Amphilochus I of Argos: Difference between revisions
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{{hatnote|Not to be confused with his nephew [[Amphilochus (son of Alcmaeon)|Amphilochus, son of Alcmaeon]].}} |
{{hatnote|Not to be confused with his nephew [[Amphilochus (son of Alcmaeon)|Amphilochus, son of Alcmaeon]].}} |
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'''Amphilochus''' ({{lang-grc-gre|Ἀμφίλοχος}}, ''Amphílokhos'') was an [[Argos|Argive]] [[hero (Greek religion)|hero]] in [[Greek legend]]. One of the [[Epigoni]], he was reckoned a son of [[Amphiaraus]] and [[Eriphyle]] and the younger brother of [[Alcmaeon (mythology)|Alcmaeon]]. |
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== Legend == |
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Eriphyle, bribed by [[Polynices]] with the necklace of the goddess [[Harmonia (Greek goddess)|Harmonia]], persuaded her husband Amphiaraus to take part in the raid of the [[Seven Against Thebes]]. Amphiaraus, knowing that he would die in the battle, reluctantly agreed to go but asked his two sons to avenge his foreseen death. At Thebes, Amphiaraus ended up in combat with [[Periclymenus]], a demigod son of [[Poseidon]]. He attempted to flee but the god [[Zeus]] threw a bolt of lightning which opened the earth beneath him, swallowing the Argive and his chariot. Amphilochus's brother Alcmaeon then slew his mother and exiled himself from the kingdom. |
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As king of [[Argos]], Amphilochus was sometimes named among [[Helen of Troy|Helen]]'s suitors.<ref>Gantz, p. 566.</ref><ref>''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' 3.10.8.</ref> |
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=== Matricide === |
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Eriphyle persuaded Amphiaraus to take part in the [[Seven Against Thebes]] raid, though he knew he would die. She had been persuaded by [[Polynices]], who offered her the necklace of [[Harmonia (Greek goddess)|Harmonia]], daughter of [[Aphrodite]] and [[Ares]]. Amphiaraus reluctantly agreed to join the fatal battle and asked his sons, Alcmaeon and Amphilochus, to avenge his foreseen death. In the battle, Amphiaraus sought to flee from [[Periclymenus]], the son of [[Poseidon]], who wanted to kill him, but [[Zeus]] threw his thunder and the earth opened to swallow Amphiaraus together with his chariot. Alcmaeon killed his mother and exiled himself. |
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After the [[Trojan War]], he was generally said to have abandoned his former realm and to have eventually settled the territory along the [[Ambracian Gulf]] which became known as [[Amphilochia]] in his honor. Its capital was a second Argos, which is distinguished as the [[Amphilochian Argos]].<ref>Thucydides, 2.68.</ref> (Others credit this settlement to [[Amphilochus (son of Alcmaeon)|his nephew]].)<ref name=apo/> In fact, the area seems to have been a non-Greek settlement that was later Hellenized by its [[Ambraciot]] neighbors. |
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=== Trojan War === |
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Amphilochus was named among the suitors of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] in some accounts.<ref>Gantz, p. 566.</ref> After the [[Trojan War]], according to Thucydides (2.68), not caring for the situation in [[Argos]], he founded "[[Amphilochian Argos]] and the whole region of [[Amphilochia]]" on the [[Ambracian Gulf]], a non-Greek settlement later Hellenized by its [[Ambraciot]] neighbors. |
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Like his father before him, Amphilochus had a reputation as a [[seer]] and was also credited with founding several [[oracle]]s. The most important was at [[Mallus (city)|Mallus]] in [[Cilicia]],<ref>[[Arrian]], ''Anabasis'', 2.5.9.</ref> although this also seems to have been a pre-Greek settlement. Another was the oracle of [[Apollo]] at [[Colophon (city)|Colophon]] in [[Lydia]], which Amphilochus was said to have founded with his half-brother [[Mopsus]], the son of Amphiaraus and [[Manto (mythology)|Manto]]. [[Herodotus]] also credited Amphilochus with the establishment of [[Posideium]] on Syria's Cilician border.<ref>Herodotus, 3.91.7.</ref> |
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Also after the Trojan War, Amphilochus may have been killed either by [[Apollo]], or by his half-brother [[Mopsus]], whom he reciprocally killed in single combat; however, these myths may concern his nephew, [[Amphilochus (son of Alcmaeon)|also named Amphilochus]],<ref>Apollodorus. ''Library'', 3.10.8.</ref> whose mother was [[Manto (mythology)|Manto]]. |
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[[Argive]] Amphilochus was a prominent seer, and founded several [[oracle]]s, most importantly at [[Mallus (city)|Mallus]], a pre-Greek site in [[Cilicia]],<ref>[[Alexander the Great]] was persuaded of a Greek founding for Mallus; see [[Arrian]], ''Anabasis'', 2.5.9.</ref> and, acting with his half-brother [[Mopsus]], another son of Manto, the oracle of [[Apollo]] at [[Colophon (city)|Colophon]] in [[Lydia]]. According to [[Herodotus]], Amphilochus travelled farther east and founded a [[Posideion]] just beyond the mountain-pass "gate" in the Amanus between Cilicia and Syria.<ref>Herodotus, 3.91.7; for the disputed location of this Posideion, see Robin Lane Fox, ''Travelling Heroes in the Epic Age of Homer'', 2008:79ff.</ref> |
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Amphilochus was variously said to have been killed by Apollo or to have simultaneously killed and been killed by his half-brother Mopsus. Either story was also sometimes ascribed to [[Amphilochus (son of Alcmaeon)|his nephew]] instead.<ref name=apo>Apollodorus. ''Library'', 3.10.8.</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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===Citations=== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist|2}} |
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===Bibliography=== |
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*Gantz, Timothy. ''Early Greek Myth''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993. |
*Gantz, Timothy. ''Early Greek Myth''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993. |
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*{{SmithDGRBM|title= Amphilochus}} |
*{{SmithDGRBM|title= Amphilochus}} |
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Revision as of 22:32, 26 October 2018
Amphilochus (Template:Lang-grc-gre, Amphílokhos) was an Argive hero in Greek legend. One of the Epigoni, he was reckoned a son of Amphiaraus and Eriphyle and the younger brother of Alcmaeon.
Legend
Eriphyle, bribed by Polynices with the necklace of the goddess Harmonia, persuaded her husband Amphiaraus to take part in the raid of the Seven Against Thebes. Amphiaraus, knowing that he would die in the battle, reluctantly agreed to go but asked his two sons to avenge his foreseen death. At Thebes, Amphiaraus ended up in combat with Periclymenus, a demigod son of Poseidon. He attempted to flee but the god Zeus threw a bolt of lightning which opened the earth beneath him, swallowing the Argive and his chariot. Amphilochus's brother Alcmaeon then slew his mother and exiled himself from the kingdom.
As king of Argos, Amphilochus was sometimes named among Helen's suitors.[1][2]
After the Trojan War, he was generally said to have abandoned his former realm and to have eventually settled the territory along the Ambracian Gulf which became known as Amphilochia in his honor. Its capital was a second Argos, which is distinguished as the Amphilochian Argos.[3] (Others credit this settlement to his nephew.)[4] In fact, the area seems to have been a non-Greek settlement that was later Hellenized by its Ambraciot neighbors.
Like his father before him, Amphilochus had a reputation as a seer and was also credited with founding several oracles. The most important was at Mallus in Cilicia,[5] although this also seems to have been a pre-Greek settlement. Another was the oracle of Apollo at Colophon in Lydia, which Amphilochus was said to have founded with his half-brother Mopsus, the son of Amphiaraus and Manto. Herodotus also credited Amphilochus with the establishment of Posideium on Syria's Cilician border.[6]
Amphilochus was variously said to have been killed by Apollo or to have simultaneously killed and been killed by his half-brother Mopsus. Either story was also sometimes ascribed to his nephew instead.[4]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Gantz, Timothy. Early Greek Myth. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Amphilochus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.