POLYNICES (mythological prince of Thebes)
Figure of myth · mythological prince of Thebes
- Parents
- Oedipus, Jocasta
- Siblings
- Antigone, Eteocles, Ismene
- Consorts
- Argea
- Children
- Adrastus, Thersander, Timeas
- Foes
- Eteocles
- Haunts and cult places
- Argos, Thebes
- In the sources
- 100 ancient passages
He was the brother of Eteocles and Antigone, sharing the same mother, and his lineage was sometimes traced to a mother named Eurygania in differing accounts. [f: 3, 7, 9, 43]1,2,3,4,5 His nature was marked by a threatening and fierce anger, yet he possessed a deep love for his brother despite their bitter enmity. [f: 50, 73]6,7 Often compared to a screaming eagle with snow-white wings, he carried a newly made, perfectly circular shield that bore a device of galloping colts from Potniae mounted on pivots. [f: 49, 56, 52, 59]8,1,9
Oedipus had cursed his sons, praying that war and fighting would always be their portion and that they would divide their inheritance with a sword. [f: 31]10,11 Polynices initially left Thebes voluntarily to let Eteocles rule for one year, hoping to avoid the fulfillment of this curse. [f: 12]12,13 However, when Eteocles refused to relinquish the kingship, Polynices fled to Argos, where he married Argia, a daughter of King Adrastus, in obedience to an oracle. [f: 19, 2, 35]14,15,16,17 In Argos, Polynices gave Eriphyle a golden necklace, originally a gift from Aphrodite to Harmonia, to persuade her husband, the seer Amphiaraus, to join Adrastus’s expedition against Thebes. [f: 17, 53, 54, 18]18,19,14 During his stay, he also fought with Tydeus over their bed at Adrastus’s house during the night. [f: 11]16,20
Polynices returned from exile with a military host from Argos, intending to destroy the city of his ancestors and claim his rightful share of the land and scepter. [f: 20, 26, 23]21,22,23,24,25,26 He led the army against Thebes alongside Adrastus and other leaders, besieging the plain of the city. [f: 22, 36]14,27,28 As the seventh champion attacking the seventh gate, he invoked his native gods and prayed to meet Eteocles in combat, confident he would slay his brother with divine help. [f: 39, 77, 76, 79]1,29 The duel took place at the sevenfold gates of Thebes, where Polynices and Eteocles killed each other, dying side by side on the battlefield. [f: 13, 32, 15]30,31,32,14,33,4
After his death, Creon decreed that Polynices’ body be left unburied outside the city borders, forbidding laments, a grave, or a funeral procession. [f: 6, 10]3,34,35,36 His corpse was ordered to remain exposed as a shameful sight for birds and dogs, with anyone giving him funeral honors threatened with being stoned to death. [f: 16, 10]36,24,35 Polynices had asked for burial in his native land, and in his final moments he fell to the ground bleeding heavily as darkness wrapped around him.7,33 He was rightly named after all, a wanderer driven by many chances over many seas, whose fate was sealed by the curse of his father. [f: 87, 84, 31]37,38,10,11
The codex facts behind this entry
Polynices is the eldest son of Oedipus and Jocasta. Apollodorus 3.5.8 +13 Polynices is the brother of Eteocles and Antigone. Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 1011-1031 +2
In the myths
Polynices engaged in a single combat with Eteocles to determine the ruler of Thebes. Apollodorus 3.6.8 +6 Creon ordered that Polynices be left unburied and that anyone giving him funeral honors or mourning be stoned to death. Apollodorus 3.7.1 +2 Polynices fought with Tydeus over their bed at Adrastus's house during the night. Apollodorus 3.6.1 +2 Polyneices voluntarily left Thebes to let his brother rule for one year to avoid the curse Oedipus had spoken against them. Euripides, The Phoenician Maidens 469-498 +2 Polynices killed his brother Eteocles in a duel at the sevenfold gates of Thebes. Euripides, The Suppliants 399-425 +2 Polynices gave Eriphyle a golden necklace to persuade her to convince Amphiaraus to join Adrastus's expedition. Apollodorus 3.6.2 +1 Polyneices persuaded the seer Amphiaraüs to join the campaign against Thebes, which led to the destruction of his father. Diodorus 4.65 +1 Polyneices fled to Argos after Eteocles refused to relinquish the kingship. Diodorus 4.65 +1 Polyneices arrived at Thebes with a military host from Argos. Pausanias 9.25.1 +1 Adrastus promised to help restore Polynices to his native land as a mark of goodwill. Apollodorus 3.6.1 +1
Fate
Creon decreed that Polyneices' body be left unburied outside the city borders, forbidding laments, a grave, or a funeral procession, and exposing it to birds and dogs. Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 1011-1031 +3 Polynices and Eteocles both died lying side by side on the battlefield. Euripides, The Phoenician Maidens 1390-1426 +2 His body was ordered to remain exposed as a shameful sight for birds and dogs as a punishment. Sophocles, Antigone 1-38 +2 Oedipus cursed him and his brother to never share their father's goods peacefully, praying that war and fighting would always be their portion and that they would divide their inheritance with a sword. Euripides, The Phoenician Maidens 32-68 +1
