Alcmena
Also known as: Alcmene · Family: Greek · Role: daughter of Electyron; wife of Amphitryon; mother of Heracles and Iphiclus · First appears: The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 81–100
Alcmena was the daughter of Electyron. After Amphitryon left his country and came to Thebes, she dwelt there with him as his wife, honouring him “as none of womankind did before her.”
In one night at Thebes, Zeus shared Alcmena’s bed; in that same night, Amphitryon returned home and lay with her. She bore twin sons, Heracles and Iphiclus, fathered by Zeus and Amphitryon respectively. The accounts also name Zeus as Heracles’ father: “Alcmena bare him in Thebes, the city of lovely dances, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had lain with her.”
Relationship record
Life events
- Amphitryon left his country and came to Thebes, where he dwelt with Alcmena.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 1 · 📍 Thebes)
- With: Amphitryon
- “so he left his own country and came to Thebes and was suppliant to the shield-carrying men of Cadmus. There he dwelt with his modest wife”
- Zeus shared Alcmena’s bed, and she later bore Heracles, his son.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 1 · 📍 Thebe)
- Amphitryon returned home and lay with Alcmena; their son Iphiclus was born as one of her twins.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 1 · 📍 Thebe)
- With: Amphitryon Iphiclus son of Amphitryon
- “And all night long he lay with his modest wife, delighting in the gifts of golden Aphrodite.”
- Alcmena gave birth to twin sons, Heracles and Iphiclus, of different fathers.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 1 · 📍 seven-gated Thebe)
- With: Heracles Iphiclus son of Amphitryon
- “And she, being subject in love to a god and to a man exceeding goodly, brought forth twin sons in seven-gated Thebe.”
- Zeus fathered Heracles by Alcmene.(The Great Eoiae)
- Alcmena gave birth to Heracles, who is identified as Zeus’s son.(Homeric Hymn XV · To Heracles the Lion-hearted · 📍 Thebes)
The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae · Fragments 81–100
- parent: Electryon “So Alcmena alone was left to delight her parents........and the daughter of Electryon....”
- child: Heracles “So Alcmena alone was left to delight her parents........and the daughter of Electryon.... ((LACUNA)) ....who was subject in love to the dark-clouded son of Cronos and bare (famous Heracles).”
The Shield of Heracles · Part 1
- parent: Electryon “even Alcmena, the daughter of Electyron,”
- married with Amphitryon “And she so honoured her husband in her heart as none of womankind did before her.”
- child: Heracles “So in one night Zeus shared the bed and love of the neat-ankled daughter of Electyron and fulfilled his desire; and in the same night Amphitryon, gatherer of the people, the glorious hero, came to his house when he had ended his great task. He hastened not to go to his bondmen and shepherds afield, but first went in unto his wife: such desire took hold on the shepherd of the people. And as a man who has escaped joyfully from misery, whether of sore disease or cruel bondage, so then did Amphitryon, when he had wound up all his heavy task, come glad and welcome to his home. And all night long he lay with his modest wife, delighting in the gifts of golden Aphrodite. And she, being subject in love to a god and to a man exceeding goodly, brought forth twin sons in seven-gated Thebe.”
- child: Iphiclus son of Amphitryon “So in one night Zeus shared the bed and love of the neat-ankled daughter of Electyron and fulfilled his desire; and in the same night Amphitryon, gatherer of the people, the glorious hero, came to his house when he had ended his great task. He hastened not to go to his bondmen and shepherds afield, but first went in unto his wife: such desire took hold on the shepherd of the people. And as a man who has escaped joyfully from misery, whether of sore disease or cruel bondage, so then did Amphitryon, when he had wound up all his heavy task, come glad and welcome to his home. And all night long he lay with his modest wife, delighting in the gifts of golden Aphrodite. And she, being subject in love to a god and to a man exceeding goodly, brought forth twin sons in seven-gated Thebe.”
The Shield of Heracles · Part 3
- child: Heracles “the son of Alcmena and glorious Iolaus”
The Great Eoiae
- child: Heracles “he represents Alcmene as saying to Heracles: ‘My son, truly Zeus your father begot you to be the most toilful as the most excellent...’”
Homeric Hymn XV · To Heracles the Lion-hearted
- child: Heracles “Alcmena bare him in Thebes, the city of lovely dances, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had lain with her.”
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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.