Classics: Year 9 Term 3: Hercules in Rome

How did Cacus trick Heracles? 

He steals 4 bulls and 4 heifers and drags them backwards to his cave to create gouges in the dirt rather than tracks which could be followed. 

How did this go wrong?

The other cattle lowed and some of the ones in the cave responded, which Heracles heard.

How did Heracles defeat Cacus?

I. He uprooted a pillar of rock and threw it through the roof of Cacus' den.

II. He throws pieces of rock at Cacus and jumps into the fire and smoke that he belched.

III. He then chokes Cacus to death.

- The cult of Hercules was built on the site where he was said to have fought Cacus and saved the inhabitants of the pre-Rome Tiber civilisation.

- His heroic acts were linked with Rome as he visited the site on his way back from the Cattle of Geryon labour and fought Cacus, who had terrorised the inhabitants.

- In 312 BC, a group of slaves were put in charge of the cult, so Hercules was a popular hero and God among the slave population.

- He was also popular among gladiators and, when freed, they were given a wooden sword to hang in his temple.

Achelous was a river god who fought with Heracles for the hand in marriage of Princess Deianira.

His horn is missing as Hercules tore it off to create a cornucopia. However, Achelous is happy to have lost to one of the great Greek heroes.

Hercules' reasons for marriage were that he is related to the most powerful Gods; he is a hero; and he is good at wrestling. Achelous' are that he is a God; he isn't a foreigner; he wasn't the product of an affair; and he wasn't punishable by Juno.

Hercules defeated Achelous:

I) He threw sand over them both and came at him from all sides. However, the God wasn't shaken.

II) They wrestled until he jumped onto Achelous' back. He turns into a snake, which hercules suffocates, then a bull, which he overpowers.

I. Deianira hears a rumour that Hercules is cheating on her with Iole.

II. She decides to send him the tunic of Nessus, who tried to abduct her and was shot by Hercules with a hydra-blood-poisoned arrow, which the centaur told her would be able to restore his love.

III. Lichas delivers the tunic and Hercules puts it on, only for the agont of the poison to kick in and for it to stick to his skin.

IV. He believes it to be Lichas' fault and throws him across the waters, where he turns into a pillar of rock.

V. The agony continued until he builds a pyre and burns to death with the flames and poison, and then experiences apotheosis/deification.