Week 10: Heroic Tragedy, and Bringing Greece Together

What did the three apples given to Heracles symbolize

virtues and philosophized until his death, embodying enduring spirit and prudent argumentation

Rationalized account of the punishment of prometheus

• Herodorus presents a different version of the punishment of Prometheus, suggesting that he was a king who was unable to provide for his subjects due to the river Aetos 

• He was chained up by the Scythians; Heracles intervened and diverted the river into the sea 

• Symbolizing the myth of “doing away with the eagle” and freed Prometheus and his chain 

• Also mentions that the eagle was sent to torment Prometheus was the offspring of typhon and Echidna 

The Choice of Heracles

• Heracles is depicted as facing a pivotal decision between two paths: One is a virtue and the other of vice 

  • The virtue: a dignified woman promising honor and immortality

  • The vice: a seductive woman offering immediate pleasure and comfort 

• He must decide between these two: weighing the long-term benefits of virtuous living against the immediate gratification promised by vice 

• He chooses Virtue, recognizing the enduring value of honor and the immortality of a virtuous life 

• Socrates shows importance of making moral choices and living a life guided by principles of virtue 

• Powerful lesson on the significance of ethical conduct and the rewards that accompany it 

Cadmos and Thebes reading

• After Telephassa’s death, cadmos sought guidance from Apollo in Delphi regarding Europa 

• Apollo advised him to follow a cow and found a city where it collapsed – Cadmos found a cow in Phocis, where Thebes now stands 

• Cadmos intended to sacrifice the cow to Athena but was attacked by a serpent guarding Ares’ spring 

• Cadmos slew the serpent and sowed its teeth, from which armed men, called Spartoi, sprouted 

• 5 survivors left – Cadmos served Ares for an “eternal” year 

• Harmonia married him (daughter of Aphrodite and Ares) 

Dionysos reading

• Daughters spread rumor Semele had affair with a mortal, causing her demise 

• Zeus got child, Dionysos, sewing him into his thigh until he was ready to be born 

• Ino and Athamas raised him disguised as a girl 

• Grapevine – set up pillars along the way from Thrace to India  

• Fought Lycourgos, who went mad and killed his son 

• Went to Argos – caused madness among the women 

• He was captured by pirates while crossing to Naxos 

  • Turned them mad, causing them to be transformed into dolphins 

• Rescued his mother from Hades, bringing her to heaven 

Oedipus

• After Amphion’s death, Laios becomes king and marries Locaste, despite an oracle warning them not to have children 

• They ignore it and have a child, Oidipous, who they abandon 

  • He is found by the king and queen of Corinth and raised as their own 

• Oidipous learns of his fate and leaves Corinth, unknowingly fulfilling the prophecy by killing Laios 

• He then solves the Sphinx’s riddle in Thebes, winning the throne and marrying his mother, Locaste 

• When the truth is revealed, Locaste hangs herself and Oidipous blinds himself 

• He curses his sons and is eventually driven out of Thebes 

• He seems refuge in Attica, where he dies as a suppliant in the sanctuary of the Eumenides 

Eteocles and Polyneices; the seven against Thebes Reading

• Eteocles and Polyneices agree to alternate ruling Thebes, but a dispute arises over the succession, leading Polyneices to be exiled 

• He seeks refuge in Argos, where he marries and convinces king Adrastos to help him reclaim his throne 

• Adrastos gathers an army, and despite warning, they march anyways 

• They encounter a deadly serpent and ambush of Tydeus; Then lay siege to its seven gates 

Teiresias Reading

• Teiresias, a blind seer of Thebes, was known for his prophetic abilities 

  • Could have been blinded from gods for revealing divine secrets, or by Athena for accidentally seeing her naked 

• Thebans consulted him for guidance, and he advised them that sacrificing Menoiceus would ensure the victory 

  • Menoiceus heard this, and sacrificed himself willingly 

  • The Cadmeians were pushed back during battle, and Capaneus tried to climb the walls, but Zeus struck him down with a thunderbolt 

After the Labors reading

• After completing his labors, Heracles came to Thebes and gave Megara to Lolaos 

• He wanted to marry Lole, daughter of Eurytos, but was denied because of his fears that he might harm any children they had 

• Heracles was then accused of stealing cattle and killed Euryto’s son, Iphitos 

• He went to Delphi, where he learned he would be cured after being sold, serving three years, and compensating Eurytos 

• Hermes sold Heracles to Omphale, queen of the Lydians, who later refused the compensation 

• Heracles performed various feats, including capturing the Cercopes, killing Syleus, and burying lcaros 

Deianira and Herakles

• Herakles married Deianira after rescuing her from the centaur Nessus. The centaur tricked Deianira into thinking he would take her safely across a river, but then attempted to abduct her.

• Herakles intervened, shooting Nessus with a poisoned arrow. Before dying, Nessus told Deianira to take his bloody cloak, which he claimed was a love potion, and use it to ensure Herakles' fidelity.

• Later, Deianira, fearing Herakles' infidelity, used the bloody cloak as a love charm on him since he fell for a younger woman. However, the blood was actually poisoned by the hydra's venom, causing excruciating pain when it came into contact with Herakles' skin.

• In agony, Herakles built a funeral pyre and climbed upon it, requesting to be burned alive. Zeus then intervened, allowing Herakles to ascend to Mount Olympus and become a god after his mortal body was consumed by the flames.

Rationalize the choice of Herakles

• someone told him this allegory; this is a story getting you to ask questions about life; two pths in life; one is easy - pleasure and one is hard work- see if pay off (much greater)

Thebes

• fun city, wild, backwards place

• always going wrong in Thebes

• hot-bed of Greek myth

• myth competition with classic Thebes endings

Europa in Thebes

• more to the story: King Agenor has daughter Europa taken by Zeus; he sends men to go get her from Crete - but first sends the son (Cadmus) to Delphi for an answer

• Europa has kids while this is happening (Minos, Sarpedon (Troy), Rhadamnthys

• The Oracle says: “follow the cow at half moon”

• he sees a cow on his way back with a half moon on it; he follows it for days- sacrifices the cow in the city

• names the city Cadmeia = Thebes #1

Cadmus in Cadmeia

• once city is found; they go to find a water source

• the men do not come back from trying to find the source- Cadmus goes looking, and finds the Serpent swallowing the men

• Cadmus battles the serpent at spring of Ares; he wins and consults with the oracle

• from the dirt spring warriors- he is scared and throws a rock; they all battle

• the leftover men are called Dragonlords of Boeotia

• Spartoi - sown men which belong to the land/ born from the land

• Cadmus and Harmonia have kids (divine since parents are Ares and Aph)

Some myths in Thebes

• Semele: blasted to death

• Pentheus: torn alive by wife and daughters

• Actaion: eaten by dogs

• etc.

Building of Thebes

• Antiope and Zeus had Zethus and Amphion

• Antiope was married to king Nycteus

• On Nycteus’ deathbed request

  • kids: Lycus and Dirce

• Antiope was exiled

• Lycus was told to punish her

  • they had to find her, and leave the babies with Zeus to die

• the sons punish the queen; but N wants the daughter to die (said on his deathbed)

• Queen tied to a raging bull and trampled to death (The Farnese Bull)

• Amphion marries Niobe (the 7 kids get killed)

• Zethus marries Thebe (princess)

Baths of Caracalla in Rome

• had a spa

• a cold room - frigidarium

• had a hot bath

These were made with pipes of warm or cold water running through them to heat up or cool down the room

Background of Cadmus and Spartoi

• Hero- father Laius and Jocasta (mother) [king and queen]

• they couldn’t have kids - no successor

• went to Delphi oracle - to see how they could have kids

• “Only way to save the kingdom is to remain childless”

• They never sleep together again

• King does not tell the Queen what the Oracle said- she gets suspicious that he is sleeping around so she seduces him and gets him drunk- they sleep together and she gets pregnant

• they abandon the child on the mountain and nail his feet to the ground

Oedipus’s childhood

• “Swollen foot” - “swoll foot” from getting his feet nailed to the ground

• on Mt. Cithaeron - a shepherd found him - after the season is over he brings him to a local court of Polybus and Merope

• everyone knows he is a bastard (not a real heir to the throne) but his parents deny it

• the oracle at Delphi says “you will kill your father and sleep with your mother”

The Sphinx’s riddle

“ What has 4 legs in the morning, 2 legs in the afternoon, and 3 legs in the evening”

• Oedipus says it is a human- he won and she vanishes

• Sphinx represents succession

Kids of Oedipus and Jocasta

• they are plagued by miasma

• 2 brothers - Eteocles and Polynices

• E takes power then E kills P: Fratricide

• Antigone, Creon, burial and everyone dies

• End of Thebes and rise of Argos