POLYNEIKES One of the two sons of Oedipus, Polyneikes and his brother Eteokles had taken over the rule of Thebes after the abdication of their father, and had agreed among themselves that each should reign a year about. But when it came totime for Polyneikes to ascend to the throne for his year, Eteokles refused to give rule of the city over to him, even exiling his brother from Thebes. Polyneikes went to Sikyon, where he became friends with Tydeus, another pretender to the throne. Here he hatched a plot to take the throne of Thebes from his brother by force, and tothis end he enlisted the aid of six other heroes, among them his friend Tydeus and the king of Sikyon, Adrastos. Also in the company were Kapaneus, Eteoklos andParthenopaeos, and the princely seer Amphiaraos. These seven, then, marched againstThebes, where, instead of regaining his throne, Polyneikes died at the hands of hisbrother, killing Eteokles with his last breath.