Eriphyla is asteroid #462 and also known as 1900 FQ and as A900 UJ. Eriphyla’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.88 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.08, a period of revolution of 1 783 days, and an inclination of 3.2 degrees. Eriphyla was discovered by the German (from Baden, a grand-dukedom with Karlsruhe as the capital, while Germany still didn’t exist) astronomer Maximilian Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf, usually referred to as Max Wolf, at the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory (Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl).

Eriphyla is named after Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη), a human woman from Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Lysimáchē (Λυσιμάχη) and King Talaós (Ταλαός) of Argos (Άργος). Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) furthermore was the wife of Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος), who was a general in Argos (Άργος) and a seer of Zeús (Ζεύς). He probably had his position as a general only due to his ability as a seer. He had been nicknamed “the army’s eye”. Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) had seven siblings and her brother Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος), too, was King of Argos (Άργος). He had arranged the marriage of Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη). Their father already had passed away. Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) did kill him because of a feud. Argos (Άργος) had at that time been divided into three parts. King Antiphátēs (Ἀντιφάτης) of Argos (Άργος) was the grandfather and King Oiklḗs (Οἰκλῆς) of Argos (Άργος) was the father of Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος). King Antiphátēs (Ἀντιφάτης) of Argos (Άργος) and King Oiklḗs (Οἰκλῆς) of Argos (Άργος) were contemporaries of King Talaós (Ταλαός) of Argos (Άργος). So they had a feud between rivaling kings, although Argos (Άργος) was divided since one more generation. Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) was fighting this feud, while his father King Oiklḗs (Οἰκλῆς) of Argos (Άργος) had joined Herakles (Ἡρακλῆς) and traveled with him. The son of King Talaós (Ταλαός) of Argos (Άργος), Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος), first fled because of the feud, had a life elsewhere and also got married, then reconciled with Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) and then gave him his sister Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) as wife. Her husband Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) and her brother Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) agreed on letting Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) decide whenever there would be an argument between the two men.

Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) had fled to Pólybos (Πόλυβος), who seemingly was a king, but different sources name different places of where he was king and also with whom he was related and how he was related with them. Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) married Amphithea (Ἀμφιθέα), who was the daughter of Pólybos (Πόλυβος) or a granddaughter of King Talaós (Ταλαός) of Argos (Άργος) and hence the niece of Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) or maybe both. Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) and Amphithea (Ἀμφιθέα) had three daughters and two sons. One of the daughters was Argeía (Ἀργεία). She got married to Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης), a son of Oidípous (Οἰδίπους) and either Iokaste (Ἰοκάστη) or Euryganeia (Εὐρυγάνεια). Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) had the sisters Antigónē (Ἀντιγόνη) and Ismēnē (Ἰσμήνη). Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) furthermore had the brother Eteokles (Ἐτεοκλῆς). Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) and Eteokles (Ἐτεοκλῆς) had an agreement concerning the throne of Thebes (the Greek or Boeotian Thebes, also known as the Thebes of the seven gates). But Eteokles (Ἐτεοκλῆς) betrayed Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) and stole the throne. So Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) went to his father-in-law, King Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) of Argos (Άργος), who then raised an army to conquer Thebes. But “the army’s eye” foresaw that the battle would be lost and he himself would fall in this battle. So he refused to lead soldiers to Thebes and also advised other generals to do the same. At that time had Argos (Άργος) still been divided in three parts. King Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) of Argos (Άργος) and before him already King Talaós (Ταλαός) of Argos (Άργος) did only rule one third. Another third was ruled by the absent King Oiklḗs (Οἰκλῆς) of Argos (Άργος). The third part was ruled by King Íphis (Ἶφις) of Argos (Άργος). He saw the chance for a plot, when his rival became involved into the affairs of Thebes. He advised King Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) of Argos (Άργος) to give the necklace of the goddess Harmonía (Ἁρμονία) to Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) in exchange for her to persuade her husband Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) to participate in the expedition versus Thebes. The necklace of the goddess Harmonía (Ἁρμονία) brings eternal youth and beauty to everybody, who wears it, so it’s popular among women, although the curse of this necklace at that time already since many generations brought calamities and tragic deaths to those, who dared to wear it. Because it brings many tragic deaths, so it frequently is inherited and was inherited to Iokaste (Ἰοκάστη), so that Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) inherited it. He agreed to give it to Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) and she, according to the agreement she had with her husband Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) and her brother Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος), persuaded her husband to participate in the expedition versus Thebes.

Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) and Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) got two sons, Alkmaíōn (Ἀλκμαίων) and Amphílochos (Ἀμφίλοχος), and two or three daughters, Demṓnassa (Δημώνασσα) and Eurydíkē (Εὐρυδίκη), who isn’t the nymph and lover of Orpheus, and perhaps also Alkmḗnē (Ἀλκμήνη), whose parents’ identity depends on the source of her tale. The sons, too, had been seers. When Amphiáraos (Ἀμφιάραος) had to go to Thebes, he informed his son Alkmaíōn (Ἀλκμαίων) about what he had foreseen. Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης) and Eteokles (Ἐτεοκλῆς) killed each other in the epic battle of Seven versus Thebes. The whole army of Argos (Άργος) perished too. King Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) of Argos (Άργος) was the only survivor because he was rescued by his horse Areíōn (Ἀρείων), who was a divine horse and a gift from Herakles (Ἡρακλῆς).

Ten years later did King Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) of Argos (Άργος) also give the vesture or dress of the goddess Harmonía (Ἁρμονία) to Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη), so that she in exchange persuaded her son Alkmaíōn (Ἀλκμαίων) to lead another expedition versus Thebes. This expedition was successful. Alkmaíōn (Ἀλκμαίων) killed King Laodámas (Λαοδάμας) of Thebes, son of King Eteokles (Ἐτεοκλῆς) of Thebes, in a duel, but not before King Laodámas (Λαοδάμας) of Thebes had killed Aigialeús (Αἰγιαλεύς), the son of King Ádrastos (Ἄδραστος) of Argos (Άργος). He was the only fallen warrior, who is on the side of Argos (Άργος) known with his name. The army of Argos (Άργος) then installed Thérsandros (Θέρσανδρος), the son of Argeía (Ἀργεία) and Polyneíkēs (Πολυνείκης), as the new king of Thebes.

But Alkmaíōn (Ἀλκμαίων) still had not completed his vengeance. He knew that his own mother was responsible for the death of his father. So when he victoriously returned to Argos (Άργος), he slew Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη). Like Orestes (Ὀρέστης), who lived roughly two generations later and after whom the asteroid Orestes is named, did he have the duty to do so. Like Orestes (Ὀρέστης) got he haunted by the Erinýes (Ἐρινύες) for this deed. So instead of him, his younger brother Amphílochos (Ἀμφίλοχος) became the new king of Argos (Άργος).

That Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) got slain was only a consequence of her venality. Eriphýlē (Ἐριφύλη) twice got bribed and twice abused her position, first her position as a mediator and later her position as a mother. So the astrological force of Eriphyla presides over venality.