I finished reading Orestes by Euripides (408 BC), translated by Philip Vellacott. I love Euripides and this play is no exception. It is beautifully written and was exciting and dramatic to read, but also encourages prolonged reflection.

The ending of the play left me a little confused, as did the moral nature of many of the characters. I was surprised by the changing personalities of Orestes, Electra, and Pylades, as they seem to lose their humanity as the play develops.

I’ve learned that one common interpretation of the play involves reading it as a comment on Athens near the end of the Peloponnesian War. This makes sound sense, especially as Euripides often commented on the social world around him, including the devastating war, through his works. Even without this understanding, there is much to be reflected upon concerning justice, duty, and the destructiveness of revenge.

“The greatest happiness is not permanent

In the world of men”