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The Phoenician Women (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)

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A Chorus of young women, maidens from Phoenicia dedicated to the service of Apollo. They have stopped in Thebes and have been detained by the war of the Seven against Thebes. They provide the historical perspective necessary to see the duel between the two sons of Oedipus as the last link in a long chain of Theban misfortunes.

Eteocles (ee-TEE-oh-kleez), the king of Thebes, the son of Jocasta and Oedipus. He and his brother Polynices had agreed to rule the city of Thebes in turn, but Eteocles has refused to give up the throne and Polynices has...

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