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For the troubled hero, a little rest, few friends.

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For the troubled hero, a little rest, few friends.

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    1. For the troubled hero, a little rest, few friends. Three views of Herakles at rest. Left: Athena refreshes her hero, pouring his wine. He has put his club aside, she has put down her helmet. She holds her owl, her bubo, in her left hand. Above, right: a similar scene (notice Herakles' raised left hand, as in the image at right); Hermes stands behind, playing a tune on the Pan-pipe. He wears his traveler's hat, the petasus, and his winged sandals. Below, right: Nike and Hermes attend the seated young hero, who has removed his lion skin and is using it as a covering for his chair. Nike offers Herakles a victory wreath. Remember that Nike is an allegorized part of Athena.Three views of Herakles at rest. Left: Athena refreshes her hero, pouring his wine. He has put his club aside, she has put down her helmet. She holds her owl, her bubo, in her left hand. Above, right: a similar scene (notice Herakles' raised left hand, as in the image at right); Hermes stands behind, playing a tune on the Pan-pipe. He wears his traveler's hat, the petasus, and his winged sandals. Below, right: Nike and Hermes attend the seated young hero, who has removed his lion skin and is using it as a covering for his chair. Nike offers Herakles a victory wreath. Remember that Nike is an allegorized part of Athena.

    2. The aging hero begins to lose Notice how, in his post-Labors life, Heracles begins to fail, weaken, and lose. He suffers illness, humiliation, degradation, and mockery. Has he really changed? Fresh outrages: murder, theft, rape, vendettas. But even so, he still manages to do some good things. The image at right, below, is a close-up of the image in the vase above. Herakles and Iphitos recline on dining benches during a dinner party. Iphitos' sister Iole stands between them. The party was given by Eurytos, king of Oechalia and father of Iphitos and Iole, for the suitors for Iole who had come to win her by competing in an archery contest. Herakles won but then refused to turn his daughter over to him, fearing that he would go mad again and kill their children. Iphitos spoke up for Herakles and against his father's decision. Herakles went back to Tiryns in a rage. Later, Iphitos went to visit Herakles. While there, in a fit of anger, Herakles threw him from the city walls and killed him. The image at right, below, is a close-up of the image in the vase above. Herakles and Iphitos recline on dining benches during a dinner party. Iphitos' sister Iole stands between them. The party was given by Eurytos, king of Oechalia and father of Iphitos and Iole, for the suitors for Iole who had come to win her by competing in an archery contest. Herakles won but then refused to turn his daughter over to him, fearing that he would go mad again and kill their children. Iphitos spoke up for Herakles and against his father's decision. Herakles went back to Tiryns in a rage. Later, Iphitos went to visit Herakles. While there, in a fit of anger, Herakles threw him from the city walls and killed him.

    3. Even Apollo’s Pythia refuses him … Herakles was afflicted with a disease because of his murder of Iphitos. He went to Apollo’s oracular priestess, the Pythia, at Delphi, who in disgust would not answer him. In anger he seized the sacred tripod and vowed to set up his own oracle. Apollo then appeared and the two half-brothers fought over the tripod. Zeus intervened by throwing a thunderbolt between them. The Pythia then declared that Herakles must serve three years in slavery.Herakles was afflicted with a disease because of his murder of Iphitos. He went to Apollo’s oracular priestess, the Pythia, at Delphi, who in disgust would not answer him. In anger he seized the sacred tripod and vowed to set up his own oracle. Apollo then appeared and the two half-brothers fought over the tripod. Zeus intervened by throwing a thunderbolt between them. The Pythia then declared that Herakles must serve three years in slavery.

    4. ADMETOS AND ALCESTIS Having overcome death already, Heracles uses his ‘Hermes’ power to restore Alcestis to Admetos.

    5. Heracles transvestite Degradation and humility. Purchased as a male concubine by Queen Omphale, Herakles dressed in her gowns and she in his lion skin.Degradation and humility. Purchased as a male concubine by Queen Omphale, Herakles dressed in her gowns and she in his lion skin.

    6. The Cercopes At least Heracles didn’t lose his sense of humor. Again, note the comic element in Heracles’ life.

    7. Parallel Events: Jason, Argonauts, Golden fleece Meleager and the Calydonian boar hunt Theseus kills monsters near Athens First assault on Troy Hera sends storm, is hung from Olympos Gigantomachy Herakles’ mythology is so large that one must keep in mind that other important heroic and divine events took place during the years of his Labors and other adventures. Herakles’ mythology is so large that one must keep in mind that other important heroic and divine events took place during the years of his Labors and other adventures.

    8. Heracles, the irresponsible father of illegitimate children. The rape of Auge and the child Telephos. Wall-painting from Herculaneum (note the name!)

    9. Another marriage, another fight. Acheloos the shape-changer.

    10. Karma: the Hydra and the Centaurs The attempted theft of Deianeira by the centaur Nessos, who had earlier escaped death in the Pholos episode. What cruel trick did Nessos play on the naďve Deianeira?The attempted theft of Deianeira by the centaur Nessos, who had earlier escaped death in the Pholos episode. What cruel trick did Nessos play on the naďve Deianeira?

    11. Trust, Helplessness, and Torment Herakles exchanges his lion skin for a fresh robe in order to sacrifice to Zeus. Deianeira, jealous over Herakles’ new concubine Iole, has smeared the potion made of Nessos’ blood (infected with Hydra’s venom) and semen on this robe. Below, Herakles gives his famous bow and arrow to Poias the shepherd, who alone was willing to light his funeral pyre. Poias will leave it to his son Philoctetes, who will use it to play a key role in the final destruction of Troy.Herakles exchanges his lion skin for a fresh robe in order to sacrifice to Zeus. Deianeira, jealous over Herakles’ new concubine Iole, has smeared the potion made of Nessos’ blood (infected with Hydra’s venom) and semen on this robe. Below, Herakles gives his famous bow and arrow to Poias the shepherd, who alone was willing to light his funeral pyre. Poias will leave it to his son Philoctetes, who will use it to play a key role in the final destruction of Troy.

    12. Apotheosis: after suffering, immortality With Athena driving the chariot (recall here the dinos of Sophilos and the Francois Vase), Herakles rides to Olympus where he will become a god.With Athena driving the chariot (recall here the dinos of Sophilos and the Francois Vase), Herakles rides to Olympus where he will become a god.

    13. Reconciliation and a final, good marriage, Etruscan bronze mirror: Herakles is accepted as son by Hera, whose breast he suckles at. Upper right, the marriage of Herakles and Hebe, goddess of masculine youth and beauty. Etruscan bronze mirror: Herakles is accepted as son by Hera, whose breast he suckles at. Upper right, the marriage of Herakles and Hebe, goddess of masculine youth and beauty.

    14. Herakles defeats Old Age (Geras) in a wrestling contest. What is the allegorical interpretation of this?Herakles defeats Old Age (Geras) in a wrestling contest. What is the allegorical interpretation of this?

    15. A myth pattern applied Hero is conceived by divine father and betrothed virgin mother just before her marriage. Hero is persecuted as a baby by hostile power. Hero shows prodigious abilities in early youth. Hero wanders about performing miraculous deeds: defeating monstrous beings or spirits, doing good things for people. Hero makes enemies who eventually destroy him. Hero suffers horrible death. Hero is taken to heaven as god. What other stories do you know that follow this same basic pattern?What other stories do you know that follow this same basic pattern?

    16. Political uses of Heracles LEFT: A coin of Alexander the Great, who claimed descent from both Achilles and Heracles and later (after visiting the oracle of Zeus Ammon in the N. African desert), that he was in fact a son of Zeus himself. RIGHT: a bust of the emperor (Lucius Aurelius) Commodus, made famous in the movie "Gladiator." The real-life Commodus, believing himself a reincarnation of Hercules, went around wearing a lion skin and carrying a club.LEFT: A coin of Alexander the Great, who claimed descent from both Achilles and Heracles and later (after visiting the oracle of Zeus Ammon in the N. African desert), that he was in fact a son of Zeus himself. RIGHT: a bust of the emperor (Lucius Aurelius) Commodus, made famous in the movie "Gladiator." The real-life Commodus, believing himself a reincarnation of Hercules, went around wearing a lion skin and carrying a club.

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