21. HERAKLES

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Note: he is the only national Greek hero--not restricted to one city

The 12 Labors

  • Herakles is at home in Tiryns--does labors for Eurystheus of Mycenae
    • may reflect true relations between the 2 places in the Bronze Age

1. Lion of Nemea (Nemean Lion)

7. Bull of Crete (Cretan Bull)

2. Hydra of Lerna (Lernaean Hydra)

8. Mares of Diomedes (Thrace)

3. Hind of Ceryneia (Ceryneian Hind)

9. Girdle of Hippolyta (north)

4. Boar of Mt. Erymanthus (Erymanthian Boar)

10. Cattle of Geryon (west)

5. Stables of Augeas (Elis) (Augean Stables)

11. Apples of Hesperides (west)

6. Birds of Lake Stymphalus (Stymphalian Birds)

12. Cerberus (Hades)

First 6--the Peloponnesian labors
real places in north Peloponnese
exaggerated versions of real deeds/animals

Last 6--increasingly more fantastic
further afield, then off the real map
last 3--quest for immortality

Other deeds

  • as child
    • son of Zeus and Alcmene, twin of mortal child
    • born in Thebes according to most common myth
      • strangles serpents sent by Hera
  • rescues Prometheus from his cliff
  • fights Apollo for Delphic tripod
  • rescues Deianeira
    • centaur Nessus tries to rape her; Herakles shoots him with an arrow
    • Nessus gives Deianeira some of his blood, saying it is a love charm
  • marries Deianeira, but later falls in love with Iole, brings her home
    • Deianeira uses the charm, as an ointment for a robe
      • turns out to be a burning poison; the robe sticks to Herakles
    • Heracles asks to be burned on funeral pyre--Mt. Oeta
    • one version--mortal part burnt, but he ascends to Olympus

Different ancient views of Herakles

  • all brawn and no brain: Farnese Hercules statue
    • forced to do labors in payment of sin
  • intellectualized version, starting in 5th cy. B.C. with philosophers
    • Herakles chooses life of service, virtue, over life of vice
    • Alexander the Great equates himself with Herakles, 4 cy. B.C.
    • in Aeneid, Aeneas equated with Herakles (Roman name Hercules)
    • emperor Augustus also compared to Herakles, by Roman author Horace
  • comic Heracles
    • excessive appetites, not too bright
    • eats firewood and coal in one satyr-play

Last updated: 11/3/07

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