Heracles
Posted on | February 19, 2008 |
Heracles is described as the greatest of Greek heroes, the embodiment of great strength and champion fighter against the chthonic monsters. He was the patron god and protector of palaestrae and gymnasia, a responsibility he shared with Hermes. His symbols were the club and the lion skin.
In addition to enormous strength, Heracles was known for his courage, sexual liaisons with both men and women, and creativity. As ferocious as Heracles was, he would still play with children and relax by engaging in games. He was deeply emotional and passionate, and could exact horrible vengeance just as easily as he could display friendship.
Heracles was known in Rome, and later in the western world, as Hercules. Many of the Roman emperors would identify themselves with Hercules.
Mythology
Heracles is more of a demi-god, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. He was originally names Alcides, but took the name Heracles, “glory of Hera,” to appease Zeus’ jealous and scorned wife.
On the night Heracles was born, Alcides also gave birth to the child of her husband Amphitryon. Knowing Alcedes had been pregnant with twins, Hera made Zeus promise that the child born to the House of Perseus would be named as High King. Zeus agreed.
Hera bade the goddess of childbirth, Ilithyia, to tie her clothing in knots and sit cross-legged, preventing Heracles from being born. Hera then caused the premature delivery of Eurystheus, Heracles’ brother, which allowed him to be named High King instead of Heracles.
Upon the delivery of Eurystheus, Alcedes’ servant lied to Ilithyia and told her the Heracles had already been born. Ilithyia untied the knots in her clothing and stood up, allowing Heracles to be born.
Not to be discouraged, Hera later sent two serpents to Heracles’ crib to kill him. Imagine the surprise of his nurse when she found him in the crib, playing with the two throttled snakes as if they were toys.
While Heracles was still young he killed his music teacher with a lyre. His foster father Amphitryon sent him to tend cattle, where the nymphs virtue and pleasure came to visit him. They offered him a choice between an easy life or a difficult one that would earn him much glory. Heracles chose the difficult path and was challenged by King Thespius to kill the Lion of Cithaeron. The reward for Heracles’ success would be the opportunity to impregnate all 50 of the King’s daughters. Heracles accomplished the task in one night.
Heracles met and married Megara in Thebes, and produced children with her. Hera, still offended by Heracles’ existence, drove him into a frenzy where he killed his entire family. When he regained his senses he fled, consulting the Oracle of Delphi. Unfortunately the Oracle, which was controlled by Hera, sentenced him to serve King Eurystheus and perform any task he requested for a period of 12 years. These tasks became known as the Labors of Heracles.
Heracles was originally given ten tasks, but King Eurystheus did not believe he had performed two of the tasks entirely on his own, so he added two more tasks to the list. Those tasks were:
- To kill the Nemean Lion, which he strangled.
- To destroy the Lernaean Hydra, which had nine heads, one of which was immortal. Heracles burned eight of the heads and buried the immortal head under a rock.
- To capture the Ceryneian Hind, which he trapped after chasing it for months.
- To capture the Erymanthian Boar, which Heracles killed.
- To clean the Augean Stables, which Heracles accomplished by diverting a nearby river through the stables.
- To kill the carnivorous Stymphalian Birds.
- To capture the wild Cretan Bull.
- To collect the Mares of Diomedes, which were man-eaters.
- To steal the girdle of the Amazon Queen, Hippolyte.
- To round up the Cattle of Geryon.
- To collect the Apples of Hesperides. He tricked Atlas into helping him.
- To capture the three-headed dog of Hades, Cerebus, and bring him out of the underworld.
After his servitude to King Eurystheus had ended, Heracles joined the Argonauts, with whom he fought the Gigantes and defeated Troy.Heracles fell in love with Iole, daughter of King Eurytus of Oechalia, who had promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who could beat his sons in archery. When Heracles won, King Eurytus revoked his promise. Heracles was shunned by everyone in the King’s family except the King’s son Iphitus. Heracles kidnapped Iole after killing the King and his family, save for Iphitus. Iphitus was Heracles’ best friend until Hera interfered and caused him to leap to his death over the city walls.
As atonement for Iphitus’ death, Heracles began three years of service to Queen Omphale of Lydia. After forcing Heracles to degrade himself by dressing and working as a woman, she freed him and married him.
Heracles was involved in many more daring adventures that demonstrated his great courage, including the rescue of Prometheus, before being killed by Deianeira. Following his death he was resurrected to Mount Olympus by Zeus and given immortality.
Heracles in Popular Culture
- Kevin Sorbo became famous playing Hercules in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Young Hercules, and in guest appearances on Xena: Warrior Princess. A video game, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, was based upon the television series.
- A 1963 animated series produced by Adventure Cartoon Productions in cooperation with Trans-Lux Television was called The Mighty Hercules.
- Hallmark Entertainment aired the mini-series Hercules.
- Hercules: The Animated Series was a spin-off of the 1997 Disney movie. Disney entertainment produced several games featuring Hercules including Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.
- The Playstation 2 games Heracles: Battle with the Gods and God of War II feature Heracles.
- Several computer games feature Heracles including The Return of Hercules and the video novel game Fate/Stay Night.
- Steve Reeves and Reg Park starred in a series of Hercules movies in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
- In 1961, the Three Stooges spoofed Hercules in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules.
- Future Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger played Hercules in a 1970 movie, Hercules in New York.
- Walt Disney produced an animated Hercules movie in 1997.
Marvel, DC, and Dell comics have all featured Hercules in their comic books.
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