Ovid’s Transitions• Theseus, returning from Calydon (the boar hunt) is given

shelter by Achelous, a river god, and stories are told about gods’ power. First by an older member of Theseus’ group, Lelex.

• Lelex’ tale: Baucis and Philemon• Achelous’ tales: Erysichthon and the Duel for Deianira

who married Heracles• Tales of Heracles, Nessus, and Deianira—and the death

of Heracles, Alcmena, H’s mother mourns…• Alcmena’s tale of Heracles’ birth, Alcmena is comforted

by Iole…• Iole’s tale of Dryope…the gods discuss fate…• Tales of Caunus and Byblis, Iphis and Ianthe, and

Orpheus and Eurydice

Baucis and Philemon

View the story on film from a Myth and Media class at the University of Richmond:

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/classics/baucis-philemon/

Baucis and Philemon host Jupiter and Mercury (Baucis tries to catch the goose for cooking.)

1739

The Flood – Baucis and Philemon saved on right.

-Rubens, 1620

Baucis

Photographic conceptions of Baucis and Philemon

Erysichthon cuts Ceres’ Tree

Famine touches Erysichthon who sells his daughter for food.

Hercules (Heracles)

His signature weapon is the club. His signature wear is the lion’s skin.

Great Grandson of Perseus!

• Perseus’ son was Electryon, King of Mycenae• Electryon’s daughter, Alcmena married a

Theban, Amphitryon• Alcmena had twins-

Heracles, son of Zeus

Iphicles, son of Amphitryon• Amphitryon killed his father-in-law by accident

and his family was driven out of Argos.

Patterns of Hercules’ story• Miraculous birth/childhood• Disinheritance of rights to throne of

Mycenae• Trials/Tribulations (Hera is mortal enemy-

snakes sent to his cradle),

especially sin and expiation• Conquers death by trip to underworld

(also Theseus, Orpheus, Odysseus)• Generally civilizing actions – slaying

monsters and bringing peace to lands• He is also a person of excess—women,

drink, food• After death, Hercules is deified (unique!)

Jupiter, disguised as Amphitryon, Alcmena’s husband, “comes home from the war” to sleep with Alcmena.

When Alcmena was ready to give birth, Juno told Lucina, goddess of childbirth, to keep her legs crossed and prevent Hercules from being born. One of Alcmena’s maids, Galanthis, tricked Lucina by announcing the birth prematurely—Lucina leaped up and the hero was born.

As punishment for her loyalty to Alcmena, the goddess Lucina turned Galanthis into a weasel.

Hercules in his crib strangling snakes sent by Juno.

1st sin

• Hercules killed Linus, his music teacher

• Sent into exile in pastures of Mt. Cithaeron

• There he killed a lion and slept with all 50 daughters of King Thespius

Megara, first wife –2nd sin

• Hera/Juno sent madness on Hercules and he killed Megara and their three children

• Hercules went to Apollo’s oracle at Delphi to ask what he could do for expiation

• The oracle at Delphi instructed him to go to Tiryns and serve his cousin Eurystheus for twelve ‘labors’. Hercules was promised a life of toil and trouble, but immortality at the end.

Twelve Labors set by Eurystheusall on Peloponnesus

• 1. Killed the Nemean Lion, gaining lion skin and the club which become his trademark

• 2. Killed the Lernean Hydra and dipped his arrows in its poisoned blood

• 3. Caught the Cerynean Stag, sacred to Artemis, after a year’s pursuit

• 4. Netted the Erymantian Boar and brought it back to Eurystheus

• 5. Augean Stables – vast herds of cattle owned by Augeas, but his stables had never been cleaned. Hercules diverted a river.

• 6. Stymphalian Birds who shot their feathers like arrows.

Peloponnesus

Hercules at the Augean stables

Hercules presenting the Eurymantian boar to Eurystheus

Greek stamp showing Hercules killing Stymphalian birds.

Last 6 Labors passing East to West

• 7. Cretan Bull – great bull of Crete returned by Hercules to mainland Greece and let go. Theseus later killed it.

• 8. Mares of Diomedes – in Thrace, man-eating mares. Hercules fed Diomedes to them.

• 9. Girdle of Hippolyta – in northern Greece, Hercules fought with the Amazon, Hippolyta

• 10. Cattle of Geryon – far west, Kingdom of the dead. Geryon was a triple-bodied monster. Hercules got to him by riding in the cup of the sun.

• 11. Apples of Hesperides – Far, far west. Golden apples of the ‘tree of life’, guarded by a dragon. Atlas helped Hercules and fetched the apples while Hercules held up the heavens.

• 12. Theft of Cerberus from Hades – on trip to the Underworld he was helped by Hermes and Athena

Hercules presenting Cerberus to his cousin Eurystheus, who’s hiding in a vat.

Extent of Hercules’ travels during the last of his labors.

Last three Labors involve symbolic conquering of Death.

• After his service was over, he wooed Deianira, and fought Achelous for her (told in Ovid).

Achelous’ horn became the ‘Horn of Plenty’ (Cornucopia)

Naiads comfort Achelous on the loss of his horn.

After winning his bride, he was returning to Thebes when they

encountered Nessus, the centaur who tried to rape Deianira (told in Ovid).

Hercules killed Nessus with his poisoned arrows, but Nessus told Deianira that his blood would serve her as a love potion in case Hercules ever stopped loving her.

Representations of Nessus’ attempt to rape Deianira and Hercules’ defense of his bride.

Afterwards, more trouble

• Hercules fell for Iole and in an argument, killed her brother

• To expiate the sin, he had to be sold into slavery for a year

• He was purchased by Omphale, Queen of Lydia, who had him dress as a woman while she wore the lion skin

• Afterwards, he took Iole homeHercules and the young Iole.

• Deianira, jealous of Iole, gave Hercules a robe steeped in Nessus’ blood, hoping it would make him love her again.

• Instead, it killed him – he climbed on a pyre and his mortal self was burned off in enormous pain.

• But, he became a god…and married Hebe.