Amphitryon

Family: Thebes · Role: father of Iphicles · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.8

🌐 Also appears in: The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Amphitryon) · Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Amphitryon)

Amphitryon was the son of Alcaeus and the father of Iphicles. At Argos, Electryon entrusted him with the kingdom and Alcmena; while Amphitryon was receiving the cows back, a thrown club rebounded from one of their horns and killed Electryon. Sthenelus used this as a pretext to banish him from Argos, seizing Mycenae and Tiryns and entrusting Midea to Atreus and Thyestes.

Amphitryon went with Alcmena and Licymnius to Thebes. Alcmena said she would marry him after he avenged her brothers’ death, and he undertook an expedition against the Teleboans, inviting Creon to assist him and persuading Cephalus to bring the dog in return for a share of the spoils. He also taught Heracles to drive a chariot.

Relationship record

Life events

Amphitryon accidentally killed Electryon; Sthenelus banished him and seized Mycenae and Tiryns.(Apollodorus, Library 2.4 · 📍 Argos)
- With: Electryon Sthenelus Atreus Thyestes
- “However, as he was receiving the cows back, one of them charged, and Amphitryon threw at her the club which he had in his hands. But the club rebounded from the cow's horns and striking Electryon's head killed him. Hence Sthenelus laid hold of this pretext to banish Amphitryon from the whole of Argos, while he himself seized the throne of Mycenae and Tiryns; and he entrusted Midea to Atreus and Thyestes, the sons of Pelops, whom he had sent for.”

Apollodorus, Library 1.8

child: Iphicles “Iphicles, son of Amphitryon”

Apollodorus, Library 2.4

parent: Alcaeus “Alcaeus had a son Amphitryon and a daughter Anaxo”
pupil: Heracles “Hercules was taught to drive a chariot by Amphitryon”
courtship with Alcmena “And as Alcmena said she would marry him when he had avenged her brothers' death”
married with Alcmena “Alcmena said she would marry him”
siblings with Licymnius “Amphitryon went with Alcmena and Licymnius to Thebes”
patron: Creon “Amphitryon engaged to do so, and undertook an expedition against the Teleboans, and invited Creon to assist him.”
with Creon (interaction) “Amphitryon ... invited Creon to assist him”
with Cephalus (interaction) “persuaded him, in return for a share of the Teleboan spoils, to bring to the chase the dog”
guardian: Electryon “Electryon purposed to make war on the Teleboans, but first he committed the kingdom to Amphitryon along with his daughter Alcmena”
with Sthenelus (interaction) “Sthenelus laid hold of this pretext to banish Amphitryon from the whole of Argos”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Mythology. Made with Rho MD.