Classical Wisdom Litterae - January 2021

Guilt, fear, revenge, justice, power, family... These are the central themes of ancient Greece’s most haunting myth. And while at first the storyline of the cursed house of Atreus may not seem so applicable to our modern era, those intense emotions and impulses are only too human. But let’s back up for a moment, what exactly is the Cursed House of Atreus? It is a horrific and fascinating tale of one very tragic family that is interwoven with the most essential and fundamental parts of Greek mythology. The ancestry begins with a favored son of Zeus, later progeny are hugely influential in the Trojan War, and by the fifth generation, the very concept of Justice is born. The characters and actions were so well known by every Greek, so influential to the culture, that it would be impossible to understand ancient history without exploring their central myths...and indeed that importance has filtered through the millennia, without many even knowing it. And while this sordid lineage manages to commit every atrocity, every taboo people both then -and now- fear, they convey crucial lessons necessary for a functioning civilization. In a shame based society, it was important to remember that consequences to actions not only affect the individual acting, but the generations forward. They don’t live in isolation within time caring only about the events between their own birth and death, their lives are interwoven into the past and the future. Perhaps, something we often don't consider often enough these days. But the message is more than that. Indeed, there are innumerous warnings and instructions lying ready within the elaborate tale. For instance: Revenge only leads to more violence... Family ties are sacred... And whatever you do, don’t serve your son to the gods. So on that note, I invite you to immerse yourself into this month’s Classical Wisdom Litterae Magazine, dedicated to the cursed House of Atreus. Delve into the world of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Iphigenia, Orestes... and of course, the furies. Enjoy! Anya Leonard Co-Founder and Project Director Classical Wisdom II