Glory
Eteocles opens the play by declaring to the people to give all glory to the gods for a victory and all blame to him for defeat. Ironically, no one blames him upon his death; instead, the people honor him with the burial of a king.
Law
Polynices' body is to remain on the battlefield, where the wolves will eat him. Ironically, Antigone will not follow any law that keeps her brother from being properly buried. She only sees that his blood runs through her veins, and nothing else matters.
Polycines
Polynices is a son of the city, and one of the rulers of it. Ironically, when he dies, an edict is decreed that he will not be buried as a citizen, but will remain in the field of battle as a traitor.
Battle
Eteocles can choose any man he wants to face the opposition at the seven gates. Ironically, he decides to fight his brother himself rather than sending someone to fight him, which leads to his death and to the end of his reign.
King
Eteocles is the king of the city and thus leads the people in this battle. Ironically, he is the reason they are in a battle in the first place as he has denied his brother, Polynices, his right to rule in this alternating year of their reign.
