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CELIA MARIA ARNS.pdf - Universidade Federal do Paraná

CELIA MARIA ARNS.pdf - Universidade Federal do Paraná

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vision, especially its religious and mythological as-<br />

pects, it is possible to establish to what extent Rich-<br />

ardson preserves these aspects in his modern version.<br />

These preliminary considerations will help to substan-<br />

tiate eventual conclusions concerning Agamemnon's and<br />

Aegisthus' political positions in relation to the scale<br />

of values of the two orders they represent.<br />

...Our race from its first appearance proved a<br />

source of irresistible fascination to the immortals...<br />

COT 10) The ancient gods had great influence upon<br />

man's life and destiny. They imposed on man certain<br />

principles of behavior and man in turn tried various<br />

ways of influencing the gods to favour his accomplish-<br />

ments. Sacrifices were offered to them to try to win<br />

divine benefits or to thank the deities for a benefit<br />

received. This tribute to the gods constituted a con-<br />

nection between the gods and man. In very remote times,<br />

even human beings were sacrificed: prisoners of war or<br />

those who were demanded by the oracles or by the<br />

prophets to placate the anger of immortal beings. In<br />

Oresteia by Aeschylus, Agamemnon sacrifices his virgin<br />

daughter Iphigenia to placate the anger of the goddess<br />

Artemis. The king is condemned for this act by Clytem-<br />

nestra, who cleverly prepares to assassinate him on<br />

his return. The queen claims that Iphigenia's death is<br />

the principal reason for the murder:<br />

34

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