Chapter 23: The War to Come – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Clytemnestra returns to Mycenae with Leon and finds the palace quiet. In the megaron she meets Calchas, a scarred seer newly summoned by Agamemnon, who speaks in riddles about power and the gods. The next day, while painting wooden toys with her daughters Iphigenia, Electra, and Chrysothemis, Leon bursts in with devastating news: Castor has been murdered by Idas in an ambush. Idas and Lynceus had ambushed Castor and Polydeuces; Castor was killed by a spear, Polydeuces killed both cousins in revenge. Clytemnestra suppresses her grief, slaps Electra for suggesting they pray, and leads her children to dinner. At the meal, Agamemnon angrily reveals that Helen has left Sparta with Paris, triggering a war with Troy. He blames Clytemnestra’s family. She defends her sister and the two nearly come to blows. Later, Calchas intercepts Clytemnestra and they discuss power—its visibility and its true holders. Over the following weeks, the palace buzzes with war preparations. Agamemnon gathers a massive Greek army, sending for Achilles despite prophesied death. Before leaving, Agamemnon visits Clytemnestra’s room; they share a tense, intimate encounter. At dawn, the army departs, and Clytemnestra silently hopes her husband will die in the war.

Key Events

Clytemnestra meets Calchas, Agamemnon’s new seer, who unnerves her with his scarred appearance and cryptic remarks.
While painting toys with her daughters, Leon reports Castor’s murder by Idas; Polydeuces avenges him.
Clytemnestra slaps Electra when she suggests they pray, and Electra confronts her mother’s inability to grieve normally.
At dinner, Agamemnon reveals Helen’s elopement with Paris, declares war on Troy, and hurls a cup at Iphigenia.
Clytemnestra and Agamemnon argue; she draws a knife when he tries to strike her.
Calchas tells Clytemnestra she has a part in the coming war and discusses the nature of power.
Envoys arrive as Greek kings pledge ships: Ajax, Nestor, Idomeneus, Diomedes, Odysseus, and finally Achilles.
Orestes asks to join the war; Clytemnestra refuses, warning it will be long.
Agamemnon spends the night before departure with Clytemnestra; they discuss trust, slaves, and Helen’s fate.
The army leaves at dawn; Clytemnestra watches from the Lion Gate and wishes for Agamemnon’s death.

Character Development

Clytemnestra: Grief over Castor’s death transforms into cold, controlled rage. She refuses to weep in public and lashes out at Electra for inviting vulnerability. Her defiance toward Agamemnon sharpens, and she begins to envision ruling Mycenae alone.
Electra: Demonstrates growing independence and moral clarity; she challenges her mother’s harshness and is unafraid to speak the truth, even when punished.
Agamemnon: Revealed as volatile and hypocritical—he blames Helen for the war yet welcomed it. He is pragmatic but brutal, using fear to command.
Calchas: Represents calculated manipulation; he understands that power lies in perception and exploits people’s fear of the gods. He unsettles Clytemnestra with his knowing looks and veiled threats.
Iphigenia, Chrysothemis, Orestes: The children react to trauma: Iphigenia tries to stay silent, Chrysothemis clings to her mother, Orestes yearns for glory but is warned.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Concealed rage and private grief: Clytemnestra’s anger is a fire she must keep hidden; she envies those who mourn openly but forces herself to remain stone-faced.
Power as performance: Calchas and Clytemnestra agree that people believe someone holds power, whether wielded openly like a sword or hidden like a dagger. The seer’s words expose the theatrical nature of authority.
The omen of the seer: Calchas (an oionopolos or bird-savant) symbolizes how leaders use divine interpretation to justify wars and consolidate control.
Light and shadow imagery: The chapter repeatedly juxtaposes fire and darkness, torchlight and shadow, mirroring the clash between visible strength and covert influence.
Women’s agency: Helen’s choice to leave Sparta with Paris directly triggers the war, while Clytemnestra’s secret wish for Agamemnon’s death shows her own quiet rebellion.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter sets the Trojan War in motion, the central conflict against which the rest of the story unfolds. It presents Clytemnestra at a turning point: Castor’s loss and Helen’s departure strip away her remaining family ties, leaving her isolated with a volatile husband. Her confrontation with Calchas deepens the novel’s exploration of power—who holds it and how it is perceived. The farewell scene foreshadows Clytemnestra’s later defiance and hunger for rule, planting seeds for her eventual revenge.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Clytemnestra slap Electra when she suggests they pray for Castor?
Clytemnestra cannot bear the vulnerability of public grief. Praying would force her to acknowledge her pain openly, which she sees as weakness. Electra’s suggestion triggers her smoldering rage, which she redirects at her daughter.

2. What does Calchas mean when he says power can be hidden “like a small dagger”?
He argues that real power does not always need to be displayed. A ruler who controls influence behind the scenes—through manipulation, fear, or knowledge—can be more effective than one who flaunts authority. The line echoes the dynamic between Clytemnestra’s and Agamemnon’s rule.

3. How does the chapter foreshadow Clytemnestra’s eventual revenge?
Her internal wish for Agamemnon’s death, her willingness to draw a knife on him, and her cold response to his departure all signal growing resistance. Her conversation with Aileen about wanting to rule Mycenae alone explicitly shows her ambition. Calchas’s remark that she has “a part to play” hints at future actions.