Electra greek mythology biography for kids

In other versions, Artemis saved her. Electra was missing when her father, King Agamemnon, returned from the Trojan War. The Trojan War was a fight between Troy and Achaeans. Before her death, Clytemnestra cursed Orestes. The Erinyes or Furies, whose duty it is to punish any violation of the ties of family piety, fulfill this curse with their torment.

They pursue Orestes, urging him to end his life. Electra was not hounded by the Erinyes. In Iphigeneia in TaurisEuripides tells the tale somewhat differently. The two met when Orestes and Pylades were brought to Iphigenia to be prepared for sacrifice to Artemis. Iphigeneia, Orestes, and Pylades escaped from Tauris. The Furies, appeased by the reunion of the family, abated their persecution.

Electra then married Pylades. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. But Kadmos bent his neck towards the ground, and hid looks of disquiet from the attendants, and hardly touched the banquet. He sat opposite the hospitable lady, but scarce stealing a glance at her served himself with a modest and timid hand.

As they feasted, the breathing reeds of Korybantic Ida resounded one after another in succession; the players' hands skipt along the riddled run of the tootling pipe, and the fingers beat out their tune in cadence, dancing and pressing the sound; the clanging cymbals in brazen pairs struck ringing blows running in cadence with the sets of reeds; the harp itself with its seven strings twangled aloud under the quill.

But after the banquet, when Kadmos had had enough of the Bistonian pipe, he drew his seat nearer to the queen, who questioned him with great curiousity. He felft aside the fever of his sorrowful sea-wanderings, and spoke of his illustrious lineage. For this is the way men's life runs on, bringing trouble upon trouble; since all that are born of mortal womb are slaves by necessity to Moira Fate the Spinner.

I am witness, queen though I am, if I was ever born myself one of those Pleiades, seven electras greek mythology biography for kids whom our mother once carried under her heart in labour, seven times having called Eileithyia at her lying-in to lighten the pangs of birth after birth--I am witness! For my house if far from my father's; no Sterope is near me, no Maia my companion, nor sister Kelaino Celaeno beside me at my hearth; I have not danced up and down sister Taygete's Lakedaimon Lacedaemon at my breast nor held the merry boy on my cherishing arm; I do not see Alkyone's Alcyone's house hard by, or hear Merope herself speak some heart-warming word!

Here is something besides which I lament even more--in the bloom of his youth my own son has left his home, just when the down was on his cheek, my Dardanos has gone abroad to the bosom of the Idaian land; he has given the firstling crop of his hair to Phrygian Simoeis and drunk the alien water of river Thymbrios. And away by the boundary of Libya my father still suffers hardship, old Atlas with chafing shoulders bowed, upholding the seven-zoned vault of the sky.

Still and all with these great sufferings I feed a comfortable hope, by the promises of Zeus, that with my other sisters I shall pass from the earth to the stars' Atlantean vault, and dwell in heaven myself a star with my sisters six. Then do you too calm your own sorrows. Unforseen, for you also the terrible thread of Moira Fate is rolling the eddy of your wandering lot of life, and the seal is set.

Have a heart to endure in exile the unbending shackle of necessity, and feed the prevailing hope which foreruns things to come. But Father Zeus sent his quick messenger Maia's son [Hermes] on outspread wings to Elektra's house, that he might offer Harmonia to Kadmos for the harmony of wedlock wedlock--that maiden immigrant from heaven, whom Ares the wife-thief begat in secret love with Aphrodite.

The mother did not nurse it--she was ashamed of the baby which told its own tale of the furtive bed; but away from the bosom of the sky she carried the suckling, lying in her arm, to the fostering house of Elektra, when the childbed Horai Seasons had just delivered her baby still wet. Elektra received the bastard daughter with equal rights, and joined the newborn girl on one breast with her newborn Emathion, held with equal love and care her two different nurslings in her arm.

So Elektra then with loving breast foster-mothered her brace of newborn babes ,the boy and the girl, and cherished them with equal care. Often she pressed to her with open hand and loving arm her baby son and his age-mate girl, on this side and that taking turns of the sap from her rich breast; and she set on her knees the manly boy with the womanly girl, letting out the gold of her lowered gown so as to join thigh parted wide from neighbour thigh; or singing songs for a sleep-charm, lulled both her babies to slumber with foster-mother's art, while she stretched her arm enclosing the children's necks, made her own knee their bed, fluttered the flap of her garment fanning the two faces, to keep the little ones cool, and quenched the waves of heat as the hand-made wind poured outs its breath against it.

While Kadmos sat near the prudent queen, into the house came Hermes in the shape of a young man, unforeseen, uncaught, eluding the doorkeeper with his robber's foot. Emathion saw him not though close at hand, nor did Harmonia herself and Kadmos at her board, nor the company of serving men; only god-fearing Elektra perceived Hermes the eloquent.

Most blessed of all women that shall be hereafter, because Kronion keeps the lordship of the world for your children, and your stock shall steer all the cities of earth [i. This is the dower of your love.

Electra greek mythology biography for kids

And along with Maia my mother you shall shine with the Seven Stars in the sky, running your course with Helios the Sunrising with Selene the Moon. Children's friend, I am Hermes, one of your own family, wing-spreading Messenger of the immortals. From heaven I have been sent by your bedfellow, the guests' protector ruling in the heights, on behalf of your own god-fearing guest.

Then do you also obey your Kronion Cronionand let your daughter Harmonia go along with her yearsmate Kadmos as his bride, without asking for bridal gifts, Grant this grant to Zeus and the Blessed ones; for when the immortals were in distress, this stranger saved them all by his music [i. This man has helped your bedfellow in trouble, this man opened the day of freedom for Olympos!

Let not your girl bewitch you with mother-loving groans, but give her in marriage to Kadmos our Saviour, in obedience to Kronion [Zeus] and Ares and Kythereia Cytherea [Aphrodite]. Nor did the Thrakian lady [Elektra], the pilot of the Kabeiroi Cabeiridisobey his bidding; but she had respect to Zeus, and curving her extended fingers with a significant movement towards Ares' unwedded daughter, she beckoned Harmonia by this clever imitation of speech.

The other strained the answering gleam from her eyelids, and saw the round of Elektra's face unsmiling, as her cheeks like silent heralds boded the heavy load of a new unspoken distress. The maiden leapt up and followed her mother into her high-built chamber. Her mother rolled back the bolt of a sevennookshotten chamber sealed with many seals, and crossed the doorstone: her knees trembled restlessly in loving anxiety and fear.

She caught and lifted the girl's hand and rosy arm with her own snow-white hand--you might almost say that you saw white-armed Hera holding Hebe's hand. But when treading the floor with her crimson shoes she reached the farthest curve of the resplendent room, Atlas' daughter seated the sorrowful maiden upon a handsome chair; then she in her turn sank upon a silver-shining stool, and declared Kronion's [Zeus'] message to the incredulous girl, and explained everything which she had heard from the Olympian herald disguised in human form.

When the maiden heard of this marriage of much wandering and this unstable husband, this homeless man under their roof, she declared she would have no stranger, and refused all that Kadmos' patron proposed on Zeus his father's behalf, that cattle-drover Hermes! Eight years later Electra returned from Athens with her brother, Orestes. Odysseyiii.

According to Pindar Pythiaxi. In his twentieth year, Orestes was ordered by the Delphic oracle to return home and avenge his father's death. According to Aeschylushe met Electra before the tomb of Agamemnon, where both had gone to perform rites to the dead; a recognition took place, and they arranged how Orestes should accomplish his revenge. Orestes, after the deed sometimes with Electra helpinggoes mad, and is pursued by the Erinyesor Furieswhose duty it is to punish any violation of the ties of family piety.