This month saw us review the twelve tasks of Heracles imposed on him as a result of his killing his wife and children. He had killed them in a madness sent by Hera, because Zeus, her husband, had seduced Heracles’ mother. Hera, the ever rational goddess, over and over sought to kill Heracles for Hera’s husband’s frailties. This madness was yet another punishment sent by Hera to bedevil Heracles.
The successful completion of these tasks and his many other adventures made Heracles the greatest of all heroes. He was eventually brought undone by his second wife Deianira who foolishly believed the dying words of a centaur killed by Heracles.
‘My blood, mixed with a little olive oil and smeared on your husband’s clothing, will keep him faithful.’
Well, it was true – sort of. Deianira means ‘man destroyer’ in Greek so her name gives away the ending.
The successful completion of these tasks and his many other adventures made Heracles the greatest of all heroes. He was eventually brought undone by his second wife Deianira who foolishly believed the dying words of a centaur killed by Heracles.
‘My blood, mixed with a little olive oil and smeared on your husband’s clothing, will keep him faithful.’
Well, it was true – sort of. Deianira means ‘man destroyer’ in Greek so her name gives away the ending.
Then we looked at Aeneas, a minor Trojan prince who appears in ‘The Iliad’ and who had escaped from the flames of burning Troy carrying his crippled father. Virgil took this character from ‘The Iliad’ and built a literary hero who had his own epic adventures in ‘The Aeneid’. In this literary propaganda work, Aeneas became the true founder of Rome long before Romulus and Remus. Through it, Virgil burnished the grubby and dubious credentials of Octavianus (later to be the Emperor Augustus) and prophesised that Rome’s destiny was to rule the world under the rule of Augustus and his successors. Virgil also explained the causes of the wars between Rome and Carthage (the three Punic Wars). It was not because of economic competition. No, it was because of a love affair in which Dido, the Queen of Carthage, was jilted by Aeneas.
Finally, we travelled with Jason and a stellar cast of heroes aboard the Argonaut to recover the golden fleece at Colchis. After adventures and battles, Jason and his heroes returned with the golden fleece and Medea, princess of Colchis and an accomplished sorceress.
When Jason later threw Medea over for Creusa, princess of Corinth, Medea killed her two children by Jason, killed Creusa and her father and then fled to Athens.
One of the most intriguing female characters in Greek mythology, Medea left a trail of death in her wake wherever she went, starting with her brother whom she cut in pieces to force her father to slow down in pursuit and pick up the bits. Thus the Argonauts (and Medea) escaped Colchis.
Unlike all other characters, male or female, in Greek mythology, Medea was never punished for her murders by the gods. Indeed, she retained their favour throughout her life, as demonstrated by their aid and support of her.
Next time, I intend to review how a Greek or Roman believed that he or she could live a good life and how this changed over time.
One of the most intriguing female characters in Greek mythology, Medea left a trail of death in her wake wherever she went, starting with her brother whom she cut in pieces to force her father to slow down in pursuit and pick up the bits. Thus the Argonauts (and Medea) escaped Colchis.
Unlike all other characters, male or female, in Greek mythology, Medea was never punished for her murders by the gods. Indeed, she retained their favour throughout her life, as demonstrated by their aid and support of her.
Next time, I intend to review how a Greek or Roman believed that he or she could live a good life and how this changed over time.
John Barry
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