ELECTRA
by
KERRY GREENWOOD
BLURB
My sandals were made to glide over the marble floor of the Palace of Mycenae, not to walk the road like a common market trader.
Of course, as a princess, I was unused to walking.
Only female slaves and whores are seen in public.
Only female slaves and whores walk.
Electra is forced to flee her home after witnessing the shocking murder of her father, but life outside the palace walls is frightening.
The free and easy ways of her foreign companions disturb her - especially the scandalous relationship between the Trojan woman, Cassandra, and the two men - but she needs their help to survive.
Along the way Electra's travels, driven by a burning desire for revenge, become a different kind of journey.
Kerry Greenwood's Electra evokes the dark perils and pleasures of the ancient world with a contemporary sensual intensity.
THE CAST
Gods
ADONISthe slain God, identical with Osiris; the Summer King, slain and resurrected every yearAPHRODITE'The Stranger', Lady of Cyprus, Goddess of LoveAPOLLOSun God, the ArcherARTEMISthe Hunter, a virgin Goddess; sister of ApolloATHENEMistress of Battles, daughter of Zeus, also a maidenDEMETERGoddess of the Earth, also known as Gaia, the MotherDIONYSOSGod of Wine and MadnessHADESPluton, 'the rich one', Lord of the underworld, husband of PersephoneHERAwife of ZeusHERMESmessenger of the GodsPANGod of Forests. He and Demeter are the oldest GodsPERSEPHONEKore, the maiden, daughter of Demeter, married to HadesPOSEIDONEarth-shaker, God of the SeaTHANATOSangel of death. His brother is Morpheus, sleepZEUSthe Father, son of Chronos, Lord of the Gods
Demigods
ASCLEPIUSson of Apollo, father of medicineCALYPSOa nymph, who rescued Odysseus from the seaCIRCEsorceress, who turned Odysseus' crew into pigsERINYESthe Furies, revengers of bloodEUMENIDES'The Kindly Ones', benevolent fertility deities; but previously identified as the FuriesHERACLESthe hero, famous for his laboursHYGEIAdaughter of Asclepius, patroness of medicineMACAONson of Asclepius, father of surgery; died at TroyPOLIDARIUSson Asclepius, father of herbal medicineTIRESIASphilosopher, half-man half-woman, consulted by Odysseus in Hades' realm
The House of Atreus
AEGISTHUSson of Thyestes by incest, revenge-child, Clytemnestra's loverATREUStwin to Thyestes, cooked his children and was cursedAGAMEMNONbrother of Menelaus, King of MycenaeCHRYSOTHEMISdaughter of Agamemnon and ClytemnestraCLYTEMNESTRAdaughter of Leda, sister of Elene of Sparta, wife of AgamemnonELECTRA(see Laodice)HERMIONEdaughter of Menelaus and Elene, betrothed to OrestesIPHIGENIAdaughter of Agamemnon, sacrificed for a wind to TroyLAODICEcalled Electra, daughter of Clytemnestra and AgamemnonORESTESlast son of AgamemnonTHYESTESbrother of Atreus, father of Aegisthus
Travellers
CASSANDRAdaughter of Priam, Healer of Troy, captive of AgamemnonDIOMENEScalled Chryse, 'golden' Healer, Priest of Asclepius, from EpidavrosEUMIDESa Trojan sailor, once a slave in Mycenae
Others
ABANTOSslave and cook to ElectraACHILLES'Swift Runner', the heroACHISof Thrace, a trader in herbsAGENORsailor in Laodamos' shipALCESTEslave to ElectraANDROMACHEwidow of HectorARIONthe Bard, Dolphin-RiderAULOSslave to PlyadesAUTESIONson of Gythis and Taphis of CorinthAZEUSson of Clonius, freeman working for PyladesCILISSAnurse of OrestesCHRYSEIS'golden' (fem), wife of DiomenesCLONIUSfreeman working for PyladesCYCLOPSgiant with one eye, which Odysseus put out in a cave on CreteDIONpriest of Poseidon, lover of Cassandra in TroyELENIpriest of Apollo in Dodona, twin to CassandraGLAUCUSmaster of Epidavros and Diomenes' teacherGRAIOSslave to PyladesGYTHIAwife of Taphis, herb-merchant of CorinthHECABEQueen of defeated Troy and mother of CassandraHECTORPrince of Troy, brother of CassandraLAODAMOSsailor friend of EumidesLAPHANESslave in Mycenae, in love with ElectraLYSANEslave to ElectraMENONapprentice to Arion the BardMETRODORUSpirate of TroizenMOLOSSOScounsellor of EpirusNELEUShead man of ArtemisiNEOPTELEMUSson of Achilles, King of EpirusNEPTHAElectra's nurse in MycenaeNESTORold man of MycenaeODYESSEUSPrince of Ithaca, of the Nimble WordPARIKI'purse' son of Priam, brother of CassandraPEIRITHEwife of Scamandros, Queen of TroasPENELOPEwife of OdysseusPRIAM'priamos' 'the ransomed', King of TroyPYLADESof Phocis, cousin to Electra and OrestesSCAMANDROSKing of TroasSTAPHYLOSinventor of wine, Minoan king of Blue-Green Island, title for all succeeding kingsTAPHISthe Corinthian, a herb-merchantTELEMACHUSson of OdysseusTYDEUSof the lyre, Orphean bard
Animals
RACERa half-wolf bitchBANTHOS'Dapple', Electra's geldingNEFOS'Black Cloud', Cassandra's horse
Boats
WAVERIDEREumides' galleyDOLPHINArion's shipFARSEEREumides' first boatHANDa pirate galley belonging to Metrodorus of TroizenPHOEBUSLaodamos' galleyso
PROLOGUE
The Gods were quarrelling, as the Gods often do. Olympus, the abode of Immortals, was crowned with the marble cirque where the Wells of Seeing lay, deep waters wherein the Makers could view the earth.
Aphrodite the Stranger, Goddess of Erotic Love, and Apollo Sun-Bright, God of Learning, son of Zeus, had not resolved their wager.
Cassandra, daughter of Priam, and Diomenes the Argive, the Healer-Priest of Asclepius, had been their puppets, acting out the play of the Gods through war and the fall of Troy. The city lay in ruin, and enslaved Cassandra was being brought to Mycenae by Agamemnon, the victorious king. Diomenes followed in the wake of the army.
Aphrodite had wagered the golden apple on her own power, that of love. Apollo had set against this, fate and death. The outcome was still in the balance.
The golden apple spun in the air, the gage of Aphrodite's wager with Apollo Sun-God. As he reached out a hand to catch it, a great bell sounded, shivering the drowsy eternal afternoon.
'Children,' announced Zeus the Father with solemn majesty. 'Leave your squabbling over the daughter of Priam, much-tried Cassandra. Troy is dust.
My son Apollo, your favourite, Diomenes Chryse the Asclepius Priest, shall love or not