Amfortas is asteroid #9509 and also known as 3453 T-3. Amfortas was discovered by the Palomar-Leiden Survey at the Palomar Observatory. Amfortas’ orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.32 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.15, a period of revolution of 1 290 days, and an inclination of 6.7 degrees. So Amfortas is a common and boring asteroid of the Asteroid Main Belt.

Amfortas is named after a character from Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal. Amfortas is the Fisher King or Wounded King/ Maimed King, son of Titurel, and legendary guardian of the Holy Grail. Richard Wagner composed a cycle of Romantic operas, which somehow belong together. Lohengrin is the last opera of this cycle and the sequel of Parsifal. So it can also be said that Parsifal is the prequel of Lohengrin, which plays in Brabant and Parsifal had become the Grail King. Hence Amfortas is the previous Grail King.

Amfortas got by his own holy spear a wound, which never heals. This makes Amfortas resemble Chiron. But there are differences. Chiron belongs to Greek mythology, while Amfortas wasn’t known before medieval legends around the Holy Grail. So Greek mythology could have inspired the invention of the character Amfortas. Chiron is half horse, while Amfortas is only human. Chiron learns almost everything about medicine during his search for a remedy. Then he also teaches medicine to his disciples. Amfortas relies on the Holy Grail, which gives him relief, but in spite of its divine origin can’t heal him because the spear or rather lance, which caused the wound, is holy too. Chiron got its wound instead from an arrow dipped in venom. The weapon was rather unholy, so the wound also can’t heal. Chiron could only die when he sacrificed his life and thus also his immortality to free Prometheus. Amfortas could only die when he found the next Grail King and gave him the Holy Grail and the reign over the Grail Kingdom. So Amfortas is wounded like Chiron, but not a healer. Amfortas is rather an eternal patient and also eternally embarrassed because he got wounded by his own weapon.

Amfortas represents wounds and wounded people. If in aspect with any astrological factor representing warriors, then Amfortas is an embarrassment. Only his heir can benefit from him, hence Amfortas represents legators. Amfortas is most relevant when in aspect with other asteroids named after characters or items or places from the legend of the Holy Grail.