The Oresteia opens with the plea of ​​a sentry: “I ask the gods for liberation from this misery” (3). This petition reveals the plight of many of Aeschylus' characters. The curse on the house of Atreus is that of corruption, and it is a curse that cannot be broken by the mortal members of the house. They are the ones who caused it and are now part of a cycle of misery and death. Only the gods can remedy the misery of those who belong to the house of Atreus. In the Oresteia, Aeschylus uses a cycle of pollution in the house of Atreus to construct the need for the intervention of a greater power – a god – so that the cycle can be broken and the house of Atreus can be purified. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In Agamemnon, the language used by Aeschylus in Cassandra's speeches illustrates the theme of pollution in the house of Atreus. Before entering the house to receive his death he speaks to the Chorus: CASSANDRA. The house breathes murder, with drops of blood.CHORUS. As? It's not like that! This is the smell of sacrifices in the hearth.CASSANDRA. The steam is just like that of a tomb; it's so obvious!CHORUS. No Syrian home splendor in your description! (37) Cassandra's mention of the house itself "breathing murder" not only foreshadows her own death and the death of Agamemnon, but foreshadows all future deaths in the trilogy. In relation to the impending murders, Cassandra mentions the house instead of mentioning the killer himself. Furthermore, he describes the house as “breathing,” as if it were alive, and as if the house itself was the cause of the murders. This brings to mind the larger issue of the trilogy: the curse on the house of Atreus. The language Aeschylus uses to describe the house, specifically, “breathing murder, with the dripping of blood. . .steam just like that of a tomb,” recalls pollution. In the case of the house of Atreus, the house is tainted by a cycle of corruption and murder. Agamemnon killed Clytemnestra's daughter, so Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon, and as Cassandra predicts, Clytemnestra will be killed and the cycle of death and corruption will continue. Cassandra's speech also suggests the gods' need to break this cycle. In the previous passage and in the rest of Cassandra's speech, the Chorus does not believe what she prophesies. This is his punishment by the god Apollo. Although he could prophesy, he “could not convince anyone of anything” (34). This curse on Cassandra highlights the important role the gods play in the trilogy. Since no one believes Cassandra, she and Agamemnon cannot be saved and the cycle of death will continue. Cassandra's curse prevents her from stopping her own death even though she knows it is coming. The fact that a god placed this curse on her illustrates their power and suggests that they are the ones who influence the fate of mortals and will be needed to end the curse on the house of Atreus. The gods play an increasingly important role in the lives of the characters in the next two plays, as the theme of the cycle of pollution continues. The cycle of pollution in the house of Atreus is further extended in Bringers of Libation – this time by Orestes. Orestes' justification for killing Clytemnestra is that she killed his father. He hopes this will end the cycle of death in his home. Orestes believes that his killing was justified, while that of Clytemnestra was not. However, there are many parallels between Orestes and Clytemnestra. Both displayed the bodies of their victims in public, displayed the robe that had trapped Agamemnon, and suggested that a god had inspired.