Abstract

An understanding of Orestes' psyche and dilemma is essential for the comprehension of the central meaning of the Oresteia. In the Oresteia a Dike emerges which is productive of to eu and harmony within the Cosmos. This genesis of Dike and harmony takes place on both the human and divine planes, though not simultaneously. ;On the human level, the realization of Dike is made more possible because of an advance in the moral goodness of the human soul. Within Orestes' soul a tremendous struggle takes place between the fundamental powers of aidos, sebas, and thymos. Only in the moments when Orestes stands before his mother is his ethos fully revealed. Orestes is characterized by sebas for the Divine and aidos for both parents. His sebas and aidos prevail over his thymos which had been a major, though concealed, factor driving Orestes toward matricide. ;Orestes' psyche exhibits the qualities of aidos, sebas, and sophrosyne to a much greater degree than did the souls of Agamemnon or Clytemnestra. While the "Lion Cub" image may be applicable to Agamemnon, it is definitely not applicable to Orestes. Old hybris does not beget new hybris. Orestes does not inherit his father's ethos--his spirit is as new as the spirit of the Dike which later arises in the Eumenides. ;In the divine realm, the essential change appears to be within Zeus himself. At some point during the trilogy Zeus comes to see that his Dike is inadequate. The ancient Dike-system, which Zeus has inherited and presently maintains, is simply not able to deal adequately with the problem of human evil. It is Orestes' dilemma which reveals most clearly the injustice of the old system: Orestes is commanded to commit matricide and is placed in a situation where he will be pursued by the Erinyes no matter what he does. Zeus' recognition of this adikia leads him to oppose the ancient ordinances of the Moirai. Zeus enriches Dike, his daughter from the past, with his daughter Athena, thus helping to beget a Dike with intelligence which is more truly just and more truly the offspring of the Aeschylean Zeus