Amphiaraus

by Dr Alena Trckova-Flamee, Ph.D.

 
Amphiaraus – the legendary king of Argos, the seer and healer, honored as a god.
According to the mythological story Amphiaraus was the son of king Oikles (Oicles) from the line of Melampus, who was a great seer-healer. This gift was handed down from generation to generation and Amphiaraus took this disposition too. He became the king of Argos, ruling together with Adrastus, whose sister Eriphyle became his spouse too. Polynices, the son of Oedipus, chased by his brother, visited Argos and asked for the assistance to seize Thebes. Amphiaraus did not agree to take part in the war, because he already knew, that the gods would get angry and the leaders should pay for it very badly.

Goddess of the Black Stone

Alby Stone

 
Bob Trubshaw’s article on the Black Stone of Mecca was of great interest to myself, as I had already seen Rufus Camphausen’s original article on The Ka’bah at Mecca, and already had something of an interest in the subject. Camphausen, and now Bob Trubshaw, have done us all a great service by bringing this material to our attention in an accessible form, and presenting what is basically a strong and coherent case for the original pagan context of the Black Stone; but it is also apparent that there is a good deal more that could be said on the subject. Indeed, there are a number of points that really must be made, particularly with regard to the goddess Al’Lat, whose identity – and those of her old Meccan companions, Al’Uzza and Manat – is perhaps not as clear-cut as Rufus Camphausen has asserted, and as Bob Trubshaw has reported. There are more connections to be made, and these show the goddess of the Black Stone in a rather different light.