In the ancient city of Argos, a chorus of women mourns the death of Agamemnon, their beloved king. As they pour libations to honor his memory, they are haunted by the ghost of Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's treacherous wife. Clytemnestra reveals that she has been murdered by her own son, Orestes, in revenge for his father's death. Orestes, now pursued by the Furies, seeks refuge at the altar of Apollo. The god commands him to avenge his father's murder, but warns him that he will face a terrible curse if he does.
