Amphitryons

Amphitryon is a figure in Greek mythology, a Theban general and the husband of Alcmene. He is traditionally described as the son of Alcaeus and a key participant in the broader Heraclean mythic cycle. In most accounts, Amphitryon travels to Thebes and marries Alcmene, becoming the legal father of Heracles. The most famous episode involves Zeus, enamored of Alcmene, visiting her in the guise of Amphitryon while the real Amphitryon is away. As a result, Alcmene conceives Heracles, while the returning Amphitryon must confront the deception and its consequences for his wife and her child. The story also yields Iphicles, Heracles’ half-brother. Amphitryon is typically portrayed as a capable leader, and his marriage to Alcmene anchors a central thread of the Heraclean saga.

Amphitryon has inspired several notable dramatic treatments. The earliest known stage version is Plautus’s Amphitruo (c. 2nd century BCE), a Latin comedy that adapts the Greek legend and centers on mistaken identities as Jupiter and Mercury impersonate Amphitryon and his slave Sosia. In 1668, Molière wrote Amphitryon, a French comedy that preserves the plot while satirizing social pretensions and marital confidences. In 1807, the German dramatist Heinrich von Kleist produced Amphitryon, a tragedy that reframes the material in psychological terms, exploring themes of perception, fidelity, and power. Collectively, these works and other adaptations illustrate the enduring appeal of the Amphitryon story.

The Amphitryons, as a term, can refer to this suite of literary and dramatic treatments derived from the myth of Amphitryon, Alcmene, and the divine deception.