Amphiaraus

Family: Argos · Role: son of Oicles · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.8

🌐 Also appears in: The Odyssey (as Amphiaraus) · The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Amphiaraüs)

Amphiaraus, of Argos and son of Oicles, was married to Eriphyle. At Calydon, he and Atalanta wounded the boar before Meleager killed it and gave its skin to Atalanta.

When war against Thebes was proposed, Adrastus advocated it while Amphiaraus opposed it; Eriphyle accepted Polynices’ necklace and persuaded him to march with Adrastus. He had previously reconciled with Adrastus after a dispute, but hated Tydeus for persuading the Argives to join the expedition. During the war, Amphiaraus cut off Melanippus’ head and gave it to Tydeus; while fleeing beside the river Ismenus, he vanished with his chariot and Baton—or, according to another account, Elato—when Zeus cleft the earth, and Zeus made him immortal. He was the father of Alcmaeon and Amphilochus.

Relationship record

Life events

• Atalanta and Amphiaraus wounded the boar, but Meleager killed it and awarded Atalanta its skin.(Apollodorus, Library 1.8 · 📍 Calydon)
  • With: Atalanta Meleager
  • “But Atalanta was the first to shoot the boar in the back with an arrow, and Amphiaraus was the next to shoot it in the eye; but Meleager killed it by a stab in the flank, and on receiving the skin gave it to Atalanta.”
• Eriphyle accepts Polynices' necklace and persuades Amphiaraus to join the war.(Apollodorus, Library 3.6)
  • With: Polynices Eriphyle
  • “Accordingly, when war was to be made on Thebes , and the measure was advocated by Adrastus and opposed by Amphiaraus, Eriphyle accepted the necklace and persuaded him to march with Adrastus.”
• Zeus splits the earth; Amphiaraus vanishes and becomes immortal.(Apollodorus, Library 3.6 · 📍 the river Ismenus)
  • With: Zeus Baton
  • “Amphiaraus fled beside the river Ismenus, and before Periclymenus could wound him in the back, Zeus cleft the earth by throwing a thunderbolt, and Amphiaraus vanished with his chariot and his charioteer Baton, or, as some say, Elato; and Zeus made him immortal.”

Apollodorus, Library 1.8

• parent: Oicles “Amphiaraus, son of Oicles”

Apollodorus, Library 1.9

• married with Eriphyle “whom Amphiaraus married.”
• with Oicles (interaction) “Amphiaraus, son of Oicles”

Apollodorus, Library 3.6

• rivals with Adrastus “for the decision lay with her, because once, when a difference arose between him and Adrastus, he had made it up with him”
• enemies with Tydeus “But Amphiaraus hated Tydeus for thwarting him by persuading the Argives to march to Thebes ;”
• with Melanippus (interaction) “so when he perceived the intention of the goddess he cut off the head of Melanippus and gave it to Tydeus”
• with Zeus (interaction) “and Zeus made him immortal.”
• with Adrastus (They disagreed over the war against Thebes.) “when war was to be made on Thebes , and the measure was advocated by Adrastus and opposed by Amphiaraus,”
• with Eriphyle (Eriphyle persuaded Amphiaraus to join the expedition.) “Eriphyle accepted the necklace and persuaded him to march with Adrastus.”
• with Baton (Baton was Amphiaraus's charioteer.) “Amphiaraus vanished with his chariot and his charioteer Baton,”
• with Elato (Elato is given as an alternative name for the charioteer.) “with his chariot and his charioteer Baton, or, as some say, Elato;”

Apollodorus, Library 3.7

• child: Alcmaeon “Alcmaeon and Amphilochus, sons of Amphiaraus”
• child: Amphilochus (son of Amphiaraus) “Alcmaeon and Amphilochus, sons of Amphiaraus”

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