Hello um this is a bit of an open-ended question but could you tell us what you find compelling in Agamemnon as a character? My background in this section of the Greek mythic storyworld is almost entirely Odyssey-related and all we really hear of him there is about Iphigenia & his "if she breathes she's a thot" rant in the land of the dead lmao, so I'd be interested in your take <3 (Also I just read the Menelaiad for the 1st time (in one sitting!) so u can imagine my state of mind right now lol)
ah yes. the first 'post-menelaiad-read-depression' we've all been there, friend. and it doesn't get better.
i just .... love agamemnon? and i just feel the need to stress that loving him isn't the same as excusing him BUT ALSO i feel there's so much to him that never gets said, almost like people actively ignore it because it doesn't fit the whole 'aga is a total clown' narrative. people will move heaven and earth to justify the likes of achilles and diomedes (dont start me on diomedes) but aga doesn't seem to get the luxury.
for starters. aga is such a family man. whether that be his own family (his wife and babies whom HE LOVES, i'll get to that in a sec) or y'know - menelaus. now i get that menelaus isn't sUPER popular or w/e, but the consensus seems to be that he's half-decent, kinda mellow, nice dude ---- where do you think he got that from? cause it wasn't atreus i'll tell ya that much. aga and menelaus are different in their personalities and i fully believe it's because atreus had his claws a lot deeper in aga than he ever did in menelaus. i think a lot of what menelaus knows and does was taught to him by agamemnon. so how can aga be totally heartless? ALSO. the whole scene were menelaus gets shot in the iliad - aga is CRUSHED. he's not a heartless monster. a lot seem to think he's like 'if menelaus dies we go home and i cant have troy blah blah blah' NO. he's fearing the loss of his BABY BROTHER.
he does the same with iphigenia - he's CONSTANTLY blaming and berating calchas for the sacrifice of his daughter. and i can hear everyone now 'uhh why didnt you just Not sacrifice her?' you really think it worked like that in ancient greece? hm? you really think that menelaus being dishonoured by paris and artemis demanding a sacrifice could just go ignored? no. the whole point is aga HAS to make that sacrifice. and it can't be one he makes fucking easily.
he's even told (in some traditions) to sacrifice the most important thing he gained in the year he shot artemis' deer ---- his daughter. his first born. his first BABY. was the best thing that happened to him that year. he loves his family so much. you can see it in how electra and orestes remember him and stand by him. the dad they had before he went to troy was GOOD and LOVED THEM. also he and cly were in love because of the whole 'tragedy cathartic' thing but that's a whole new kettle of fish.
i completely agree that some things he did in the iliad were bad and kinda like 'dude... y'gotta not' agamemnon is not without blame. YES he's cursed, but you can't always use that as an excuse for him. BUT I THINK it's also important to remember that the iliad is set nine years into the war. a war that agamemnon has given EVERYTHING for. he knows when he goes home it's not gonna be pretty, he may even suspect his fate. so he can't just give up. he can't leave it unfinished or go home empty handed. towards the end of the war / the iliad aga is sorta slipping a lil bit. he's kinda losing it. and whilst you may not agree with it, you can understand it. tbf he actually WANTS to go home and just give up and give in he's so TIRED but ODYSSEUS makes him stay.
like i said, i love agamemnon. he is Fascinating. from everything that happened in his childhood with atreus, thyestes and aegisthus right through to walking into the jaws of death knowing everything he'd done and having experienced everything he had.
just ........ give him a chance. please.
also if i can just get salty for a sec - odysseus and aga are VERY similar in regards to like ..... their war crimes ig and odysseus is lot more liked and kinda .,.. accepted?? like he gets meme-d and stuff and like people acknowledge his faults, but with aga there is none of that. it's like 'bad man. we don't talk about him' i mean if you're gonna do that, at least be consistent please. like this is what it feels like to talk to odysseus fans sometimes:
gummygunk
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