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Capaneus

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

One of the Seven Against Thebes, an arrogant warrior who boasted he would storm Thebes even against Zeus's will. Zeus struck him dead with a thunderbolt for his impious hubris.

Detailed Definition
Capaneus defied the gods by claiming he would burn Thebes regardless of divine will; Zeus struck him with a thunderbolt. He embodies hubris and divine retribution. Poets invoke Capaneus to warn against arrogance, illustrate the limits of human power, and emphasize piety in epic and tragic contexts, especially in Theban cycle narratives.
Example
Example in poetry:
Capaneus, one of the Seven Against Thebes, defied Zeus and was struck by lightning; Poets use Capaneus to embody hubris (e.g., in Aeschylus’s Seven Against Thebes); In Dante’s Inferno, he appears in the circle of blasphemers; “Capaneus’ boast” might describe reckless defiance in dramatic monologues; His death illustrates the limits of mortal power.
Additional Notes
Capaneus, one of the Seven Against Thebes, boasts he’ll sack the city even if Zeus opposes him—prompting Zeus to strike him with lightning. His hubris exemplifies ate and divine retribution. Aeschylus and Euripides treat his death as a warning against impiety. In poetry, Capaneus symbolizes defiant atheism or the limits of human ambition against cosmic order.
Also Known As
arrogant warrior Theban seven lightning struck
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