Lecture 5 - Heracles

17 Mars 2017

IV- Heroes

Readings: Apollodorus 2.4.8-2.7

2- Hercules

His first name was Ἀλκαῖος (Alkaios or Alcaeus). He was the son of Zeus and Alcmene (Ἀλκμήνη), a mortal woman. Alcmene was married to Amphitryon, son of Alcaeus. Amphitryon went to Taphos in a war to revenge the murder of Alcmene’s brothers. Zeus came to Alcmene in the aspect of Amphitryon and slept with her. But Zeus wanted to make a great hero and for that, he asked Helios (the Sun) not to rise for three days. Later during the night, Amphitryon came home and slept with his wife. Alcmene became pregnant and got two children, Heracles from Zeus and Iphicles from Amphitryon. When the boys were about to be born, Hera made Zeus swear that the first boy to be born that night will become king of the Argolide (A region in the Peloponnese). Hera knew that another boy was to be born that night, Eurystheus. Willing to punish Zeus for his relations, she caused Eurystheus to be born prematurely.

Alcmene was afraid Hera would punish her so she got rid of Heracles. However, Athena found him and gave him to Hera. In pity, Hera took care of the boy not knowing who he was. One day, the mighty Heracles suckled so strongly and caused Hera pain. She fooled him away spraying her milk across the heavens; the Milky Way was formed.

When Heracles grew up, he got married to Megara and they got two children. Hera was still mad at Heracles and made him mad. In his madness, he killed his wife and children. When he woke up from his madness and found out what happened, he went to Delphi and asked the oracle what to do. The prophetess told him to go to king Eurystheus

Labours

The 1^st task was killing the Lion of Nemea. Hercules used his bow and cast arrows on the lion but the arrows did not kill the lion. Hercules had to wrestle with the lion. At the end of the fight, he killed the lion and took his skin as a protection. Terrified by Hercules power, Eurystheus ordered him not to enter the city again but to display his proofs of achieving a labor near the gate of the city. He also created a big bronze jar and hid inside.

The 2^nd task was killing the six-headed Hydra of Lernea. After killing the lion, Hercules thought he could kill any creature. But the hydra was not a normal creature. It had special abilities; each time he cut one head two others sprang. Heracles was not only skilled in casting arrows and wrestling but has also a kind of genius. He got the idea of bringing a torch and burning the stumps of the heads. To do so he called his chariot’s driver Iolaos for help. As Heracles smashed the head with his club, Iolaos burnt its stump with the torch. When he cut all the heads, he dipped his arrows in the blood of the hydra that contains a sort of venom. Eurystheus refused to accept this labor because Heracles had the help of Iolaos.

The 3^rd task was to bring the Hind of Ceryneia (a place not far from Mycenae). Hercules set out on this adventure and hunted the Hind for almost a year. At last, the deer was tired and looked for a place to rest on the mountain Artemisius, then went to the river Ladon. Before the Hind could escape, Hercules shot her. He caught the deer and put her on his shoulders. On his way back to Mycenae, he met the gods Diana and Apollo. Diana was very angry because Hercules tried to kill her favorite pet. She asked him why he did so, and he told her the truth. Diana had the ability to heal animals so she healed the deer's wound and let Hercules carry the hind alive to Eurystheus.

The 4^th task was bringing the Erymanthian Boar alive. On his way, he met his friend the centaur Pholos in Pholoe and stayed as a guest at his place. The centaur offered him some cooked meat while he himself ate it raw. After dinner, Heracles asked his friend for some wine but Pholos said it was common for all centaurs and they won’t be happy if he shares it with guests. Heracles told him not to worry and took some wine. When other centaurs scented the smell, they brought rocks and came to Pholos. There was a fight and Heracles pursued and killed the centaurs. Pholos was astonished of the power of Heracles’ arrows. While checking one of them, it accidently fell on his foot and killed him instantly. Heracles buried him and pursued the boar. When he found it, he subdued it and brought it to Mycenae.

The 5^th task was cleaning the Augean stables. Augeas had many herds of cattle and Heracles was supposed to clean all the stables in one day. When he met Augeas, he told him that he would clean all stables in one day if he gives him as reward one tenth of the cattle. Thinking that nobody can achieve this task, Augeas accepted. Augeas’ son had to witness. Heracles diverted two rivers the stables and cleaned them in a short time. When he was done he asked for his part of the cattle but Augeas refused to pay him. They went before the trial and Augeas’ son witnessed that his father promised to pay Heracles. Enraged, Augeas asked both Heracles and his son to leave the city. Eurystheus did not count this labor because Heracles did it for payment.

The 6^th task was to kill the Stymphalian Birds. Heracles used bronze castanets made by Hephaestos to frighten them and drive them out the woods. Then he killed them with his arrows.

The 7^th task was to bring the Cretan bull. Heracles went to Crete where he met Minos and asked for help to catch the bull. Minos said he would not interfere; if he can catch the bull, he can take it to Mycenae. Without problems, Heracles captured it, carried it back and showed it to Eurystheus.

The 8^th task was to bring the Horses of Diomedes which ate man’s flesh. Heracles went to Thracia, killed Diomedes and brought the Horses to Eurystheus. Eurystheus released them and they went to the mountain Olympos, where they were destroyed by the beasts.

The 9^th task was to get the Belt of the Amazon Hippolyte in Asia Minor (not to mix up with the Amazon in South America). It was Eurystheus’ daughter who wished to have the belt. Amazons were a tribe of women warriors. They slept with men only to get babies and if they were girls they kept them but if they were boys they would either kill them or give them back to their fathers. When Heracles told Hippolyte his story, she accepted to give him the Belt. Then, Hera appeared to the amazons and told them that Heracles. Upon hearing Hera’s words, they wore their arms and fought Heracles who killed Hippolyte and took the belt.

The 10^th task was to drive the cattle of Geryon from Erytheia to Mycenae. It was a long journey through all Europe where Heracles killed many beasts. There is an image illustrating Heracles’ courage sitting near Oceanus and aiming his bow at Helios (the Sun). Helios gave him for his courage a golden cup in which he traveled across Oceanos. Heracles killed the dog guarding the cattle with his club then Geryon with an arrow and drove back the cattle.

The 11^th task was to go to the garden of the Hesperides and bring golden apples. During his journey, Heracles went to the Caucasus where he killed the eagle that ate Prometheus’ liver and freed Prometheus who told him to send Atlas instead of going himself to the Hesperides. Atlas accepted on a condition that Heracles would carry the world in his place. Heracles accepted and Atlas went and got three apples but refused to carry again the world on his shoulder and proposed to give the apples to Eurystheus by himself. Heracles asked Atlas before he leaves to hold a second the world because he wanted to put a pad on his head. It was a trick and Heracles took the apples and left.

The 12^th task was to bring Cerberus (three-headed dog with a snake tail) from the house of Hades. Hercules went to Taenarum in Laconia and entered into the Underworld through a deep, rocky cave. There, he wrestled monsters, heroes, and ghosts. Then, he met Hades and asked him for Cerberus. Hades replied that he could indeed take Cerberus, but only if he subdues the beast with nothing more than his own strength. Heracles wrestled the dog into submission. The dog bit him with his snake tail but the hero did not stop. After showing Cerberus to Eurystheus, Heracles returned it back to Hades.

His death

After achieving the twelve labors, Heracles married Deianira. One day, they were crossing a river. Nessus, the centaur, offered to help Deianira cross. Then, he tried to rape her. In anger, Heracles shot him with an arrow dipped in the Hydra blood. Willing to revenge, Nessus convinced Deianira to gather his blood and use it make Heracles love her more. Whenever she feels he is meeting other women, she would apply the centaur's blood on his vestment. When Heracles wore the poisoned shirt, his flesh burnt and he wished to die. He made a pyre and burnt himself. The gods decided that Heracles should become immortal and took him to Olympus.

Heroes depicted on containers (amphora, kylix, kraters, etc.)