A struggle fight against the giants, who were, according to an
between Heracles and Apollo ensued, and the com- oracle, to be conquered by a mortal, see especially
batants were not separated till Zeus sent a flash of Eurip.
between Heracles and Apollo ensued, and the com- oracle, to be conquered by a mortal, see especially
batants were not separated till Zeus sent a flash of Eurip.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
When, in their pursuit, he came to the Heracles, and is therefore usually reckoned as the
river Strymon, he made himself a road through twelfth or last in the series. It is the only one
it, by means of huge blocks of stone. On reaching that is expressly mentioned in the Homeric poems.
the Hellespont, he had gradually recovered his (Od. xi. 623, &c. ) Later writers have added to
oxen, and took them to Eurystheus, who sacrificed the simple story several particulars, such, e. g. that
them to Hera. (Hes. Theog. 287, &c. ; Apollod. Heracles, previous to setting out on his expedition,
ii. 5. § 10; Diod. iv. 17, &c. , v. 17, 25; Herod. was initiated by Eumolpus in the Eleusinian mys-
iv. 8 ; Serv. ad Aen. vii. 662; Strab. iii. pp. 221, teries, in order to purify him from the murder of ihe
258, &c. ; Dionys. i. 34; Pind. Nem. iii. 21. ) Centaurs. Accompanied by Hermes and Athena,
These ten labours were performed by Heracles Heracles descended into Hades, near Cape Tae-
in the space of eight years and one month ; but as narum, in Laconia. On his arrival most of the
Eurystheus declared two of them to have been per- shades fled before him, and he found only Mele-
formed unlawfully, he commanded him to accom- ager and Medusa, with whom he intended to fight;
plish two more, viz. to fetch
but, on the command of Hermes, he left them in
11. The golden apples of the Hesperides. This peace. Near the gates of Hades he met Theseus
was particularly difficult, since Heracles did not and Peirithous, who stretched their arms implor-
know where to find them. They were the apples ingly towards him. He delivered Theseus, but,
which Hera had received at her wedding from Ge, when he attempted to do the same for Peirithous,
and which she had entrusted to the keeping of the the earth began to tremble. After having rolled
Hesperides and the dragon Ladon, on Mount the stone from Ascalaphus, he killed one of the
Atlas, in the country of the Hyperboreans. (Apol- oxen of Hades, in order to give the shades the
Jod. ii. 5. § 11. ) In other accounts the apples are blood to drink, and fought with Menoetius, the
described as sacred to Aphrodite, Dionysus, or herdsman. Upon this, he asked Pluto permission
Helios ; but the abode of the Hesperides is placed to take Cerberus, and the request was granted, on
by Hesiod, A pollodorus, and others, in the west, condition of its being done without force of arms.
while later writers specify more particularly certain This was accomplished, for Heracles found Cer.
places in Libya, or in the Atlantic Ocean. The men- berus on the Acheron, and, notwithstanding the
tion of the Hyperboreans in this connection renders bites of the dragon, he took the monster, and in
the matter very difficult, but it is possible that the neighbourhood of Troezene he brought it to the
the ancients may have conceived the extreme north upper world. The place where he appeared with
(the usual seat of the Hyperboreans), and the ex. Cerberus is not the same in all traditions, for some
treme west to be contiguous. Heracles, in order to say that it was at Taenarum, others at Hermione,
find the gardens of the Hesperides, went to the or Coroneia, and others again at Heracleia. When
river Echedorus, in Macedonia, after having killed Cerberus appeared in the upper world, it is said
Termerus in Thessaly. In Macedonia he killed that, unable to bear the light, he spit, and thus
Cycnus, the son of Ares and Pyrene, who had called forth the poisonous plant called aconitum.
challenged him. He thence passed through Illyria, After having shown the monster to Eurystheus,
and arrived on the banks of the river Eridanus, and Heracles took it back to the lower world. Some
was informed by the nymphs in what manner he traditions connect the descent of Heracles into the
## p. 398 (#414) ############################################
398
HERACLES.
HERACLES.
lower world with a contest with Hades, as we see | lion's skin ; but, according to Apollodorus and Dio
even in the Iliad (v. 397), and more particularly in dorus, he nevertheless performed several great
the Alcestis of Euripides (24, 846, &c. See Apol- feats. (Ov. Fast. ii. 305, Heroid. ix. 53; Senec.
lod. ii. 5. § 12 ; Diod. iv. 25, &c. ; Plut. Thes. 30; Hippol. 317, Herc. Fur. 464; Lucian, Dial. Deor.
Paus. ii. 31. § 2, ix. 34. § 4, iii. 25. § 4, ii. 35. $ xii. 2; Apollod. ü, 6. 3 ; Diod. ir. 31, &c. )
7; Ov. Met. vii. 415, Serv. ad Virg. Georg. ii. 152, Among these, we mention his chaining the Cer-
Aen. vi. 617).
copes (CERCOPES), his killing Srleus and his
Such is the count of the twelve labours of He- daughter in Aulis, his defeat of the plundering
racles. According to Apollodorus, Eurystheus ori- Idones, his killing a serpent on the river Sygaris,
ginally required only ten, and commanded him to and his throwing the blood-thirsty Lytierses into
perform two more, because he was dissatisfied with the Macander. (Comp. Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 14;
two of them; but Diodorus represents twelve as the Schol. ad Theocrit
. x. 41; Athen. x. p. 415. ) He
original number required. Along with these labours further gave to the island of Doliche the name of
(&$101), the ancients relate a considerable number of Icaria, as he buried in it the body of Icarus, which
other feats (Tápepya) which he performed without had been wasbed on shore by the waves. He also
being commanded by Eurystheus ; some of them are undertook an expedition to Colchis, which brought
interwoven with the twelve doxos, and others belong him in connection with the Argonauts (Apollod. i.
to a later period. Those of the former kind 9. § 16 ; Herod. vii. 193 ; Schol. ad Apollon.
have already been noticed above ; and we now Rhod. i. 1289; Anton. Lib. 26); he took part in the
proceed to mention the principal rápepya of the Calydonian hunt, and met Theseus on his landing
second class. After the accomplishment of the from Troezene on the Corinthian isthmus. An ex-
twelve labours, and being released from the ser- pedition to India, which was mentioned in some
vitude of Eurystheus, he returned to Thebes. He traditions, may likewise be inserted in this place.
there gave Megara in marriage to lolaus ; for, as he (Philostr. Vit. A poll. iii. 4, 6; Arrian, Ind. 8, 9. )
had lost the children whom he had by her, he When the period of his servitude and his ill-
looked upon his connection with her as displeasing ness had passed away, he undertook an expe
to the gods (Paus. x. 29), and went to Oechalia dition against Troy, with 18 ships and a band of
According to some traditions, Heracles, after his heroes. On his landing, he entrusted the fleet to
return from Hades, was seized with madness, in Oicles, and with his other companions made an
which he killed both Megara and her children. attack upon the city. Laomedon in the mean time
This madness was a calamity sent to him by Hera, made an attack upon the ships, and slew Oicles,
because he had slain Lycus, king of Thebes, who, but was compelled to retreat into the city, where
in the belief that Heracles would not return from he was besieged. Telamon was the first who forced
Hades, had attempted to murder Megara and her his way into the city, which roused the jealousy of
children. (Hygin. Fab. 32; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 38. ) | Heracles to such a degree that he determined to
Eurytus, king of Oechalia, an excellent archer, and kill him ; but Telamon quickly collected a heap of
the teacher of Heracles in his art, had promised his stones, and pretended that he was building an altar
daughter Iole to the man who should excel him and to Heracles Kallivikos or dezinakos. This soothed
his sons in using the bow. Heracles engaged in the the anger of the hero ; and after the sons of Laa
contest with them, and succeeded, but Eurytus re- medon had fallen, Heracles gave to Telamon He-
fused abiding by his promise, saying, that he would sione, as a reward for his bravery. (Hom. II. v.
not give his daughter to a man who had murdered 6+1, &c. , xiv. 251, xx. 145, &c. ; Apollod. ii. 6.
his own children. Iphitus, the son of Eurytus, en- $ 4; Diod. iv. 32, 49 ; Eurip. Troad. 802, &c. )
deavoured to persuade his father, but in vain. On his return from Troy, Hera sent a storm to
Soon after this the oxen of Eurytus were carried | impede his voyage, which compelled him to land
off, and it was suspected that Heracles was the in the island of Cos. The Meropes, the inhabit-
offender. Iphitus again defended Heracles, went ants of the island, took him for a pirate, and re-
to him and requested his assistance in searching ceived him with a shower of stones ; but during the
after the oxen. Heracles agreed ; but when the night he took possession of the island, and killed
two had arrived at Tiryns, Heracles, in a fit of the king, Eurypylus. Heracles himself was
madness, threw his friend down from the wall, and wounded by Chalcodon, but was saved by Zeus.
killed him. Deiphobus of Amyclae, indeed, puri- After he bad ravaged Cos, he went, by the com-
fied Heracles from this murder, but he was, never- mand of Athena, to Phlegra, and fought against
theless, attacked by a severe illness. Heracles then the Gigantes. (Apollod. ii. 7. 81; Hom. Il. xiv.
repaired to Delphi to obtain a remedy, but the Py- / 250, &c. ; Pind. Nem. iv. 40. ) Respecting his
thia refused to answer his questions.
A struggle fight against the giants, who were, according to an
between Heracles and Apollo ensued, and the com- oracle, to be conquered by a mortal, see especially
batants were not separated till Zeus sent a flash of Eurip. Herc. Fur. 177, &c. , 852, 1190, &c. , 1272.
lightning between them. Heracles now obtained Among the giants defeated by him we find men-
the oracle that he should be restored to health, if tion of Alcyoneus, a name borne by two among
he would sell himself, would serve three years for them. (Pind. Nem. iv. 43, Isthm. vi. 47. )
wages, and surrender his wages to Eurytus, as an Soon after his return to Argos, Heracles marched
atonement for the murder of Iphitus. (Apollod. ii. against Augeas to chastise him for his breach of
6. § 1, 2; Diod. iv. 31, &c. ; Hom. I. i. 730, Od. promise (see above), and then proceeded to Pylos,
xxi. 22, &c. ; Soph. Trach. 273, &c. ) Heracles which he took, and killed Periclymenus, a son of
was sold to Omphale, queen of Lydia, and widow Neleus. He then advanced against Lacedaemon,
of Tmolus. Late writers, especially the Roman to punish the sons of Hippocoon, for naving assisted
poets, describe Heracles, during his stay with Om Neleus and slain Oeonus, the son of Licymnius.
phale, as indulging at times in an effeminate life: (Paus. iii. 15. § 2, č. 18. $ 6; Apollod. ü. 7. $ 3;
he span wool, it is said, and sometimes he put on Diod. iv. 33. ) Heracles took Lacedaemon, and
the garments of a woman, while Omphale wore his assigned the government of it to Tyndareus. On
## p. 399 (#415) ############################################
HERACLES.
399
HERACLES.
his return to Tegea, he became, by Auge, the father ing lole, began to fear lest she should supplant her
of Telephus (AUGE), and then proceeded to Caly, in the affection of her husband, to prevent which she
don, where he demanded Deianeira, the daughter steeped the white garment he had demanded in the
of Oeneus, for his wife. [DEIANEIRA; ACHelous. ] preparation she had made from the blood of Nessus.
The adventures which now follow are of minor im- Scarcely had the garment become warm on the body
portance, such as the expedition against the Dryo of Heracles, when the poison which was contained
pians, and the assistance he gave to Aegimius, king in the ointment, and had come into it from the
of the Dorians, against the Lapithae ; but as these poisoned arrow with which Heracles had killed
events led to his catastrophe, it is necessary to sub- Nessus, penetrated into all parts of his body, and
join a sketch of them.
caused him the most fearful pains. Heracles seized
Heracles had been married to Deianeira for Lichas by his feet, and threw him into the sea. He
nearly three years, when, at a repast in the house wrenched off his garment, but it stuck to his flesh,
of Oeneus, he killed, by an accident, the boy Eu- and with it he tore whole pieces from his body. In
nomus, the son of Architeles. The father of the this state he was conveyed to Trachis. Dcianeira,
boy pardoned the murder, as it had not been com- on seeing what she had unwittingly done, bung
mitted intentionally; but Heracles, in accordance herself ; and Heracles commanded Hyllus, his
with the law, went into exile with his wife Deia- eldest son, by Deianeira, to marry hole as soon as
neira. On their road they came to the river Eue he should arrive at the age of manhood. He then
nus, across which the centaur Nessus used to carry ascended Mount Oeta, raised a pile of wood,
travellers for a small sum of money. Heracles ascended, and ordered it to be set on fire. No one
himself forded the river, and gave Deianeira to ventured to obey him, until at length Poeas the
Nessus to carry her across. Nessus attempted to shepherd, who passed by, was prevailed upon to
outrage her: Heracles heard her screaming, and as comply with the desire of the suffering hero. When
the centaur brought her to the other side, Heracles the pile was burning, a cloud came down from
shot an arrow into his heart. The dying centaur heaven, and amid peals of thunder carried him
called out to Deianeira to take his blood with her, into Olympus, where he was honoured with im-
as it was a sure means for preserving the love of her mortality, became reconciled with Hera, and mar.
husband. (Apollod. ii. 7. § 6; Diod. iv. 36; ried her daughter Hebe, by whom he became the
Soph. Trach. 555, &c. ; 0v. Met. ix. 201, &c. ; father of Alexiares and Anicetus. (Hom. Od. xi.
Senec. Herc. Oet. 496, &c. ; Paus. x. 38. § 1. ) 600, &c. ; Hes. Theog. 949, &c. ; Soph. Trach.
From the river Enenus, Heracles now procoeded 1. c. , Philoct. 802; Apollod. ii. 7. 8. 7; Diod. iv.
through the country of the Dryopes, where he 38; Ov. Met. ix. 155, &c. ; Herod. vii. 198 ; Co-
showed himself worthy of the epithet “the vora- non, Narrat. 17 ; Paus. iii. 18. $ 7; Pind. Nem.
cious," which is so often given to him, especially i. in fin. , X. 31, &c. , Isthm. iv. 55, &c. ; Virg. Aen.
by late writers, for in his hunger he took one viii. 300, and many other writers. )
of the oxen of Theiodamas, and consumed it all. The wives and children of Heracles are enume
At last he arrived in Trachis, where he was kindly rated by Apollodorus (ii. 7. § 8), but we must
received by Ceyx, and conquered the Dryopes. refer the reader to the separate articles. We may,
He then assisted Aegimius, king of the Dorians, however, observe that among the very great number
against the Lapithae, and without accepting a por- of his children, there are no daughters, and that
tion of the country which was offered to him as a Euripides is the only writer who mentions Macaria
reward. Laogoras, the king of the Dryopes, and as a daughter of Heracles by Deianeira. We
his children, were slain. Ăs Heracles proceeded must also pass over the long series of his surnames,
to Iton, in Thessaly, he was challenged to single and proceed to give an account of his worship in
combat by Cycnus, a son of Ares and Pelopia (He- Greece. Immediately after the apotheosis of He-
siod. Scut. Her. 58, &c. ); but Cycnus was slain. racles, his friends who were present at the termi-
King Amyntor of Ormenion refused to allow Hera- nation of his earthly career offered sacrifices to him
cles to pass through his dominions, but had to pay as a hero ; and Menoetius established at Opus the
for his presumption with his life. (Apollod. ii. 7. worship of Heracles as a hero. This example was
$ 7; Diod. iv. 36, &c. )
followed by the Thebans, until at length Heracles
Heracles now returned to Trachis, and there was worshipped throughout Greece as a divinity
collected an army to take vengeance on Eurytus of (Diod. iv. 39 ; Eurip. Herc. Fur. 1331); but he,
Oechalia. Apollodorus and Diodorus agree in Dionysus and Pan, were regarded as the youngest
making Heracles spend the last years of his life at gods, and his worship was practised in two ways,
Trachis, but Sophocles represents the matter in a for he was worshipped both as a god and as a hero.
very different light, for, according to him, Heracles (Herod. ii. 44, 145. ) One of the most ancient
was absent from Trachis upwards of fifteen months temples of Heracles in Greece was that at Bura, in
without Deianeira knowing where he was. During Achaia, where he had a peculiar oracle. (Paus, vii
that period he was staying with Omphale in Lydia; 25. § 6; Plut. de Malign. Herod. 31. ) In the
and without returning home, he proceeded from neighbourhood of Thermopylae, where Athena, to
Lydia at once to Oechalia, to gain possession of please him, had called forth the hot spring, there
Lole, whom he loved. (Soph. Trach. 44, &c. ; was an altar of Heracles, surnamed wendunuyos
248, &c. , 351, &c. ) With the assistance of his (Schol. ad Aristoph. Nub. 1047 ; Herod. vii. 176);
allies, Heracles took the town of Oechalia, and slew and it should be observed that hot springs in
Eurytus and his sons, but carried his daughter general were sacred to Heracles. (Diod. v. 3;
Iole with him as a prisoner. On his return home Schol. ad Pind. Ol. xii. 25 ; Liv. xxii. l; Strab.
he landed at Cenaeum, a promontory of Euboea, pp. 60, 172, 425, 428. ) In Phocis he had a
and erected an altar to Zeus Cenaeus, and sent his temple under the name of ugoyúvns ; and as at
companion, Lichas, to Trachis to fetch him a white Rome, women were not allowed to take part in his
garment, which he intended to use during the worship, probably on account of his having been
sacrifice. Deianeira, who heard from Liclas respect- | poisoned by Deianeira. (Plut. Quaest. Rom. 57.
## p. 400 (#416) ############################################
400
HERACLES.
HERACLES.
de Pyth.
river Strymon, he made himself a road through twelfth or last in the series. It is the only one
it, by means of huge blocks of stone. On reaching that is expressly mentioned in the Homeric poems.
the Hellespont, he had gradually recovered his (Od. xi. 623, &c. ) Later writers have added to
oxen, and took them to Eurystheus, who sacrificed the simple story several particulars, such, e. g. that
them to Hera. (Hes. Theog. 287, &c. ; Apollod. Heracles, previous to setting out on his expedition,
ii. 5. § 10; Diod. iv. 17, &c. , v. 17, 25; Herod. was initiated by Eumolpus in the Eleusinian mys-
iv. 8 ; Serv. ad Aen. vii. 662; Strab. iii. pp. 221, teries, in order to purify him from the murder of ihe
258, &c. ; Dionys. i. 34; Pind. Nem. iii. 21. ) Centaurs. Accompanied by Hermes and Athena,
These ten labours were performed by Heracles Heracles descended into Hades, near Cape Tae-
in the space of eight years and one month ; but as narum, in Laconia. On his arrival most of the
Eurystheus declared two of them to have been per- shades fled before him, and he found only Mele-
formed unlawfully, he commanded him to accom- ager and Medusa, with whom he intended to fight;
plish two more, viz. to fetch
but, on the command of Hermes, he left them in
11. The golden apples of the Hesperides. This peace. Near the gates of Hades he met Theseus
was particularly difficult, since Heracles did not and Peirithous, who stretched their arms implor-
know where to find them. They were the apples ingly towards him. He delivered Theseus, but,
which Hera had received at her wedding from Ge, when he attempted to do the same for Peirithous,
and which she had entrusted to the keeping of the the earth began to tremble. After having rolled
Hesperides and the dragon Ladon, on Mount the stone from Ascalaphus, he killed one of the
Atlas, in the country of the Hyperboreans. (Apol- oxen of Hades, in order to give the shades the
Jod. ii. 5. § 11. ) In other accounts the apples are blood to drink, and fought with Menoetius, the
described as sacred to Aphrodite, Dionysus, or herdsman. Upon this, he asked Pluto permission
Helios ; but the abode of the Hesperides is placed to take Cerberus, and the request was granted, on
by Hesiod, A pollodorus, and others, in the west, condition of its being done without force of arms.
while later writers specify more particularly certain This was accomplished, for Heracles found Cer.
places in Libya, or in the Atlantic Ocean. The men- berus on the Acheron, and, notwithstanding the
tion of the Hyperboreans in this connection renders bites of the dragon, he took the monster, and in
the matter very difficult, but it is possible that the neighbourhood of Troezene he brought it to the
the ancients may have conceived the extreme north upper world. The place where he appeared with
(the usual seat of the Hyperboreans), and the ex. Cerberus is not the same in all traditions, for some
treme west to be contiguous. Heracles, in order to say that it was at Taenarum, others at Hermione,
find the gardens of the Hesperides, went to the or Coroneia, and others again at Heracleia. When
river Echedorus, in Macedonia, after having killed Cerberus appeared in the upper world, it is said
Termerus in Thessaly. In Macedonia he killed that, unable to bear the light, he spit, and thus
Cycnus, the son of Ares and Pyrene, who had called forth the poisonous plant called aconitum.
challenged him. He thence passed through Illyria, After having shown the monster to Eurystheus,
and arrived on the banks of the river Eridanus, and Heracles took it back to the lower world. Some
was informed by the nymphs in what manner he traditions connect the descent of Heracles into the
## p. 398 (#414) ############################################
398
HERACLES.
HERACLES.
lower world with a contest with Hades, as we see | lion's skin ; but, according to Apollodorus and Dio
even in the Iliad (v. 397), and more particularly in dorus, he nevertheless performed several great
the Alcestis of Euripides (24, 846, &c. See Apol- feats. (Ov. Fast. ii. 305, Heroid. ix. 53; Senec.
lod. ii. 5. § 12 ; Diod. iv. 25, &c. ; Plut. Thes. 30; Hippol. 317, Herc. Fur. 464; Lucian, Dial. Deor.
Paus. ii. 31. § 2, ix. 34. § 4, iii. 25. § 4, ii. 35. $ xii. 2; Apollod. ü, 6. 3 ; Diod. ir. 31, &c. )
7; Ov. Met. vii. 415, Serv. ad Virg. Georg. ii. 152, Among these, we mention his chaining the Cer-
Aen. vi. 617).
copes (CERCOPES), his killing Srleus and his
Such is the count of the twelve labours of He- daughter in Aulis, his defeat of the plundering
racles. According to Apollodorus, Eurystheus ori- Idones, his killing a serpent on the river Sygaris,
ginally required only ten, and commanded him to and his throwing the blood-thirsty Lytierses into
perform two more, because he was dissatisfied with the Macander. (Comp. Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 14;
two of them; but Diodorus represents twelve as the Schol. ad Theocrit
. x. 41; Athen. x. p. 415. ) He
original number required. Along with these labours further gave to the island of Doliche the name of
(&$101), the ancients relate a considerable number of Icaria, as he buried in it the body of Icarus, which
other feats (Tápepya) which he performed without had been wasbed on shore by the waves. He also
being commanded by Eurystheus ; some of them are undertook an expedition to Colchis, which brought
interwoven with the twelve doxos, and others belong him in connection with the Argonauts (Apollod. i.
to a later period. Those of the former kind 9. § 16 ; Herod. vii. 193 ; Schol. ad Apollon.
have already been noticed above ; and we now Rhod. i. 1289; Anton. Lib. 26); he took part in the
proceed to mention the principal rápepya of the Calydonian hunt, and met Theseus on his landing
second class. After the accomplishment of the from Troezene on the Corinthian isthmus. An ex-
twelve labours, and being released from the ser- pedition to India, which was mentioned in some
vitude of Eurystheus, he returned to Thebes. He traditions, may likewise be inserted in this place.
there gave Megara in marriage to lolaus ; for, as he (Philostr. Vit. A poll. iii. 4, 6; Arrian, Ind. 8, 9. )
had lost the children whom he had by her, he When the period of his servitude and his ill-
looked upon his connection with her as displeasing ness had passed away, he undertook an expe
to the gods (Paus. x. 29), and went to Oechalia dition against Troy, with 18 ships and a band of
According to some traditions, Heracles, after his heroes. On his landing, he entrusted the fleet to
return from Hades, was seized with madness, in Oicles, and with his other companions made an
which he killed both Megara and her children. attack upon the city. Laomedon in the mean time
This madness was a calamity sent to him by Hera, made an attack upon the ships, and slew Oicles,
because he had slain Lycus, king of Thebes, who, but was compelled to retreat into the city, where
in the belief that Heracles would not return from he was besieged. Telamon was the first who forced
Hades, had attempted to murder Megara and her his way into the city, which roused the jealousy of
children. (Hygin. Fab. 32; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 38. ) | Heracles to such a degree that he determined to
Eurytus, king of Oechalia, an excellent archer, and kill him ; but Telamon quickly collected a heap of
the teacher of Heracles in his art, had promised his stones, and pretended that he was building an altar
daughter Iole to the man who should excel him and to Heracles Kallivikos or dezinakos. This soothed
his sons in using the bow. Heracles engaged in the the anger of the hero ; and after the sons of Laa
contest with them, and succeeded, but Eurytus re- medon had fallen, Heracles gave to Telamon He-
fused abiding by his promise, saying, that he would sione, as a reward for his bravery. (Hom. II. v.
not give his daughter to a man who had murdered 6+1, &c. , xiv. 251, xx. 145, &c. ; Apollod. ii. 6.
his own children. Iphitus, the son of Eurytus, en- $ 4; Diod. iv. 32, 49 ; Eurip. Troad. 802, &c. )
deavoured to persuade his father, but in vain. On his return from Troy, Hera sent a storm to
Soon after this the oxen of Eurytus were carried | impede his voyage, which compelled him to land
off, and it was suspected that Heracles was the in the island of Cos. The Meropes, the inhabit-
offender. Iphitus again defended Heracles, went ants of the island, took him for a pirate, and re-
to him and requested his assistance in searching ceived him with a shower of stones ; but during the
after the oxen. Heracles agreed ; but when the night he took possession of the island, and killed
two had arrived at Tiryns, Heracles, in a fit of the king, Eurypylus. Heracles himself was
madness, threw his friend down from the wall, and wounded by Chalcodon, but was saved by Zeus.
killed him. Deiphobus of Amyclae, indeed, puri- After he bad ravaged Cos, he went, by the com-
fied Heracles from this murder, but he was, never- mand of Athena, to Phlegra, and fought against
theless, attacked by a severe illness. Heracles then the Gigantes. (Apollod. ii. 7. 81; Hom. Il. xiv.
repaired to Delphi to obtain a remedy, but the Py- / 250, &c. ; Pind. Nem. iv. 40. ) Respecting his
thia refused to answer his questions.
A struggle fight against the giants, who were, according to an
between Heracles and Apollo ensued, and the com- oracle, to be conquered by a mortal, see especially
batants were not separated till Zeus sent a flash of Eurip. Herc. Fur. 177, &c. , 852, 1190, &c. , 1272.
lightning between them. Heracles now obtained Among the giants defeated by him we find men-
the oracle that he should be restored to health, if tion of Alcyoneus, a name borne by two among
he would sell himself, would serve three years for them. (Pind. Nem. iv. 43, Isthm. vi. 47. )
wages, and surrender his wages to Eurytus, as an Soon after his return to Argos, Heracles marched
atonement for the murder of Iphitus. (Apollod. ii. against Augeas to chastise him for his breach of
6. § 1, 2; Diod. iv. 31, &c. ; Hom. I. i. 730, Od. promise (see above), and then proceeded to Pylos,
xxi. 22, &c. ; Soph. Trach. 273, &c. ) Heracles which he took, and killed Periclymenus, a son of
was sold to Omphale, queen of Lydia, and widow Neleus. He then advanced against Lacedaemon,
of Tmolus. Late writers, especially the Roman to punish the sons of Hippocoon, for naving assisted
poets, describe Heracles, during his stay with Om Neleus and slain Oeonus, the son of Licymnius.
phale, as indulging at times in an effeminate life: (Paus. iii. 15. § 2, č. 18. $ 6; Apollod. ü. 7. $ 3;
he span wool, it is said, and sometimes he put on Diod. iv. 33. ) Heracles took Lacedaemon, and
the garments of a woman, while Omphale wore his assigned the government of it to Tyndareus. On
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HERACLES.
his return to Tegea, he became, by Auge, the father ing lole, began to fear lest she should supplant her
of Telephus (AUGE), and then proceeded to Caly, in the affection of her husband, to prevent which she
don, where he demanded Deianeira, the daughter steeped the white garment he had demanded in the
of Oeneus, for his wife. [DEIANEIRA; ACHelous. ] preparation she had made from the blood of Nessus.
The adventures which now follow are of minor im- Scarcely had the garment become warm on the body
portance, such as the expedition against the Dryo of Heracles, when the poison which was contained
pians, and the assistance he gave to Aegimius, king in the ointment, and had come into it from the
of the Dorians, against the Lapithae ; but as these poisoned arrow with which Heracles had killed
events led to his catastrophe, it is necessary to sub- Nessus, penetrated into all parts of his body, and
join a sketch of them.
caused him the most fearful pains. Heracles seized
Heracles had been married to Deianeira for Lichas by his feet, and threw him into the sea. He
nearly three years, when, at a repast in the house wrenched off his garment, but it stuck to his flesh,
of Oeneus, he killed, by an accident, the boy Eu- and with it he tore whole pieces from his body. In
nomus, the son of Architeles. The father of the this state he was conveyed to Trachis. Dcianeira,
boy pardoned the murder, as it had not been com- on seeing what she had unwittingly done, bung
mitted intentionally; but Heracles, in accordance herself ; and Heracles commanded Hyllus, his
with the law, went into exile with his wife Deia- eldest son, by Deianeira, to marry hole as soon as
neira. On their road they came to the river Eue he should arrive at the age of manhood. He then
nus, across which the centaur Nessus used to carry ascended Mount Oeta, raised a pile of wood,
travellers for a small sum of money. Heracles ascended, and ordered it to be set on fire. No one
himself forded the river, and gave Deianeira to ventured to obey him, until at length Poeas the
Nessus to carry her across. Nessus attempted to shepherd, who passed by, was prevailed upon to
outrage her: Heracles heard her screaming, and as comply with the desire of the suffering hero. When
the centaur brought her to the other side, Heracles the pile was burning, a cloud came down from
shot an arrow into his heart. The dying centaur heaven, and amid peals of thunder carried him
called out to Deianeira to take his blood with her, into Olympus, where he was honoured with im-
as it was a sure means for preserving the love of her mortality, became reconciled with Hera, and mar.
husband. (Apollod. ii. 7. § 6; Diod. iv. 36; ried her daughter Hebe, by whom he became the
Soph. Trach. 555, &c. ; 0v. Met. ix. 201, &c. ; father of Alexiares and Anicetus. (Hom. Od. xi.
Senec. Herc. Oet. 496, &c. ; Paus. x. 38. § 1. ) 600, &c. ; Hes. Theog. 949, &c. ; Soph. Trach.
From the river Enenus, Heracles now procoeded 1. c. , Philoct. 802; Apollod. ii. 7. 8. 7; Diod. iv.
through the country of the Dryopes, where he 38; Ov. Met. ix. 155, &c. ; Herod. vii. 198 ; Co-
showed himself worthy of the epithet “the vora- non, Narrat. 17 ; Paus. iii. 18. $ 7; Pind. Nem.
cious," which is so often given to him, especially i. in fin. , X. 31, &c. , Isthm. iv. 55, &c. ; Virg. Aen.
by late writers, for in his hunger he took one viii. 300, and many other writers. )
of the oxen of Theiodamas, and consumed it all. The wives and children of Heracles are enume
At last he arrived in Trachis, where he was kindly rated by Apollodorus (ii. 7. § 8), but we must
received by Ceyx, and conquered the Dryopes. refer the reader to the separate articles. We may,
He then assisted Aegimius, king of the Dorians, however, observe that among the very great number
against the Lapithae, and without accepting a por- of his children, there are no daughters, and that
tion of the country which was offered to him as a Euripides is the only writer who mentions Macaria
reward. Laogoras, the king of the Dryopes, and as a daughter of Heracles by Deianeira. We
his children, were slain. Ăs Heracles proceeded must also pass over the long series of his surnames,
to Iton, in Thessaly, he was challenged to single and proceed to give an account of his worship in
combat by Cycnus, a son of Ares and Pelopia (He- Greece. Immediately after the apotheosis of He-
siod. Scut. Her. 58, &c. ); but Cycnus was slain. racles, his friends who were present at the termi-
King Amyntor of Ormenion refused to allow Hera- nation of his earthly career offered sacrifices to him
cles to pass through his dominions, but had to pay as a hero ; and Menoetius established at Opus the
for his presumption with his life. (Apollod. ii. 7. worship of Heracles as a hero. This example was
$ 7; Diod. iv. 36, &c. )
followed by the Thebans, until at length Heracles
Heracles now returned to Trachis, and there was worshipped throughout Greece as a divinity
collected an army to take vengeance on Eurytus of (Diod. iv. 39 ; Eurip. Herc. Fur. 1331); but he,
Oechalia. Apollodorus and Diodorus agree in Dionysus and Pan, were regarded as the youngest
making Heracles spend the last years of his life at gods, and his worship was practised in two ways,
Trachis, but Sophocles represents the matter in a for he was worshipped both as a god and as a hero.
very different light, for, according to him, Heracles (Herod. ii. 44, 145. ) One of the most ancient
was absent from Trachis upwards of fifteen months temples of Heracles in Greece was that at Bura, in
without Deianeira knowing where he was. During Achaia, where he had a peculiar oracle. (Paus, vii
that period he was staying with Omphale in Lydia; 25. § 6; Plut. de Malign. Herod. 31. ) In the
and without returning home, he proceeded from neighbourhood of Thermopylae, where Athena, to
Lydia at once to Oechalia, to gain possession of please him, had called forth the hot spring, there
Lole, whom he loved. (Soph. Trach. 44, &c. ; was an altar of Heracles, surnamed wendunuyos
248, &c. , 351, &c. ) With the assistance of his (Schol. ad Aristoph. Nub. 1047 ; Herod. vii. 176);
allies, Heracles took the town of Oechalia, and slew and it should be observed that hot springs in
Eurytus and his sons, but carried his daughter general were sacred to Heracles. (Diod. v. 3;
Iole with him as a prisoner. On his return home Schol. ad Pind. Ol. xii. 25 ; Liv. xxii. l; Strab.
he landed at Cenaeum, a promontory of Euboea, pp. 60, 172, 425, 428. ) In Phocis he had a
and erected an altar to Zeus Cenaeus, and sent his temple under the name of ugoyúvns ; and as at
companion, Lichas, to Trachis to fetch him a white Rome, women were not allowed to take part in his
garment, which he intended to use during the worship, probably on account of his having been
sacrifice. Deianeira, who heard from Liclas respect- | poisoned by Deianeira. (Plut. Quaest. Rom. 57.
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HERACLES.
HERACLES.
de Pyth.
