# The Furies — The Eumenides character guide

> The Furies in The Eumenides by Aeschylus.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the Erinyes, Erinyes, Some Furies, The Erinyes

**First appearance:** 0001-the-eumenides

## Snapshot

Ancient avengers who track a matricide by the scent of blood, older than the Olympians and answerable to no argument but the deed itself.

## Who they are

The Erinyes are the hunters of the guilty, feared by ordinary gods and mortals yet cherished by Night and the wronged dead. Their rule is simple: the doer must suffer, and no plea of justification or intention can move them. When Athena proposes a trial by inquiry, they feel deceived and threatened, and their resistance becomes the play's central contest between old vengeance and civic justice.

## Relationships

### [Zeus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/zeus)

_rivalry_

The Furies are in conflict with Zeus over the primacy of ancient blood law versus his new Olympian order of justice.

### [Orestes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/orestes)

_rivalry_

Orestes is relentlessly hunted and tormented by the Furies for murdering his mother Clytemnestra.

### [Apollo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/apollo)

_rivalry_

Apollo directly opposes the Furies, defending Orestes and championing the new order of justice over their ancient vengeance.

### [Clytemnestra](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/clytemnestra)

_friendship_

Clytemnestra's ghost rouses the Furies to avenge her murder, making them her allies in the pursuit of blood justice.

### [Mother Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/mother_earth)

_family_

Mother Earth is the primordial parent of the Furies, who are born from her blood and serve her ancient laws.

### [The Eumenides](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/the_eumenides)

_psychological_

The Eumenides are the transformed, benevolent aspect of the Furies, representing their psychological and spiritual evolution from vengeance to justice.

### [Orestes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/orestes)

_rivalry_

Orestes is relentlessly hunted and tormented by the Furies for murdering his mother Clytemnestra.

### [Orestes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/orestes)

_rivalry_

Orestes is relentlessly hunted and tormented by the Furies for murdering his mother Clytemnestra.

### [Mother Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/mother_earth)

_family_

Mother Earth is the primordial parent of the Furies, who are born from her blood and serve her ancient laws.

### [The Eumenides](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/the_eumenides)

_psychological_

The Eumenides are the transformed, benevolent aspect of the Furies, representing their psychological and spiritual evolution from vengeance to justice.

## In the story

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/chapters/endnotes)

Analyzed as representatives of matriarchal society and blind law, later transformed into the Eumenides.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters/the_furies
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eumenides_se/characters