Queen of the gods Flashcards
The Queen of the Gods was angry at heart
And at once sent snakes,
Which passed through the open doors
Into the chamber’s wide space,
Eager to writhe their quick jaws
Around the children. But he
Lifted his head on high and made first trial of battle.
In two unescapable hands
He seized the two serpents by their necks:
He strangled them, and his grip
Squeezed the life out of their unspeakable frames.
.
Where did the passage come from?
Pindar, Odes, Nemean 1.35-46.
Who was the Queen of the Gods?
Hera, goddess of women, marriage, family and childbirth.
Who did she send the serpents to?
Heracles.
What happened in the myth?
When Hera heard that Alcmene, granddaughter of hero Perseus, was pregnant she went in a fit of rage and sent two snakes to kill Heracles in his crib. Unbeknownst to her, Heracles was unusually strong and fearless, as he then proceeded to strangle the snakes.
