Seven Against Thebes

Aeschylus (c.525–c.456 BC), translated by Theodoridis, G., (contributor-contact-email)

Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus, produced in 467 BC, is the third play of his Oedipus-themed trilogy. It depicts the conflict arising from the curse levelled by Oedipus, the former King of Thebes, on his sons Eteocles and Polynices. Following their father’s execration, the brothers agree to rule Thebes in alternation, but conflict arises when Eteocles refuses to relinquish power after his allotted year. Polynices, in response, assembles an Argive army, including the eponymous Seven, to attack Thebes.

The play focuses less on action and more on dialogues that reveal Eteocles’ character and the Theban citizens’ reactions to the siege. Significant attention is given to the description of the seven Argive captains, their shields, and the Theban defenders appointed by Eteocles. The climax occurs when Eteocles decides to confront Polynices personally at the seventh gate, fulfilling their father’s curse. Both brothers perish in the battle, and their deaths are mourned on stage.

Originally ending with this sombre note, the play was later modified to create a lead-in to Sophocles’ Antigone, introducing a prohibition against burying Polynices and Antigone’s defiant response to this command.

Author Details

The ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus (c. 525–c. 456 BC) is credited as being the originator of the Greek tragic drama.

Born in Eleusis, in western Attica near Athens, Aeschylus was raised in a prosperous family, with his father, Euphorion, being a member of the ancient noble class of Attica, the Eupatridae.

Aeschylus initially worked in a vineyard, but experienced an epiphany when, according to the 2nd-century AD geographer Pausanias, the god Dionysus appeared to him in a dream - instructing him to pursue the nascent art of the theatrical tragedy. Aeschylus took this divine guidance to heart and began writing his first tragedy, which was performed in 499 BC when he was 26 years old. His talent quickly gained recognition, and he achieved his first prize at the City Dionysia contest in 484 BC.

Aeschylus’ life was interwoven with significant historical events. In 490 BC, he fought in the Battle of Marathon, defending Athens against the invading Persian army. His military service continued during the Persian Wars, with notable participation in the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, and the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC.

Aeschylus’ dramatic innovations included more expansive casts, allowing for complex interactions and conflicts. He is also credited with introducing trilogies, where three interconnected plays formed a cohesive narrative. His famous trinity, “The Oresteia,” consisting of “Agamemnon,” “The Libation Bearers,” and “The Eumenides,” explored themes of justice, vengeance, and the role of the gods in human affairs.

Despite his military and literary achievements, Aeschylus faced controversy in his later years when, according to Aristotle, he was accused of impiety for revealing the secrets of the Eleusinian Mysteries in one of his plays. However, he was acquitted, thanks in part to his distinguished record of military service.

Aeschylus died in Gela, Sicily, in 456 or 455 BC. His theatrical legacy was one of structural and thematic innovations that paved the way for future playwrights. Although only a few of his plays have survived intact, they remain as enduring classics of ancient Greek tragic theatre.

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Theodoridis, G.,

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