Polyneices was the son of Oedipus and his wife/mother Jocasta. After Oedipus was banished from Thebes, he and his brother Eteocles ruled the city jointly. Eventually, however, the two fell into a quarrel. Eteocles banished his brother Polyneices, who went to Argos for help. There was then a battle between Thebes and Argos. Before the war began, however, Polyneices learned that he would succeed if he had the support of his father. Therefore, he attempted to gain the blessing of his father Oedipus, who was living in Athens. Oedipus sternly refused his son.
When the Argives attacked Thebes, Polyneices assigned six men, along with himself, to lead the charge against Thebe's seven gates. Eteocles assigned his six best men to guard each gate, leaving the seventh for himself. By chance, the man leading the charge against Eteocles was Polyneices himself. The two joined in single combat and killed each other. Afterwards, Thebes was once again ruled by Creon.
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