First Student Exchange Mythology Workshop
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searching for the labours of hercules
Who was heracles?Heracles was the son of Zeus byAlcmene of Thebes in Boeotia,and the favourite of his father.His stepfather was Amphitryon.Amphitryon was the son ofAlcaeus, the son of Perseus, andAlcmene was a grand-daughterof Perseus. So Heraclesbelonged to the family ofPerseus.
Alcmena was King Electrion´s
daughter.While Amphitryon, herhusband, was absent from Thebes,Zeus one night, to which he gavethe duration of three other nights,visited Alcmene, and assuming theappearance of Amphitryon, andrelating to her how her brothershad been avenged, he seduced herand she became pregnant.
Alcmene brought into the world twoboys, Heracles, the son of Zeus, andIphicles, the son of Amphitryon,who was one night younger thanHeracles.
HÉRCULES as a child killing theserpents s. II d.C.
Roma, Musei Capitolini
Heracles was only a few months oldwhen Hera sent two serpents into theapartment where Heracles and hisbrother Iphicles were sleeping, butthe former killed the serpents with hisown hands. Heracles was brought upat Thebes.
The Birth of the Milky Way
Though loved and protected
by his father, he was
repudiated by Zeus´ wife,
HERA. To insure his son's
immortality, ZEUS placed
him in the goddess's arms
so that he could suckle
while she was sleeping next
to her chariot pulled by
peacocks. When, in his
enthusiasm, Hercules bites
her, HERA awakens and
brusquely pulls him away
from her. The milk spilling
out of her breast turned into
the Milky Way. On the left,
Jupiter looks on. He is
identified by his eagle and
lightening bolts.RUBENS (1577-1640)
The Origin of the Milky Way.
El Prado Museum,Madrid
His childhoodHercules’ youth was spent in thehands of the best teachers in Greece.His father taught him to ride chariotsand tame horses. His music teacherwas Linus, son of Apollo, althoughHercules’ quick temper wasdemonstrated when he killed Linuswith a blow from his stool (or lute).
Being charged with murder, IIeraclesexculpated himself by saying that thedeed was done in self-defence. Hewas then sent to live with herdsmenin the mountains and there he cameinto contact with the wise centaurChiron.
Heracles attacks Lino, her music teacher
(c. 480 a.C.)
The Birth of the Milky Way - Peter Paul R
.
Chiron (Χείρων) was the eldest and
wisest of the Centaurs, a tribe of half-
horse men. He was a great teacher who
mentored many of the great heroes of
myth including Jason, Peleus, Aquilleus
and Heracles. After his death he was
given a place amongst the stars by Zeus
as the constellation Saggitarius or
Centaurus.
Kheiron's name was derived from the
Greek word for hand (χείρ), which also
meant "skilled with the hands." The name
was also closely associated in myth with
kheirourgos or surgeon.
Why was he punished to do the labours?
In a fit of madness, inducedby Hera, he killed his ownchildren by Megara and twoof Iphicles. In his grief hesentenced himself toexile.He then consulted theoracle of Delphi as to wherehe should settle. The Pythiafirst called him by the nameof Heracles (glory of Hera)--his name had been Alcidesor Alcaeus,--and orderedhim to live at Tiryns, toserve Eurystheus for thespace of twelve years, afterwhich he should becomeimmortal. Asteas Painter, 4th century
BC Madrid Museum
10 or 12 labours?Eurystheus who had become
King in his stead and was his
enemy ordered him to carry
out ten tasks .
Herakles successfully carried
them all out, but Eurystheus
considered that two of the
tasks had been failed
because Herakles had been
helped, and allocated two
more, which Herakles also
completed, making 12.
Mosaic with the Labors of Hercules, 3rd century AD
National Archaeological Museum , Madrid
1. The fight with the Nemean lion.
2. Fights against the Lernean hydra.
3. The stag of Ceryneia in Arcadia.
Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring him the Hind of Ceryneia.
Ceryneia is a town in Greece, about fifty miles from Eurystheus' palace in Mycenae.
This animal had golden antlers andbronze feet. It had been dedicated toArtemis by the nymph Taygete, becausethe goddess had saved her from thepursuit of Zeus. Heracles was ordered tobring the animal alive to Mycenae. Hepursued it in vain for a whole year: atlength it fled from Oenoe to mountArtemisium in Argolis, and thence to theriver Ladon in Arcadia.
Heracles wounded it with an
arrow, caught it, and carried it
away on his shoulders. While yet
in Arcadia, he was met by Apollo
and Artemis, who were angry
with him for having outraged the
animal sacred to Artemis; but
Heracles succeeded in soothing
their anger, and carried his prey
to Mycenae. According to some
statements, he killed the stag.
British
Museum,
London, United
Kingdom
Artist/Maker
Unknown
4. The Erymanthian boar.
5. The stables of Augeas.
6. The Stymphalian birds.
7. The Cretan bull.
8. The mares of the Thracian Diomedes.
9. The girdle of the queen of the Amazons.
Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring
him the belt of Hippolyte . This was no
ordinary belt and no ordinary warrior.
Hippolyte was queen of the Amazons,
a tribe of women warriors. These
Amazons had nothing to do with the
Amazon river in South America. Their
name comes from a Greek word
meaning "missing one breast." This is
because an Amazon's right breast got
in the way when she threw a spear.
The Amazons lived apart from men,
and if they ever gave birth to children,
they kept only the females and reared
them to be warriors like themselves.
Amazon wearing trousers
and carrying a shield with
an attached patterned cloth
and a quiver. Ancient Greek
Attic white-ground
alabastron, c. 470 BC,
British Museum, London.
The legendary Amazons are believed to have lived in Pontus, which is part of modern-day Turkey near the southern shore of the Euxine
Sea (the Black Sea). There they formed an independent kingdom under the government of a queen named Hippolyta or Hippolyte
("loose, unbridled mare").
Hippolyte, the queen of the Amazons possessed a girdle, which she had
received from Ares, and Admete, the daughter of Eurystheus, wished to
have it. Heracles was therefore sent to fetch it, and, accompanied by a
number of volunteers, he sailed out in one vessel.
Hercules Obtaining the Girdle of Hyppolita by Nikolaus
Knüpfer
He first landed in Paros, where he became involved in a quarrel with the sons of Minos.
Having killed two of them, he sailed to Mysia, where his aid was solicited by Lycus, king
of the Mariandynians, against the Bebryces. Heracles assisted Lycus, took a district of
land from the enemy, which was given to Lycus, who called it Heracleia.
When Heracles at length arrived in the port
of Themiscyra (Thermodon), after having
given to the sea he had crossed the name of
Euxeinus, he was at first kindly received by
Hippolyte, who promised him her girdle.
But Hera, in the disguise of an Amazon, spread the report that the
queen of the Amazons was robbed by a stranger. They
immediately rose to her assistance, and Heracles, believing that
the queen had plotted against him, killed her, took her girdle, and
carried it with him.
10. The oxen of Geryones in Erytheia.
These ten labours were performed by Heracles in the space of eight years and one month; but as Eurystheus declared two of them to have been performed unlawfully,
he commanded him to accomplish two more.
11. The golden apples of the Hesperides.
12. Cerberus.
The most dangerous labor of all was the
twelfth and final one. Eurystheus ordered
Hercules to go to the Underworld and
kidnap the beast called Cerberus . The
ancient Greeks believed that after a
person died, his or her spirit went to the
world below and dwelled for eternity in
the depths of the earth.
The Underworld was the kingdom of
Hades, also called Pluto, and his wife,
Persephone. Depending on how a person
lived his or her life, they might or might not
experience never-ending punishment in
Hades. All souls, whether good or bad,
were destined for the kingdom of Hades.
T
Heracles, previous to setting out on his
expedition, was initiated by Eumolpus in
the Eleusinian mysteries, in order to purify
him from the murder of the Centaurs.
Accompanied by Hermes and Athena,
Heracles descended into Hades, near
Cape Taenarum, in Laconia.
Diros Caves,Laconia.
The entrance to underworld
On his arrival most of the shades fled
before him, and he found only
Meleager and Medusa, with whom he
intended to fight; but, on the command
of Hermes, he left them in peace. Near
the gates of Hades he met Theseus
and Peirithous, who stretched their
arms imploringly towards him. He
delivered Theseus, but, when he
attempted to do the same for
Peirithous, the earth began to tremble.
After having rolled the stone from
Ascalaphus, he killed one of the oxen
of Hades, in order to give the shades
the blood to drink, and fought with
Menoetius, the herdsman. Upon this,
he asked Pluto permission to take
Cerberus, and the request was
granted, on condition of its being done
without force of arms.
Cerberus was the gigantic hound which guarded the gates of Hades. He was posted to
prevent ghosts of the dead from leaving the underworld. It was described as a three-
headed dog with a serpent's tail, a mane of snakes, and a lion's claws. Some say he had
fifty heads, though this number might have included the heads of his serpentine mane.
This was accomplished,
for Heracles found
Cerberus on the Acheron,
and, notwithstanding the
bites of the dragon, he
took the monster, The
place where he appeared
with Cerberus is not the
same in all traditions, for
some say that it was at
Taenarum, others at
Hermione, or Coroneia,
and others again at
Heracleia.
Heraclea Pontica ( Ἡράκλεια Ποντική ) was an ancient city
on the coast of Bithynia in Asia Minor, at the mouth of the
river Lycus. It was founded by the Greek city-state of
Megara in approximately 560–558.
It was named after Heracles whom the Greeks believed entered the
underworld at a cave on the adjoining Archerusian promontory
(Cape Baba). The site is now the location of the modern city
Karadeniz Ereğli, in the Zonguldak Province of Turkey.
When Cerberus appeared in the
upper world, it is said that, unable to
bear the light, he spit, and thus called
forth the poisonous plant called
aconitum. After having shown the
monster to Eurystheus, Heracles took
it back to the lower world.
Hercules and Kerberos
Musée du Louvre
Sebastiano Conca, Hercules Crowned by Fame
In ancient Greek Archaic and Classical art Hercules is often depicted carrying a knotted
club, a quiver full of arrows, and wearing a lion’s pelt with sometimes also a lion’s head
helmet. He is usually bearded (until the late 5th and 4th centuries BCE when he is more
often depicted beardless) and has very large eyes.
Representation in art
Glykon, reproduced from the original by Lysippos c. 216 AD (4th century BCE for original)
Location Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples
The earliest complete depiction of Hercules’ twelve labours is from the metopes of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (completed in 457 BCE).
In Greek Classical comic plays he is often somewhat parodied as a partyreveller.
"Phlyax" scene (Zeus as
Amphitryo) — (source:
Vatican Museum). Aestas
painted a scene from a
phlyax farce: Zeus
carries a ladder in an
attempt to visit one of his
loves. The scene on this
vase probably represents
Zeus visit to Alkmene,
wife of Amphitrion, who
appears at a window.
Hermes holds up a lamp
at the right.
On Greek coins (notably 5th century BCE Theban ones) the infant Hercules strangling two snakes was a
frequent design.
BOEOTIA. Thebes (c.425-395 B.C.), Silver
Stater, 11.80g. infant Herakles.
Hercules was particularly esteemed
in Athens, which is reflected in his
frequent depiction on Attic black-
and red-figure pottery in a multitude
of mythological scenes, but his
presence on pottery from all over
Greece is evidence of his popularity.
Heracles & the Nemean Lion, Athenian
red-figure stamnos C5th B.C., University
of Pennsylvania Museum
Heracles & the Hind, Athenian
black-figure
amphora C6th B.C., British
Museum
the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar in Spain, they are the farthermost limits reached by Heracles.
The Pillars of hercules
Hercules in coats of arms
Andalucía Cádiz
Hercules in coats of arms
España Melilla
Heracles in films and tv series
Arnold Schwarzenegger Steven Reeves
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Heracles gives name to many gyms