A Chronological Account of Elevation: Winners and Losers in “The Eumenides”

This paper will embark on a chronological journey, in each paragraph, to determine the underlying patterns that show the verdict of the trial held against Orestes in Aeschylus play. In The Orestia’s “The Eumenides”, Aeschylus uses elevation as an index of character success in the play, he associates the upward position of objects and characters (e.g., the position of characters such as Apollo) with those who win the trial while he uses downward positioning (e.g., the multiple descriptions of The Furies being below the world compared to the rest) to mention and refer to those who lose the trial. He does this to represent the societal norms and moral and divine hierarchies present in the play. 

The play consistently employs upward movement to describe the actions, emotions, and parallels of the characters who ultimately win in the trial. From the outset, the characters who will be scrutinized are, to some extent, described as moving upwards. The play begins by introducing the Pythian Priestess of Apollo, who, although only appearing at the beginning and serving from an outsider's perspective, is the first to describe the characters who ultimately succeed in terms of upward movement. Although the Gods are usually portrayed to be above, throughout the trial they remain on the ground. Despite this, the God Apollo's honor is described highly. Pythia begins by mentioning Apollo when she states, "He came so, and the people highly honored him/with Delphus, lord and helmsman of the country" (15-16). In this quote, which appears at the play's opening, Apollo, who will eventually succeed in the trial, is already highly regarded. This alludes to the upward elevation of his status when compared to the perception of others such as The Furies in the play. Apollo eventually wins the trial, which is initially foreshadowed by Pythia's speech. As the play progresses, we see not only Apollo but also the other characters who ultimately triumph in the trial described in terms of upward elevation. Shortly after Apollo, Orestes is introduced by Pythia in her speech. He, as a mortal, is always on the ground yet appears in Pythias’s dream as "holding to a branch that had grown high on an olive tree" (43, 12). Orestes is introduced by Pythia, and the first impression of him is that he is clinging to a branch. In this instance, we see that this branch is not just any ordinary branch that might grow on an olive tree; rather, it is a branch that has grown high on an olive tree. Orestes is literally grasping elevation, foreshadowing his ultimate victory in the trial where he was brought to court for killing his mother. As the Furies begin to speak they continue to reinforce Apollo's nature in the text of being portrayed at a high elevation. They mention how Apollo is already “called great beside the throne of Zeus" (229). This serves as another event that happens before the trial has started and that places Apollo on the throne of Zeus which is located up in the sky. Athena, another Goddess who sides with Orestes is also introduced with upward movement, particularly regarding her posture, she is  "[set] upright" (294). From this moment, before she has said a single word she appears with a proper posture being sat high up. Athena's continued elevated presence determines and demonstrates how verticality is ultimately shown in the behavior of the God that leads her to her decision to side with the winning side of the trial. As the Furies, who oppose Orestes, deliver one of their numerous speeches, they mention how Orestes' powerful and uplifting voice, he "[uplifts]/his voice and [makes] [outcries], thus:/ "Oh justice!" (509-511). Orestes, in this hypothetical situation, is depicted by showing his voice and calling out for his justice. To do this he decides to uplift his voice. The upward movement in the mentioning of Orestes in the speech foreshadows his soon to occur victory in the trial. As the Furies speak again, the repeated mention of the locations of certain characters allude to the result of the trial. At first, Apollo is said to be at a high elevation, then, Orestes is mentioned to be in a high branch of an olive tree. Now Orestes is once again mentioned, to be physically above in an altar. This is the case when the Furies question Apollo by saying, "what altars of the community shall he use?" (655). Although they question Apollo and the altar by doing such they acknowledge his presence at the altar. Although the Furies are speaking out against Orestes in both of the quotes mentioned above, they don't lack in mentioning his upward physical location which eventually deceives him as the future winner of the trial. The play continues to near the verdict by the jury. Before they proclaim their decision Apollo uses his words to highlight the direction the jury should take when making their decision. He warns the jury and tells them to, "be careful as you pick [the decisions] up. Make no mistake" (749). He will eventually succeed in defending Orestes in the trial and uses the word "up" to indirectly warn the jury to cast their votes correctly in order to determine the winner. Orestes is confident that the jury will rule in his favor and emphasizes the importance of him being a gracious spirit. Eventually they tie and Athena acts as the final juror to decide upon winners and losers. Before this occurs, Oresthes maintains his upward position by mentioning how he will conform to being an upright spirit by "keep[ing] the upright way, and hold[ing] high/regard the city of Pallas, and align[ing] [his] spirit" (772-774). Finally, once the trial has settled the connection between upward patterns and the winners are shown when high in the sky Zeus confirms the trial was fair and just and accepts the results. The supreme God ``Zeus the all-seeing met with/Destiny to confirm it” (1045/1046). This makes reference to how Zeus, up in the skies, acknowledges the victory of Apollo and Orestes and allows Athena to the verdict she desires. This consistent use of upward movement throughout the play serves to highlight the moral and divine hierarchy that underpins the trial's outcome. Those who are associated with upward movement, such as Apollo, Orestes, and Athena, are ultimately victorious, while those who are associated with downward movement, such as the Furies, are ultimately defeated.

The use of downward movement is consistently employed to describe those characters who lose the trial. Despite the Furies being at the same level as the jury and Gods at the trial they are immediately introduced to be downward of the Earth. The Furies, who align themselves with Clytemnestra to secure her victory, are introduced by Apollo as having been "born because they hold the evil darkness of the Pit below earth, loathed alike by men and by the heavenly gods" (71-73). This introduction establishes the Furies' association with the underworld, positioning them as inferior to both humanity and the Gods. Apollo further reinforces this association by threatening the Furies, which technically have the same opportunity as Orestes to win the trial, with a gruesome fate if they were to win the trial. He paints a vivid picture of a scene "where mutilation lives, and stoning, and the long moan of tortured men [who spike] underneath the spine and fixed on stakes" (188-190). This mention serves to show the Furies' downward trajectory, emphasizing their connection to the depths of suffering and despair. As the trial begins, The Furies themselves acknowledge their potential downfall and the bad things that emerge from going down by stating that Orestes' goal is to "save [himself] from going down" (300). This admission further cements the downward movement motif, something that foreshadows defeat. The Furies' downward trajectory is further emphasized when they discuss their role in pursuing mortals who commit crimes. They proclaim, "Nor does death set them altogether free" (340), implying that their torment of the dead continues even beyond the grave. This relentless pursuit downwards drives home the Furies' own downward spiral. Their downward movement is further exacerbated by their own words as they suggest "wearing him down" (366) and how "men's illusions in their pride under the sky melt/down, and are diminished into the ground" (367-368). These statements not only suggest their methods of persecution but also foreshadow their own eventual demise through the mentioning of the world that is found downwards, the underworld. The Furies' acknowledgment of their potential loss is evident when they state that if they lose, they will be "underneath the ground/and in no sunlight and in gloom that we must stand" (395-396). This stark acceptance of their impending downfall highlights their downward movement, which they mention repeatedly throughout the text as a symbol of their defeat. Orestes' characterization also contributes to the downward movement motif. He describes his mother, Clytemnestra, as "of the dark heart, who entangled him in subtle gyves/and cut him down" (460-461). Clytemnestra's actions, which led to the death of Orestes' father, are attributed to her cutting down his father, further reinforcing the association between downward movement and defeat. Even as the trial progresses, The Furies continue to reference their downward fate. They refer to Orestes as "this matricide" (492), but then state that he "shall stand good, his crime be sustained" (491-492). This juxtaposition of upward and downward movement suggests that while Orestes is destined to stand tall, The Furies are destined to fall. Apollo's reiteration of Orestes' father's death serves as a reminder of Clytemnestra's transgression and her subsequent downward spiral. Apollo talks in the trial saying that "once/the dust has drained down all a man’s blood, once the man/has died, there is no raising of him up again" (646-648). This suggests how Clytemnestra is the dust that drained down the man’s blood. As for the man, the text refers to Agamemnon, father of Orestes. Upon Athena's eventual proclamation of the verdict, The Furies continue to lament their downward fate. They attack Orestes, Athena, Apollo, and the other gods which won and were associated with upward elevation. The now mad Furies refer to them as "Gods of the younger generation, you have ridden down/the laws of the elder time" (778-779). This statement highlights the conflict between the old and new, with the Furies representing the outdated and doomed order. The Furies mention how the new Gods have 

ridden down the system. Subsequently, they repeat "Gods of the younger generation, you have ridden down/the laws of the elder time" (782-783). This emphasizes their descent into despair and defeat. Their final words regarding their downward narrative which also get repeated eventually state how, "[they] the mind of the past, [are] to be driven under the ground/out cast like dirt!" (838-839), serve as a stark reminder of their downward trajectory and their ultimate downfall and loss along with Clytemnestra in the trial.

In conclusion, the role of direction, movement, and elevation in the context of upwards and downwards is essential for determining the winners and losers in the trial held in “The Eumenides”. This puts into context the hierarchical dynamics that exist when we compare winners and losers even between already existing hierarchies. Intuitively, it is easy to assume that upward movement is closely correlated with that of the Gods, as they are typically associated with elevation. However, since there are Gods on both sides of the trial, it is evident that this type of movement merely signifies or characterizes the thoughts and feelings of those Gods who ultimately succeed in the trial. This analysis of seeing which characters are more associated with upward and downward descriptions and movements can reflect patterns of the ways of the Gods, particularly for those of gender politics among other factors which establish the roles in the context of Aeschylus’s play.

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