Ancient Authors
Who Wrote about Herakles
Apollodorus
(Mythographer, 180-120 BCE?)
The Library is a collection of stories from mythology, and the most
complete primary source for any research.
Little is known about the author, but Apollodorus’ name continues to be
matched with the work.
Apollodorus has a good account of each of Herakles labors performed for
King Eurystheus and each of his other feats.
Apollodorus also covers the basic and some more complex versions of the
immortals in Greek mythology as they interact with each other and with our hero.
From the beginning of the world and the first beings to the death of
Ulysses, this book gives a very detailed description.
I highly recommend the book to anyone who is researching mythology and
would like a good start to any topic of choice. (AH)
Apollonius
Rhodius (Epic Poet, 3rd century BCE)
Apollonius spent the earlier part of his life in Alexandria working as a
librarian. He was the pupil and friend of Callimachus, a popular Greek poet.
Eventually, Apollonius moved to Rhodes at which time he wrote a second version
to his epic ‘Argonautica.’ Little else is known about the personal life of
Apollonius except for the fact that his friendship with Callimachus ended after
a bitter dispute. ‘Argonautica’ is the only major work of Apollonius that
has survived. The ‘Argonautica’ is unique work in that it was an epic
written at a time in which the epic had lost much of its appeal with Greek
society. However, the ‘Argonautica’ is different from most epics in that it
contains fewer lines and presents a different type of hero (Jason) from that of
other epics. The ‘Argonautica’ is made up of four books. However, Herakles
only appears in the first book. Herakles and Orpheus are put in charge of two
groups making up the crew of the ‘Argonautica.’ However, Herakles was left
behind at the island of the Mysians. It
was necessary for Apollonius to leave Herakles out of the remainder of the story
because it would have defeated the purpose of making the voyage of Jason a test
of his courage had Herakles remained. (CMD)
Aristophanes
(Comic Playwright, 450-385 BCE).
Aristophanes wrote the play, The Frogs, during the last year of the war
between Sparta and Athens.
There are political insights hidden within the play and Aristophanes uses
comedy to express them.
He expresses freedom of speech and dares to say things that a few years
earlier the same people that were listening had killed Socrates for the same
thing.
But, Aristophanes takes two very similar characters that were well known
to the ancient world, Dionysus and Herakles, and made people laugh at them but
also made them think.
Such as, why does Dionysus borrow Herakles’ clothes on his journey?
Is he saying that other people use the strength of others to hide behind?
Or is he trying to say that people are ignorant and that they probably
would not notice the difference? (AH)
Diodorus Siculus (Historian,
c. 90 BCE)
Diodorus lived in Agyrium, Sicily. He spent a good part of his life writing a
collection of history books entitled Bibliotheke (“The Library”).
Bibliotheke was made up of forty books that covered the history of the world
from the time of creation up until the present. The first part of this anthology
dealt with mythology. In addition to Greek myths, Diodorus also included the
myths of other civilizations as well. Diodorus attempted to explain the myths of
Herakles as events that actually occurred in the past. Diodorus presents
rational accounts of the events that occurred in Herakles’ life. (CMD)
Euripides
(Playwright, fifth century BCE)
Euripides was born on Salamis Island in 480 BCE. He
is known as a "philosopher of the stage." Euripides
was a prolific writer. He started
writing at age eighteen and composed anywhere between eighty and ninety plays,
but unfortunately only nineteen have survived.
He is often described as gloomy, thoughtful, and a hater of both laughter
and women. Scholars gather these
characteristics by examining his plays. His
fame was acquired toward the end of his life when he won a small number of
tragic awards. Among his surviving
plays are Herakles (portraying Herakles’ madness and murder of his
family, and his internal battle afterwards); Alcestis (in which Herakles
rescues Alcestis from death), and The Children of Herakles (only
Herakles’ children appear, not Herakles himself).
(HC)
Lucretius
(Philosopher, c. 99 - 55 BCE)
Titus Lucretius Carus was a Roman poet and philosopher. Not much is known about him. It is
believed that he lived the life of a recluse. It is also believed that he
committed suicide. During his life Lucretius wrote several books the best known
of which is ‘De rerum natura’ (On the Nature of Things).
The book is divided
into six parts. The book was intended to present the beliefs and views of
Democritus and Epicurus to those who were unfamiliar with the two philosophers.
It is worth noting that Lucretius believed that religion was a source of evil
and misery. Lucretius writes very little about Herakles but what he does write
is interesting. Lucretius believed that Herakles was not worthy of the praise
and admiration he received from the Romans. The deeds of Herakles did little in
making the world a better place for people. Lucretius believed that it was the
great thinkers who deserved praise rather than Herakles. Philosophers were
primarily responsible for improving the human condition. (CMD)
Ovid
(Poet, 43BCE-14CE)
Publius Ovidius Naso was born on March 20, 43 BC, in Sulmo, just 90 miles from
Rome, to a well-off family.
He was educated in Rome in public speaking and trained to become a
government official.
Ovid was never very enthusiastic about this career and when his older
brother died, Ovid quit his position and began reciting poetry in the streets of
Rome. He
became immensely popular in his own time and many of his subjects relate to
today’s reader.
Some of the issues he discussed included love, sex, friendship,
relationships between man and gods, the individual and state, art and life,
words and things.
Ovid had a fascination with the human condition and psyche and many of
his words dealt with these themes.
Ovid’s
first writings were entitled, Amores.
This was a collection of love poetry and was followed by Heroides, which
was written form the perspective of women writing to their lovers.
Ovid followed this work with Ars Amatoria, a collection of advice for
young men on where to meet women, how to capture them, and how to keep them.
Other works included Medicamina Faciei, which instructs women on how to
maintain beauty.
The Remedia was a collection of stories telling how victims of love were
able to escape their predicaments.
Perhaps
Ovid’s most popular work is The Metamorphoses.
This was a collection of over 250 stories based on Greek mythology, Roman
legend and Roman history.
For the first time in Roman literature, Ovid applied the technique of
telling stories within stories allowing for a complex narrative.
In
8 AD, Ovid was banished from Rome by Augustus.
He was sent to Tomis, modern Romania.
Many of Ovid’s books were removed form the libraries.
The possible reason for this banishment is due to Ovid’s continual
writing about love and sexuality.
Augustus wished to return Rome to a state of chastity, fidelity, sobriety
and piety. Ovid’s
books interfered with this and thus the author and his books were banished.
Ovid continued to write during this time and died in 14 AD.
A
few of Ovid’s writings dealt with the Hercules myth in some form or another.
Within The Metamorphoses, Ovid “presents a number of events from
Hercules’ life-among them his birth, his famous ‘labors,’ and his death
and apotheosis” (Mack).
Ovid continually uses Hercules’ labors to create intricate stories,
explaining certain events in other stories through allusions to Hercules’
labors. One
of the other connections Ovid makes to Hercules is by having one of the letters
in the Heroides be from Deianeira, Hercules’ second wife.
This gives insight to the way Deianeira felt while Hercules was gone for
so long. (RLC)
Mack,
Sara (1988). Ovid. New Haven & London: Yale University Press
Pindar
Pindar
(ca. 518-438 BC) wrote poems dedicated to victors in athletic games.
Greek Mythology Link Works by Pindar include: Isthmian Odes, Nemean
Odes, Olympian Odes, and Pythian Odes. All
are provided by the Perseus Project. Some
sources, such as The
Columbia Encyclopedia, say that Pindar’s odes were to be sung to the
victors on their return home. Pindar
frequently mentions Herakles in his victory odes as a model for human behavior
and experience. For further
information, see the Pindar web
page dedicated to Pindar. (MB)
Vergil
(Epic poet, 70-19 BCE)
Vergil was born
near Mantua in 70 BCE. His full name is Publius Vergilius Maro. His early life on
his father’s farm was central to his educational development. Vergil spent
several of his works describing rural farm life both in an idealized sense and
in a realistic sense.
Various Works by Ancient Authors
Euripides,
The Madness of Herakles.
In David R. Slavitt and Palmer Bovie (1999). Euripides, 4.
University of Pennsylvania Press.
This tragedy portrays the killings of Megara and her children by Herakles.
Euripides gives us
great insight on the trials and hardships of the hero as he goes insane
and kills his own children, only to come back to his senses and not know who had
performed the horrible deed.
The main theme, good vs. evil, is portrayed in this literature.
Euripides shows it as a never-ending battle, for when Herakles finally
seems to win, the evil forces strike back.
This play also has good
material if one is studying the relationship between Herakles and Hera,
for she sends Madness to consume his mind and forces him to kill his children.
(AH)
Euripides,
The
Children of Herakles.
In David R. Slavitt and Palmer Bovie (1999). Euripides, 4.
University of Pennsylvania Press.
This play tells about the journey of Alcmene, Iolaus, and the children of
Herakles as they flee to Athens in hopes of finding sanctuary from the king of Argos.
Eurystheus, king of Argos fears that the children of Herakles will avenge their father
and kill him. Upon learning that the only way to secure the Athenian army’s success was the offering of a virgin girl
nobly-born, Makaria, daughter of Herakles volunteered to sacrifice herself to
Demeter to save her brothers. The play tells of the courage of Hyllus, oldest son of
Herakles, who comes to protect Athens as the army of King Eurystheus approaches,
and describes Iolaus’ rejuvenation on the battlefield which enabled him to capture King Eurystheus. It was
said that two stars came down to Iolaus’ chariot, and materialized in each star
were Herakles and Hebe. The captured Eurystheus is presented to Alcmene who
sends him off to his death. Athens' devotion to Herakles is seen throughout the play, starting with
the Athenians' willingness to protect his children. Many lines are dedicated to describing the courageous acts of
Herakles’ children. Euripides also displays the importance of the two main women in the play. Makaria and Alcmene come up with the solutions to both of the
play's dilemmas. First dilemma: Athens wouldn’t be victorious unless there was a sacrifice, so Makaria sacrifices herself. Second
dilemma: when Eurystheus was captured, Athens didn’t know what to do with him,
so Alcmene suggests a ruthless solution which pleases Athens. (CW)
Hesiod,
The Shield of Herakles
Synopsis: The
Shield of Heracles is a 480 line epic poem attributed to Hesiod, though
most scholars believe it was composed later than Hesiod’s other works.
It tells the story of Heracles’ battle with Cycnus, who challenged
Heracles to combat as Heracles was passing near Itonus.
Cycnus was assisted in battle by his father Ares, the god of war.
Central to the narrative is the description of Heracles’ armor and
weapons, notably the remarkable shield which was made for him by Hephaestus.
Putting on the armor: After
this talk, Heracles puts on his armor. He
puts on bronze leg greaves made by Hephaestus, a golden breastplate given to him
by Pallas Athena when he was first sent out on his labors.
He also put on his shoulders the steel that “saves men from doom”.
He slung a quiver across his back. He
had a sharp spear and a bronze helmet.
The Shield: He also picked up a
bronze shield which shimmered with enamel and ivory and electrum and glowed with
shining gold. There were bands of
deep blue. Fear was portrayed in
the middle of the shield with glowing eyes, and Strife hovering on his brow.
Pursuit, Flight, Tumult, Panic, Slaughter, Uproar and Fate were also
depicted in various poses. The twelve headed snake was also on the shield (This may be a
representation of the hydra though it is unclear whether this description is
before or after the labors took place.) Boars
and lions were in a faceoff on the shield, but between the two sides were two
boars that had been slain by a lion, possibly representative o the Nemean Lion
of the first labor.
View of Heracles in Hesiod’s work
Heracles’ birth: (First
reference to Amphitryon/Alcmene story)Alkmene, Heacles mother is portrayed as a
women who rivals Aphrodite in beauty and womanly charms.
She is also portrayed as beng neat-ankles or fair-ankled.
It is also known that Zeus and Amphitryon slept with Alkmene on the same
night, each conceiving a son. Heracles
was born of Zeus and Iphicles was born of Amphitryon.
Heracles and Iolaus:
Battle with Cycnus: Heracles
killed Cycnus, the son of Ares. Later
it is pointed out that Cycnus desires to kill the warlike son of Zeus.
Phoebus Apollo would hear none of this because he was the one who put
Heracles up to the task of going against Ares and his son. (HC, RLC, RC)
Sophocles,
Women of Trachis.
Sophocles’ play is about the accidental murder of Herakles by his wife
Deianira. The play starts in front of the house of Heracles and Deianira.
Deianira, the wife of Herakles, is very distraught over her husband’s absence.
She worries that Herakles is in great danger or is already dead, so with the
suggestion from her nurse, she sends her son Hyllus out to find him. Finally
news is sent to her that Herakles is alive and on his way home. Before his
return Lichas, his herald, brought before Deianira the captive women of
Oechalia, which included the young Iole for whom Herakles felt great desire.
Lichas tells Deianira of Herakles’ servitude to Queen Omphale and how he
sacked the city of Eurytus because Eurytus was the reason why Herakles was sold
to Omphale. So Deianira welcomes the captive women into her home; however,
before she enters her house the messenger pulls her aside and tells her the
truth. He tells her that it was out of love for Iole that Herakles destroyed the
city. Upon hearing this she remembers the blood of Nessus, a centaur. He gave
this blood to her after Herakles had shot him in the chest with an arrow and
told Deianira that his blood would place a charm over Herakles’ heart so that
he would never look at another women again. So, believing this, she
dipped a robe into the blood and sent it with Lichas as a gift to Herakles.
However, after his departure she realizes that the blood was evil and worries
that she did the wrong thing in sending the robe. Shortly afterward, Hyllus
returns to tell her what she feared, she had killed her husband. With great
despair Deianira takes her own life. When Herales returns to the house being
carried in a litter he cries out in pain and anger to see his treacherous wife
who has brought such torture on him. After he hears the truth from Hyllus about
the blood of Nessus he asks Hyllus to set his body on fire on Mount Oeta and
tells him that he must take Iole to be his wife. Throughout the play you see the
devotion Deianira had for her husband. Proof is given of Herakles’ lust for
women. Many lines are devoted to describing the many emotions of Deianira,
Hyllus and of Herakles himself. Good source for character descriptions for those
three main characters. (CW)
Some Helpful Links
for Ancient Authors: (JR)
For a more complete list of ancient authors who wrote about mythology (though without specific reference to Herakles) see the Greek Mythology Link