"s speech is their mention of Agamemnon sacrificing his daughter, Iphigenia, in order to be able to wage war on Troy. They tell how she was sacrificed despite her cries, all for a wind that would take them to war. Clytemnestra then tells the chorus about the defeat of Troy and Agamemnon returning from his ten years away at war.

             After a few hours Agamemnon finally returns to his city. Along with him he brings Cassandra, a princess of Troy and captive to Agamemnon. She is known to be a prophetess who tells of tragedies. Agamemnon gives Cassandra to Clytemnestra as a slave. When Clytemnestra tries to bring Cassandra down from the carriage she is on and into the palace, Cassandra only sits there with a vacant look on her face. Clytemnestra goes into the palace threatening Cassandra and leaves her alone with the chorus.

             Alone with the chorus, Cassandra starts going into trances. She seems to break down, asking why Apollo has brought her to Argos just to destroy her again.