Danaid ii: Heracles

Perseus = Andromeda

Heracles

Zeus = Alcmene = Amphitryon

Anaxo

Alcaeus

Electryon =

Sthenelus

Eurystheus

Iphicles

Iolaus

Heraclesat

Thebes

Young Heracles

• Hera:• Sent a sea serpent to kill the baby Heracles

• Heracles strangled the serpent

• Young Heracles:• One of his tutors, Linus, brother of Orpheus

• Heracles killed Linus (self defense)

• Sent to the cattle farm at Thebes

The Minyan War

• Clymentus, king of the Minyans

• Wounded by Menoeceus of Thebes

• His son, Erginus attacked Thebes

• Thebes lost the war, paid tribute to Erginus

• Heracles led attack on the Minyans

• Heracles gets Megara, daughter of Creon

Hera’s Wrath

• Jealous of his fame, Hera drove Heracles mad

• Heracles killed all of his children

• To be purified of the crime, Heracles must perform ten labours for Eurystheus.

• Eurystheus• Son of Sthenelus, son of Perseus.

• Now king of Mycenae

Ten (Twelve) Labours

1. The Nemean Lion• Heracles choked the Lion

• Brought it to Mycenae

• Eurystheus refused him entry

2. Lernean Hydra• Snake with nine heads, one immortal

• Cut off the heads, buried the immortal one

• Needed the help of Iolaus• So this labour didn’t count amongst the ten.

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Heracles slays the Nemean Lion

Lion’s Gate, Mycenae

Lernean Hydra

Gordian III, (AD 238 – 244)

Bronze plate ca. 1490

Gibraltar, 1998

Labours

3. Cerynitian Hind - Alive• A deer sacred to Artemis

• Heracles hunted it for a year

• Had to wound it to catch it.

4. Erymanthian Boar – Alive• Accidentally killed Cheiron on the way

• Trapped the Boar in the snow

Erymanthian Boar

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5. Clean the Stables of Augeas• Augeas, king of Elis

• Heracles tricked Augeas into shares

• Heracles diverted a river through the stables

• Didn’t count because Heracles made a profit

6. Chase the Stymphalian Birds• Heracles used castanets, or a cymbal.

7. Catch the Cretan Bull• Bull of Europa or Bull of Poseidon

• Heracles brought it to Mycenae but set it free.

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The Cretan Bull

8. Capture the Mares of Diomedes• Invasion of Thrace

• Killed the king and took the horses

• Founded Abdera

9. Steal the Belt of Hippolyte• Queen of the Amazons

• Heracles first conquered Paros

• Aided Lycia in a war

• Killed Hippolyte and took the belt of Ares

Heracles fighting the Amazons

Heracles at Troy

• Laomadon, King of Troy• Beset by a sea monster

• Hesione, daughter of Laomedon, to be sacrificed

• Heracles• Killed the monster for the horses of Tros

• Laomedon reneged

• Heracles vowed to return

Labour 10

The Kine (cattle) of Geryon• Red cows from Cadiz

• Guarded by Orthus – two headed dog

• Heracles erected the Pillars on his way

• Heracles killed Geryon and took the cattle

• The cattle eventually dispersed

Cadiz

Final Labours

11. Golden Apples of the Hesperides• Guarded on Mt. Atlas

• On his way, Heracles freed Prometheus

• Eurystheus gave the apples back to Heracles, he gave them to Athena

12. Bring Cerberus from Hades• Rescued Theseus on the way

• Wrestled the dog and brought him up

• Returned the dog afterwards

Hercules rescuing PrometheusChristian Griepenkerl

Heracles presents Cerberus

Guilt of Heracles

• Heracles gave Megara to Iolaus

• Heracles had won Iole, daughter of Eurytus in a contest:• Her father forbade the marriage

• Iphitus defended Heracles

• Heracles later killed Iphitus• Sought purification

Guilt of Heracles

• Purification:

• Delphi• Didn’t get an answer so he attacked Delphi

• Apollo attacked Heracles – Zeus intervened

• Heracles ordered to be sold as a slave and serve for three years

• Bought by Omphale, princess of Lydia

Heracles and OmphaleGiovanni Francesco Romanelli (1650s)

Heracles at Troy ii

• Sailed with 18 ships

• Besieged and captured Troy

• Laomedon killed

• Hesione given to Telamon• Hesione ransomed her brother, Podarces

• Podarces became known an Priam(the one who was ‘bought’)

Troy

Heracles and Deianira

• Married Deinaria, daughter of Oeneus

• Jealousy:

• Heracles returned to capture Iole

• Deinaria was jealous of Iole

• She poisoned Heracles and killed herself

Apotheosis of Heracles

• Heracles, ill from the poison, went to Mt. Oeta in Trachis

• Built his own pyre

• Before the body burned, a cloud took Heracles to heaven

Apotheosis of Heracleswith Athena taking him to heaven

Athena presenting Heracles to Zeus

Apotheosis of HeraclesFrancois Lemoyne (?)

The Heraclidae

• Heracles left 66 sons• After he died they fled Mycenae

• Eurystheus wanted them killed

• The Heraclidae fled to Athens

• Defeated Eurystheus in the war

• Were defeated attempting to conquer the Peloponnese

• It would be three generations before they return