Herakles

Gallery,  Texts

Gallery: Inspiration from Greek Mythology

Zeus (200 CE) British Museum Greek Mythology has influenced both literature and arts. The Minotaur, Μῑνώταυρος, and Ariadne have inspired artists. The Minotaur was killed by Theseus who was helped by Ariadne. This description from a glossary to Philostratus on Heroes tells us more about him. Theseus Athenian hero, son of Aigeus or Poseidon and eventually a king of Athens. The legends surrounding Theseus include numerous labors in Attica, partly influenced by… Read more

Topic for Discussion

Herakles’ Ambivalence in Euripidean Tragedy: the Age of the Heroes, the Age of Humanity

~ A bilingual English-Portuguese guest post by Renan Falcheti Peixoto ~ Chorus antistrophe “If the gods were wise and understood men                                                  655 they would bring a second youth, as a visible mark on those who display excellence [aretē], and dying, would come                                              660 back to the light of the sun again to run a… Read more

Topic for Discussion

In Focus: Homeric Hymn to Herakles 4–6

|4 He [= Hēraklēs] used to travel all over the boundless earth and all over the sea, |5 veering from his path and wandering off, all because of the missions assigned to him by Eurystheus the king. |6 He [= Hēraklēs] performed many reckless things on his own, and he suffered many such things in return. (trans. Gregory Nagy, Hour 22 Text D, The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours)… Read more

Visiting Scholars

Open House | Herakles, and The Best of the Achaeans with Gregory Nagy

On Thursday May 1st 2014, at 12:00 noon EDT, Professor Gregory Nagy (Harvard University) joined members of Hour 25 (now Kosmos Society) for a live discussion and broadcast via Google Hangout. You can watch the recording on our YouTube channel or via the frame embedded in this post below. Thanks to all who submitted questions in the Forum, and who participated in and watched the hangout. Discussion with Gregory Nagy You… Read more

Topic for Discussion

In Focus: Iliad 19, lines 76–138

|76 Then Agamemnon, the king of men, spoke up at their meeting, |77 right there from the place where he was sitting, not even standing up in the middle of the assembly. |78 “Near and dear ones,” said he, “Danaan [= Achaean] heroes, attendants [therapontes] of Arēs! |79 It is a good thing to listen when a man stands up to speak, and it is not seemly |80 to speak in relay after him. [9] It would… Read more