Hercules in Ovid and Virgil Flashcards
hercules and caccus, achelous and nessus, death of hercules, hercules as protectos of rome (?)
who wrote the Hercules and Cacus story? Where were they from?
Virgil - Rome
who is intitially speaking in the first line?
Evander, the King of Pallantium and a minor hero, is speaking to Aeneas, the king of Troy
who is Anchises?
a Trojan noble and father of Aeneas
who is Priam?
sone of Laomedon and kink of Troy
who is Hesione
Priam’s sister
where is Arcadia?
central Greece and former home of Evander
what does Evander talk about initially in the story of Hercules and Cacus? what does this show?
He welcomes Aeneas. He talks about the past and how he met Anchises (who was tallest) and led him to Pheneus. He says how he looked up to Priam, but especially Anchises. ON leaving, Anchises gave him the noble quiver of Lycian arrows, a cloak woven with old, and a pair of golden bits, that his Pallas now own. He assures Aeneas that they are allies and offers to celebrate the festival.
By doing this he shows that he is respectful, xenia, he offers military help as Aeneas is under attack even though Evander is Greek, and he shows respect for Anchises (flattering, kind)
how does Evander treat Aeneas when they go and sit to eat? who is present? what does this tell us?c
Aeneas is treated as a royal, equal to that of King Evander, highlighting his importance. Only men are present, showing only men were involved in the Roman worship of Hercules
what did Aeneas and the Trojans eat? why?
chines of beef, and the sacrificial organs.. they did this to sacrifice a cow to Hercules during his worship because of the cattle of Geryon. This relates to how Hercules is worshiped in the future
what does Evander start talking about after they eat?
he explains why they perform this sacrifice. he explains that they were saved from cruel perils and points to an overhanging cliff (AVENTINE HILL), saying that there used to be a cave where cacus lived
how is Cacus and his cave described initially?
cave -‘ untouched by the sun’s rays’, ‘vast depths’, the ‘ground was always warm with fresh blood’, the heads of men were ‘insolently nailed to the doors’ and they ‘hung there pallid with sad decay’ -> use of vivid language and graphic detail
cacus - ‘father was Vulcan, ‘massive bulk’, ‘belched out his dark fires;
why did Hecules seek Cacus out? how did he know to seek him out?
Cacus dragged H’s Heifers (female cows) backward by the tail to his cave (to reverse their steps). He had these cows from the three-fold Geryon, which he had killed. He heard the lowing from a heifer in the cave as he was moving his own cows
what does Hercules do once he hears that his heifers are stolen? what does Cacus do?
his ‘indignation truly blazed, with a venomous dark rage’ and he got all his weapons and headed for Cacus’ cave. Cacus confused, fled, and shut himself in his cave using a large rock. Hercules circles Aventine hill 3 times, trying to open the doorway. Hercules then took a pinnacle of flint and shook it, tearing it away, revelaing cacus’ den
what happens after Cacus’ den is revealed?
Hercules begins to hurl ‘missiles’ from above (branches and rocks), who is caught unexpectedly. Cacus howled and began to belch thick smoke, enveloping the place in darkness. Hercules threw himself into the fire, where the smoke was thickest.
How does Hercules kill Cacus?
after jumping into the cavern, Hercules seizes C and in a knot-like clasm, and clinging, choked him the eyes squeezed, and the throat drained of blood.
what happened after H killed Cacus? How does this relate to present day (more present day)?
his cattle were revealed. Hercules dragged Cacus out. People saw and were very happy. This rite is now celebrated. Potitus, the founder of Pinarian House, set up an altar in the grove for H and is now referred to as ‘the Mightiest’. Evander then tells the young men to hold out their cups, as he had people veiled in his hair. they poured a libation on the table and prayed to the Gods.
what is posterity
fututre generations i.e. the Romans
What is a poplar?
a grey-green leave which is associated with Hercules’ descent and ascent form the Underworld
what doe ‘The Mightiest’ in the story of Hercules and Cacus refer to?
the ‘ara maxima’ or great altar which is the site of the sacrifices to Hercules in the Forum Boarium
how is the worship of Hercules referenced to in the story of Hercules and Cacus?
When Evander and the Trojans are eating - only young men present, they ate chine of beef and sacrificial organs (what they ate during worship and cattle of Geryon related)
they mention it is an ‘annual festival’ indicating it is yearly
Evander says he is spoken of as ‘the Mightiest’, referring tot he ara Maxima which is AKA the great altar and was the site to Hercules for sacrifices in the Forum Boarium
Evander tells them to hold out their wine cups - they were drinking wine
they were wearing grey green poplars - associated with hercules’ descent to and the ascend fromt he underworld
they poured a libation on the table - shows how they worshiped him
who is Pallas?
Evander’s son
what is a chine
a long cut of meat
what is pallid
pale and weak
