Alkmene
Mortal woman
In Greek mythology, Alcmene ( alk-MEE-nee; Attic Greek: Ἀλκμήνη, romanized: Alkmḗnē) or Alcmena ( 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.
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- Mentions
- 3
- Connected characters
- 6
- Books
- 2
Mentions in the Iliad
A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US
“who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,”
“Aye, and on a time she blinded Zeus, albeit men say that he is the greatest among men and gods; yet even him Hera, that was but a woman, beguiled in her craftiness on the day when Alcmene in fair-crowned Thebe was to bring forth the mighty Heracles.”
“and swiftly came to Achaean Argos, where she knew was the stately wife of Sthenelus, son of Perseus, that bare a son in her womb, and lo, the seventh month was come. This child Hera brought forth to the light even before the full tale of the months, but stayed Alcmene's bearing, and held back the Eileithyiae.”
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Connections
Beloved · Sources
Алкмена — возлюбленная Зевса: прямо подтверждено словами Зевса в Илиаде; связь не обозначена как супружество.
Homer, Iliad 14, trans. A. T. Murray (Theoi Classical Texts Library) · Iliad 14.323–324 ↗who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 14.323–324
Grandson · Sources
Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Алкмена → Геракл → Тлеполем.
that dwelt in Rhodes sundered in three divisions—in Lindos and Ialysus and Cameirus, white with chalk. These were led by Tlepolemus, famed for his spear, he that was born to mighty Heracles by Astyocheia, whom he had led forth out of Ephyre from the river Selleïs,
for all he was so tall and mighty and lordly, thrust him from them; and he gave ground and was made to reel. So these toiled in the mighty conflict, but Tlepolemus, son of Heracles, a valiant man and tall, was roused by resistless fate against godlike Sarpedon.
They speak but a lie that say thou art sprung from Zeus that beareth the aegis, seeing thou art inferior far to those warriors that were sprung from Zeus in the days of men of old. Of other sort, men say, was mighty Heracles, my father, staunch in fight, the lionhearted,
Il. 2.658 · Il. 5.628 · Il. 5.638–639 · Il. 14.324
Grandson · Sources
Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Алкмена → Геракл → Фессал.
Howbeit he was a weakling, and but few people followed with him. And they that held Nisyrus and Crapathus and Casus and Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian isles, these again were led by Pheidippus and Antiphus, the two sons of king Thessalus, son of Heracles.
who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 2.679 · Il. 14.324
Great-grandson · Sources
Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Алкмена → Геракл → Фессал → Антиф.
Howbeit he was a weakling, and but few people followed with him. And they that held Nisyrus and Crapathus and Casus and Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian isles, these again were led by Pheidippus and Antiphus, the two sons of king Thessalus, son of Heracles.
Howbeit he was a weakling, and but few people followed with him. And they that held Nisyrus and Crapathus and Casus and Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian isles, these again were led by Pheidippus and Antiphus, the two sons of king Thessalus, son of Heracles.
who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 2.678–679 · Il. 2.679 · Il. 14.324
Great-grandson · Sources
Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Алкмена → Геракл → Фессал → Фейдипп.
Howbeit he was a weakling, and but few people followed with him. And they that held Nisyrus and Crapathus and Casus and Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian isles, these again were led by Pheidippus and Antiphus, the two sons of king Thessalus, son of Heracles.
Howbeit he was a weakling, and but few people followed with him. And they that held Nisyrus and Crapathus and Casus and Cos, the city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian isles, these again were led by Pheidippus and Antiphus, the two sons of king Thessalus, son of Heracles.
who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 2.678–679 · Il. 2.679 · Il. 14.324
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In art
Giacomo Brogi. The Infant Hercules Strangling the Snakes. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115198779
Asteas. Krater of the madness of Heracles. National Museum of Archaeology. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8352078
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04 / PROVENANCE
Sources and verification
The character is matched to the catalogue.
- Wikipedia · Alcmene · CC BY-SA 4.0
Excerpt; remaining sentences omitted.
Reference material remains distinct from the poem’s assertions. Characters who share a name retain separate pages.