Prologue, 1-21. (Orestes)

Arriving at the tomb of Agamemnon, Orestes calls on Hermes for help, and hides with his cousin Pylades at the approach of the women.

Electra and a chorus of slave women come to the tomb to offer libation and a prayer to Agamemnon.

Clytemnestra has sent the women to propitiate the spirit of Agamemnon, but Electra at the advice of the chorus prays for vengeance at the hands of her brother.

Choral interlude , 152-163. Prayer for revenge.

Electra discovers the lock of Orestes. Orestes appears and offers tokens of his identity. The threats of Apollo.

Kommos , 315-465. They call on the spirit of Agamemnon to aid their vengeance. Electra's mistreatment by Clytemnestra.

The chorus urges Orestes to action. The dream of Clytemnestra: the serpent-child suckles milk and blood from her breast.

Orestes reveals his plan of guile.

The murderous passion of woman, mythological exempla: Althaea burns the brand, killing her son Meleager; Scylla for love of Minos cuts the hair of Nisus, her father, who then dies; the Lemnians, jealous over Thracian captives, kill their husbands.

Orestes requests entry to the palace, and tells Clytemnestra that he has come to announce Orestes' death in Phocis.

Choral interlude , 719-728. Prayer for success.

The nurse enters, on her way to fetch Aegisthus. The Chorus persuades her to tell him to come without his bodyguard.

Hymn for Orestes' success, and deliverance for the house from the cycle of murder and vengeance.

Aegisthus enters and asks the Chorus whether the news is true. They send him in to Orestes. Murder of Aegisthus.

Choral interlude , 869-871. Retreat until outcome is settled.

A servant announces the deed to Clytemnestra. She beseeches Orestes to spare her. He hesitates, but when Pylades reminds him of his oath to Apollo, he takes her in to slay her.

Third stasimon, 935-971. (Chorus)

Song of triumph.

Orestes appears holding the bloody cloak of Agamemnon and dressed as a suppliant. Terrified by the vision of the avenging spirits of his mother, he rushes off to Delphi. The chorus summarizes the three generations of murder.

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