Eriphyle.
Wife of the seer Amphiaraus, Eriphyle was the sister of Adrastus and mother of Alcmaeon and three other children. When the expedition of the Seven against Thebes was organized to support Polyneices' claim to the Theban throne, Amphiaraus at first refused to join because he could foresee that of the Seven only Adrastus would survive. Polyneices bribed Eriphyle with the magical necklace that Harmonia, first queen of Thebes, had received as a wedding gift. Amphiaraus and Adrastus had previously agreed to let Eriphyle settle any disagreements between them, and she was thus able to persuade her husband to join the fatal campaign. Before he set out, Amphiaraus asked his children to avenge his impending death.
Ten years later, the Epigoni (sons of the Seven against Thebes) proposed to recapture Thebes in retribution for the defeat their fathers had suffered. Eriphyle's son Alcmaeon was chosen as leader. Although he was reluctant, his mother wwas once again bribed, this time with the robe of Harmonia, and she compelled him to go. Upon returning successfully from Thebes, Alcmaeon learned of the bribes and, obeying his father's injunction, killed Eriphyle. He was subsequently driven mad by the Erinyes (Furies) for the matricide.
Postclassical treatments of the story occur almosst exclusively in drama and opera.

See also Seven against Thebes.