Polydorus_of_Thebes

Polydorus (son of Cadmus)

Polydorus (son of Cadmus)

Ancient Greek mythological Theban prince

For other people with the same name, see Polydorus.

In Greek mythology, Polydorus or Polydoros (/ˌpɒlɪˈdɔːrəs/; Ancient Greek: Πολύδωρος means 'many-gift[ed]') was a king of Thebes.

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Family

Polydorus was the youngest and only male child of Cadmus and Harmonia,[1] his sisters were Autonoë, Ino, Agave and Semele.[2] He was the father of Labdacus[3] by Nycteïs, the daughter of Nycteus.

Last of all Harmonia added a little son to the brood of sisters, and made Cadmos happy – Polydoros, the morning star of the Aonian nation, younger than rosy cheek Semele.[4]

Mythology

Upon the death of Cadmus, Pentheus, the son of Echion and Agave, after banishing Polydorus[5] ruled Thebes for a short time until Dionysus prompted Agave to kill Pentheus. Polydorus then succeeded Pentheus as king of Thebes and married Nycteïs.[6] When their son Labdacus was still young, Polydorus died of unknown causes, entrusting his father-in-law Nycteus to care the infant prince and to be his regent.[7]

In Pausanias's history, Polydorus' rule began when his father abdicated the throne and together with his mother Harmonia migrated to the Illyrian tribe of the Enchelii, but this is the only source for such a timeline.[8] It is also said that along with the thunderbolt hurled at the bridal chamber of Semele there fell a log from heaven. This log was adorned by Polydorus with bronze and called it Dionysus Cadmus.[9]

A different account by Diodorus stated that the Thebans were exiled a second time (the first time during the reign of Cadmus) for Polydorus came back and was dissatisfied with the situation because of the misfortunes that had befallen Amphion, the previous king,[10] in connection with his children.[11]

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Genealogy

Argive genealogy in Greek mythology
InachusMelia
ZeusIoPhoroneus
EpaphusMemphis
LibyaPoseidon
BelusAchiroëAgenorTelephassa
DanausElephantisAegyptusCadmusCilixEuropaPhoenix
MantineusHypermnestraLynceusHarmoniaZeus
Polydorus
SpartaLacedaemonOcaleaAbasAgaveSarpedonRhadamanthus
Autonoë
EurydiceAcrisiusInoMinos
ZeusDanaëSemeleZeus
PerseusDionysus
Colour key:

  Male
  Female
  Deity

Family tree of Theban Royal House

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Notes

  1. [1]
    Hesiod, Theogony 978; Apollodorus, 3.4.2; Diodorus Siculus, 4.2.1; Nonnus, Dionysiacca 5.208
  2. [2]
    Nonnus, Dionysiaca 5.298
  3. [3]
    Herodotus, 5.59; Euripides, The Phoenician Women 1; Arrian, The Anabasis of Alexander 2.16.1; Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus 267
  4. [4]
    Nonnus, Dionysiaca 5.207 ff.
  5. [5]
    Nonnus, Dionysiaca 46.259
  6. [6]
    Hyginus, Fabulae 76
  7. [7]
    Apollodorus, 3.5.5; Pausanias, 2.6.2 & 9.5.4
  8. [8]
    Pausanias, 9.5.3
  9. [9]
    Pausanias, 9.12.4
  10. [10]
    Diodorus Siculus, 19.53.5 This was contradicting to the stories of Apollodorus because Polydorus had already died when Amphion ruled on Thebes and after Amphion's death Polydorus' grandson Laius reigned after.
  11. [11]
    i.e. the Niobides, slain by Apollo and Artemis to punish their mother Niobê, who had presumed to compare herself with Leto

References

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