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Eteocles and Polynices, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo


In Greek mythology, Eteocles Ἐτεοκλῆς was a king of Thebes, the son of Oedipus and either Jocasta or Euryganeia. The name is from earlier *Etewoklewes Ἐτεϝοκλέϝες, meaning "truly glorious". Tawaglawas is thought to be the Hittite rendition of the name.

When Oedipus discovered that he had killed his father Laius and married his mother, he was expelled from Thebes. The rule passed to his sons Eteocles and Polynices. However, because of a curse from their father, the two brothers did not share the rule peacefully.

Eteocles was succeeded by his son, Laodamas.

Oedipus's curse

In the Thebaid, the brothers were cursed by their father for their disrespect towards him on two occasions. The first of these occurred when they served him using the silver table of Cadmus and a golden cup, which he had forbidden.[1] The brothers then sent him the haunch of a sacrificed animal, rather than the shoulder, which he deserved. Enraged, Oedipus prayed to Zeus that the brothers would die by each other's hands.[2] However, in Sophocles's Oedipus at Colonus, Oedipus desired to stay in Thebes but was expelled by Creon. His sons argued over the throne, but Eteocles gained the support of the Thebans and expelled Polynices, who went to Oedipus to ask for his blessing to retake the city, but instead was cursed to die at his brother's hand.[3]

Quarrel over the rule of Thebes

There are several accounts of how Eteocles and Polynices shared the rule after Oedipus's departure from the city. In Hellanikos's account, Eteocles offers his brother his choice of either the rule of the city or a share of the property. In Pherekydes, however, Eteocles expels Polynices by force, and keeps the rule of Thebes and the inheritance. Apollodorus and Diodorus state that the brothers agree to divide the kingship between them, switching each year. Eteocles, however, was allotted the first year, and refused to surrender the crown.[4]

In all of these versions, Polynices gathered the support of the Argives and attacked Thebes. This battle is the subject of Aeschylus' tragedy Seven Against Thebes. Although Eteocles's forces were victorious, the brothers killed each other.


Another Eteocles is the son of Andreus, king of Orchomenos (son of the river-god Peneus) and Euippe, daughter of Leucon. He inherited his father's throne.

See also

Notes

1. ^ Gantz, Timothy. Early Greek Myth. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993, p. 502.
2. ^ Gantz, Timothy. Early Greek Myth. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993, p. 503.
3. ^ Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1350-1395.
4. ^ Apollodorus, Library, 3.6.1.


Preceded by
Creon		Mythical King of ThebesSucceeded by
Creon
Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices.
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Oedipus (Οἰδίπους - Oidĭpous [pronounce[1]], meaning "swollen-footed") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes.
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In Greek mythology, Jocasta, also known as Iocaste (Iοκαστη) or Epikastê[1] was a daughter of Menocenes and Queen consort of Thebes, Greece. She was the wife of Laius.
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The Tawagalawa letter (CTH 181) was written by a Hittite king (generally accepted as Hattusili III) to a king of Ahhiyawa around 1250 BC. This letter, of which only the third tablet has been preserved, concerns the activities of an adventurer Piyama-Radu against the Hittites, and
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Hittite}}}
Language codes
ISO 639-1: none
ISO 639-2: hit
ISO 639-3: hit

Hittite is the extinct language once spoken by the Hittites, a people who created an empire centered on ancient Hattusas (modern Boğazkale) in
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Laius, or Laios of Thebes was a divine hero and key personage in the Theban founding myth. Son of Labdacus, he was raised by the regent Lycus after the death of his father.
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Polynices (or Polyneices) [Greek: "Πολυνείκης" "manifold strife") was the son of Oedipus and Jocasta. His wife was Argea.
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In Greek mythology, Laódamas (tamer of the people) referred to three different people.
  1. Son of Antenor and Theano
  2. Son of Alcinous and Arete
  3. Son of Eteocles. Laodamas inherited Thebes from his father.

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The Thebaid (Greek: Θηβαΐδα) is an Ancient Greek epic poem of uncertain authorship (see Cyclic poets) sometimes attributed by early writers to Homer.
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Cadmus, or Kadmos (Greek: Κάδμος), in Greek mythology, was the son of Agenor and the brother of Phoenix, Cilix and Europa. He is the grandfather of the Greek god Dionysus, through his daughter Semele.
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Sophocles (ancient Greek: Σοφοκλῆς IPA: [sopʰoklɛ́ː̀s]; circa.
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Oedipus at Colonus

Oedipus at Colonus by Fulchran-Jean Harriet
Written by Sophocles
Chorus Elders of Colonus
Characters Oedipus
Antigone
Man from Colonus
Ismene
Theseus
Creon
Polyneices
Messenger
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Hellanicus of Lesbos (in Ancient Greek Ἑλλάνικος) (born in Mytilene on the isle of Lesbos in 490 BC) was an ancient Greek logographer who flourished during the latter half of the 5th century BC.
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Pherecydes (in Greek: Φερεχύδης) was the name of:
  • Pherecydes of Syros, a pre-Socratic philosopher and author from the island of Syros, by some believed to have influenced Pythagoras

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Apollodorus of Athens (born ca. 180 BC, died after 120 BC) son of Asclepiades, was a Greek scholar and grammarian. He was a pupil of Diogenes of Babylon, Panaetius the Stoic, and the grammarian Aristarchus of Samothrace.
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Diodorus Siculus (Greek Διόδωρος Σικελιώτης), ca. 90 BC– ca.
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Argives (Greek Ἀργεῖοι, Argeioi; Latin Argivi) means literally the inhabitants of Argos.
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Aeschylus (Greek: Αἰσχύλος, IPA: /ˈɛskələs/ or
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Seven against Thebes

The Oath of the Seven Chiefs by Alfred Church
Written by Aeschylus
Chorus Theban Women
Characters Eteocles
Spy
Antigone
Ismene
Herald

Setting Citadel of Thebes

The Seven against Thebes
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For other uses of Orchomenus or Orchomenos, see Orchomenus
Orchomenos (Greek: Ὀρχομενός
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Peneus (Πηνειός) was a river god, one of the three-thousand Rivers, a child of Oceanus and Tethys. The nymph Creusa bore him one son, Hypseus, who was King of the Lapiths, and three daughters, Cyrene, Daphne, and Stilbe
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Euippe or Evippe is the name of six women in Greek mythology

1. Euippe, daughter of Danaus and the naiad Polyxo. She married (and murdered) Imbrus, son of Aegyptus and Caliadne.[1][2]

2.
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Epigoni (Greek Ἐπίγονοι, meaning "offspring") are the sons of the Argive heroes who had fought and died in the first Theban war. Ten years after the First Theban War, the Epigoni set out to avenge the deaths of their fathers.
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Creon (Attic Greek: Κρέων - Kreōn, meaning "ruler") is the name of two mythological Greek kings, a mythological son of Heracles, and a historical Archon of Athens.
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The dynastic history of Thebes in Greek mythology is crowded with a bewildering number of kings between the city's new foundation (by Cadmus) and the Trojan War (see Ogyges). This suggests several competing traditions, which mythographers were forced to reconcile.
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Creon (Attic Greek: Κρέων - Kreōn, meaning "ruler") is the name of two mythological Greek kings, a mythological son of Heracles, and a historical Archon of Athens.
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