Their clear declaration that “none can shake [their] hold” may have been a slight at the Olympian gods, who held no previous authority in the retributive system (337). This line shows the root of the rivalry between the two classes of gods. The Furies, since their creation, have held on to this duty of protecting justice in the way that they understand it. The Olympian gods are now a threat to this system with the Orestes conflict, and the Furies refuse to release their hold on this part of their dominion. If they concede, the result will turn their entire system into chaos. The Furies hold no interest in usurping on the territory of the Olympian gods, going as far to declare their disinterest of the Olympian gods’ “pious white robes” (350). The Orestes conflict is seen as a blatant disregard for the Furies’ authority, and the Olympian gods should “keep their hands far off” of a matter that is not in their dominion (349). For the moment, the Furies still hold the power and exercise it
Their clear declaration that “none can shake [their] hold” may have been a slight at the Olympian gods, who held no previous authority in the retributive system (337). This line shows the root of the rivalry between the two classes of gods. The Furies, since their creation, have held on to this duty of protecting justice in the way that they understand it. The Olympian gods are now a threat to this system with the Orestes conflict, and the Furies refuse to release their hold on this part of their dominion. If they concede, the result will turn their entire system into chaos. The Furies hold no interest in usurping on the territory of the Olympian gods, going as far to declare their disinterest of the Olympian gods’ “pious white robes” (350). The Orestes conflict is seen as a blatant disregard for the Furies’ authority, and the Olympian gods should “keep their hands far off” of a matter that is not in their dominion (349). For the moment, the Furies still hold the power and exercise it