In
Greek mythology, leader of the Greek forces in the
Trojan War; king of
Mycenae (or
Argos). He and
Menelaus were sons of
Atreus and suffered
the curse laid upon
Pelops. Agamemnon married
Clytemnestra, and their
children were
Iphigenia,
Electra, and
Orestes. To win favorable winds for the ships sailing against
Troy, he sacrificed
Iphigenia to
Artemis and thus incurred the hatred of
Clytemnestra.
After arriving at Troy, he quarreled
bitterly with Achilles over possession of the captive princess Briseis. Agamemnon was forced to yield the girl to Achilles after the latter
withdrew, with his troops, from the war. On his return home, Agamemnon was treacherously murdered by Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus. To avenge his death, Orestes and Electra killed their mother.