Concept
Heracles
Overview
divine hero in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Alcmene
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Heracles is discussed.
In fact however Heracles is a very ancient Egyptian god; and (as they say themselves) it is seventeen thousand years to the beginning of the reign of Amasis from the time when the twelve gods, of whom they count that Heracles is one, were begotten of the eight gods.
Herodotus, The History of Herodotus — Volume 1
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
So then my inquiries show clearly that Heracles is an ancient god, and those of the Hellenes seem to me to act most rightly who have two temples of Heracles set up, and who sacrifice to the one as an immortal god and with the title Olympian, and make offerings of the dead to the other as a hero. Moreover, besides many other stories which the Hellenes tell without due consideration, this tale is especially foolish…
Herodotus, An Account of Egypt
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
Heracles), (lit. "having | or showing the glory of Hera"; Hera, | wife of Zeus) Hercules, the son of | Zeus and of the mortal Alkmene was a | celebrated hero of Greek and Roman | mythology, who after death was ranked | among the gods and received divine | honours. He is represented as | possessed of prodigious strength, | whereby he was enabled to perform | twelve extraordinary tasks or | "labours" imposed upon him…
Francis Bacon, Valerius Terminus
talks about the author, not by them; opens on it; names the idea
But one of them exceeds all the rest in greatness and valour. For these histories tell of a mighty power which unprovoked made an expedition against the whole of Europe and Asia, and to which your city put an end. This power came forth out of the Atlantic Ocean, for in those days the Atlantic was navigable; and there was an island situated in front of the straits which are by you called the Pillars of Heracles; the…
Plato, Timaeus
states what it is; names the idea; author linked in the graph
This identification of Heracles with the genius shows in a striking way how far the Italians were from having reached the belief in personal individual gods at the time when Greek religion found its way into Italy, and how artificially Greek polytheism was superimposed on native beliefs. There were as many _genii virorum_ as there were living men, and yet they were identified with Heracles.[53] To the Italian…
Plutarch, Plutarch's Romane Questions
names the idea; author linked in the graph; opens on it
Philosophers who discussed Heracles
Related ideas
- Eusebius
- Aristophanes
- Medes
- Athena
- Greek language
- Greece
- Athens
- Goddess
- Herodotus
- Homer
- Hesiod
- Hero
- Italy
- Parable
- Jerome
- Lucian
- Libya
- Lydia
- Modernity
- Malta
- Aeschylus
- Pompeii
- Herculaneum
- Roman emperor
Place in the tradition
Part of Cynicism (philosophy).