Eteoclus

Eteoclus was an Argive hero, the son of Iphis, and one of the seven champions who marched against Thebes. In Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes he is the third champion, chosen by lot to attack the Neistan gate. He died in the fighting, killed by Leades.

Eteoclus and the Seven Against Thebes

The usual list of the Seven names Adrastus, Polynices, Tydeus, Amphiaraus, Capaneus, Hippomedon and Parthenopaeus. Some writers, however, leave out Tydeus and Polynices and include Eteoclus, the son of Iphis, and Mecisteus in the list (Apollodorus, Library 3.6.3). Aeschylus and Sophocles both count him among the seven leaders, and Sophocles lists him third, of Argive birth (Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1316). Euripides does the same in the Suppliants (Euripides, Suppliants 872). Pausanias saw a monument at Delphi showing the Argives who marched with Polynices against Thebes, including Eteoclus, the son of Iphis (Pausanias 10.10.3).

In the same play Euripides describes him as a young man, not rich, but held in high honour in the land of Argos; though his friends offered him gold, he would not take it into his house (Euripides, Suppliants 871–880).

The Neistan Gate

In Aeschylus’ play, a Theban scout reports to King Eteocles the champions who will attack each of the seven gates. The third lot leaped out of the helmet for Eteoclus, to lead his band against the Neistan gates (Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 457–460). He turns his horses, which snort and are eager to fall on the gate, and their bridles whistle in the barbarian manner (Seven Against Thebes 461–464).

His Shield

His shield shows an armed man going up the rungs of a ladder against an enemy tower, wishing to sack it. The man cries out in letters that not even Ares could throw him from the battlements (Seven Against Thebes 465–469). King Eteocles answers by sending against him Megareus, a son of Creon and one of the Sown Men, who will not give way from the gate at the roar of the horses; he will either die and repay the land for its upbringing, or take two men and a city on his shield and decorate his father’s house with the spoils (Seven Against Thebes 470–479).

Games at Nemea and Death

When the Seven were on their way to Thebes, they held the Nemean games in honour of the dead child Archemorus. Eteoclus won the footrace (Apollodorus, Library 3.6.4). In the battle at Thebes, after the single combat of Eteocles and Polynices, the sons of Astacus fought bravely: Ismarus killed Hippomedon, Leades killed Eteoclus, and Amphidicus killed Parthenopaeus (Apollodorus, Library 3.6.8).

Another Eteoclus

A different Eteoclus, a son of the river Cephisus, is said by Hesiod to have been the first to sacrifice to the Graces at Orchomenus (Hesiod, Catalogue of Women, fragment cited in the scholia on Pindar, Olympian 14).

Eteoclus Sources

Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 457–479; Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 1316; Euripides, Suppliants 871–880; Apollodorus, Library 3.6.3, 3.6.4, 3.6.8; Pausanias 10.10.3; Hesiod, Catalogue of Women (fragment on the Graces of Orchomenus).

See Also: Seven Against Thebes, Eteocles, Polynices, Capaneus, Adrastus, Thebes