Ancient Greece Mythical Character: Antigone, the Daughter of King Oedipus

In ancient Greece, there is reference to a different Antigone .  Antigone was the daughter of King Oedipus of Thebes and Jocasta. The story says, Oedipus, the son of Laius and Jocasta killed his father Laius and became the king of Thebes. Oedipus unknowingly married his own mother Jocasta and had children by her. Thus, Antigone was the daughter and the sister of Oedipus.

antigone photo

Oedipus soon discovered that Laius and Jocasta were his true parents. Jocasta, in depression hanged herself. Oedipus blinded himself with her broaches and left the city. Creon (Jocasta’s brother) took care of Jocasta’s daughters namely Antigone and Ismene and sons, namely Polyneices and Eteocles.

When Oedipus left the kingdom of Thebes, the kingdom was entrusted to Creon, as Oedipus sons were too young to ascend to rule. Later, the brothers started fighting over who will rule Thebes. Being the older brother, Polyneices believed he had the birthright, but Eteocles ousted him. Polyneices with an army invaded Thebes – in which both the brothers died. Thus once more Creon ascended to the throne.

Creon declared that Eteocles would be honored with burial since he fought for Thebes while Polyneices’ will not be buried with honors.
Antigone tried to secure a respectable burial for her brother Polynices, even though he was a traitor to Thebes. Her sister Ismene opposed her saying woman cannot fight with men, as they are stronger. But Antigone was not afraid of death, and believed she would die with nobility.

This Myth was also notably accounted for by the Ancient Greek Playwright Sophocles, who had separate plays performed on ‘Oedipus The King’, ‘Oedpius At Colonus’ and ‘Antigone’.

There are different versions of how her life ended, a description of an ancient painting by Philostratus depicts, Antigone giving respectable funeral to her brother Polynices. However, The Hyginus version of the legend says, that Creon handed over Antigone to her lover Haemon for punishment, but instead of killing her, he saved her life. Later she gave birth to a boy, Maeon, who was recognized in later life as being the son of Antigone.

A different Antigone was the daughter of Eurytion, the king of Phthia and wife of Peleus. Peleus along with his brother, Telamon, killed their half-brother Phocus and ran away to escape from punishment.

In Phthia, Peleus was purified by the king Eurytion and married Antigone, Eurytion’s daughter. During hunting, Peleus accidentally killed Eurytion and ran away from Phthia. Again, Acastus purified Peleus. In Lolcus, Peleus lost a wrestling match in the funeral games of Pelias, Acastus’ father, to Atalanta. Astydameia, Acastus’ wife, fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her. She informed Antigone that Peleus was to marry Acastus’ daughter; Antigone hanged herself.