Disney’s Hercules (1997)The real myths, because Disney prefers silly

songs over staying true to culture/myth/a country’s heritage.

ParentsDisney: Zeus (Jupiter) & Hera (Juno)Myth: Zeus (taking form of Amphitryon) &

AlcmeneIn Greek mythology, Heracles. Roman Hercules

(add Ara Maxima, Cacus; claimed by Commodus & other emperors) roughly equivalent to Greek Heracles.

Raised by Amphitryon & AlcmeneFirst wife= Megara. Second = Deianira

Birth/YouthHera sent two

snakes to kill him & his (mortal) twin half-brother IphiclesRemember when

Pain & Panic transformed into snakes in the movie?

Vase painting in Vulci, Etruria

Marble statue in Capitoline Museum

First MarriageTo Megara, daughter of King Creon, King of

ThebesHera caused him to go crazy, and he killed

their son/daughter (and her, according to some accounts)

After searching for a way to atone for his crimes, the Oracle of Delphi (under influence from Hera) directs him to King Eurystheus for ten years

The Twelve Labors

First, Nemean LionClub, strangle

Second, Lernaean HydraIn movieCut off & burned

Top Left: Vase painting in the LouvreTop: Engraving by BehamRight: Hercules Farnese (Lysippos)

Twelve Labors, cont.3= Capture Ceryneian Hind4= Erymanthian Boar (in the montage)

Statue in Berlin5= Clean the Augean Stables

Mentioned in passing in movieSupposed to be humiliating.Immortal cattle.Rerouted rivers to clean out

Museum in Palermo

Statue in Berlin

Cont. Roman mosaics inLlíria, Spain

6= Stymphalian Birds7= Cretan Bull8= Mares of Diomedes (a giant)

Capture them, then kill Diomedes9= Girdle of Hippolyte (Amazon

queen)10= Cattle of Geryon (herd

them)Giant; H. used Hydra arrows

Final Labors11= Apples of Hesperides

Help from Atlas.12= Capture Cerberus

Underworld

Movie mentions1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12Adds Minotaur & Gorgon

Top L: Museum in Naples, Top R: Building in Melbourne, Bottom R: Museum in Crete, Bottom L: Vase painting in the Louvre

Hercules’ death & deificationRemember Nessus?

River-god centaurH. kills after attempted rape of D.(Hydra-

tipped arrow)Nessus to D.: “Collect my blood, apply to H’s

armor in order to keep him from being unfaithful.” His blood also poisoned (Hydra arrow) Deianira applied it, & it burned Herc.

Gods deified himOr, his mortal half burned to death

Marble statue in Florence

Etching in Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Added charactersPhiloctetes, a satyr? PegasusGreek who assisted at

the end of the Trojan War

Hercules’ mentor, according to some accounts: Chiron, the centaur

Satyrs- really like womenWood-nymphsMegRandom chicks chasing

H.Aphrodite at end

Associated with myth of Perseus

Born out of Medusa when decapitated by Perseus

Mis-associationsHades = Devil

“Speak of the devil,” “Brimstone in my ear”Pain & Panic

Phobos & Deimos, = Fear & Terror, minions of Ares

The Fates (L=Parcae, G= Moirai) v. Graiai (old triplet sisters with powers/knowledge; 1 eye, forced to help Perseus)

Fun notesJason & Argo

(H. hits his head on the Argo at Phil’s house)“Call IXII!!”Cyclops/Titans in Tartarus

Gave Zeus the lightning bolt after he freed them to help overtake Olympus from Cronus (Uranus) & his generation (the ruling Titans).

9 Muses- we saw 5 in movieCalliope (epic), Clio (history), Melpomene

(tragedy), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy)Venus de Milo in courtyard. Also, Meg struck

by Cupid

Venus De Milo, in the Louvre