Mycanae

Mycanae - the home of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.  Here's the story - the super condensed long version, since I totally geeked out when we were here, plus I've been referencing parts of the story in our Odyssey unit for the past month:

Menelaus, the King of Sparta, was married to Helen, who was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Paris, the son of the Trojan King Priam, was asked to settle a bet between the goddesses Athena, Hera and Aphrodite as to who was the fairest, and the winner would receive a golden apple.  Each goddess promised Paris a prize, and he chose Aphrodite, who offered him Helen as his prize - never mind the fact that she was already married. 

Paris sailed to Sparta to visit the unsuspecting Menelaus and Helen.  He made off with Helen in the night, making Helen, 'the face that launched a thousand ships.'  Menelaus proceeded to go to all the past suitors of Helen, who had promised her father when courting her, that no matter who won, they would all defend her.  His brother, Agamemnon, helped him recruit.

After they had gathered their forces, they were waiting to set sail at the bay of Aulis, but the winds were unfavorable for supposedly killing an animal sacred to Artemis (the goddess of the hunt).  In order to sail, Agamemnon was told by a prophet he would have to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia.  Needless to say, his wife, Clytemnestra, was not thrilled about this. 

Iphigenia is sacrificed and the warriors set sail for Troy.  The Trojan War lasts 10 years (for all the juicy details, you should read The Iliad by Homer).  All of the warriors head home after the final battle - a little thing involving a Trojan horse.

When Agamemnon gets home with his 'prize,' King Priam's daughter Cassandra (poor thing was cursed with being a prophetess who no one would believe since she refused to sleep with Apollo), his wife and her lover are waiting.  The more popular version of what comes next comes from the Orestia.  Agamemnon is killed by his wife when he gets home.

The ruins of Mycanae

The famous Lion's Gate

A rock in the Cyclopean wall - It's called Cyclopean because the rocks are so big it is said the only way they could have been put there is if a Cyclops had put it there.  You know the Cyclops, right?  The giant one-eyed monsters?  Yeah, they're pretty vicious. 

Ruins of houses outside the castle walls.

Inside the castle walls

The rounded stone area is a Tholos - a tomb.

Walking up the path into the castle proper.

Isn't that a terrible view from the top of the castle ruins?

I was curious as to where this led....

Let's just say I was glad Chris had a flashlight...I walked down as far as I dared.

Light on the way back out of the depth of darkness :) 

Clytemnestra's Tholos (tomb)

Inside Clytemnestra's Tholos.

That's me in the tomb - just to give you an idea as to how large it is on the inside.

Leaving the Tholos - even the walkway is large and in charge!

And, of course, a little love from the museum:

For further reading if you'd like to geek out a bit more:
The Iliad (Homer) - The story of the Trojan War
Iphigenia at Aulis (Euripedes)
Iphigenia at Tauris (Euripedes)
Orestia trilogy (Aeschylus)
The Odyssey  (Homer) - Odysseus' 10 year journey home from the war

Or you could ask me....

On a side note, the place we stayed at was called: Klitemnistra Rooms...