Heracles

Heracles: Assignment for 8-24

Biography part II; Dodekathlos and Padilla 18-33

Biography part II, and Padilla:

Padilla lists four main areas of tension about Heracles’ life see esp. p. 20):

1. human-god and human-beast
2. culture hero & culture villain
3. friend and enemy (to other men, to women)
4. nature, character, style (old vs. young, wise vs. stupid, comic vs. tragic, etc.)

Reconsider what we have seen on the Biography episode so far, in the light of these categories.  Do any incidents stand out as particularly illustrative of these tensions?

Dodekathlos:

Padilla discusses the Dodekathlos on pages 2-3.  Review this section and read the footnotes carefully.  Some ideas for discussion:

• why 12 Labors (as opposed to any other number)? 
• when did the dodekathlos come together?  What’s our evidence for this timeframe?
• what sets the 12 Labors apart from other deeds of Heracles (parerga, praxeis)?
• are there thematic elements binding together the 12 Labors?

Padilla

Padilla (pp. 18-33) talks about some diverse elements of Heracles’ character and function.  Do these tensions show up in his Labors in particular?  (To facilitate class discussion, choose one or two of Padilla’s 4 areas, then consider the Labors in that light.)

How effective a presentation of the Labors in Perseus’ Heracles page?  What audience is it most useful for?  Are there elements that we should incorporate into our page?  How should we approach the Labors when we describe them for our intended audience?