Talk:Amphiaraus

Latest comment: 3 years ago by Paul August in topic The Clytidae

Hypermnestra

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As far as I can make out, it was referencing the wrong pre-existing Hypermnestra article for Amphiaraus' mother, so I changed the link.

The Clytidae

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I removed the mention of the Clytidae, a clan of seers at Olympia who, according to Pausanias (6.17.6), claimed to be the descendants of a Clytius, who they claimed to be the son of Amphiaraus' son Alcmaeon (here). The clan and their claims have little notability, have little relevance for Amphiaraus, and are amply covered at both of our articles Alcmaeon and Clytius, so I don't think they warrant mentioning here as well. @Teishin: What do you think? Paul August 15:56, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply

The family connection seems interesting to me. It connects Amphiaraus with the seer priests of one of the most important temples of the Greek world, and it underscores Amphiaraus' role as a seer and the importance of temples of Amphiaraus.Teishin (talk) 16:11, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply
@Teishin: It doesn't so much connect Amphiaraus with the priests, but rather is an attempt by the priests to connect themselves to Melampus (by way of Amphiaraus). The specific quoted claim is:
Of the stock of the sacred-tongued Clytidae I boast to be,
Their soothsayer, the scion of the god-like Melampodidae.
I'm still unconvinced it belongs here. Paul August 17:02, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply
I read that quote as a claim that the Clytidae belong to not just one but two great hereditary lineages of soothsayers. Teishin (talk) 18:22, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply
@Teishin: No, just one lineage: Clytius, son of Alcmaeon, son of Amphiaraus, son of Oicles, son of Antiphates, son of Melampus (See Hard, Table 13, p. 706). Paul August 18:44, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply
Yes, good point, but by that I don't see the objection with connecting the Clytidae to Amphiaraus. The Clytidae would seem to be an important family legacy worth mentioning regarding any article about their forebears famous for forecasting. Teishin (talk) 18:57, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply

Paul August the expansion to the Family section you just made seems to me to be a great improvement. Making all of those connections explicit makes the article more rich and interesting. Teishin (talk) 22:00, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply

Thanks. Paul August 22:27, 9 February 2021 (UTC)Reply