Antigone

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Antigone is mentioned by Statius in Purgatorio XXII, v. 110, alongside Deïphile and Argia, within the survey of the "genti" of ancient epic poems that the Latin poet recalls out of courtesy. The notes to the canto identify Antigone as the daughter of Oedipus, condemned to death by the tyrant Creon for having given a pious burial to her brother Polynices, who came armed against the city and died together with his brother Eteocles beneath the walls of Thebes. Dante associates with the historical names of ancient poets the legendary names of the characters of epic poetry, treating them as no less "real" than the former by reason of their exemplary value. The same Antigone is recalled indirectly in Inferno XXVI 54, where the episode of the strife between Eteocles and Polynices occurs.