Who was Capaneus in 'Antigone'?

Answer 1

Capaneus wasn't a character in the play 'Antigone' by Sophocles [496 B.C.E.-406 B.C.E.]. Instead, he was a character in the play 'Seven Against Thebes' by Aeschylus [525/524 B.C.E.-456/455 B.C.E.]. He was one of six captains who supported Polyneices' attempt to regain his rightful control over the throne of Thebes.

Capaneus was famous for his great strength, size and pride. For example, in the invasion of Thebes, he stood before the gate that he was supposed to invade and insulted Zeus, the chief god. As a result, he was struck dead by one of Zeus' thunderbolts.

Capaneus' wife Evadne was so distraught over his death that she joined him on the funeral pyre. They left behind their son Sthenelus, who avenged his parents with the subsequently successful invasion of Thebes by the Epigoni. The Epigoni were the seven descendants of the captains who had tried to invade Thebes under Polyneices and had died.*

*The only Survivor of the original seven captains was Polyneices' father-in-law, Argive King Adrastus.