Alcmene in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Alcmene

24 passages from 10 ancient authors that tell of Alcmene, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Alcmene was the wife of Amphitryon in Greek mythology. The couple had two children, Iphicles and Laonome; however, she was mainly known for being the ... For the story in one place, read our article on Alcmene.

Hesiod (2)

Hesiod, Theogony 930–959Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Dionysus and Heracles (930-959)Poseidon and Amphitrite have Triton, and Aphrodite bears Panic and Fear to Ares, and Harmonia, whom Cadmus marries. Maia bears Hermes, Semele bears Dionysus and Alcmene bears Heracles, who is finally wed to Hebe and lives among the gods. Hephaestus marries Aglaea, Dionysus marries Ariadne, and Perseis bears Circe and Aeetes to Helios, with Aeetes' daughter Medea at the end.
Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 1–74Alcmena and the birth of Heracles; Cycnus (1-74)The poem opens with Alcmena, the beautiful and faithful daughter of Electryon, whose husband Amphitryon had come to Thebes after killing her father and could not lie with her until he had avenged her brothers on the Taphians and Teleboans. While he is away, Zeus visits her by night and Amphitryon returns the same night, so that she bears twin sons, Heracles to Zeus and Iphicles to Amphitryon. The poem then turns to Heracles' fight with Cycnus, son of Ares, whom he met in the precinct of Apollo.

Homer (2)

Homer, Iliad 19.74–153Achilles ends his wrath; Agamemnon's speech on AteAchilles calls an assembly, and even those who had stayed in the camp come, last of all the wounded Agamemnon. Achilles says that the quarrel over the girl has brought no good to anyone, declares that he ends his wrath, and bids the Achaeans arm. Agamemnon says that Ate, the eldest daughter of Zeus, blinded him, as she once blinded Zeus himself when Hera tricked him over the birth of Heracles, and he offers the promised gifts.
Homer, The Homeric Hymns 12.1–18.12Hymns 12 to 18: Hera, Demeter, the Mother of the Gods, Heracles, Asclepius, the Dioscuri and HermesSeven short hymns. Hera is praised as queen of the immortals, sister and wife of Zeus, and Demeter and her daughter Persephone are asked to keep the city safe. The Mother of the Gods delights in rattles and timbrels, Heracles, born to Alcmena, now lives on Olympus with Hebe, Asclepius is born to Coronis, the Dioscuri are born to Leda, and Hermes is born to Maia.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.4.6–12Amphitryon, Alcmene and the youth of HeraclesElectryon's sons are killed in a cattle raid by the Taphians, and Amphitryon accidentally kills Electryon and takes refuge at Thebes, where he wins the Teleboan war with the help of Cephalus's dog. Zeus lies with Alcmene in Amphitryon's likeness and she bears Heracles and Iphicles; the infant Heracles strangles the serpents Hera sends. Heracles is taught by several masters, kills the lion of Cithaeron after fathering children by Thespius's fifty daughters, and defeats the Minyans of Erginus. Hera then drives him mad and he kills his children, and the Pythia at Delphi names him Heracles and sends him to serve Eurystheus.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.8.1–5The return of the HeraclidsAfter Heracles' death his sons flee from Eurystheus to Athens, where Eurystheus is killed by Hyllus and Alcmena gouges out the eyes of his severed head. The Heraclids retake the Peloponnese but are driven out by a plague, and Hyllus and Aristomachus are defeated when they misread the oracle about 'the third crop'. Temenus and the sons of Aristodemus finally conquer it with Oxylus as their 'three-eyed' guide, draw lots for Argos, Lacedaemon and Messene (Cresphontes cheats with a clod of earth), and the section closes with the murder of Temenus and the revenge of Aepytus in Messene.

Sophocles (1)

Sophocles, Women of Trachis 1143–1192Exodos (cont.): Heracles understands the oracle and swears Hyllus to obeyHeracles realises that he is lost, and tells Hyllus that his father Zeus had foretold that he would be killed by one already dead, and that the oak among the Selli foretold the end of his labours at this time. He asks Hyllus to bring his brothers and Alcmena, who are at Tiryns and Thebes, and to carry out his commands. Hyllus swears by Zeus to do his father's bidding, and Heracles asks whether he knows the summit of Oeta.

Euripides (7)

Euripides, Children of Heracles 928–982Exodos: Eurystheus is brought before AlcmenaA messenger tells Alcmena that Eurystheus is brought in as a prisoner, and Alcmena greets the hateful man whom justice has caught at last. She says that he must die in torment, and learns that the rulers forbid the killing of a prisoner taken alive. She answers that she will kill him herself, and the Chorus says that her quarrel with him is pardonable.
Euripides, Children of Heracles 642–708Third episode: Alcmena hears of Hyllus; Iolaus resolves to fightIolaus calls Alcmena, the mother of Heracles, out of the house. She asks what the shouting is about, and thinks that the herald has returned, and Iolaus tells her that a servant has brought news that her grandson Hyllus is coming. The servant explains that Hyllus is marshalling his army and that a battle is near. Iolaus, though old, insists on joining the fight and sends for armour from the shrine, and the Chorus tells him that his spirit is young but his body is weak.
Euripides, Children of Heracles 709–747Third episode: Alcmena begs Iolaus not to leave herAlcmena begs Iolaus not to leave her and the children unprotected, and he tells her that the strangers will care for her. The servant brings him armour and, as they go, mocks his slow pace. Iolaus wishes that his arm were what it was when he sacked Sparta with Heracles, and says that Eurystheus would flee from him.
Euripides, Children of Heracles 1018–1055Exodos: Eurystheus' oracle and Alcmena's verdictThe Chorus advises Alcmena to let the man go, as the city wills it, and she answers that she will obey the city by killing him and giving up his corpse. Eurystheus asks for no mercy, and, since the city spared his life, repays it with an old oracle of Apollo: if he is buried at Pallene, in front of the shrine of the virgin goddess, he will be a guardian of the city, and a foe to the descendants of these children if they come against it. Alcmena says that this is a reason to kill him, and orders her servants to take him away, and the Chorus agrees.
Euripides, Children of Heracles 748–798Third choral song; the servant announces victoryThe Chorus calls on the earth, the moon and the sun, and prays to Athena for the safety of the city. It says that Athens will not give up suppliants and sings of the goddess's night festival. The servant of Hyllus comes back to tell Alcmena the good news, that the Athenians have won, that the children are safe, and that Iolaus has been made young again.
Euripides, Children of Heracles 181–235First episode: Iolaus pleads for the children as Theseus' kinIolaus tells the king that he has the right to speak, as a suppliant in a free land, and that the exiles have nothing more to do with Argos. He tells Demophon that Heracles and Theseus were the sons of first cousins, and that he himself sailed with Theseus and Heracles as their squire, and begs him to save the children. The Chorus pities them.
Euripides, Children of Heracles 867–927Fourth choral song; Alcmena rejoicesThe Chorus prays to Zeus and sees the day that frees them from fear, and Alcmena thanks Zeus for his favour. She asks why Iolaus spared Eurystheus, and the servant tells her that he was brought alive so that she could see him humbled, and asks to be set free. The Chorus sings of the dance and of the justice of the city, and of Heracles, who now lives in heaven as the husband of Hebe.

Theocritus (1)

Theocritus, Idylls 24.1–140Idyll 24: The infant HeraclesAlcmena lulls Heracles and Iphicles to sleep, but at midnight two snakes sent by Hera crawl into the room. Alcmena wakes and calls Amphitryon, who hurries in with armed servants and finds the child Heracles clutching both snakes. Tiresias is called and foretells the labours of Heracles, and the poem ends with the boy's upbringing and training.

Diodorus Siculus (3)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.8.1–4.10.7Heracles: birth and early deedsThe historian begins with the difficulty of reporting Heracles' deeds worthily and with the claim that myth should not be scrutinised too sharply. He traces the hero's descent from Perseus and Zeus, tells how Hera delays the birth of Heracles so that Eurystheus is born first, and how Heracles as a baby strangles the two serpents she sends. As a young man he frees Thebes from the tribute owed to Erginus king of the Minyans, kills Erginus, burns the palace of the Minyans and razes the city of the Orchomenians, and marries Megara, daughter of Creon.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.14.1–4.16.4Heracles: the Olympic Games, the Giants and the AmazonsAfter the stables Heracles founds the Olympic Games and receives gifts from the gods. He fights on the side of the gods against the Giants at Pallene, frees Prometheus by shooting the eagle, and brings Eurystheus the man-eating horses of Diomedes. He then sails to the Pontus for the girdle of Hippolyte and defeats the Amazons.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 5.64.1–5.67.5Early Crete: the Dactyls, the Curetes and the TitansThe Cretans claim that the Eteocretans were native to the island, and that the Idaean Dactyls discovered fire and the working of metals. They tell of the Curetes and of the Titans near Cnosus under Cronus' rule, whose age is described with lines of Hesiod, and of Hyperion's observation of the heavens.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.273–321Alcmene and GalanthisEurystheus still pursues the sons of Heracles (Hercules), and Alcmene, his aged mother, tells Iole of the difficulty of his birth, which Hera (Juno) tried to hinder by having Lucina (Eileithyia) sit with her hands clasped before the door. Galanthis, her maid, deceived the goddess by crying that the child was born, and Lucina, in surprise, let go. Galanthis, laughing at the goddess, was turned into a weasel.

Pausanias (4)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.11.1–7Thebes: the house of Amphitryo, the sanctuary of Hercules and Apollo of the AshesPausanias describes the ruins of Amphitryo's house with Alcmena's bridal-chamber, the tomb of the children of Hercules and Megara, and the stone with which Athena stunned the maddened Hercules. He tells how Historis tricked the witches sent by Hera to delay Alcmena's labour. He describes the sanctuary of Hercules with its marble image, an old wooden image attributed to Daedalus, the story of Icarus' drowning, gables by Praxiteles showing the labours, and the offerings of Thrasybulus and the Athenian exiles. The altar of Apollo of the Ashes has divination by voices.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.41.1–9Megara: tomb of Alcmena, the lion of Cithaeron and the tomb of TereusPausanias describes the tomb of Alcmena, the altar of Achelous, the tomb of Hyllus, and the temple of Apollo and Artemis built by Alcathous after he killed the lion of Cithaeron. He criticises the Megarian version of the story, arguing that Alcathous came after the fall of Megara in Nisus’ reign. He then lists the shrine of Pandion, the tomb of the Amazon Hippolyte and the barrow of Tereus, whom he places at Daulis rather than Megara.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.18.1–8Olympia: the Chest of Cypselus, second and third fieldsPausanias describes the second field of the chest, with Night nursing Death and Sleep, Justice and Injustice, Idas and Marpessa, Alcmena, Menelaus and Helen, Medea, the Muses, Atlas and Hercules, and Perseus pursued by the Gorgons. The third field shows armies meeting, which he reads as the migration of Melas to Corinth.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.14.1–10Olympia: Zeus Averter of Flies, the white poplar and the altars in order of sacrificePausanias notes the wonders of the altar, including the kites and Hercules’ sacrifice to Zeus Averter of Flies, and explains the use of white poplar wood. He lists the altars of Olympia in the order the Eleans sacrifice on them, from Hestia and Olympian Zeus to Artemis, Athena, Alpheus, Hephaestus, Hercules and his brothers, then the altars of Hera, the Muses and the Nymphs near the Pelopium.

Nonnus of Panopolis (1)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 31.132–198Book 31: Iris, in the shape of Night, persuades SleepIris takes the shape of Night, Sleep's mother, and urges him to charm the eyes of Zeus, saying that Dionysos' torches outshine her stars and reminding him of Zeus' long wakeful nights with Alcmene. Sleep agrees to put Zeus to sleep for one day.