Eldest son of Oedipus and brother of Antigone. When he was in power, Polynices helped to drive his father into exile from Thebes. By the time of Oedipus at Colonus, Polynices had been overthrown by his younger brother, Eteocles, and had himself been banished. Polynices then moved to the city of Argos, married there, and now has raised an army to attack Thebes. He comes to Oedipus asking for forgiveness for his previous sins, but also because the oracles have declared that the side that Oedipus favors will win the battle. Oedipus curses Polynices and predicts that his two sons will kill each other in the battle. Creon's refusal to allow Polynices a proper burial is the conflict at the heart of Sophocles's play Antigone.
Polynices Quotes in Oedipus at Colonus
The Oedipus at Colonus quotes below are all either spoken by Polynices or refer to Polynices. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Lines 1193-1645
Quotes
You—die!
Die and be damned!
I spit on you! Out!—
your father cuts you off! Corruption—scum of the earth!—
out!—and pack these curses I call down upon your head:
never to win you mother-country with your spear,
never return to Argos ringed with hills—
Die!
Die by your own blood brother's hand—die!—
killing the very man who drove you out!
So I curse your life out!
Die and be damned!
I spit on you! Out!—
your father cuts you off! Corruption—scum of the earth!—
out!—and pack these curses I call down upon your head:
never to win you mother-country with your spear,
never return to Argos ringed with hills—
Die!
Die by your own blood brother's hand—die!—
killing the very man who drove you out!
So I curse your life out!
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Goodbye, dear ones.
You'll never look on me again, alive.
You'll never look on me again, alive.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Polynices Quotes in Oedipus at Colonus
The Oedipus at Colonus quotes below are all either spoken by Polynices or refer to Polynices. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Lines 1193-1645
Quotes
You—die!
Die and be damned!
I spit on you! Out!—
your father cuts you off! Corruption—scum of the earth!—
out!—and pack these curses I call down upon your head:
never to win you mother-country with your spear,
never return to Argos ringed with hills—
Die!
Die by your own blood brother's hand—die!—
killing the very man who drove you out!
So I curse your life out!
Die and be damned!
I spit on you! Out!—
your father cuts you off! Corruption—scum of the earth!—
out!—and pack these curses I call down upon your head:
never to win you mother-country with your spear,
never return to Argos ringed with hills—
Die!
Die by your own blood brother's hand—die!—
killing the very man who drove you out!
So I curse your life out!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Goodbye, dear ones.
You'll never look on me again, alive.
You'll never look on me again, alive.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
