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g o emma stafford d s a n d h e r o e s o f t h e a n c i e n t w o r l d h e r a k l e s HERAKLES There is more material available on Herakles than any other Greek god or hero. His story has many more episodes than those of other heroes, con- cerning his life and death as well as his battles with myriad monsters and other opponents. In literature, he appears in our earliest Greek epic and lyric poetry, is reinvented for the tragic and comic stage, and later finds his way into such unlikely areas as philosophical writing and love poetry. In art, his exploits are amongst the earliest identifiable mythological scenes, and his easily recognisable figure with lionskin and club was a familiar sight throughout antiquity in sculpture, vase-painting and other media. He was held up as an ancestor and role-model for both Greek and Roman rul- ers, and widely worshipped as a god, his unusual status as a hero-god being reinforced by the story of his apotheosis. Often referred to by his Roman name Hercules, he has continued to fascinate writers and artists right up to the present day. In Herakles, Emma Stafford has successfully tackled the ‘Herculean task’ of surveying both the ancient sources and the extensive modern schol- arship in order to present a hugely accessible account of this important mythical figure. Covering both Greek and Roman material, the book high- lights areas of consensus and dissent, indicating avenues for further study on both details and broader issues. Easy to read, Herakles is perfectly suited to students of classics and related disciplines, and of interest to anyone looking for an insight into ancient Greece’s most popular hero. Emma Stafford is Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Leeds. Her research and teaching interests lie in Greek cultural history, especially reli- gion, myth and art. She is author of Worshipping Virtues: Personification and the Divine in Ancient Greece (2000), and Life, Myth and Art in Ancient Greece (2004), and co-editor of Personification in the Greek World (2005). She has also written numerous articles on Greek religion and iconography. Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World Series editor Susan Deacy Roehampton University Routledge is pleased to present an exciting new series, Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World. These figures from antiquity are embedded in our culture, many functioning as the source of creative inspiration for poets, novelists, artists, composers and filmmakers. Concerned with their mul- tifaceted aspects within the world of ancient paganism and how and why these figures continue to fascinate, the books provide a route into under- standing Greek and Roman polytheism in the 21st century. These concise and comprehensive guides provide a thorough under- standing of each figure, offering the latest in critical research from the lead- ing scholars in the field in an accessible and approachable form, making them ideal for undergraduates in Classics and related disciplines. Each volume includes illustrations, time charts, family trees and maps where appropriate. Also available: Aphrodite Medea Monica S. Cyrino Emma Griffiths Apollo Dionysos Fritz Graf Richard Seaford Perseus Oedipus Daniel Ogden Lowell Edmunds Athena Susan Deacy Forthcoming: Diana Zeus Fay Glinister Ken Dowden Prometheus Carol Dougherty Susan Deacy is Lecturer in Greek History and Literature at Roehampton University. Her main research interests are Greek religion, and gender and sexuality. Publications include the co-edited volumes Rape in Antiquity (1997), and Athena in the Classical World (2001), and the monograph A Traitor to Her Sex? Athena the Trickster (forthcoming). HERAKLES Emma Stafford First published 2012 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2012 Emma Stafford. The right of Emma Stafford to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Stafford, Emma. Herakles/Emma Stafford. p. cm.—(Gods and heroes of the ancient world) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. 1. Heracles (Greek mythology) I. Title. BL820.H5S83 2011 398.20938—dc23 2011023977 ISBN: 978–0–415–30067–4 (hbk) ISBN: 978–0–415–30068–1 (pbk) ISBN: 978–0–203–15245–4 (ebk) Typeset in Utopia by Swales & Willis Ltd, Exeter, Devon For Gabriella CONTENTS Series foreword xi Acknowledgements xv List of figures xvii Abbreviations and conventions xix Maps and genealogical table xxii Foreword: Why Herakles? xxv WHY HERAKLES? 1 INTRODUCING HERAKLES 3 Telling the story 3 Synopsis of the myth 4 Explaining Herakles 8 Contexts and sources 15 Overview 19 KEY THEMES 21 1 MONSTERS AND THE HERO I: THE TWELVE LABOURS 23 The strong man figure and monster-fighting 23 Development of the canon of labours 24 Individual labours 30 Overview 49 2 MONSTERS AND THE HERO II: OTHER BATTLES 51 A wealth of opponents 51 Early exploits 52 Strong men and transgressors 55 viii CONTENTS Strange beasts 68 Overview 78 3 THE TRAGIC HERO 79 A complex character 79 Early tragedy 80 Sophokles: death and deification 80 Euripides: madness and family values 87 Visual reflections of tragedy 96 Roman adaptations 98 Overview 103 4 VICE OR VIRTUE INCARNATE 104 From monster-slaying to comedy, philosophy and romance 104 The comic hero 105 Herakles intellectualized 117 The romantic hero 130 Overview 136 5 POLITICAL HERAKLES 137 The art of political legitimation 137 Herakles as ancestor and ideal ruler 137 Herakles the founder 156 Tyranny and democracy at Athens 163 Overview 170 6 WORSHIP OF THE HERO-GOD 171 Herakles heros-theos 171 Rituals and remains 175 The Roman cult of Hercules 194 Overview 197 HERAKLES AFTERWARDS 199 7 POST-CLASSICAL VARIATIONS 201 The afterlife of a hero 201 Herakles/Hercules and the Christians 202 Telling Hercules’ story I: Renaissance literature 206 Hercules’ image reborn: art from the Renaissance onwards 209 CONTENTS ix Herculean politics 218 From monarch to revolutionary: Hercules in France 221 Telling Hercules’ story II: literature from the seventeenth century on 225 Hercules the movie star 232 Conclusion: Herakles/Hercules now 239 Notes 245 Glossary 263 Further Reading 266 Works Cited 272 Index 295
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