AMPHIORAX. Amphiaraus was an Argive seer who married Eriphyle. He knew he would die if he accompanied Polynices to the siege of Thebes, so he hid when the latter came to fetch him. His wife, however, showed Polynices the hiding place in return for a golden necklace. Amphiaraus went reluctantly and was swallowed up by an earthquake (Thebaid IV.187-213; Roman de Thèbes 4711-4918).

Jankyn uses this story to illustrate the wickedness of wives, WBP 740-746. The manner of Amphiorax's death appears in Anel 5; Tr II.105. Criseyde calls him a "bisshop" because he was an augur, a term suggested perhaps by the French term arcevesque, archbishop, in Roman de Thèbes, 2276. Cassandra summarizes the story of the siege and of Amphiorax's death when she interprets Troilus's dream of the boar, Tr V.1485-1505. [Adrastus: Clitermystra: Eriphilem: Phasipha]

Amphiorax, the ME development of Latin Amphiaraus, is perhaps a variant pronunciation in -x in English for words where it represents etymologically an -s or -us. The final -x is also a French plural ending for singulars ending in -u. Amphiorax appears twice initially, WBP 741; Tr II.105; and twice medially, Anel 57; Tr V.1500.