Editing Adrastus (section)

===The ''Iliad'', Stesichorus, and the ''Thebaid''===
There are only a few surviving references to Adrastus before the 5th century BC. The ''[[Iliad]]'' has four passing  mentions of Adrastus. It describes him as being "at the first" the king of Sicyon,<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.546-2.580 2.572].</ref> and his "swift horse" Arion, being "of heavenly stock".<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:14.103-14.153 14.121].</ref>  It mentions his daughter Aegiale being the wife of Diomedes,<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:5.363-5.415 5.410&ndash;415].</ref> and another daughter of his marrying Tydeus.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:14.103-14.153 14.121].</ref>

The lyric poet [[Stesichorus]] (c. 630 – 555 BC) apparently wrote a poem (now lost) about the war against Thebes,<ref>Campbell, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/stesichorus_i-fragments/1991/pb_LCL476.137.xml pp. 137&ndash;141].</ref> in which Adrastus would presumably have figured. A fragment from the poem mentions Adrastus giving a daughter to Polynices.<ref>Gantz, pp. 508&ndash;509; [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/stesichorus_i-fragments/1991/pb_LCL476.137.xml fr. 222A Campbell] [= [[Lille Stesichorus|P. Lille]] 76 + 73], lines [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/stesichorus_i-fragments/1991/pb_LCL476.141.xml 270-280].</ref>

The [[Theban Cycle|Cyclic]] ''[[Thebaid (Greek poem)|Thebaid]]'' (early sixth century BC?)<ref>West, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/greek_epic_fragments_theban_cycle_thebaid/2003/pb_LCL497.7.xml p. 7].</ref> was a Greek epic poem whose entire subject was the Seven's Theban war, however only a few fragments have survived.<ref>Gantz, p. 502; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:9.9.5 9.9.5]. For a discussion of the ''Thebaid'' and the surviving fragments see West, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/greek_epic_fragments_theban_cycle_thebaid/2003/pb_LCL497.7.xml pp. 6&ndash;9], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/greek_epic_fragments_theban_cycle_thebaid/2003/pb_LCL497.43.xml 43&ndash;53].</ref> One fragment has Adrastus being the only one saved at Thebes, thanks to his horse Arion.<ref>''Thebaid'' fr. 11 West, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/greek_epic_fragments_theban_cycle_thebaid/2003/pb_LCL497.53.xml pp. 52, 55]; Gantz, p. 517.</ref> Another fragment has Adrastus lamenting the death of Amphiaraus.<ref>''Thebaid'' fr. 6 West, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/greek_epic_fragments_theban_cycle_thebaid/2003/pb_LCL497.49.xml pp. 48, 49]; Gantz, p. 510. For other possible mentions of Adrastus in the poem, see ''Thebaid'' frs. 4*, 7* West, [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/greek_epic_fragments_theban_cycle_thebaid/2003/pb_LCL497.47.xml pp. 46&ndash;49].</ref> Much of the later tradition concerning Adrastus probably derives from this work.<ref>''[[Oxford Classical Dictionary]]'', s.v. Adrastus.</ref>