The Sacrifice of Iphigenia
A king lured his own daughter to the altar with the promise of marriage—then lifted the knife himself.
Charles Le Brun — "The Jabach Family" (ca. 1660), public domain
A father’s impossible choice.
Winds refused to fill the Greek sails at Aulis. The priest declared only one thing would appease Artemis—Agamemnon must sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia. He summoned her to the camp, promising a wedding to Achilles.
Blood, not a bridal veil.
Iphigenia arrived, dressed for marriage. She realized too late what awaited her. The knife fell. Some say Artemis took pity—spiriting her away at the last instant. Others say the blood really did stain the ground.
A curse set loose.
This act tore Agamemnon’s family apart. Queen Clytemnestra never forgave him. When the king returned from Troy, she greeted him with an axe. Greek tragedy never lets a single crime end with one generation.
Agamemnon’s decision to sacrifice Iphigenia unleashed a curse that haunted his bloodline for generations—an ancient echo of destiny turning on a moment of panic and power.
