Download Greek myth 3

Greek Mythology: lecture 3
HERACLES
Birth & Ancestry
Youth
Attacked by serpents in cradle
 Taught by Amphitryon (chariot), Autolycus
(wrestling), Eurytus (bow), Castor
(sword/javelin), Linus (lyre)
 Murdered Linus
 Slayed Cithaeronian lion
 Bedded 50 daughters of Thespius
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Labours
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Bring skin of Nemean lion
Kill Lernaean hydra
Capture Cerynitian (Ceryneian) hind
Capture Erymanthian boar
Clean stables of Augeias
Drive away Stymphalian birds
Capture Cretan bull
Capture mares of Diomedes
Get belt of Hippolyta
Bring cattle of Geryon
Fetch apples of the Hesperides
Bring Cerberus from Hades
Minor labours (parerga)
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Rescued Hesione from sea-monster
Battled Achelous for Deianeira
Slew centaur Nessus as he tried to rape her
Slew giant Alcyoneus
Slew earthborn giant Antaeus
Captures Cercopes (thieves)
Slew eagle set to torment Prometheus
Slew centaur Eurytion
Battled centaurs
a) Killing monstrous animals
LION
HYDRA
b) Capturing edible animals
HIND
BULL
MARES
BOAR
BIRDS
CATTLE
c) Labours for/against humans
STABLES
GIRDLE
d) ‘otherworld’ labours
APPLES OF
HESPERIDES
CERBERUS
Wives, lovers & dynasties
52 sons by 50 daughters of Thespius (kings of
Thespiae/founded colony of Sardinia)
 Echidna (Dracontidae – house of Cadmus)
 Megara (Therimachus, Deicoon, Creontiades –
murdered)
 Deianeira (Hyllus, Ctesippos, Glenos, Oneites, ‘Macaria’
– Dorian/Spartan kings)
 Omphale (Agelaus – Lydian kings)
 Iole (given to Hyllus)
Full list:
http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Heracles1.html
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Eromenoi
Iolaus (Argos/Thebes)
 Hylas (Dryopian/Chios)
 Elacatas (Sparta)
 Abderus (Abdera)
 Philoctetes, Nestor, Iphitus, Nireus,
Adonis, Jason, Corythus, Stichius,
Phrix/Trinx
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Fundamental ambiguity
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God/apotheosised
Son of Zeus
Name means ‘glory of
Hera’
Culture hero
Hyper-masculine
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Mortal/dead
Eternally in service
Hounded by
stepmother
Destructive brute
Gender ambiguity
Explanations?
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Burkert 1985:
Conglomerate of tales with no authoritative
poetic definition?
 Wish-fulfilment & its antithesis – extreme must
turn to opposite to reaffirm itself?
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Sergeant 1987:
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2 different Heracles in ancient tradition –
Argive wild-man & Boeotian culture hero?