View source for Iphicles

{{Short description|Hero in Greek mythology}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
[[File:Heracles and Iphicles.JPG|thumb|Iphicles and his half-brother [[Heracles]]]]

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Iphicles''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɪ|f|ɪ|ˌ|k|l|iː|z}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|aɪ|f|ɪ|ˌ|k|l|iː|z}}; {{langx|grc|Ἰφικλῆς}} ''Iphiklēs''), also called [[Iphiclus (mythology)|Iphiclus]], was the [[superfecundation|maternal half-twin brother]] of [[Heracles]] and one of the [[Calydonian Boar|Calydonian boar hunters]].<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.8.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022 1.8.2]</ref>

== Family ==
Iphicles was the son of [[Alcmene]] and her human husband [[Amphitryon]], whereas Heracles was her son by [[Zeus]]. He also had a sister, [[Laonome]], who married [[Euphemus]] or [[Polyphemus (Argonaut)|Polyphemus]]. Iphicles was the father of Heracles' charioteer [[Iolaus]] by his first wife, [[Automedusa (mythology)|Automedusa]], daughter of [[Alcathous, son of Pelops|Alcathous]].<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.4.11&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022 2.4.11]</ref> Afterwards, he fathered two children by [[Pyrrha (mythology)|Pyrrha]], the younger daughter of [[Creon of Thebes|Creon]].<ref>Pyrrha was unnamed in Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.4.11&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022 2.4.11] but was only hinted as the younger daughter of Creon</ref><ref>Pseudo-[[Moschus]], ''Megara'' 41-55</ref>

== Mythology ==
Iphicles was one night younger than his half-brother Heracles, who strangled the snakes which had been sent by [[Hera]] or by Amphitryon, and at which Iphicles was frightened.<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.4.8&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022#note5 2.4.8]</ref> Iphicles grew into a strong man but could not match his famous brother. When Heracles was made insane once again by Hera, the hero threw into the fire his brother's two offspring by Pyrrha, who perished as a result.

Nevertheless, Iphicles went with Heracles on a punitive expedition against Troy, because King [[Laomedon]] refused to give Heracles the mares he had promised him before. Arriving in Troy, Iphicles and [[Telamon]] were sent by Heracles to the city to claim the mares, but they were thrown into prison by Laomedon. But [[Priam]], the son of the king, disagreed with the decision of his father, sent two swords to the two heroes, and revealed the plans that Laomedon had for Heracles. As soon as Iphicles and Telamon heard this they killed their guards with the swords and returned to Heracles for the plans of Laomedon to be revealed. Then Heracles and his men went to the king and eventually slew him.

When Heracles ended his twelve labours, King [[Eurystheus]] accused him of killing him from the throne, and ordered that he, together with Alcmene and Iphicles, leave Tiryns. This is how Iphicles ended up in Arcadia where he joined Heracles on a punitive expedition against [[Hippocoon (king of Sparta)|Hippocoon]] of [[Sparta]]. In the ensuing battle, Iphicles was killed and Heracles was inconsolable over the death of his half-brother, and voluntarily went into exile to another city.<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.7.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022#note5 2.7.3]</ref>

In some accounts, Iphicles fought in the first battle of Heracles against the [[Elis (city)|Eleans]] and [[Augeas]], and was wounded by the [[Molionides]] of [[Ancient Elis|Elis]]. In a fainting condition, Iphicles was carried by his relatives to [[Pheneus]], home of his grandmother [[Laonome]], where he was carefully nursed by [[Buphagus (mythology)|Buphagus]], a citizen of Pheneus, and by his wife Promne. They buried him when he died of his wound and was honoured with a [[heroum]].<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+8.14.9&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160 8.14.9]</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
* [[Bibliotheca (Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.1.1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].

[[Category:Argonauts]]
[[Category:Perseids (mythology)]]
[[Category:Mythological Thebans]]
[[Category:Theban mythology]]
[[Category:Mythology of Heracles]]
[[Category:Divine twins]]
[[Category:Mythological Tirynthians]]