Myth Madness: A Mythology Podcast

Greek mythology is full of terrible tales, and the story of the brothers Atreus and Thyestes includes murder, adultery, incest and cannibalism. These two cursed sons of Pelops were exiled from their homeland. Later, they fought against each other for control of Mycenae. Tragedy and nastiness ensued.

When the Seven Against Thebes were killed, they left behind children – Epigoni/Epigonoi. Athena assigned these Sons of the Seven the task of destroying Thebes and avenging their fathers.

Some, like Thersander, Aegialeus, and Diomedes were enthusiastic in building an army. Alcmaeon, the son of the champion Amphiaraus was not. Alcmaeon also blamed his mother Eriphyle for the death of his father and was at first torn between two conflicting duties.

After the war was over, the Sons of the Seven had more adventures. Some rose to kingship. Alcmaeon struggled with the wrath of the gods.

The battle between Eteocles and Polynices is over and the sons of Oedipus are dead. The fate of Oedipus’s daughters – Antigone and Ismene – is a less epic more personal tragedy story and is told in a handful of plays by the Greek playwright Sophocles. One of those tells how the willful Antigone felt she was duty-bound to ensure her brother Polynices got a proper burial. This brought her into tragic conflict with Thebes’ new regent, the powerful nobleman Creon. 

This episode retells stories from two plays by Sophocles

• Oedipus at Colonus
• Antigone

Eteocles and Polynices were the sons of Oedipus and like their father they were cursed. In their case, they were doomed to kill each other. Eteocles and Polynices fought over their father’s throne and Polynices was eventually exiled from Thebes. He gained the support of Adrastus, the king of Argos; and a collection of un-heroic scoundrels, including  the unpredictable Tydeus and the seer Amphiaraus. Together, they led a great army against Thebes with the intent of making Polynices king.

Oedipus is probably the one Greek hero who has broken free from Greek mythology and become something else entirely. That of course is all thanks to psychologist Sigmund Freud. Many people today are familiar with the hero, who is cursed with killing his father and sleeping with his mother. But the wider tradition of Greek myth about Oedipus is much more complex. Stretching at least as far back as the 8^th century BC, Oedipus is another of the famous beast-slayers of Greek mythology. Additionally, the story of Oedipus’s curse actually concerns 4 different generations of the Theban royal family. Taken together, it is called the Theban Cycle. This episode focuses on Oedipus and his father Laius.