University of Virginia Library

The Argument.

Agamemnon , Generall of that Noble Army of the Greekes, which after tenne yeares siege wāne Troy, cōmitted the entyer Gouernment of his Countrey & Kingdome (duringe his absence) to his Wyfe CLYTEMNESTRA. Who forgetting all Wyuely loyalty, and Womanly chastity, fell in lawelesse loue & vsed adulterus cōpany with ÆGYSTHVS, sonne to THYESTES, whom aforetime ATREVS being his owne naturall Brother, and Father to this AGAMEMNON, in reueng of a former adultry had, caused to eate hys owne two Children.

At length, vnderstandinge by EVRYBATES, that Troy was wonne, & that her husbād AGAMEMNON was comming homewarde with a yonge Lady named CASSANDRA, daughter to king PRIAMVS: partly enraged with iealousy, & disdaine thereof, & partly loath to loose the company of ÆGYSTHVS her Coadulterer, practyzed with him how to murther her husbande. Which accordingly

they brought to passe: & not resting so cōtented, they also put CASSANDRA to deth, imprisoned ELECTRA Daughter to AGAMEMNON, and soughte to haue slayne his Sonne ORESTES. Which ORESTES fleeing for sauegard of his lyfe to on STROPHILVS, hys dead Fathers deare friend: was by him secretly kept a longe time, till at lenght, comming priuely into Mycene, and by his Systers meanes cōducted where his Mother CLYTEMNESTRA and ÆGYSTHVS were, in reuenge of his Fathers death, killed them both.