![]() Later in Thebes, Hercules married King Creon‘s daughter, Megara. This was part of a pattern of “ethicizing” Hercules over the 5th century BCE. 400 BCE) and reported in Xenophon‘s Memorabilia 2.1.21–34, he was visited by two allegorical figures-Vice and Virtue-who offered him a choice between a pleasant and easy life or a severe but glorious life: he chose the latter. ![]() Here, according to an allegorical parable, “The Choice of Hercules”, invented by the sophist Prodicus (c. His twin mortal brother, son of Amphitryon, was Iphicles, father of Hercules’ charioteer Iolaus.Īfter killing his music tutor Linus with a lyre, he was sent to tend cattle on a mountain by his foster father Amphitryon. Thus, Hercules’ very existence proved at least one of Zeus‘ many illicit affairs, and Hera often conspired against Zeus’ mortal offspring as revenge for her husband’s infidelities. Zeus made love to her after disguising himself as her husband, Amphitryon, home early from war (Amphitryon did return later the same night, and Alcmene became pregnant with his son at the same time, a case of heteropaternal superfecundation, where a woman carries twins sired by different fathers). Hercules was the son of the affair Zeus had with the mortal woman Alcmene. A major factor in the well-known tragedies surrounding Hercules is the hatred that the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus, had for him.Ī full account of Hercules must render it clear why Heracles was so tormented by Hera, when there were many illegitimate offspring sired by Zeus. ![]()
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