CHAPTER
22
HERACLES
Heracles is the most popular of the Greek heroes, and his legends include ele-
ments of saga and folktale.^1 His status as man, hero, and god is controversial
and continues to be a source of debate. He is particularly associated with the
area around Argos and with Thebes, where his birth is traditionally placed. The
two areas are connected in the account of his parents' adventures.
AMPHITRYON AND ALCMENAElectryon, king of Mycenae, and his sons fought at Mycenae against the sons of
Pterelaus, king of the Teleboans (a people of western Greece). Only one son from
each family survived.^2 The Teleboans then retreated, taking with them Elec-
tion's cattle. Electryon planned to attack the Teleboans and made Amphitryon
(son of his brother, Alcaeus) king in his place, betrothing him to his daughter
Alcmena on the condition that Amphitryon leave her a virgin until after his re-
turn from the Teleboans. Now Amphitryon had already recovered the stolen cat-
tle, and while he was herding them, he threw his club at one of them and acci-
dentally killed Electryon. For his homicide, he was exiled from Mycenae, while
his uncle Sthenelus became king.
Taking Alcmena, Amphitryon went to Thebes, where Creon purified him.
Alcmena, nevertheless, refused to lie with Amphitryon until he had avenged the
death of her brothers by punishing the Teleboans.^3 Amphitryon's expedition was
successful through the treachery of Comaetho, daughter of the Teleboan king
Pterelaus. Out of love for Amphitryon she pulled from Pterelaus' head the golden
hair that guaranteed him immortality and made the Teleboans invincible. Thus
Pterelaus died and Amphitryon was victorious. Amphitryon killed Comaetho
and returned to Thebes.
Amphitryon expected to lie with Alcmena, and he did not know that Zeus,
disguised as Amphitryon, had visited her the previous night, which he extended
to three times its proper length, and had told her the full story of the Teleboan
expedition. Alcmena only accepted Amphitryon after Tiresias had revealed the
truth. Thus she conceived twins (it was said); the elder by one night was Hera-
cles, son of Zeus, and the younger was Iphicles, son of Amphitryon.
There are several variants of this story. According to Hesiod, Amphitryon
519