Amphitryon in the context of "Lion of Cithaeron"

Heracles (/ˈhɛrəkliːz/ Ancient Greek: Ἡρακλῆς, lit. 'glory/fame of Hera'), born Alcaeus (Ἀλκαῖος, Alkaios) or Alcides (Ἀλκείδης, Alkeidēs), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon. He was a descendant of Perseus, another son of Zeus.

He was the greatest of the Greek heroes, the ancestor of royal clans known as Heracleidae (Ἡρακλεῖδαι), and a champion of the Olympian order against chthonic monsters. In Rome and the modern West, he is known as Hercules, with whom the later Roman emperors, in particular Commodus and Maximian, often identified themselves. Details of his cult were adapted to Rome as well.

In Greek mythology, the name Chalcodon (Ancient Greek: Χαλκώδων, gen.: Χαλκώδοντος means "copper tooth" or "iron tooth", from χαλκός=copper and generally metal + ὀδών, ionic type of ὀδούς=tooth)[1] [2] may refer to:

• Chalcodon, an Egyptian prince as one of the sons of King Aegyptus. He suffered the same fate as his other brothers, save Lynceus, when they were slain on their wedding night by their wives who obeyed the command of their father King Danaus of Libya. Chalcodon was the son of Aegyptus by an Arabian woman and thus full brother of Istrus, Agenor, Chaetus, Diocorystes, Alces, Alcmenor, Hippothous, Euchenor and Hippolytus. In some accounts, he could be a son of Aegyptus either by Eurryroe, daughter of the river-god Nilus, or Isaie, daughter of King Agenor of Tyre. Chalcodon married the Danaid Rhodia, daughter of Danaus either by the hamadryads Atlanteia or Phoebe.
• Chalcodon, the son of Abas and the king of the Abantes. He and Telamon assisted Heracles in his campaign against Elis. While leading his people in an attack on Thebes, Greece he was killed by Amphitryon. His son was Elephenor by either Imenarete, Melanippe or Alcyone. He also had several daughters, one of whom, Chalciope, married Aegeas.
• Chalcodon of Cos, who wounded Heracles in a battle which arose when the Coans mistook Heracles for a pirate. Also known as Chalcon.
• Chalcodon, a suitor of Hippodamia before Pelops, was killed by Oenomaus.

In Greek mythology, Alcmene (/ælkˈmiːniː/ alk-MEE-nee; Attic Greek: Ἀλκμήνη, romanized: Alkmḗnē) or Alcmena (/ælkˈmiːnə/ alk-MEE-nə; Doric Greek: Ἀλκμάνα, romanized: Alkmána; Latin: Alcumena; meaning "strong in wrath") was the wife of Amphitryon, by whom she bore two children, Iphicles and Laonome. She is best known as the mother of Heracles, whose father was the god Zeus. Alcmene was also referred to as Electryone (Ἠλεκτρυώνη, Elektryṓnē), a patronymic name as a daughter of Electryon.

In Greek mythology, Polyxenus or Polyxeinus /pəˈlɪksɪnəs/ (Ancient Greek: Πολύξενος, Poluxenos, or Πολύξεινος, Poluxeinos) is a name that may refer to:

• Polyxenus, one of the first priests of Demeter and one of the first to learn the secrets of the Eleusinian Mysteries.
• Polyxenus, son of Agasthenes and Peloris, king of Elis. He was counted among the suitors of Helen, and accordingly participated in the Trojan War, having brought 40 ships with him. He returned home safely after the war, and had a son Amphimachus, whom he possibly named after his friend Amphimachus (son of Cteatus), who had died at Troy.
• Polyxenus, king of Elis, was said to have been entrusted with the stolen cattle by the Taphians under Pterelaus; the cattle was ransomed from him by Amphitryon. This Polyxenus, however, appears to be a figure distinct from Polyxenus, son of Agasthenes, since he lived two generations before the Trojan War.
• Polyxenus, also called Medus, son of the hero Jason and the Colchian sorceress Medea, the daughter of King Aeëtes. He was the brother of Eriopis.

In Greek mythology, the name Laonome (Ancient Greek: Λαονόμη 'law of the people' derived from laos "people" and nomos, "law") may refer to:

• Laonome, daughter of Guneus, possible spouse of Alcaeus and mother of Amphitryon, Anaxo and Perimede. She was a woman of Pheneus where Heracles migrated first and lived with her after he was expelled by Eurystheus. This happened before the hero went to Thebes and later on settled there.
• Laonome, daughter of Amphitryon and Alcmene (thus granddaughter of the precedent), sister of Iphicles and half-sister of Heracles. She married an Argonaut, either Euphemus or Polyphemus.
• Laonome, mother by Hodoedocus of Kalliaros, eponym of the city Kalliaros in Locris.

Amphitryon is a French language comedy in a prologue and 3 Acts by Molière which is based on the story of the Greek mythological character Amphitryon as told by Plautus in his play from ca. 190–185 B.C. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris on 13 January 1668. A whiff of scandal surrounded the play, with some claiming that Molière was criticizing the amorous affairs of Louis XIV of France in the guise of Jupiter. It was performed again three days later at the Tuileries Garden in the presence of Louis XIV.

Amphitryon was an immediate success with the French aristocracy and the play was performed a total of 29 times by Easter 1668. The popularity of the work was such that one of the names of the characters became a part of the everyday French language. The word 'Sosie' in French now means look-alike, a reflection of the events in the play where the character Sosie (a part which was portrayed by Molière himself in the comedy's first production) is a doppelgänger of the God Mercury.

In Greek mythology, Alcaeus /ælˈsiːəs/ or Alkaios (Ancient Greek: Ἀλκαῖος derived from alke "strength") was the name of a number of different people:

• Alcaeus, was a Mycenaean prince. He was a son of Perseus and Andromeda and thus the brother of Perses, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, Cynurus, Gorgophone and Autochthe. Alcaeus was married either to Astydameia, the daughter of Pelops and Hippodamia, or Laonome, daughter of Guneus, or else Hipponome, daughter of Menoeceus, by whom he became the father of Amphitryon, Anaxo and Perimede.
• Alcaeus, the original name of Heracles (according to Diodorus Siculus), which was given to him on account of his descent from Alcaeus, the son of Perseus mentioned above.
• Alcaeus, a son of Heracles by a female slave of Iardanus, from whom the dynasty of the Heraclids in Lydia were believed to be descended. Diodorus Siculus writes that this son of Heracles is named "Cleolaus".
• Alcaeus, a Cretan general of Rhadamanthus, according to Diodorus Siculus, who presented him with the island of Paros. The Bibliotheca relates that he was a son of Androgeus (the son of Minos and Pasiphaë) and brother of Sthenelus, and that when Heracles, on his expedition to fetch the girdle of Ares, which was in the possession of the queen of the Amazons, arrived at Paros, some of his companions were slain by the sons of Minos. Heracles, in his anger, slew all the descendants of Minos except Alcaeus and Sthenelus, whom he took with him, and to whom he afterwards gave the island of Thasus as their home.
• Alcaeus, son of Margasus and Phyllis, a Carian ally of the Trojans in the Trojan War. He was killed by Meges.

In Greek mythology, Astydamea or Astydamia (/əˌstɪdəˈmiːə/; Ancient Greek: Ἀστυδάμεια Astudámeia, derived from ἄστυ ástu, "town", and δαμάω damáo, "to tame") is a name attributed to several individuals:

• Astydamia, also known as Hippolyta, daughter of Cretheus and queen of Iolcus as the wife of Acastus. Her husband purified Peleus of the murder of King Eurytion of Phthia. Astydameia fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her, so she told Acastus that Peleus had tried to rape her. Acastus took Peleus on hunting trip and left him unprotected to a Centaurs attacked. Peleus escaped death and later pillaged Iolcus and killed Astydamea.
• Astydamea, daughter of Pelops and Hippodamia. She married Alcaeus and had Amphitryon and Anaxo by him. In other accounts, the wife of Alcaeus was named Hipponome, daughter of Menoeceus or Laonome, daughter of Guneus.
• Astydamea, daughter of Phorbas and mother of Lepreus by Caucon, son of Poseidon. She persuaded Heracles to reconcile with her son, who had previously advised Augeas to cast Heracles in bonds.
• Astydamea, mother of Ctesippus by Heracles. In one source, she was the daughter of Amyntor, possibly by Kleoboule or Hippodameia. Another account makes her the daughter of Ormenus, king of Ormenion. Heracles, the same source relates, wooed her, but Ormenius would not marry her to him since Heracles was already married to Deianira. Heracles then led a war against Ormenius, killed him and took Astydameia by force. Astydameia (or Astygeneia) is also an alternate name for Astyoche, daughter of Phylas, who bore Heracles a son Tlepolemus.
• Astydamea, was briefly mentioned by a scholiast on Euripides as the daughter of Strophius and Cydragora and sister of Pylades.