The Eumenides is the third part of Aeschylus' Oresteia, which tells the story of the Eumenides, better known as the Furies, seeking revenge on Orestes for killing his mother Clytemnestra, even though he was avenging his father Agamemnon. Orestes brings his case to Athena, who appoints a panel of jurors to decide if Orestes' crime was justifiable. This depiction of the Greek legal system explores the nature of justice and changing social customs.
Agamemnon, The Choephori, and The Eumenides are a trio of plays about Agamemnon, King of Argos, and his descendants. In the first play Agamemnon is betrayed and murdered by his scheming wife, Clytemnestra, who resents his having sacrificed their daughter. In The Choephori he is avenged by his son, Orestes, who finally breaks the cycle of violence in the third play by submitting to Athenian ideals of law and justice.