Eteocles

This article is about the son of Oedipus. For the other mythological figure of the same name, seeEteocles (son of Andreus).

Eteocles and Polynices,byGiovanni Battista Tiepolo,from theCa' Dolfin Tiepolos.

Eteocles andPolynices,copy of mural inFrançois TombfromVulcimade in 4th century BC

InGreek mythology,Eteocles(/ɪˈtiːəkliːz/;Greek:Ἐτεοκλῆς) was a king ofThebes,the son ofOedipusand eitherJocastaorEuryganeia.Oedipus killed his fatherLaiusand married his mother without knowing his relationship to either. When the relationship was revealed, he was expelled from Thebes. The rule passed to his sons Eteocles andPolynices.However, because of a curse from their father, the two brothers did not share the rule peacefully and died as a result, ultimately killing each other in battle for control of the city. Upon his death, Eteocles was succeeded by his uncle,Creon.

Etymology

The name translates as "truly glorious", from ἐτεός (eteós, “true” ) + -κλῆς (-klês < kleos “glory” ).It also appears in earlier form*Etewoklewes(Ἐτεϝοκλέϝης).Tawagalawasis thought to be theHittiterendition of the Greek name.

Oedipus's curse

In theThebaid,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 ofCadmusand a golden cup, which he had forbidden.The brothers then sent him thehaunchof a sacrificed animal, rather than the shoulder, which he deserved. Enraged, Oedipus prayed toZeusthat the brothers would die by each other's hands.However, inSophocles'sOedipus 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 by his brother's hand.

Quarrel over Thebes

There are several accounts of how Eteocles and Polynices shared the rule after Oedipus's departure from the city. InHellanicus's account, Eteocles offers his brother his choice of either the rule of the city or a share of the property. InPherecydes,however, Eteocles expels Polynices by force, and keeps the rule of Thebes and the inheritance. TheBibliothecaandDiodorusstate 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.

In all of these versions, Polynices gathered the support of theArgivesand attacked Thebes, in the war ofSeven against Thebes,the subject ofAeschylus' tragedySeven Against Thebes.Although Eteocles's forces were victorious, the brothers killed each other.

Popular culture

• Eteocles appears in the 1959 filmHercules Unchained,portrayed by Italian actorSergio Fantoni.The film portrays Eteocles as one of three villains (including his brother Polynices and the film'sfemme fataleQueen Omphale) whose sadistic nature is demonstrated by his private arena filled withtigersfed humanprisoners of war.His madness is also demonstrated by his public execution of Theban prisoners whom he orders thrown from atop the city's main gate as a warning against his brother's opposition. The film follows only the mythology of Eteocles' relation to his father and brother, including his eventual death at the hands of Polynices. The film however, omits any acknowledgement of Creon being the uncle of Eteocles.
• Eteocles appears inHojang Taret,aclassical Meitei languageplay, based on theancient Greek tragedyThe Phoenician WomenofEuripides.

Genealogy

Royal house of Thebes family tree

Solid lines indicate descendants. Dashed lines indicate marriages. Dotted lines indicate extra-marital relationships or adoptions. Kings of Thebes are numbered withboldnames and a light purple background. Joint rules are indicated by a number and lowercase letter, for example, 5a.Amphionshared the throne with 5b.Zethus. Regents of Thebes are Alpha numbered (format AN) withboldnames and a light red background. The number N refers to the regency preceding the reign of the Nthking. Generally this means the regent served the Nthking but not always, asCreon(A9) was serving as regent toLaodamas(the 10th King) when he was slain byLycus II(the usurping 9th king). The letter A refers to the regency sequence. "A" is the first regent, "B" is the second, etc. Deities have a yellow background color. Harmonia 1. Cadmus Polyxo A4. Nycteus(Regent) Dirce B4 & A6. Lycus(Regent) Zeus Zeus Ino Agave Echion 3. Polydorus Nycteis Antiope Semele Autonoë Dionysus 2. Pentheus Epeiros 4. Labdacus 5a. Amphion 5b. Zethus Menoeceus Eurydice A7, A8 & A9. Creon(Regent) Jocasta 6. Laius Merope Polybus Hipponome Alcaeus Zeus Alcmene Amphitryon Perimede 7. Oedipus Megara Heracles Iphicles Anaxo Henioche Megareus Haemon Antigone 8b. Eteocles Argea 8a. Polynices Pyrrha Lycomedes Ismene 9. Lycus II A12. Peneleos(Regent) 10. Laodamas Demonassa 11. Thersander Opheltes 12. Tisamenus 14. Damasichthon 13. Autesion 15. Ptolemy Theras Argeia Aristodemus 16. Xanthos Eurysthenes Procles

See also

• Epigoni
• The Thebans

References

• Apollodorus,The Librarywith an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4.Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website.
• Gantz, Timothy.Early Greek Myth.Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993.
• Hoffner, Beckman.Letters from the Hittite Kingdom.Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.