King Amphiaraus (AM-fee-uh-RAY-us, "doubly cursed") of
Argos sailed with the
Argonauts and was one of the
Seven Against Thebes, the warriors gathered by King
Adrastus and
Polynices to reclaim the throne of
Thebes for the latter. He was the son of King
Oicles and
Hypermnestra. A descendant of the seer and healer
Melampus, like his ancestor he was a
prophet. He was married to
Eriphyle, sister of Adrastus, and both men ruled Argos together.
Amphiaraus knew that the expedition against Thebes was bad news (he was a prophet, after all) and refused to participate. But, like so many other reluctant
Greek warriors, he was tricked into it. His wife bribed him with the magical necklace of
Harmonia, which apparently was incentive enough to risk his neck for, no pun intended. The necklace was from Polynices, handed down from
Cadmus, the first king of Thebes and husband of Harmonia.
When the siege of Thebes went badly, as he expected, he turned his chariot around and bolted.
Poriclymenus, a
Theban defender, was hot on his trail, but
Zeus split the earth open and swallowed Amphiaraus, Amphiaraus’ chariot, and his charioteer
Baton and sent them to the underworld before Amphiaraus could be killed by the warrior.
Before he left, he made his sons
Amphilochus and
Alcmaeon swear to avenge his death, and to kill their mother for getting him killed to boot. They joined the
Epigonoi and succeeded fulfilling their father’s wishes.