Who Took Orestes from Argos?

In each of the three versions of the return of Orestes in Greek tragedy, Orestes comes back from Phocis where he was taken as a baby, reunites with his sister Electra and kills his mother Clytemnestra.  Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides give differing accounts of who took him away.

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In Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers, Clytemnestra says that she sent him away to trusted friends (913).

Orestes’ nurse, Cilissa, says that she took care of him as a baby, but does not mention how he was taken from her or where he went. When Orestes returns to Mycenae disguised as a Daulian, he tells Clytemnestra that he was sent by a stranger – a Phocian named Strophius – to tell Orestes’ parents that Orestes is dead. He makes a point of saying that he did not know the stranger, nor did the stranger know him. Right before he kills Clytemnestra, Orestes accuses her of throwing him away. She denies it, telling him that she sent him away “to trusted friends”, though she does not name them.

The trusted friend is most likely Strophius because it makes no sense for Orestes to name him unless he knows that Clytemnestra gave the baby to Strophius. He makes such a point about their being strangers to avoid questions that may lead to his identification.

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In Sophocles’ Electra, Electra says that she sent him away to prevent his murder. (1132)

The tutor tells Orestes that he took him from the hands of his sister in order to save him. In conversation with Chrysothemis, Electra says that Clytemnestra accuses her (Electra) of stealing Orestes from her mother’s hands. Later on, thinking that she is holding the ashes of her brother in her hands, Electra recalls the day she stole him in order to save him from being murdered. Orestes went from the hands of his murderous mother, to the hands of Electra, who put him into the hands of the tutor. For a few moments, Electra thinks that Orestes had arrived back into her hands in the form of an urn full of ashes.

Strophius is mentioned once in the Electra. Orestes tells the tutor to pretend that they were sent by the Phocian Phanotheus, who is Clytemnestra and Aegisthus’ best friend. When the tutor presents himself to Clytemnestra he tells her that he was sent by Phanotheus, but when Orestes arrives disguised as a Phocian, he tells Electra that he was sent by ‘Old Strophius’.

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In Euripides' Electra (17) the farmer says that Agamemnon’s ‘ancient servant’ took him away to prevent Aegisthus from killing him. 

The farmer says that the servant gave him to Strophius to bring up in the land of Phocis. When Electra talks with Orestes, who is still pretending to be a stranger, they agree that there is only one person who might recognize him - the old servant of Agamemnon.  When the old servant visits Electra, he mentions a cloth woven by Electra that he wrapped Orestes in to save him from death.  When Electra introduces the servant to Orestes, she affirms that this is the servant who saved Orestes from death.
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A horrible old man: Pheres in Euripides' Alcestis

In his introduction to Alcestis, Richmond Lattimore describes Pheres, the father of Admetus, as ‘a horrible old man’. (Euripides I, The Complete Greek Tragedies, University of Chicago Press, 1955, p. 3) I am not sure I agree.

As Lattimore points out, the plot of the Alcestis is from a traditional legend: Apollo has arranged for Admetus to postpone his death if he can find someone to die in his place. After Admetus’ mother and father refuse, his wife, Alcestis, generously agrees to die for him and is eventually restored to life by Heracles. The first part of the play focuses on Alcestis’ death and its implications for Admetus; the last part on her rescue and return. Linking the two is the episode in which Admetus’ parents arrive with funeral offerings only to be rebuffed by Admetus, who blames them for Alcestis’ death.

Because Pheres would not offer his own life to save his son, Admetus paints him as a coward who ‘let’ Alcestis die in his place. Pheres answers that he did everything that is required of a parent. He gave Admetus life, raised him, and passed on his estate. He is not obliged to die for him. Admetus is not persuaded. “You will die in evil memory,” he tells his father.

Lattimore’s characterization of Pheres as ‘a horrible man’ fulfills Admetus’ prediction, but unless Lattimore is acquainted with Pheres in some other connection, his judgment seems harsh. Pheres and his wife appear to be sincere in their intent to share their son’s burden as he mourns the loss of his wife. They honor her loving sacrifice. Their only offense is not stepping up to die in their son’s place.

Granted it would be noble for Pheres to buy some years for his son, but is refusing to sacrifice his life ignoble and cowardly? The question seems to come down to this: is it wrong for a father to refuse to give up his own life for the life of his son? In these circumstances I am inclined to agree with Pheres that Admetus should not have asked him in the first place.