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| − | See also [[Herakles Ideological Analysis]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[Herakles]] |
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| − | One hero stands both literally and metaphorically head and shoulders above all the others: Herakles (Hercules in Latin). Yet he can be a difficult character to pin down: he certainly lives up to his stereotyped image as a mighty performer of astonishing feats, yet he can also appear at the heart of Greek tragedies, take the stage as a gluttonous comic buffoon or be a philosophical role model. His heroism finally wins him the ultimate prize, since his accomplishments lead to immortality.
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| − | ==Herakles - Before the Labours==
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| − | [[author::Apollodoros]] relates a strange chronology and geneology. During the reign of the King of [[place::Mycenae]], [[character::Elektryon]] the six sons of [[character::Pterelaos]] claimed the nearby kingdon of [[place::Tiryns]]. [[character::Likymnios]] was the sole surviving son of Elektryon who swore revenge on the sons and entrusted his daughter [[character::Alkmena]] and his kingdom to [[Amphitryon]]. He died and his brother [[character::Sthenelos]] used the pretext to take over the throne and banish Amphitryon who took refuge with Alkmena and Likynnios with [[character::Kreon]] at [[place::Thebes]].
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| − | After ridding Thebes of a giant Vixen, Amphitryon sails to [[place::Taphos]] to ravage them. But [[character::Poseidon]] had made Pterelaos immortal by putting gold in his hair and while he was alive Taphos could not be taken. His daughter [[character::Komaitho]] falls in love with Amphitryon and takes out her father's golden hair and he dies. Despite her help Amphitryon executes her for treason.
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| − | Before Amphitryon returns, [[character::Zeus]] assumes the likeness of Amphitryon and sleeps with Alkmena. When Amphitryon actually returns there is confusion and [[character::Teiresias]] has to reveal the truth. Twon sons are born of Alkmena. [[character::Iphikles]] by Amphitryon and Herakles by Zeus. Zeus declared that this decendent of [[character::Perseus]] would reign over Mycenae. This irritaed [[character::Hera]] who tied to postpone the birth and persuaded [[character::Eileityiai]],the goddess of childbirth to bring forward the birth Sthenelos' son [[character::Eurystheus]]
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| − | Herakles first major event was when he strangled tow serpents aged one. Later when [[character::Linos]] brother of [[character::Orpheus]] chastised Herakles, he killed him with his lyre. At 18 he was nearly 7 foor tall.
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| − | ==Feats of Herakles==
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| − | He slays the lion of [[place::Kithairon]] 9his attributes include him wearing lionskin) and a thankful [[character::Thespios]] King of [[place::Thespiai]] and wife [[character::Megamede]] gives him 50 daughters on 50 nights (though he thinks its the same daughter every night). These daughters have sons.
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| − | At this time there is an event called the '''Choice of Herakles''' At a road junction he is met by ''vice'' who offers him an easy path of pleasure, and ''virtue'' who offers him a hard road of duty. He chooses the path of virtue.
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| − | On his way back he cuts the noses, hands and ears of heralds belonging to [[character::Erginos]]. He is incensed, marches on Thebes but Herakles kills him with a weapon given to him by [[character::Athena]]. As a reward Kreon gives him his daughter [[character::Megara]] and his given a sword by [[character::Hermes]], bows and arrows by [[character::Apollo]] and a cloak from Athena.
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| − | Hera is still angry and drives Herakles mad and he throws Megara's children and others into a fire. He recovers his sanity and see the [[Delphic Oracle]]. Up until now he had been called Alkaios. The Oracle renames him Herakles (Hera's Glory) and told him to go to Tiryns and serve his uncle [[character::Eurystheus]] for 12 years and perform labours. For this he will become immortal.
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| − | ==The Labours of Herakles==
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| − | The twelve labours are the accepted number although [[author::Pausanias]] had 11 possibly after he visits and sees the labours depicted at the temple of Zeus in [[place::Olympia]]. he leaves out [[character::Kerebos]]. We see Herakles transform from a freash faced young man to a mature hero, often helped by Athena. The labours do come in any definitive order.
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| − | The first 6 take place in the [[place::Pelopennese]]
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| − | *1. Killing the Nemean lion. After this Eurystheus is so frighened he forebades Herakles from entering Mycenae and communicate through [[character::Kopreus]]
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| − | *2. Killing the Hydra of [[place::Lerna]]. This was a progeny of [[character::Typheous]] and [[character::Ekhidna]]. This labour is disqualified becuase he got help from [[character::Iolaos]]
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| − | *3. Killing the Kerynitian hind. This was sacred to [[character::Artemis]]. After killing it he runs into Artemis, Athena and Apollo and persuades them to keep it
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| − | *4. [[The Labours of Herakles#Capturing the Erymanthian boar|Capturing the Erymanthian boar]]
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| − | *5. [[The Labours of Herakles#Cleaning the stables of Augeias|Cleaning the stables of Augeias]]
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| − | *6. Chasing away the Stymphalian birds by using a bronze rattle
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| − | The next two on the outskirts of the Greek world
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| − | *7. [[The Labours of Herakles#Capturing the Cretan bull|Capturing the Cretan bull]]
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| − | *8. [[The Labours of Herakles#Fetching the man eating horse from Thrace|Fetching the man eating horse from Thrace]]
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| − | The final four are at the ends of the world
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| − | *9. [[The Labours of Herakles#Getting the belt of Hippolyte|Getting the belt of Hippolyte]]
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| − | *10. Stealing the cattle of the tribodied Greyon
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| − | *11. [[The Labours of Herakles#Fetching the golden apples of Hesperides|Fetching the golden apples of Hesperides]]
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| − | *12. [[The Labours of Herakles#Bring the Kerebos from Hades|Bring the Kerberos from Hades]]
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| − | ===Capturing the Erymanthian boar===
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| − | On his way he meets friendly Centaur [[character::Pholos]] who gives him meat and wine from [[character::Dionysos]]. The smell attracts other Centaurs. Herakles fights them off and they seek refuse with another friendly centaur [[character::Kheiron]]. Herakles accidentally shoots him and Kheiron goes away to die but he is immortal until [[character::Prometheus]] offers to become immortal in his place. Pholos dies as well as he accidentally extracted a poison arrow that falls on his foor.
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| − | ===Cleaning the stables of Augeias===
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| − | Herakles agrees to clean the stables of the Argonaut [[character::Augeias]] in return for 10% of his cattle. Later when Augeias hears that he was doing this labour for Eurystheus he refuses to pay up. When Eurystheus hears that Herakles did the labour for hire he refuses to accept it. This is why the two disqualifications make it the 12 labours of Herakles
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| − | ===Capturing the Cretan bull===
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| − | [[character::Minos]] promised to sacrifice a bull to help his claim of kingship. He substituted the bull because it was beautiful. Poseidon made his wife [[character::Pasiphae]] fall in love with it and it became father to the [[character::Minotaur]]. Posiedon made the bull feral, whereapon Herakles captures it. Eurystheus lets it go and harried the population until [[character::Theseus]] kills it.
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| − | ===Fetching the man eating horse from Thrace===
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| − | He goes north to [[place::Thrace]] where the Bistones own some man-eatig mares. Herakles overpowers the grooms and drives the Mares of [[character::Diomedes]] into the sea and left them in the care of Abderos. However, while Heracles was away, the horses devoured Abderus. In revenge, Heracles fed Diomedes alive to his own mares
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| − | ===Getting the belt of [[character::Hippolyte]]===
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| − | Herakles sails to the Amazon land and sets down at [[[place::Thermiskyra]]. Hippolyte had been given the belt by [[character::Ares]] and promised him the belt. Hera assumed the likeness of an Amazon and spread rumours that Hippolyte would be abducted. The Amazons attacked and suspecting treachery kills Hippolyte, takes the belt and sails away to [[place::Troy]].
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| − | Troy was built by Poseidon and Apollo and helped by the mortal [[character::Aiakos]]. Troy was destined to be captured so having a mortal build it would not make it impregnable. King [[character::Laomedon]] refused to pay and Apollo sent a plague and Poseidon a sea monster. Laomedon now had to expose his daughter [[character::Hesione]]on the rocks to the sea monster as a remedy. (much like [[character::Perseus]] and [[character::Andromeda]] story )). Herakles saves the daughter and kills the monster.
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| − | ===Fetching the golden apples of [[place::Hesperides]]===
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| − | On his way he shoots an arrow at the eagle that eagle that ha sbeen devouring Prometheus' liver for 30,000 years. Prometheus was freed in return for revealing the secret that [[character::Thetis]] would bear Zeus a son greater than him. he abandons her and she later marries [[character::Peleus]] father of [[character::Akhilleus]].
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| − | Prometheus advised Herakles to get [[character::Atlas]] to get the apples while he holds up the sky for him. Atlas agrees and then decides he no longer wants to hold up the sky and takes the apples for himself. Herakles agrees and asks Atlas to hold the sky once more while he outs a cushion on his head. This is a trick. He picks up the apples and walks off. Herakles gives the apples to Eurystheus who gives them back to Herakles who passes them to Athena, who in turn returns them to the Hesperides.
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| − | ===Bring the Kerebos from [[place::Hades]]===
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| − | The Kerberos was an offspring of Typhoeus and Ekhidna. Here Herakles came across Thesues and [[character::Peirithoos]] who tried to free [[character::Persephone]] daughter of Zeus and [[character::Demeter]]. After freeing Theseus he asks Hades for the dog who says he can have him if he can wrestle him into submission, which he does.
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| − | See also [[Capturing the Kerberos from an Ideological and Comparatist Perspective]]
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| − | ==After the Labours==
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| − | Herakles give his wife to his companion and nephew [[character::Iolaos]] and was attracted to [[character::Iole]] daughter of [[character::Eurytos]] prince of [[place::Oikhalia]]. He gives his daugher away in an archery contyect that Herakles wins but fearing a repeat of what happened with Megara and his children he refuses to hand her over. In revenge Hearkles throws his son [[character::Iphitos]] over the walls of [[place::Tiryns]].
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| − | Herakles seeks purification for this from [[character::Neleus]] King of [[place::Pylos]]. He refuses being a friend of Eurytos. He gets a disaease and goes to the [[Delphic Oracle]]. Not getting a response he takes the sacred tripod that Apollo needs to wrestle from him. The Oracle then decides he should be sold into slavery
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| − | [[character::Hermes]] sells him to [[character::Omphale]] Queen of [[place::Lydia]] to rid her of trouble makers
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| − | *1. He catches the two [[character::Kerkopes]] brothers but releases them
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| − | *2. Slays a massive snake
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| − | *3. Defeats her enemies ay [[place::Itonoi]]
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| − | *4. Kills [[character::Syleus]] with his own hoe as well as her daughter [[character::Xenodike]]
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| − | On the island of [[place::Ikaria|Dolikhe]] he finds the body of [[character::Ikaros]] buries him and renames the island [[place::Ikaria]] and sails with the Argonauts. He falls in love with Omphale and she bears him a son [[character::Agelos]] and she releases him.
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| − | Free he goes to [[place::Troy]] with [[character::Telamon]] to fight [[character::Laomedon]] and gives his daughter [[character::Hesione]] to Telamon as a prize. Hesione is allowed to release a prisoner and choose [[character::Priam|Podarkes]] who is renamed Priam.
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| − | Herakles moves to [[place::Phlegrai]] in Thrace and helps the Gods defeat the Giants in the Gigantomachy. After that he goes to Augeias for payment for cleaning the stables. Augeias is helped by Eurytos and [[character::Kteatos]], sons of Poseidon by [[character::Molione]] (siamese twins). They kill [[character::Iphikles]] but Herakles kills the twins and then kills Augeias and his sons.
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| − | Next he attacks and kills Neleus for refusing to purify him and slays his shape chnaging son [[character::Peroklymenos]]. [[Character::Nestor]] escapes being elsewhere at the time. Herakles wounds [[character::Zeus]], Hades and Hera.
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| − | Then he has revenge on [[character::Hippokoon]] at [[place::Sparta]]. He recruits [[character::Kepheus]] and his sons at [[place::Arkadia]]. They win but Kepheus dies along with Herakles' brother [[Iphikles]] according to one tradition.
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| − | Is he now entertained [[character:King Aleus]] where he rapes his daughter [[character::Auge]]. The [[Delphic Oracle]] warned Aleus that he would be killed by his son. Finding that Auge was pregnant he had [[character::Nauplios]] down her but on their way to do that she gave birth to [[character::Telephos]] and he sold her instead to King Teuthras who married her and adopted Telephos.
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| − | Herakles moved on to [[place::Kalydon]] and courted [[character::Deianeira]] daughter [[character::Oineus]]and wrestled the shape changing [[character::Akeloos]] and married Deianeira.. He is immediately unfaithful with [[character::Phylas]]'s daughter and father's [[character::Tlepolemos]] and accidentally kills Oineus.
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| − | He goes into exile and at the River Euenos he meets the centaur [[character::Nessos]] and entrusts Deianeira to him. He tries to rape her and Herakles shoots him with posioned arrow from the bllod of the Hydra. As he dies he presents his blood soaked cloak to Deianeira saving it will server to excite the love of her husband.
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| − | Finally, Herakles raises a force to claim his bride prize Iole from Eurytos. Herakles demise his now taken up in [[author::Sophokles]]' tragedy '''The Women of Trakhis'''. Deineira discovers Iole and thinking the cloak was a love potion gives it to Herakles. The venom attacks his skin and tears it off. Unconsolable Deianeira kills herself. Meanwhile Herakles builds himself a pyre and climbs on to it and it is lit by [[character::Philoktetes]]. He is taklen up to [[place::Olympus]] and is reconciled with Hera and marries her daugher [[character::Hebe]]
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| − | [[Category:Greek Mythology]]
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