Heracles/Hercules Flashcards
King of Thebes when Heracles is born
Creon
Mother of Haracles
Alcmene
Husband of Alcmene
Amphitryon
Alcmene
Wife of Amphitryon, descendant of Perseus
Amphitryon
Husband of Alcmene and nephew of Sthenelus
How did Zeus seduce Alcmene
He disguised himself as Amphitryon
Birthplace of Heracles
Thebes
What did Zeus do before Heracles was born
Boasted that he would now have a son to match him on earth
What did Hera make Zeus vow before Heracles was born
That the first son of the House of Perseus born that night would indeed rule
Eileithyia
Goddess of midwives and childbirth
Daughter of Zeus and Hera
Sthenelus
Uncle of Amphitryon and King of Mykenae, descendent of Perseus
Iphicles
Son of Alcmene and Amphitryon, brother of Heracles
Eurystheus
Son of Sthenelus
King of Mykenae
Heracles has to work for him, doing the 10 Labours
Who was born before Heracles, and thus destined to rule?
Eurytheus, son of Sthenelus
What did Hera do when Heracles was born
Sent two snakes to poison him
What did Heracles do with the two snakes sent to poison him when he was born
He strangled them
What did Alcmene do when she was frightened by Hera’s wrath
Abandoned Heracles in the woods. He was recovered by Athena
What did Hera do when Athena brought the baby Heracles to Olympus
Ordered him to be returned to Alcmene to raise him
Who was Heracles’ protector
Athena
Who did Heracles first marry
Megara
Father of Megara
Cleon
What happened to Heracles’ marriage to Megara
Hera made Heracles go mad and he killed Megara and their children
What did Heracles do after killing his family
Exiled himself and went to the oracle at Delphi
what did the Oracle of Delphi tell Heracles after he had killed his family
to serve King Eurystheus for twelve years.
Who controlled the oracle at Delphi when Heracles visited it
Hera
What house did Heracles come from
The House of Perseus
1st Labour of Heracles
Nemean Lion
* Heracles
* Nemean Lion
* Athena
Heracles attacked it with bow and arrow and sword
Lion had impregnable skin
Herakles stranged to it death
Athena told him to skin it with one of the lion’s claws
2nd Labour of Heracles
Lernaean Hydra
* Heracles
* Lernaean Hydra
* Hera
* Athena
* Iolaus (Heracles’ cousin)
* Giant crab
Heracles cut off a head and Iolaus sealed the neck with a flaming torch to stop two new ones growing.
Hera sent a giant crab which bit Heracles’ foot and he crushed it
Heracles deteched the immortal head and buried it under a pile of rocks.
Heracles took the venom for his arrows
Eurystheus claimed it did not count as Iolaus had helped him
3rd Labour of heracles
Golden Hind
* Heracles
* Golden Hind/Ceryneian Hind
* Artemis
* Apollo
Heracles tracked the animal for a whole year before catching it by snaring it.
Bound its legs and carried it back to Mykenae
On his way, met by Apollo and Artemis, as the hind belonged to her. He told her that Eurystheus told him to do it, and it was only being borrowed. She allowed him to continue
4th Labour of Heracles
Erymanthian Boar
* Heracles
* Erymanthian Boar
Had to be captured alive
Heracles wore the bore down chasing through the thick winter snow
When it tired, he caught it, bound its legs, and returned to Mykenae
Eurysthenes was so scared he hid in a sunken pithos jar
5th Labour of Heracles
Augean Stables
* Heracles
* Augeas, (king of Elis)
Heracles had to clean out the stables in one day
Heracles diverted the rivers Alpheios and Peneios through the stables, cleaning them instantly
Augeas promised Heracles payment, but did not pay
Heracles came back with an army, defeated him, and set up the Olympic games
6th Labour of Heracles
Stymphalian Birds
* Heracles
* Stymphalian Birds
* Athena
Heracles went into the Arcadian forests where the Stymphalian birds lived
Unsure how to rouse them.
Athena gave him a rattle made by Hephaistos
Shook it, the birds flew up, and he shot them with a sling shot or arrows
7th Labour of Heracles
Cretan Bull
* Heracles
* The Cretan Bull
* Minos (king of Crete)
Heracles crept up behind the bull and strangled it, releasing his grip before it passed out
Then rode the bull across the sea to Greece
Upon arriving in Mykenae Eurystheus hid in his pithos jar
Heracles let the bull loose
8th Labour of Heracles
Mares of Diomedes
* Heracles
* Diomedes (king of the Bistones in Thrace)
* Mares of Diomedes
* Abderos (companion of Heracles)
Heracles defeated the stablemen.
Diomedes found out
Heracles left the horses with his companion Abderos and took his men to fight Diomedes
The horses ate Abderos
Heracles fed Diomedes to the horses
One account has the horses now eternally calm roam the plains of Argos
Apollodorus states they went free and were killed by wild animals at Olympus
9th Labour of Heracles
Belt of Hippolyte
* Heracles
* Hippolyte (queen of the Amazons, daughter of Ares)
* Eurystheus’ daughter
* Hera
* Rumour
Eurystheus’ daughter wanted Hippolyte’s belt
Heracles took an army
Hippolyte admired him so gave him the belt
Hera spread a rumour that Heracles wanted to steal the queen
The Amazons rode out to kill Heracles
Heracles believed the queen had double crossed him
In the battle Heracles killed Hippolyte and took the belt
10th Labour of Heracles
Cattle of Geryon
* Heracles
* Cattle of Geryon
* Eurytion (herdsman)
* Orthrus (Eurytion’s dog)
* Geryon
Took Heracles beyond the Greek world, to the edge of the Earth
Heracles defeated the herdsman Eurytion and his dog Orthrus by using his club
Heracles began to leave, but another shepherd warned Geryon
Geryon fought Heracles who used his club and arrows to defeat him
On his way back, Heracles went through southern Italy, where the Romans forged their link with him
Eurystheus sacrificed the bulls to Hera
11th Labour of Heracles
Apples of Hesperides
* Heracles
* Hesperides (Nymphs, daughters of Atlas)
* Atlas
* River Achelous
* Prometheus
* Zeus
* Athena
One of Heracles’ longest tasks
Unaware of the garden’s location
Journey took him to North Africa, the Near East, and Illyria, where he fought the river Achelous.
On Mt Caucasus he killed the eagle that tormented Prometheus
Prometheus told him where to find the garden
Heracles travelled to Atlas and offered to hold the sky if he got the apples.
Atlas accepted then offered to take them to Mykenae so as not to take the sky back
Heracles asked him to hold them a moment while he got some pillows for his shoulders, then when Atlas took them, he fled
When the mission was complete, Athena returned the apples
12th Labour of Heracles
Cerberus
* Heracles
* Hades
* Persephone
* Cerberus
Heracles joined the Eleusinian mysteries so as to gain favour with Persephone
Upon arriving in the underworld, he met Hades and Persephone, they told him he could take Cerberus if he captured him without the use of weapons
Heracles used the stranglehold he had used before
After showing Cerberus to Eurystheus the dog was returned to Hades
Which two Labours did not count according to Eurystheus?
Why?
The Lernaean Hydra as he received help
The Augean Stables as he was offered money
Characteristics of the Nemean Lion
Trained by Hera and settled in the hills of Nema to plague mankind.
Skin impregnable by weapons
Characteristics of the Lernaean Hydra
Nourished by Hera because of her grudge against Heracles
Many headed, different numbers depending on source, one of which is sometimes immortal
When one head is removed another two grow in its place
Venom for blood
Characteristics of the Golden Hin
AKA the Ceryneian Hind
From Mt. Ceryneia in Arcadia
Larger than a bull and completely golden
Sacred to Artemis
Characteristics of the Erymanthian Boar
Larger than normal boars
Terrorised courtryside of Arcadia
Characteristics of the Augean Stables
The cattle were famous for producing an extremely large amount of dung
Characteristics of the Stymphalian Birds
They ravaged the farm lands of Stymphalos, potentially eating residents
Lived deep in the Arcadian Stymphalian Marsh
Characteristics of the Cretan Bull
Had been destroying Cretan homes and farmland
Heracles let it go, and it wondered to Marathon where Theseus defeated it
Characteristics of the Mares of Diomedes
A set of horses tethered to a bronze manger with iron chains. They were crazed as Diomedes fed them on the limbs of defeated enemies and passing strangers
Either let free to roam the plains of Argos, eternally calm
OR when they got to Olympus they were killed by wild animals
Characterstics of the Belt of Hippolyte
Magical
Gift from Ares to Hippolyte, his daughter
Characteristics of the Cattle of Geryon
They had red hides
Characteristics of the Apples of Hesperides
Gift from Gaia to Zeus and Hera at their wedding
Grow in the garden of the Hesperides
Golden
Guarded by the Hesperides, nymphs and daughters of Atlas
Characteristics of Cerberus
Guard of the underworld
many headed
Traditional date for founding of Olympic games
776 BC
Hippodamia
Daughter of Oinomaos
Oinomaos
King of Pisa near Olympia
Features of Oinomaos’ chariot race
Oinomaos challenged suitors of Hippodamia to a chariot race
If they won they married her
If they lost he killed them
Pelops
Husband of Hippodamia
Father of Atreus
Defeated Oinomaos
What happened in the race between Pelops and Oinomaos
Pelops challenged Oinomaos to a race
Pelops bribed the charioteer to replace the bronze linchpins with wax ones
While racing the heat of the wheel melted the wax and threw Oinomaos from the chariot, killing him
What did Pelops do after winning the chariot race
Married Hippodamia
Founded the Olympics as funerary games in honour of Oinomaos
Augeas
King of Elis
Outline Heracles’ revenge on Augeas
After his twelve labours, Heracles collected an army, marched against Augeas, and took the city of Elis
Who were the troops that Heracles used against Augeas
Arcadians and volunteers from the first men in Greece
What did Heracles do after defeating Augeas
Celebrated the Olympic Games and founded an alter to Pelops, and built six alters of the twelve gods
What does the Temple of Zeus combine?
How?
The story of Pelops and the 12 labours of Heracles
Pelops is on the eastern pediment and Haracles is on the twelve metopes, 6 at th front, 6 at the back
Objectives of a sculpter when making a metope
- Create a scene that could be easily recognisable
- Create realism in his scene
- Fill the space so as not to leave any blank areas
Temple of Zeus started construction date
472BC
What did the Temple of Zeus emphasize
IMportance of Heracles to the site and the games
Where is this sculpture from
Temple of Zeus
During which labour did Hercules visit Italy
10th: The Cattle of Geryon
Why did Hercules go through Italy?
Similar to Hannibal
He was bringing the cattle of Geryon bak to Eurystheus and to do this he had to travel through southern Spain, into France, and down through Italy
Who inhabitted the area around the Tiber when Hercules visitted
Arcadians, their city was in the hill named Pallantium after their ancestor Pallas
Where did the story of Hercules’ story take place exactly
By the Aventine Hill, next to the Tiber
King Evander
Founder of Pallantium
Brought pantheon, laws, and alphabet to Italy
Who does Evander describe before the banquet
Priam and his visit to Arcadia
Father of Cacus
Vulcan
Epithet of Cacus
the half-human
Who does Evander tell the story of Cacus and Hercules to?
Aeneas and his fellow Trojan refugees
How does Evander start his story
by stating the feast is no idle superstition, but in thanks to their rescue
Description of Cacus
Half human
Monster
Belched fire
Description of Cacus’ cave after Hercules destroyed it
Rocky overhanging cliff, widely shattered, deserted, crags pulled down in ruin
There was a deep cave, untouched by sunlight, inhabitted by Cacus
Why does Evander refer to Hercules as a god?
By the time he is telling the story Hercules has died and been deified
Description of Geryon
Three-fold Geryon
How many cattle did Cacus steal
8
4 bulls and 4 heifers
How did Cacus try to decieve Hercules
He dragged the cattle by their tails so the tracks pointed in the opposite direction to the way he took them
What did Cacus do when he realised Hercules was coming
He fled to his cave and shut locked the door
How did Hercules realise that some cattle had been stolen
His cows started mooing and one of the captured ones returned the call, alerting him to its capture
Hercules’ attempt to open the door to Cacus’ cave
He circled the Aventine three times, and tried the door in vain three times, three times he sunk down, exhausted in the valley
Who crafted the mechanism for the door to Cacus’ cave
Vulcan, his father
‘the terrified river recoiled’
Which river does this refer to
Tiber
How did Hercules break into Cacus’ lair
He noticed a huge flint peak on the top of the mountain and using his body weight and strength, lifted the top clean off, exposing Cacus
What did Hercules do after removing the flint peak
Using all his weapons, he hurled missiles at Cacus
What did Cacus do in defence after Hercules had opened his cave
he belched smoke
What does Hercules do when Cacus belches smoke
He jumps down into the cave and attacks Cacus
How did Heracles kill Cacus
He strangled him
How does Evander finish his story
With Hercules presenting the body of Cacus to the people and Evander, and Evander stating that this is why they celebrate Hercules
Why does the cult of Hercules follow the Greek tradition
Evander was orginally Greek
Why did Hercules go to Evander’s city
seeking friendship
What was happening when Aeneas arrived at Pallanteum
Evander was making offerings to Hercules and other gods in a grove in front of the city
What did the ritual in the cult of Hercules involve
Annual, at the Great Alter of Hercules, between the Tiber and Palatine, later known as the Forum Boarium
Only men, sacrificing an animal, and burning incense
Evander and his son Pallas attended the sacrifice with all the young men, and his impoverished senate offering incense, and the warm blood smoked on the alters
Who set up the alter to Hercules
Potitius with the Pinarian House as guardians of the worship
What does Evander instruct the young men to do at the Herculian celebration
wreathe their hair with leaves, hold out wine cups in their right hands, in honur of Hercules, and pour out the wine with a will
What temple is this
The Temple of Hercules the Victor
2nd century BC
Who ran the cult of Hercules
The Potitii and Pinarii families
* according to tradition they were taught by Hercules himself how to worship him
312BC, responsiblity transferred to a group of slaves.
* Slaves made up large amount of Roman population, making Hercules popular with the. masses
Gladiators and Hercules
Gladiators worshipped him
When a gladiator was freed he was presented wtih a wooden sword that was hung in the Temple of Hercules the Victor
Where are the tales of Hercules and Achelous, Hecules and Nessus, and Death of Hercules
Found?
Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Who told the story of Hercules and Achelous and to whom?
Achelous told the story to Theseus
Why did Achelous tell the story of Achelous and Hercules?
The river Acheloüs had swollen with rain and Theseus and his men had to wait in order to cross it.
Acheloüs told them stories, and Theseus asked why he had sighed and why his horn was broken off his head
What is the reason for the contest between Hercules and Acheloüs
The hand of the princess Deianira of Aitolia
What reason does Acheloüs give for telling the story
(Quote)
“The shame of being beaten is no less than the honour of having fought. It is a great consolation to me that the victor was so famous”
What did Acheloüs say before the fight?
That he was a god and so superior to Hercules
That Hercules’ labours were his own fault
That the story of his brith was either a lie or a scandal
What did Hercules say before the fight with Acheloüs?
Referred to his divine parentage and his labours
Why did the fight between Hercules and Acheloüs begin
Hercules said he was better at fighting than argueing with words.
Outline the events of the fight between Acheloüs and Hercules
Hercules attacked, but Ahceloüs stood firm, they stepped back and attacked again. They wrestled until Hercules strangled Acheloüs.
Acheloüs turned into a snake, but Hercules strangled him again. He turned into a bull and Hercules threw his arms round his neck and forced his horns, while charging forward, intot he ground. Then he pulled the horn from his brow.
Main characters in Hercules vs Acheloüs
Hercules
Acheloüs
Deianira
Oeneus (father of Deianira, Calydonian king)
What happened to Acheloüs’ horn
The Naiades took it and filled with with fruit and flowers and made it sacred.
What river did Nessus tell Hercules he would help Deianira cross?
The river Evenus
What was the river Evenus like when Hercules and Deianira came to it?
Swelled by winter rains, and with frequent whirlpools and was impassable
What was the name of the centaur who tried to run off with Deianira
Nessus
What did Hercules swim across the Evander wearing that weighed him down? What had he thrown across to the other side?
He wore his lion skin and quiver
He had thrown his bow and club over to the other side
What did Hecules not do when crossing the river Evander? Why?
He did not find the calmest part of the river because he did not want to claim the river’s allegiance
What did Nessus do as Hercules gained the othe side of the river
Tried to run off with Deianira
What alerted Hercules that Nessus was running off with Deianira
She called out
What was the first thing Hercules did when he saw that Nessus had betrayed him?
He gave a speech about how Nessus should not think to betray him.
Who does Hercules mention when telling Nessus he should not cross him?
Ixion, Nessus’ father
Death of Nessus
After giving a speech, Hercules declares he will with ‘wounds, not feet’ follow Nessus, and shoots him with a poisonous arow which peirces his back and protrudes from his chest.
The shaft was pulled out and his blood mixed with the Hydra’s poison
Nessus murmured he would not die without revenge
What did Nessus give to Deiamira
His tunic soaked with blood, which he said would revive a waning love
Who brought the tale to Deinira about Hercules’ love for Iole
Rumour
Iole
Daughter of Eurystus
What did Deianira decide to do, after much thought, about Hercules’ alleged love for Iole
Send the shirt of Nessus to Hercules in order to restore his love for her
Where and what was was Hercules doing when he received the shirt of Nessus?
Preparing to sacrifice to Jupiter at Cenaeum, he was vicorious at Oechalia in Euboea where he had avenged an insult from King Eurytus
Why was the shirt of Nessus poisonous?
It was soaked in the Hydra’s blood
Outline the death of Hercules
The fire from the sacrifice dissolved the poison into his body.
He tried to tear the shirt off, but it pulled his flesh with it, and he filled the land with his shouts.
He lists his victories and attacks Hera in a speech, then he tore down trees and raised his arms to the skies.
He saw Lichas and threw him away, thinking he had killed him, then felled trees and made a funeral pyre, lay down, gave some last orders, and his mortal self died in the flames
Lichas
Servant of Hecules
Deianira sent him to give the shirt to Hercules
In his rage Hercuels blamed him for his death and killed him by swimming him round and throwing him away. As he flew, Lichas turned to flint before landing in the water, still with a humanish form.
Philoctetes
Son of Poeas
Given the bow and arrow of Hercuels
Supplied the flame for the funeral pyre of Hercules
Hero at Troy
What did Jupiter say as he watched Hercules die?
Demanded he be made divine, and that no god could disagree.
How did the gods respond to Jupiter’s demand of Hercules becomeing divine?
They all agreed, even though Juno was upset at being censored
What happened to Hercules?
Mulciber destroyed his mortal form and Hercules became a god, carried up by Jupiter in his chariot, and set among the stars
