Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes
Student’s Guide | Classical Reference Library
Richer Resources Editorial Team
About This Guide
In Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes, a city faces an invading army while two brothers are drawn toward a deadly confrontation. Eteocles must protect Thebes, but one of its attackers is his brother Polyneices.
This guide will help you follow the siege, understand the family conflict, and consider how duty, fear, and personal choices shape the tragedy.
Before You Read
Thebes is threatened by an army from Argos. Eteocles leads the city’s defense, while Polyneices has joined the attackers. The brothers are sons of Oedipus, whose family has suffered a long history of conflict.
The play was first performed in Athens in 467 BCE. It was the final play of a connected trilogy; the first two plays have not survived.
The Story at a Glance
Eteocles organizes the defense of Thebes. A Chorus of Theban women fears what will happen if the attackers enter the city. Eteocles urges them to remain calm.
A scout describes the warriors attacking each of the city’s seven gates, including the symbols on their shields. Eteocles assigns a defender to each gate.
At the seventh gate, Eteocles learns that his brother Polyneices will be the attacker. He chooses to face Polyneices himself, despite the danger and the family’s curse.
Thebes survives the attack, but the brothers kill each other. The victory becomes a time of mourning. Some surviving versions end with a dispute over the brothers’ burial; scholars debate whether this concluding section belonged to the original play.
Meet the Characters
Eteocles — Ruler of Thebes, determined to defend the city and confront his brother.
Polyneices — Eteocles’ brother, who attacks Thebes with the Argive army.
Scout — Brings detailed reports about the attackers at the seven gates.
Chorus — Women of Thebes who fear the suffering that an invasion could bring.
Antigone and Ismene — Sisters of the brothers, appearing in the surviving concluding section whose original status is disputed.
Important Themes
Civic Duty and Family Conflict — Eteocles must defend his people, but his private conflict with Polyneices affects his choices.
Fear and Courage — The Chorus and Eteocles respond differently to danger. Is expressing fear a sign of weakness?
Fate and Choice — A curse hangs over Oedipus’ family, yet Eteocles still decides to meet his brother in battle.
War and Its Costs — The city is saved, but the royal family suffers a devastating loss.
Leadership — Eteocles speaks with authority, but his treatment of the frightened Chorus raises questions about how leaders should respond to others.
What to Notice as You Read
Notice how Eteocles speaks to the Chorus. What does he expect from the women, and how do they respond?
Pay attention to the attackers’ shield emblems. What do the images suggest about each warrior?
Watch the change in Eteocles when he hears that Polyneices is at the seventh gate.
Think about why the news of the city’s survival does not make the ending joyful.
A Literary Feature: The Seven Gates
The repeated reports from the seven gates give the play a clear pattern. Each attacker is described, and Eteocles selects a defender.
As the reports continue, the audience waits to learn who will attack the final gate. The pattern builds suspense and makes the confrontation between the brothers especially powerful.
Questions to Think About
- Why is the Chorus frightened, and how does Eteocles respond?
- What do the descriptions of the seven attackers add to the play?
- Why does Eteocles choose to face Polyneices himself?
- Is Eteocles acting mainly as a ruler, a brother, or both?
- How does the family curse affect the way we understand his decision?
- Can Thebes truly celebrate victory after the brothers die?
After You Finish
Consider Eteocles’ decision at the seventh gate. Was it an act of public duty, personal anger, or a mixture of both? Support your answer with two details from the play.
A Final Thought
Seven Against Thebes asks whether a person can separate responsibility to a community from conflict within a family. The city survives, but its victory comes at a terrible cost.
Note to the Reader
This guide accompanies the Richer Resources Publications edition of Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes, translated by Ian Johnston.
A printable PDF version of this resource is available by email.
