Editing Polynices (section)

===Oedipus's curse===

In the ''[[Thebaid (Greek poem)|Thebaid]]'', the brothers were cursed by their father for their disrespect towards him on two occasions.  The first of these occurred when they served him using the silver table of [[Cadmus]] and a golden cup, which he had forbidden.<ref>Gantz, Timothy.  ''Early Greek Myth''.  Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993, p. 502</ref>  The brothers then sent him the haunch of a sacrificed animal, rather than the shoulder, which he deserved.  Enraged, Oedipus prayed to Zeus that the brothers would die by each other's hand.<ref>Gantz, Timothy.  ''Early Greek Myth''.  Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993, p. 503</ref>  However, in [[Sophocles]]' ''[[Oedipus at Colonus]]'', Oedipus desired to stay in Thebes but was expelled by Creon.  His sons argued over the throne, but Eteocles gained the support of the Thebans and expelled Polynices, who went to Oedipus to ask for his blessing to retake the city, but instead was cursed to die by his brother's hand.<ref>Sophocles, ''Oedipus at Colonus'', lines 1350-1395</ref> His son was [[Thersander (Epigoni)|Thersander]].