Episode 16. Hercules.
One of the most famous depictions of Heracles, Farnese Hercules, Roman marble statue on the basis of an original by Lysippos, 216 CE. National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy
Today, we’re looking at the real story of Heracles, also known in Roman mythology as Hercules.
Most of us know the story of good old Herc to be one of heroism, fighting lions and boars and hydras, oh my, but his story isn’t all power and glory. It’s actually quite tragic and violent. Some of you probably already know all of this, if you’re like me, you love a good myth, legend or tales of any kind, but for those of you who don’t, buckle up.
Hercules, as we’ll call him today, is a hero in Greek mythology, born to Zeus and Alcmene. He was a divine hero, a champion, and a gatekeeper of Olympus, a representation of strength, masculinity, athleticism. He is also known to have been a playful figure, witty and joking and often playing with children. He was said to have “made the world safe for mankind”. You’ll often find him equipped with a club and a lions head and skin as a head covering.
In the Disney version of Hercules, he is portrayed as the son of Hera, however in mythology, as mentioned, he was the son of Alcmene and Zeus and was a victim of Hera’s hatred. Alcmene was a mortal woman who was tricked by Zeus who appeared to her as her husband, pretending to be home early from the war. Zeus is well known for his affairs, assaults and illegitimate children. Hera would often try to take revenge on Zeus for his affairs by interfering in the lives of his children.
When Hercules was only eight months, Hera sent two giant snakes into his nursery, expecting the child to come to harm. Instead, Hercules picked up the two snakes and strangled them. He was found by his parents, playing with the snakes as though they were toys.
Hercules grew up tending cattle in his younger years before moving on the Thebes where he married his first wife Megara. They had some children together but it was not to last. Hercules was called away on an adventure of sorts, leaving Thebes defenseless. Upon his return home, he is praying to the Gods when Hera strikes him down with a curse of madness. He is overcome by a psychosis in which he believes that Megara is in fact, Hera and his children are not his own. He slaughters his family in a brutal manor before coming out of his psychosis and realising what he’s done.
To pay for the crime of killing his own family, Hercules takes on ten labours, set out by his arch nemesis, Eurystheus. If he was to complete these ten labours successfully, he would be absolved of his sins and granted immortality. The ten labours became twelve when Hercules accepted payment and help for the slaying of the infamous Hydra and the cleansing of the Augean stables. The tasks were therefore increased to twelve overall. These were:
- Slaying the Nemean Lion
- Slaying the Lernaean Hydra
- Caprturing the Golden Hind of Artemis
- Capturing the Erymanthian Boar,
- Cleaning the Augean stables
- Slaying the Stymphalian Birds
- Capturing the Cretan Bull
- Stealing the Mares of Diomedes
- Obtaining the girdle of the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta
- Obtaining the cattle of Geryon
- Stealing the apples of the Hesperides (nymphs) and;
- Capturing and returning Cerberus.
Beyond these, Hercules went on many more adventures and had many more lovers, both men and women. It was because of these labours that Hercules earned the story of his constellation. It was after completing the twelve tasks, when Hercules was kneeling in prayer to Zeus that his image was captured in the sky.
Like most Greek mythologies, this story does not have a happy ending. It barely had a happy beginning and we can all agree that the middle wasn’t exactly fun and games, either.
Hercules went on to marry Deianira and took her travelling. The centaur Nessus, who is featured in the Disney film, if you need a reference, offers to help Deianira cross the river while Hercules swims across. However, Nessus attempts to steal Deianira while Hercules is still in the water. Hercules shoots Nessus with a poisoned arrow, killing him, but before Nessus died, he handed Deianira a blood soaked tunic that he claimed would “excite the love of her husband”.
Years later, there are rumours that Hercules has taken an interest in another woman. She employs the tunic from Nessus and gives Hercules the shirt. The shirt is covered with poison from Hercules arrow and as he wears it, his skin tears and melts, exposing his bones. He rips trees from the ground, building a funeral pyre for himself and is burned to death, or his mortal side is. Upon the death of his mortal side, his immortal self rises to Olympus.
A fun fact to end a disturbing episode, between his wives, his affairs and his lovers, Hercules is said to have at least 50 to 100 children.
If you are interested in further reading, be sure to check out Medea and Other Plays by Euripides which features the slaying of Megara and her sons in a bit more gory detail. Also be sure to check out the Disney version of Hercules if you’re ready to fall in love with gospel music, great animation and hilarious characters. I used to watch this movie at least 3 times a day every day!
Good Nightmare 