Thursday, February 2, 2017

Heracles and Companions

Intaglio - Heracles and Hydra
Greece
6th century BC
sardonyx
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Cameo - Heracles and Omphale
Egypt
1st century BC
sardonyx
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

OMPHALE  daughter of Iardanus, and queen of Lydia. According to Sophocles, Heracles killed Iphitus, son of Eurytus of Oechalia, by treachery, and Zeus decreed that he should expiate this crime by being sold in slavery to Omphale. Having endured this humiliation for a year, Heracles sacked Oechalia in revenge. Other details are given elsewhere  after the killing of Iphitus, Apollo refused to give Heracles an oracle, so Heracles carried off the Delphic tripod. The quarrel was halted by Zeus, and Apollo then decreed that Heracles should be sold to Omphale for three years (not one year in this version) and the price should be paid to Eurytus. Hermes took him to her, and during his servitude he performed various exploits. Others again say that as Omphale's slave Heracles had to dress as a woman and perform women's work (a paradox popular with Hellenistic and Roman authors) and that he was her lover and had one or more children by her.


 Intaglio - Heracles and Omphale
Italy
16th century
lapis lazuli
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg


Cameo - Omphale and Heracles
Italy
ca. 1575
agate
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Bust of Heracles
Roman Empire
2nd century AD
marble
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Statue of Heracles
Roman Empire
1st-2nd century AD
marble
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Infant Heracles strangling Serpents
Roman Empire
1st century AD
marble
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg
originally a fountain statue

Heracles in youth
Roman Empire
AD 150-200
marble
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Cameo - Antinous as Heracles
Roman Empire
1st century AD
sardonyx
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Cameo - Heracles and Cerberus
Roman Empire
1st century BC - 1st century AD
chalcedony
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Cameo - Omphale, Hebe, Heracles
Italy
ca. 1680-1720
agate
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

HEBE  is normally a daughter of Hera and Zeus, and thus a sister of Ares and Eileithyia. Only in a late-attested tradition of uncertain origin is she born of Hera alone, made fertile by a lettuce. She is often mentioned and depicted as cupbearer of the gods and as bride of Heracles. This marriage is always viewed from the perspective of the groom, to whom it brought reconciliation with Hebe's mother Hera, a home on Olympus, and eternal youth. Hebe occasionally appears in cult, normally in association with the circle of Heracles.

Intaglio - Heracles and Iolaus
Italy
ca. 1700-1730
rock-crystal
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Gottfried Benjamin Tettelbach
Cameo - Iolaus and Heracles
ca. 1780-95
jasper
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

IOLAUS  younger companion and helper of Heracles, was identified as the son of Heracles' half-brother Iphicles and often appeared with Heracles in cult. He was worshipped notably at Thebes and in Sicily and Sardinia, where he was said to have led a colonizing expedition. His distinguishing feature in myth and cult is his connection with youth; even as an old man he was rejuvenated for one day in order to defeat Eurystheus, according to Euripides.

Stefano Maderno
Heracles Battling Centaur
ca. 1625-35
plaster
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

Stefano Maderno
Heracles with Infant Telephus
1620
terracotta
Hermitage, Saint Petersburg

TELEPHUS  an Arcadian hero. He was son of Heracles and of Auge, daughter of Aleus, King of Tigea and priestess of Athena Alea. The baby was hidden by his mother in Athena's sanctuary, and in consequence the land became barren. To get rid of his daughter and her son, Aleus decided to set them adrift at sea, but they reached King Teuthras in Mysia. In some versions deriving from Arcadian tradition, Auge alone was exiled to Mysia, while Telephus was exposed on Mt. Parthenion, where he was suckled by a hind and rescued by shepherds. When he grew up Telephus consulted the Delphic oracle and was reunited with his mother; Teuthras made him his heir.

Profiles adapted from The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd edition, edited by Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth