POLYMYTE, POLYMYTES. Polynices was one of Oedipus's sons. His brother Eteocles refused to yield up the throne when his year of power was up, and Polynices gathered an army and launched a siege against Thebes. This war is the subject of Statius's Thebaid.

Diomedes's father Tydeus was slain in Polymytes's war, Tr V.932-938. Cassandra gives a summary of the story of the siege, Tr V.1485-1509, and says that Polymytes was Tydeus's "felawe," a term indicating a contract of fellowship and close friendship. In Thebaid I.468-480, King Adrastus persuades Tydeus and Polynices to swear an oath of fellowship after he has stopped their fight. [Adrastus: Amphiorax: Campaneus: Hemonydes: Ipomedon: Parthonope: Tydeus]

Polymyte, the ME development of Latin accusative singular Polymytem, appears once, in medial position, Tr V.1507; Polymytes appears once initially, Tr V.938, and once in final rhyming position, Tr V.1488.