Amphiaraos

Also known as: Amphiaráus · Family: Argos · Role: seer and warrior · First appears: Aeschylus, The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes — Scene 4

Amphiaraos, also known as Amphiaráus, is a seer and warrior of Argos, identified as the son of Ocleus. In Aeschylus’ account, Eteocles assigns Lasthenes to oppose him at the gates: “Yet against him the hero Lasthenes, A foe of strangers, at the gates we'll set;” At the Homoloian gates, Amphiaraos reproves Tydeus as a murderer and troubler of the state, while condemning Polynices for attacking his father’s city and country’s gods; his counsels are also said to have led Adrastus into these troubles.

In Sophocles’ account, Polynices leads seven allied commanders and their battalions against Thebè and names Amphiaraos among his firm allies, “Foremost in augury, foremost in war,” alongside Tydeus, Etéoclus, Hippomedon, Capaneus, and Parthenopaeus.

Relationship record

Life events

• Eteocles assigns Lasthenes to oppose Amphiaraos at the gates.(Aeschylus, The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes — Scene 4)
  • With: Eteocles Lasthenes
  • “Yet against him the hero Lasthenes, A foe of strangers, at the gates we'll set;”
• Polynices leads seven allied commanders and their battalions against Thebè.(Sophocles, Oedipus At Colonos — Scene 7 · 📍 Thebè)
  • With: Polynices Tydeus Etéoclus Hippomedon Capaneus Parthenopaeus
  • “With whose aid levying all that mighty host Of seven battalions, I have deeply sworn Either to die, or drive from Theban ground Those who such wrongs have wrought.”

Aeschylus, The Seven Who Fought Against Thebes — Scene 4

• parent: Ocleus “And thus this seer I speak of, Œcleus' son,”
• enemies with Lasthenes “Yet against him the hero Lasthenes, A foe of strangers, at the gates we'll set;”
• with Tydeus (Amphiaraos publicly reproves and denounces Tydeus.) “He, stationed at the Homolôian gates, Reproves the mighty Tydeus with sharp words As 'murderer,' and 'troubler of the State,'”
• with Polynices (Amphiaraos condemns Polyneikes for attacking his father's city.) “And at thy brother Polyneikes glancing With eyes uplifted for his father's fate, And ending, twice he syllabled his name, And called him, and thus speaketh with his lips:— “A goodly deed, and pleasant to the Gods, Noble for after age to hear and tell, Thy father's city and thy country's Gods To waste through might of mercenary host!”
• pupil: Tydeus “He, stationed at the Homolôian gates, Reproves the mighty Tydeus with sharp words As 'murderer,' and 'troubler of the State,'”
• pupil: Adrastus “Erinnys' sumpnour,' 'murder's minister,' Whose counsels led Adrastos to these ills.”
• pupil: Polynices “And at thy brother Polyneikes glancing With eyes uplifted for his father's fate, And ending, twice he syllabled his name, And called him, and thus speaketh with his lips:— “A goodly deed, and pleasant to the Gods, Noble for after age to hear and tell, Thy father's city and thy country's Gods To waste through might of mercenary host!””

Sophocles, Oedipus At Colonos — Scene 7

• friends with Polynices “And for my firm allies, who at this hour, Seven leaders of seven bands embattled there, Encompass Thebè's plain. Amphiaráus, Foremost in augury, foremost in war,”

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