Lecture 10: Heracles

Heracles “He who has the glory(kleos) of Hera.” Parentage: Amphitryon, Alcmena, Zeus. Myth about birth of Heracles and Iphicles, connection with the birth of cousin Eurystheus, and the role of Hera (unseasonal beginnings).

Perseus + Andromeda Alcaeus Amphitryon Iphicles Electryon Alcmena Heracles (by Zeus) 9 Sons Sthenelus Eurystheus

Amphitryon and Alcmene “Harassing both sides” and “Moon’s strength?” Peloponnese / Mycenae Taphians and Cattle From the Argolid to Thebes Teleboans, Comaetho, Pterelaus, and the golden lock Amphitryon’s divine double, his return to Thebes

Heracles and Iphicles as babies

Heracles: Birth, Youth and Education The connection between Heracles’ birth and Eurystheus’? Defeat of snakes sent by Hera (Attempts at an) Aristocratic Education Chariot-driving (Amphitryon) Wrestling (Autolycus) Archery (Eurytos) Fencing (Castor) Playing the lyre?(Linus)

Heracles kills Linus

Heracles and Hera Hera’s malevolence On Olympus, Heracles marries Hera’s daughter Hebe (“youth”) Builds a shrine to Hera in Sparta Fights alongside Hera in the battle of gods and Giants “Adopted” by Hera after marrying Hebe Hera nurses Heracles ( in some versions in her sleep)

Baby Heracles suckling Hera’s milk

First marriage First marriage to Megara in Thebes. Madness sent by Hera and destruction of children Purification, Servitude to King Eurystheus (“Wide Strength”) of Mycenae

Servitude to King Eurystheus of Mycenae: the twelve labors Temple of Zeus, Olympia (ca. 468-456 BC) Metope with the 12 labors of Heracles (Hercules). A Color Reconstruction of the temple according to Curtius and Adler

1st labor: Nemean Lion

2nd labor: Lernaean Hydra

3rd labor: Ceryneian Deer

4th labor: Erymanthian Boar

5th labor: Augean Stables Heracles cleaning Augeias' Stables (Athena on the left), Metope from Zeus temple, 460 BCE, Olympia

6th labor: Stymphalian Birds

7th labor: Cretan Bull

8th labor: Horses of Diomedes Heracles Steals Diomedes' Mares, Stone relief, 2nd century BC, Museum of Delphi

9th labor: Girdle of Hippolyta

10th labor: Cattle of Geryon

11th labor: Apples of the Hesperides

12th labor: Cerberus

Heracles and Deianeira Heracles marries Deianeira (after battling for her with the river-god Achelous) Centaur Nessus and his parting gift Heracles sacks Oichalia and captures Iole The robe The apotheosis

Pseudo-Apollodorus 2.7.5, 2.7.6 Hercules wooed Deianira, daughter of Oeneus. He wrestled for her hand with Achelous, who assumed the likeness of a bull; but Hercules broke off one of his horns. Taking Deianira with him, he came to the river Evenus, at which the centaur Nessus sat and ferried passengers across for hire, alleging that he had received the ferry from the gods for his righteousness. So Hercules crossed the river by himself, but on being asked to pay the fare he entrusted Deianira to Nessus to carry over. But he, in ferrying her across, attempted to violate her. She cried out, Hercules heard her, and shot Nessus to the heart when he emerged from the river. Being at the point of death, Nessus called Deianira to him and said that if she would have a love charm to operate on Hercules she should mix the seed he had dropped on the ground with the blood that flowed from the wound inflicted by the barb. She did so and kept it by her.

Heracles, Nessus, Deaneira

Deianeira and Nessus Guido Reni 1620-1621

Heracles and the house of Eurytos Bow contest for the hand of Iole Eurytos refuses to give her up Violation of Hospitality (Xenia) Slavery at the court of Omphale Return, sack of Oichalia, capture of Iole

Omphale and Heracles, Francois Lemyone, 1724

Pseudo-Apollodorus 2.7.7 On his arrival at Trachis he mustered an army to attack Oechalia, wishing to punish Eurytus. Being joined by Arcadians, Melians from Trachis, and Epicnemidian Locrians, he slew Eurytus and his sons and took the city. After burying those of his own side who had fallen, to wit, Hippasus, son of Ceyx, and Argius and Melas, the sons of Licymnius, he pillaged the city and led Iole captive. And having put in at Cenaeum, a headland of Euboea, he built an altar of Cenaean Zeus. Intending to offer sacrifice, he sent the herald Lichas to Trachis to fetch fine raiment.

Pseudo-Apollodorus Intending to offer sacrifice, he sent the herald Lichas to Trachis to fetch fine raiment. From him Deianira learned about Iole, and fearing that Hercules might love that damsel more than herself, she supposed that the spilt blood of Nessus was in truth a love-charm, and with it she smeared the tunic. So Hercules put it on and proceeded to offer sacrifice. But no sooner was the tunic warmed than the poison of the hydra began to corrode his skin; and on that he lifted Lichas by the feet, hurled him down from the headland, and tore off the tunic, which clung to his body, so that his flesh was torn away with it. In such a sad plight he was carried on shipboard to Trachis: and Deianira, on learning what had happened, hanged herself.

But Hercules, after charging Hyllus his elder son by Deianira, to marry Iole when he came of age, proceeded to Mount Oeta, in the Trachinian territory, and there constructed a pyre, mounted it, and gave orders to kindle it. When no one would do so, Poeas, passing by to look for his flocks, set a light to it. On him Hercules bestowed his bow. While the pyre was burning, it is said that a cloud passed under Hercules and with a peal of thunder wafted him up to heaven. Thereafter he obtained immortality, and being reconciled to Hera he married her daughter Hebe, by whom he had sons, Alexiares and Anicetus.

Athena brings Heracles to Olympus Athena brings Heracles to Olympus. Attic red-figure pelike, ca 420–400 BC. From Vulci.

Propertius 4.9: Heracles in Rome? Kills Cacus (“Monster” near Rome), who stole the cattle of Geryon from Heracles Hears Laughter Attempts to gain entry into temple

“O you, who linger in the grove’s sacred hollows, open your welcoming temple to a tired man. I stray, in need of a spring, the sound of waters round me, and a handful caught up from the stream would be enough. Have you not heard of one who lifted the globe on his back? I am he: the world I accepted calls me Alcides. Who has not heard of the mighty doings of Hercules’ club, and those shafts that were never used in vain against harmful creatures, and of how for me, the only mortal, the Stygian shadows shone? Accept me: weary, this land seems scarcely open to me. Even if you sacrifice to Juno, bitter against me, she herself would not shut her waters from me. But if any of you are afraid of my face or the lion’s pelt, or my hair bleached by the Libyan sun, I am the same who has carried out slave’s tasks in a cloak of Sidon, and spun the day’s tally on a Lydian distaff. My shaggy chest was caught in a soft breast-band, and I was fit to be a hard-handed girl.”

Heracles Brute, yet civilizing force Cult statues in gymnasia all over Greece Sometimes appearing along side other heroes (esp. Theseus) Claims of his presence at sites all over the Mediterranean