Piety and Censorship

The gods recognized this upon consumption and punished Tantalus so that he could never eat or drink again, concurrently placing water below his feet and an apple tree above his head. When Pelops was brought back to life, a curse was placed on the household that forever plagued the relationships of family members. (The Oresteia). This exemplifies the overwhelming presence of magical elements in this world – curses are very much real and impact human lives. For generations, children were killed and cooked and then served to enemies to gain revenge. The curse on this household demands vengeance for violations of piety. In other words, the betrayal of kinship resulted in a violent cycle of blood for the family. What follows a curse is purging, another magical element of this world. This is done for the purpose of retribution. Purging is conducted by a god who sheds animal blood in order to wash away human blood. The act is supposed to be an endpoint to a curse. In the Eumenides, the Furies are responsible for all purging as the ancient avengers of family blood. "But black they are, and so repulsive. Their heavy, rasping breathing makes [one] cringe. And their eyes ooze a discharge, sickening, and what they wear – to flaunt that at the gods, the idols, sacrilege!" (55-59). The Furies are ugly in appearance and in their actions. They purge in order to seek vengeance for sin. They often torment wrongdoers until they no longer have the will to live. These magical features illustrate the past world's strong virtues and views on piety. Piety in this world is a dutiful reverence for one's family, but more specifically one's mother. Kin are the most important thing, and a sin against relatives enrages the magical elements that make up the reality of the world in the Eumenides. .
             One of the main conflicts addressed in the Eumenides deals with a wavering respect of the old gods and a newfound admiration for the younger, more liberal gods.