'virgin woman's son') was one of the Seven against Thebes, a native of Arcadia,[1] described as young and outstandingly good-looking,[2][3] but at the same time arrogant, ruthless and over-confident,[4] although an unproblematic ally for the Argives.
[17] In Aeschylus' Seven Against Thebes, he is portrayed carrying a shield with the image of the Sphinx devouring Thebans, and swearing by his spear (which, it was said, was for him more sacred than the gods, and more precious than his own sight) to destroy the city even despite the will of Zeus.
In the poem, Parthenopaeus fights fiercely and vigorously, killing a number of opponents, and dismisses the advice of his tutor Dorceus, who calls on him to be more careful.
Eventually Ares, instigated by his mistress Aphrodite, makes Artemis retreat from the battlefield and causes Dryas, a son of Orion, to attack and dissolve the Arcadian contingent.
Parthenopaeus, intimidated, still attempts to shoot Dryas but the latter mortally wounds him with a thrown spear, and is himself instantly killed by someone whose identity remains unrevealed.