View source for Eteocles

{{Short description|Mythological king of Thebes}}
{{About|the son of Oedipus|the other mythological figure of the same name|Eteocles (son of Andreus)}}

[[Image:Giovanni Battista Tiepolo 027.jpg|thumb|200px|''Eteocles and Polynices'', by [[Giovanni Battista Tiepolo]], from the [[Ca' Dolfin Tiepolos]].]]
[[File:François Tomb Carlo Ruspi 06.jpg|thumb|200px|Eteocles and [[Polynices]], copy of mural in [[François Tomb]] from [[Vulci]] made in 4th century BC]]

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Eteocles''' ({{IPAc-en|ᵻ|ˈ|t|iː|ə|k|l|iː|z}}; {{Langx|grc|Ἐτεοκλῆς}}) was a king of [[Ancient Thebes (Boeotia)|Thebes]], the son of [[Oedipus]] and either [[Jocasta]]<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Eteocles |volume=9 |page=806}}</ref> or [[Euryganeia]]. Oedipus killed his father [[Laius]] and 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 and [[Polynices]].  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 of Thebes|Creon]].

==Etymology==
The name translates as "truly glorious", from  {{langx|grc|ἐτεός}} ''eteós'' ‘true’ and {{langx|grc|κλέος|label=none}} ''kleos'' ‘glory’.<ref>Robin Hard. ''The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology (2004)''<br /></ref> The name appears in earlier form ''*Etewoklewes'' ({{lang|grc|Ἐτεϝοκλέϝης}}), indicated by [[Mycenaean Greek]] ''e&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;te&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;wo&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;ke&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;le&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;we&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;i&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;jo'', ‘his son’, ending in possessive case ''&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;i&zwj;&ndash;&zwj;jo''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cline|first=Eric H.|title=The Trojan War: a very short introduction|year=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|page=64|isbn=9780199760275}}</ref> ''[[Tawagalawa]]s'' is thought to be the [[Hittite language|Hittite]] rendition of the Greek name.<ref>Hoffner, p. 297.</ref>

==Oedipus's curse==
In the ''[[Thebaid (Greek poem)|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.<ref>Gantz, p. 502.</ref>  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.<ref>Gantz, p. 503.</ref> 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 by his brother's hand.<ref>Sophocles. ''Oedipus at Colonus'', lines 1350–1395.</ref>

==Quarrel over Thebes==
There are several accounts of how Eteocles and Polynices shared the rule after Oedipus's departure from the city.  In [[Hellanicus of Lesbos|Hellanicus]]'s account, Eteocles offers his brother his choice of either the rule of the city or a share of the property.  In [[Pherecydes of Athens|Pherecydes]], however, Eteocles expels Polynices by force, and keeps the rule of Thebes and the inheritance. The ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' 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.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 3.6.1</ref>

In all of these versions, Polynices gathered the support of the [[Argives]] and attacked Thebes, in the war of [[Seven against Thebes]], the subject of [[Aeschylus]]' tragedy ''[[Seven Against Thebes]]''. Although Eteocles's forces were victorious, the brothers killed each other.<ref name=EB1911/>

== Genealogy ==

{{Family tree of the Theban royal house}}

==See also==
*[[Epigoni]]
*''[[The Thebans]]''

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with 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. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 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.

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{{Theban Kings}}
{{Oedipus}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Theban kings]]
[[Category:Characters in Seven against Thebes]]
[[Category:Mythological Thebans]]
[[Category:Mythological fratricides]]