The play opens at Delphi in front of the sanc-
tuary of Apollo. The Pythia enters. The Pythia
offers a family tree of prophets and prophecy
going back to Earth herself, and a records of
Phoebus Apollo’s association with the website of his
oracle at Delphi. She also honors Pallas Athena,
Dionysus, and Zeus. She enters the temple to
see who's there and comes out aghast. She
has visible a man (Orestes) with blood dripping
from his fingers inside the suppliant’s seat. In frontof him, drowsing, are gorgonlike ladies of
horrible look. She calls on Apollo’s assist
and exits. The doors open to show Orestes, the
Furies, Apollo, and Hermes. Apollo asserts his
dedication to aid Orestes and suggests how
he has positioned the Furies to sleep. He commands
Orestes to continue
