Amphitryon
Family: Greek · Role: father of Hercules · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 37
In Book 1, Cephalus fled Athens after killing Procris and lived for a time at Thebes, where he went with Amphitryon to the Teleboæ. In Book 5, Amphitryon is identified as the father of Hercules. According to Greek tradition, Zeus assumed Amphitryon’s appearance, and Alcmena welcomed him as her husband.
After fleeing Tiryns because of Electryon’s death, Amphitryon prepared to marry Alcmena, contriving a bridal bed made by Trophonius and Agamedes. In Book 9, Hercules, in his madness, wished to kill Amphitryon, but Athene struck Hercules with a stone, and he fell asleep. Amphitryon later slew Chalcodon in battle between the Eubœans and the Thebans.
Relationship record
Life events
- Cephalus fled Athens and lived at Thebes after murdering his wife Procris.(Book 1 · Chapter 37 · 📍 Thebes)
- Zeus assumes Amphitryon's appearance, and Alcmena welcomes him as her husband.(Book 5 · Chapter 18)
- Amphitryon fled Tiryns after Electryon’s death.(Book 9 · Chapter 11)
- “where they say Amphitryon dwelt, when he fled from Tiryns owing to the death of Electryon.”
- Amphitryon prepared to marry Alcmena, with a bridal-bed made by Trophonius and Agamedes.(Book 9 · Chapter 11)
- With: Alcmena Trophonius Agamedes
- “When Amphitryon was going to marry Alcmena, he contrived this bridal-bed for himself, and Anchasian Trophonius and Agamedes made it.”
- Athene stopped Hercules from killing Amphitryon by striking him with a stone.(Book 9 · Chapter 11)
- Amphitryon slew Chalcodon in battle.(Book 9 · Chapter 19 · 📍 Teumessus)
- With: Chalcodon
- “the tomb of Chalcodon, who was slain by Amphitryon in the battle fought by the Eubœans against the Thebans.”
Book 1 · Chapter 37
- with Cephalus (They went together to the Teleboae.) “Cephalus the son of Deioneus went with Amphitryon to the Teleboæ”
Book 5 · Chapter 8
- child: Hercules “Hercules, the son of Amphitryon”
Book 5 · Chapter 13
- child: Hercules “Hercules the son of Amphitryon”
Book 5 · Chapter 18
- married with Alcmena (Amphitryon is identified as the husband whose appearance Zeus assumed.) “According to the Greek tradition, Zeus assumed the appearance of Amphitryon, and so made Alcmena welcome him as her husband.”
- with Zeus (Zeus assumed Amphitryon's appearance.) “According to the Greek tradition, Zeus assumed the appearance of Amphitryon, and so made Alcmena welcome him as her husband.”
Book 5 · Chapter 25
- child: Hercules “they worshipped Hercules the son of Amphitryon.”
Book 6 · Chapter 23
- child: Hercules “because Hercules the son of Amphitryon used to exercise there”
Book 8 · Chapter 14
- parent: Laonome “Amphitryon was the son of Alcæus by Laonome”
- parent: Alcæus “Amphitryon was the son of Alcæus by Laonome”
Book 8 · Chapter 15
- with Chalcodon (of Euboea) (Amphitryon was said to have slain Chalcodon.) “For how could Chalcodon have assisted Hercules in this affair, since Amphitryon is declared to have slain him earlier according to Theban information that we can rely on?”
Book 9 · Chapter 11
- courtship with Alcmena “When Amphitryon was going to marry Alcmena, he contrived this bridal-bed for himself, and Anchasian Trophonius and Agamedes made it.”
- with Trophonius (Trophonius made Amphitryon's bridal-bed.) “When Amphitryon was going to marry Alcmena, he contrived this bridal-bed for himself, and Anchasian Trophonius and Agamedes made it.”
- with Agamedes (Agamedes made Amphitryon's bridal-bed.) “When Amphitryon was going to marry Alcmena, he contrived this bridal-bed for himself, and Anchasian Trophonius and Agamedes made it.”
- enemies with Hercules “But the Thebans add that Hercules in his madness wished also to kill Amphitryon, but sleep came upon him in consequence of a blow from a stone”
- with Hercules (Hercules wished to kill Amphitryon while mad.) “But the Thebans add that Hercules in his madness wished also to kill Amphitryon, but sleep came upon him in consequence of a blow from a stone, and they say Athene threw the stone, which they call Composer.”
Book 9 · Chapter 17
- enemies with Chalcodon “Amphitryon armed himself here, when he was on the point of engaging the Eubœans and Chalcodon.”
Book 9 · Chapter 19
- enemies with Chalcodon (They opposed one another in battle.) “the tomb of Chalcodon, who was slain by Amphitryon in the battle fought by the Eubœans against the Thebans”
- with Chalcodon (Amphitryon killed Chalcodon in battle.) “the tomb of Chalcodon, who was slain by Amphitryon in the battle fought by the Eubœans against the Thebans”
Book 9 · Chapter 27
- child: Hercules “Hercules the son of Amphitryon”
Book 10 · Chapter 13
- child: Hercules “when Hercules the son of Amphitryon came to consult the oracle”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.