Iphigenia

Iphigenia (ĭf'əjənī`ə), in Greek legend, daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. When the Greek ships were delayed by contrary winds at Aulis en route to the Trojan War, Calchas informed Agamemnon that Artemis demanded the sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia. Agamemnon reluctantly agreed, and, despite Clytemnestra's protestations, Iphigenia nobly consented to die for the glory of Greece. Another legend contends that Artemis saved her life by substituting a hind at the altar and then carried her off to the land of the Taurians to serve as her high priestess. Years later Iphigenia had the opportunity of saving the life of her brother (Orestes), and she escaped with him to Greece. Euripides recounts both legends in his plays Iphigenia in Aulis and Iphigenia in Tauris.

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Iphigenia

rescued at the moment of her sacrificial stabbing. [Gk. Myth.: Gayley, 80–81]

See : Rescue

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Iphigenia

slain to appease Artemis’ wrath. [Gk. Myth.: Walsh Classical, 156]

See : Sacrifice

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Iphigenia

in ancient Greek mythology, the daughter of Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae (or Argos). Agamemnon offered Iphigenia as a sacrifice to the goddess Artemis to ensure the safe sailing of the Greek forces headed for Troy. However, the goddess substituted a deer on the altar for the king’s daughter. She transported Iphigenia from Aulis (a harbor in Boeotia) to Tauris (Crimea). In Tauris, Iphigenia served as Artemis’ priestess.

The myth of Iphigenia is the subject of several tragedies, including Euripides’ Iphigenia at Aulis and Iphigenia in Tauris, Racine’s Iphigenia, Goethe’s Iphigenia in Tauris, and Haupt-mann’s Iphigenia in Aulis and Iphigenia at Delphi Several operashave been devoted to Iphigenia, for example, Gluck’s Iphigeniain Aulis and Iphigenia in Tauris. [11–-155-1]