Amphitryon
The Theban general whose identity Zeus stole to sleep with Alcmene — producing the hero Heracles from divine deception.
The Legend of Amphitryon
Amphitryon was a prince of Tiryns married to Alcmene, the most beautiful and virtuous woman of her generation. While Amphitryon was away on a military campaign against the Taphians, Zeus desired Alcmene but knew she was utterly faithful. He took on Amphitryon's exact appearance, extended the night to three times its normal length, and lay with her. When the real Amphitryon returned and came to her bed, Alcmene was confused — she believed he had already come home. The prophet Tiresias revealed the truth. Alcmene bore twins: Heracles (son of Zeus) and Iphicles (son of Amphitryon). The two boys' parentage was revealed when Hera sent serpents to the cradle: Iphicles screamed, but Heracles strangled them. Amphitryon raised Heracles as his own, though the boy's divine nature was always apparent. This story of divine impersonation became one of the most retold in Western literature — Plautus wrote the first Amphitryon comedy, inventing the word tragicomoedia to describe it.
Fun Fact
The word tragicomedy was invented by Plautus specifically to describe the Amphitryon story — the first use of the term.
Explore Further
Amphitryon
🗡 heroidentity, deception
The husband of Alcmene whom Zeus impersonated to conceive Heracles, creating mythology's most famous case of divine identity theft.
Alcmene
🗡 heroMother of Heracles
Alcmene was the mortal woman whom Zeus seduced by disguising himself as her husband — she bore Heracles, the greatest hero of Greek mythology.
Semele
🗡 heroMortal mother of Dionysus
Semele was a Theban princess who became the mortal mother of Dionysus — destroyed when she insisted on seeing Zeus in his true divine form.
Amphitryon
🗡 heroMortal father of Heracles
Amphitryon was the mortal husband of Alcmene whose identity Zeus stole for one night — making Amphitryon the cuckolded but loving father of Heracles.
Deiphobus
🗡 herowar
Trojan prince who married Helen after Paris was killed, making him the last husband of the most contested woman in myth.
Anchises
🗡 heroLove, royalty, Troy
Trojan prince beloved by Aphrodite and father of Aeneas, the legendary founder of Rome
Anaxibia
🗡 heroMarriage, royalty
Mycenaean princess who married Strophius of Phocis and raised the young Orestes in secret
Pentheus
🗡 heroNone recorded
King of Thebes torn apart by his own mother for opposing the worship of Dionysus
Anteia
🗡 heroDesire, false accusation
Queen of Tiryns who falsely accused Bellerophon of assault, setting in motion his legendary trials
Aerope
🗡 heroAdultery, royalty
Queen of Mycenae whose adultery with Thyestes caused the devastating curse upon the House of Atreus
Megara
🗡 heroNone recorded
First wife of Heracles, given to him as a reward and later killed in his madness
Jocasta
🗡 heroNone recorded
Queen of Thebes who unknowingly married her own son Oedipus after his return