batch.motif.greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg-l8825-l8917
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg-l8825-l8917
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
passage_locator:
label: BELLEROPHON. / THESEUS. / OEDIPUS. / THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES.; lines 8825-8917
start: '8825'
end: '8917'
translation: Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: After Oedipus abdicates, Eteocles expels Polynices from rule at Thebes.
Polynices reaches Argos, encounters Tydeus, and both are received by Adrastus,
who interprets their lion and boar shield emblems as fulfilling an oracle about
his daughters' marriages. Adrastus promises to help restore their patrimonies.
Amphiaraus foresees disaster and hides, but Eriphyle is bribed with Harmonia's
necklace to reveal him and compel his participation. Seven leaders set out. At
Nemea, Hypsipile guides the army to a hidden spring, leaving an infant who is
killed by a serpent. The army reaches Thebes and occupies the seven gates; Tiresias
declares that the city can be saved only if the youngest descendant of Cadmus
voluntarily sacrifices himself.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Eteocles and Polynices take the crown after Oedipus abdicates, but Eteocles
seizes sole control and expels Polynices.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Polynices arrives at Argos at night, encounters Tydeus outside the royal palace,
and begins a quarrel that Adrastus stops.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Adrastus observes a lion on Polynices' shield and a boar on Tydeus' shield,
connecting these signs with an oracle about marrying his daughters to a lion and
a boar.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Adrastus gives Argia to Polynices and Deipyle to Tydeus in marriage and promises
to help both regain their patrimonies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Amphiaraus foresees that the expedition will end disastrously and that only
Adrastus will return alive, so he refuses participation and hides.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Polynices offers Eriphyle the necklace of Harmonia if she reveals Amphiaraus'
hiding place and induces him to join the expedition.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: Before departing, Amphiaraus makes Alcmaeon promise to avenge his death on
Eriphyle if he dies in battle.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Seven leaders are chosen to command separate detachments of troops.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: At Nemea, the Argives search for water and meet Hypsipile, who is nursing
an infant and later leads them to a secret spring.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: Hypsipile lays the infant in the grass while she guides the warriors to water.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: When the warriors return, they find that the infant has been killed by a serpent;
they kill the serpent and bury the infant with funeral honours.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: The attacking host reaches Thebes, and each leader takes position before one
of the seven gates.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:13
text: Tiresias reads auguries from birds and says Thebes cannot be defended unless
the youngest descendant of Cadmus offers himself as a voluntary sacrifice.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Eteocles
description: Son of Oedipus who seizes sole government of Thebes and expels Polynices;
later prepares to defend Thebes with Creon.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Polynices
description: Son of Oedipus expelled from Thebes; arrives at Argos, bears a lion
on his shield, marries Argia, and seeks aid to regain rule.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Tydeus
description: Fugitive son of Oeneus, king of Calydon; bears a boar on his shield
and marries Deipyle.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Adrastus
description: King of Argos who separates Polynices and Tydeus, interprets the shield
emblems as fulfilling an oracle, arranges marriages, and leads the expedition.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Argia
description: Daughter of Adrastus given in marriage to Polynices.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Deipyle
description: Daughter of Adrastus given in marriage to Tydeus.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Amphiaraus
description: Seer and brother-in-law of Adrastus who foresees the expedition's fatal
outcome, hides, is compelled to join, and asks Alcmaeon for future vengeance.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Eriphyle
description: Wife of Amphiaraus who accepts the necklace of Harmonia and reveals
his hiding place.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Alcmaeon
description: Son of Amphiaraus who is made to promise vengeance against Eriphyle
if Amphiaraus dies.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Hypsipile
description: Former queen of the Lemnians, enslaved nurse of Lycurgus' infant son,
who knows and reveals a secret spring.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Infant son of Lycurgus
description: Infant nursed by Hypsipile and killed by a serpent while left in the
grass.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Serpent
description: Reptile that kills the infant at Nemea and is then slain by the warriors.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Tiresias
description: Blind old seer who reads bird auguries and declares the need for a
voluntary sacrifice to save Thebes.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Youngest descendant of the house of Cadmus
description: Unnamed person designated by Tiresias as the required voluntary sacrifice
for Thebes.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:15
name_or_label: Creon
description: Ally of Eteocles in preparing Thebes to resist the invaders.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
roles:
- id: role:1
label: usurping brother-ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Eteocles seizes the reins of government and expels Polynices.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: expelled claimant
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Polynices is driven from the Theban throne and later seeks restoration of
his lawful share.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: fugitive warrior
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Tydeus is described as a fugitive after accidentally killing a relative.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: kingly mediator and patron
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Adrastus separates the combatants, receives them, arranges marriages, and
promises military aid.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: expedition leader
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:7
basis: These figures are included among the seven leaders chosen to command detachments.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: dynastic bride
assigned_to:
- fig:5
- fig:6
basis: Argia and Deipyle are given in marriage to Polynices and Tydeus as part of
Adrastus' response to the oracle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: seer
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:13
basis: Amphiaraus foresees the expedition's outcome, and Tiresias reads auguries
and gives a prophetic condition for Thebes' defense.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:10
- id: role:8
label: bribed revealer
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Eriphyle accepts the necklace and reveals Amphiaraus' hiding place.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:9
label: future avenger
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Alcmaeon promises to avenge Amphiaraus' death on Eriphyle if Amphiaraus falls.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: water guide and nurse
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Hypsipile nurses the infant and leads the warriors to a secret spring.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:11
label: city defender
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:15
basis: Eteocles and Creon prepare to repel the invaders and station troops at the
gates.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:12
label: child victim
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The infant is killed by a serpent while the warriors and nurse are absent.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:13
label: child-killing serpent
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: The serpent kills the infant and is then slain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:14
label: required voluntary sacrificial victim
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: Tiresias says the youngest descendant of Cadmus must offer himself voluntarily
for the state.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: lion shield emblem
literal_form: lion depicted on Polynices' shield
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: boar shield emblem
literal_form: boar depicted on Tydeus' shield
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: necklace of Harmonia
literal_form: beautiful glittering necklace used as a bribe
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:8
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: secret spring
literal_form: hidden spring in the forest known only to Hypsipile
associated_figures:
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:5
label: serpent
literal_form: reptile that kills the infant
associated_figures:
- fig:12
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: seven gates of Thebes
literal_form: seven gates before which the seven leaders station themselves
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:7
label: bird augury
literal_form: flight of birds read by Tiresias
associated_figures:
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:8
label: voluntary sacrifice for the state
literal_form: self-offering required from the youngest descendant of Cadmus
associated_figures:
- fig:14
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:9
label: tree trunk in forest
literal_form: tree trunk on which Hypsipile is seated while nursing the infant
associated_figures:
- fig:10
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Theban succession conflict
summary: Eteocles and Polynices inherit rule after Oedipus, but Eteocles expels
Polynices and takes sole power.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Night encounter at Argos
summary: Polynices and Tydeus meet outside Adrastus' palace at night, fight after
a mistaken encounter, and are separated by Adrastus.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Animal-emblem oracle and marriages
summary: Adrastus sees lion and boar shield emblems, connects them with an oracle
about his daughters, and marries Argia and Deipyle to Polynices and Tydeus.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Doomed expedition and compelled seer
summary: Amphiaraus foresees that the expedition will be fatal and hides, but Eriphyle
is bribed with the necklace of Harmonia and he is compelled to join.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Selection of the seven leaders
summary: Seven named leaders are appointed to separate detachments for the expedition.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: Nemean search for water and serpent death
summary: The Argive army seeks water, Hypsipile guides them to a secret spring after
leaving the infant in the grass, and on return they find the infant killed by
a serpent, which they slay before burying the child.
figure_refs:
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:7
label: Seven gates and required sacrifice
summary: The army stands before Thebes' seven gates while Eteocles and Creon prepare
defenses; Tiresias reads bird auguries and announces that a voluntary sacrifice
from Cadmus' line is necessary to save the city.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:13
- fig:14
- fig:15
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: sibling conflict over royal legitimacy
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Eteocles expels Polynices from shared rule, and the later expedition is framed
as an effort to recover Polynices' lawful share.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives the political conflict but not the full later resolution.
- id: motif:2
label: oracle fulfilled through animal emblems
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Adrastus interprets the lion and boar on the warriors' shields as the solution
to the oracle that his daughters would marry a lion and a boar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The oracle is reported secondarily within the narrative.
- id: motif:3
label: precious-object bribe causing betrayal
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Polynices uses Harmonia's necklace to bribe Eriphyle into revealing Amphiaraus
and compelling his participation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: No taxonomy reference is assigned because the passage presents the exchange
as bribery rather than a ritual or sacred exchange.
- id: motif:4
label: prophetic warning of a doomed expedition
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Amphiaraus foresees that the expedition will end disastrously and that only
Adrastus will survive.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy link to wisdom is broad and based on seer knowledge rather
than explicit didactic wisdom.
- id: motif:5
label: water quest interrupted by serpent death
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
basis: The army's search for water leads Hypsipile to leave an infant unattended;
during the absence a serpent kills the child.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The water element is narrative setting for the serpent episode, not necessarily
an independent water motif.
- id: motif:6
label: voluntary sacrifice to save the city
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: Tiresias states that Thebes cannot be defended unless the youngest descendant
of Cadmus offers himself voluntarily for the good of the state.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The passage ends with the condition announced and does not show whether
the sacrifice occurs.
- id: motif:7
label: seven leaders against seven gates
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Seven leaders are chosen, and each takes position before one of Thebes' seven
gates.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly corresponds to the numerical siege
pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 8825-8830
quote_or_summary: After Oedipus' abdication, Eteocles and Polynices rule Thebes,
but Eteocles takes sole power and expels Polynices.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 8831-8839
quote_or_summary: Polynices arrives at Argos by night, meets the fugitive Tydeus
outside Adrastus' palace, and Adrastus stops their quarrel.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 8840-8856
quote_or_summary: Adrastus sees a lion on Polynices' shield and a boar on Tydeus'
shield, recalls an oracle about giving his daughters to a lion and a boar, marries
Argia to Polynices and Deipyle to Tydeus, and promises aid.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 8857-8871
quote_or_summary: Adrastus gathers chiefs for the expedition; Amphiaraus foresees
disaster, warns against the plan, refuses to join, and hides.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 8872-8891
quote_or_summary: Because Eriphyle is to decide disputes between Adrastus and Amphiaraus,
Polynices bribes her with Harmonia's necklace to reveal Amphiaraus; Amphiaraus
is forced to join and asks Alcmaeon to avenge him if he dies.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 8892-8895
quote_or_summary: 'Seven leaders are chosen: Adrastus, Hippomedon, Parthenopaeus,
Capaneus, Polynices, Tydeus, and Amphiaraus.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 8896-8910
quote_or_summary: At Nemea, the Argives seek water, meet Hypsipile nursing Lycurgus'
infant son, and she lays the child in the grass before guiding them to a secret
spring in the forest.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 8910-8914
quote_or_summary: On returning from the spring, the warriors find the infant killed
by a serpent; they slay the reptile and bury the child with funeral honours.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 8915-8921
quote_or_summary: The host reaches Thebes; each leader stands before one of the
seven gates, while Eteocles and Creon arrange defenders at the gates.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 8921-8927
quote_or_summary: Tiresias is summoned, reads auguries from birds, and declares
that Thebes can be defended only if the youngest descendant of Cadmus voluntarily
sacrifices himself for the state.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif candidates are limited
to clearly present narrative patterns and supplied taxonomy references; no comparison
claims were added because the passage itself does not make an explicit cross-textual
comparison.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Line locators in evidence extend slightly beyond the supplied end label where the provided passage text continues the Tiresias sentence; verify against the canonical markdown line numbering during review.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg__l8825-l8917
passage_sha256=56fe4197d6365c9dcc70b18fce02f257011c1652caec6f64214df70208353bb6