The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, Orestes arrives at Delphi seeking purification. He previously killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus under Apollo's instruction to avenge his father's murder. Exhausted and relentlessly pursued by the ancient goddesses of vengeance, he relies heavily on divine guidance and presents himself as an obedient suppliant who trusts in the justice of his actions.

The young Olympian god of prophecy, healing, and culture who controls the oracle at Delphi. As a representative of the patriarchal divine order of Zeus, Apollo adamantly supports Orestes. He insists that a treacherous murder of a husband is a far worse crime than a retaliatory matricide, setting up a direct ideological clash with the ancient deities of the Underworld.

The goddess of war and wisdom who serves as the patron deity of Athens. Born directly from the head of her father Zeus without a mother, she possesses traits of both the younger masculine gods and the older female deities. She approaches the conflict over Orestes with reason, recognizing the complexity of the blood-guilt case and stepping in to establish a formal court rather than allowing endless retribution.

Ancient, subterranean goddesses of retribution born of Night. They lack wings, dress in black robes, and represent an older matriarchal system of justice. They relentlessly pursue anyone who sheds kindred blood, viewing matricide as the ultimate unforgivable crime. They track their prey by the scent of human blood and attempt to mentally incapacitate their targets with dark binding songs.

The deceased mother of Orestes and former wife of Agamemnon. Having been murdered by her own son, she suffers intense dishonor among the dead in the Underworld. She seeks retribution for her death by demanding the old gods fulfill their ancient duty and hunt Orestes down without mercy.

The high priestess of Apollo at Delphi. She is an older mortal woman who respectfully serves the god and maintains his sanctuary. Upon seeing the horrific sight of the ancient goddesses and the polluted mortal in the inner sanctum, she crawls out in pure terror.

The silent brother of Apollo and the messenger of the Olympian gods. Apollo specifically instructs him to act as a guide and protector for the polluted suppliant on the long, dangerous journey from Delphi to Athens.

The deceased king of Argos and former commander of the Greek forces at Troy. His murder by his wife serves as the inciting incident for the entire cycle of violence, prompting divine intervention to ensure his death is avenged.

The lover who assisted the queen in murdering the king of Argos. He was subsequently killed by the true heir in a retaliatory strike ordered by the oracle at Delphi.

The great father god and king of the Olympian deities. Though he never appears on stage, his patriarchal authority dictates the actions of the younger gods and represents the new celestial order that privileges male lineage over the older earth-based deities.