Returning from a campaign against Thebes, Alcmaeon fulfilled the will of his father Amphiaraus and took revenge on his mother for the death of his father. Alcmaeon killed his mother with his own hand. Dying, the mother cursed her son-killer and cursed the country that would give him shelter.
The avenging goddesses Erinyes were angry with Alcmaeon and pursued him everywhere he tried to hide. The unfortunate Alcmaeon wandered for a long time, trying everywhere to find shelter and cleansing from the filth of the spilled blood. Finally, he came to the city of Psofida, in Arcadia. There King Phegei cleansed him from the taint of murder. Alcmaeon married Phegeus's daughter Arsinoe and thought of living peacefully in Psofida. But fate did not promise him this. His mother's curse haunted him. A terrible famine and pestilence spread in Psofida. Death reigned everywhere. Alcmaeon turned to the Delphic oracle, and the soothsayer Pythia answered him that he should leave Psophida and go to the river god, Achelous; only there will he be cleared of the murder of his mother and find peace in a country that did not yet exist when his mother cursed him. Leaving the house of Phegeus, his wife Arsinoe and his son Clytius, Alcmaeon went to Achelous. On the way, he visited Oeneus in Calydon, who hospitably received him.
The Thesprotians also had Alcmaeon, but they expelled him from their country, fearing the wrath of the gods. Finally, Alcmaeon came to the descendants of Achelous. There the river god Ahelous cleansed him from the filth of his mother’s shed blood and gave him his daughter Callirhoe in marriage. Alcmeon settled at the mouth of the Aheloy River on an island formed from deposited sand and silt. This was a country that did not yet exist when Alcmaeon’s mother cursed him.
And here Alcmaeon’s fate pursued him. Callirhoe learned about a precious necklace and clothes woven by Pallas Athena herself, which were given to Polyneices and his son Thersander Erifile, and demanded that her husband bring these treasures to her. Callirhoe did not know that these treasures brought death to those who owned them. Alcmaeon went to Psofida and demanded from Phegeus that he give him the necklace and clothes. Alcmaeon told Phegeus that he wanted to dedicate these treasures to the Delphic oracle in order to receive a petition from the arrow god. Phegeus gave the treasure to Alcmaeon, believing his words. But Alcmaeon’s servant told Phegeus who the necklace and clothes were intended for. Phegeus became angry, called his sons, Pronous and Agenor, and ordered them to ambush Alcmaeon when he returned to the mouths of Achelous. They fulfilled their father’s command and killed Alcmaeon.
Arsinoe, Alcmaeon's first wife, learned of the death of her husband; she still loved him. She cursed her brothers in grief. The brothers took her to King Agapenor in Arcadia and, accusing her of having killed Alcmaeon, they put her to death.
Callirhoe also learned about the death of Alcmaeon. She decided to take revenge on the sons of Phegei and himself for the murder of her husband. But who could be the avenger? Callirhoe's sons, Akarnan and Amphoteres, were still babies and lay in the cradle. She prayed to Zeus Callirhoe to make her sons immediately powerful young men. Zeus heeded Callirhoe's pleas. One night her sons grew up and matured. They went to Tegea to King Agapenor and killed the sons of Phegeus there. Then in Psofida they killed Phegeus himself. Thus, the gifts Eriphile once received from Polyneices and Thersander brought death upon Phegeus and his entire family.
Akarnan and Amphoteres took the precious necklace and clothes woven by Athena and dedicated them, with the consent of their mother, to the Delphic Apollo. Akarnan and Amphoter did not stay in their homeland. They moved to the country, which was named after Akarnana Akarnania, and founded a new kingdom there.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru