AmphiarausAmphiaraos

The husband of Eriphyle and father of Alkmaeon (Alcmaeon) and Amphilokhus (Amphilochus).

Amphiaraus was a participant in the Kalydonian (Calydonian) Hunt and one of the Seven Against Thebes; his life and death were tied to the Necklace of Harmonia which was crafted by Hephaistos (Hephaestus) and presumed to be a curse to anyone who possessed it.

Polynikes (Polynices) was the son of Oedipus and as a direct descendant of the founder of the city of Thebes, he inherited the Necklace of Harmonia as his birthright; when Polynikes was exiled in Argos and organizing the attack on Thebes, he bribed Amphiaraus’ wife, Eriphyle, with the Necklace to persuade Amphiaraus to join the doomed quest to conquer the city.

Amphiaraus was a seer and knew that the attack on Thebes would be fatal to himself and most of the other soldiers but he marched off to Thebes anyway; before he left for war, Amphiaraus made his son swear that he would take vengeance on Eriphyle and the city of Thebes so that his death would not be forgotten.

A generation later, Alkmaeon avenged his father’s death when he killed his mother and was part of the army, the Epigoni, which successfully captured Thebes.

Amphiaraus was deified after death and an oracle was established in his name at the city of Oropus; his shrine lasted well into Roman times before it was destroyed.