ORESTES, son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra; he has spent his childhood in exile
PYLADES, companion to Orestes; son of Strophius, king of Phocis, who has looked after Orestes in exile
ELECTRA, older sister of Orestes; she has remained in Argos
CLYTEMNESTRA, wife and killer of Agamemnon; she has taken over rule in Argos with Aegisthus
CILISSA, old nurse of Orestes
AEGISTHUS, lover and now husband of Clytemnestra
SLAVE, member of the palace household
CHORUS, enslaved women, now serving the royal house at Argos
[PLACE: By the tomb of AGAMEMNON at Argos; then before the royal palace.]