[The Shield of Heracles]

Welcome to Traveler's Tales. I am your host, Greg Alonzo. Today we will be taking a look at the Shield of Heracles by Hesiod. However, before we begin, just a reminder that we post new videos every Tuesday and Friday. Let's begin with some background on Hesiod, the author of the Shield of Heracles. Tradition has it that Hesiod was born in Boeotia, which is in central Greece within the region of Thebes. A contemporary of Homer, Hesiod was revered for his didactic poems. His contributions were quite influential to Greek mythology. He also wrote on such practical topics as farming techniques, economics, as well as archaic astronomy and timekeeping. The Shield of Heracles is the earliest known text of any one of the Heracles adventures. Hesiod begins with the birth of Heracles. He is fathered by the gods Zeus and Alchemene, a mortal woman. Alchemene was also the granddaughter of the hero Perseus. We all know of the great deeds of Heracles. First, as an infant, he strangled two serpents in his crib. Heracles also slayed the Nemean lion and took to wearing its pelt. Tradition has it that he also slayed the man-eating Stymphalian birds and the monstrous nine-headed hydra of Lerna. Other labors that Heracles was tasked with include the capture of several magnificent beasts. These were the elusive stag of Arcadia, the capture of the wild boar of Eurymanthus, the man-eating mares of King Diomedes of the Bystones, and the mad bull that terrorized the island of Crete. Heracles was also confronted with such impossible tasks as cleaning in a single day the stables of King Augustus of Aelis. He also had to seize the cattle of the giant Gerion, who ruled the island of Erethea. Another was taking of the girdle of Queen Hippolytae, who ruled the Amazons. The last two labors were surely feats that no mortal man could accomplish. But again, Heracles was no mere mortal. He traveled to the end of the world and seized the golden apples of Hesperides. The last challenge, Heracles descended to the underworld and fetched the triple-headed dog, Cerebus, guardian of the gates. Once completing the twelve labors, Heracles was free of his enslavement to Eurytheus. Heracles also achieved great acclaim for taking part in many warlike campaigns. To the Greeks of antiquity, Heracles was indicative of a man of many attributes. He possessed great strength, he was amorous and kindly, with occasional outbursts of rage, which often got him into trouble. Heracles also had a passion for the women and was married to Megara, daughter of Creon, king of Thebes. After a bout with the river god, Achelios, Heracles gained the hand of Daenera. Some years later, he fell in love with Aiole, daughter of king Eurytheus of Ocalia. Sadly, women were to be the downfall of this legendary hero. But that is a different story to be told on another day. The Shield of Heracles centers around the duel between Heracles and Cygnus, a bandit who has positioned himself near a sanctuary to the god Apollo. From his advantageous sight, he robs and kills all passers-by. Upon catching sight of Heracles, Cygnus decides to kill the son of Zeus. By taking Heracles' armor as a trophy, it is testament that it is he, Cygnus, who has slain the so-called strongest of all the Greek heroes. Cygnus, aided by his father, challenges Heracles to a duel, promising no quarter. Heracles is accompanied by his nephew, Aeolus, who serves as the hero's charioteer. Preparing for the encounter, Heracles checks his weapons. He is equipped with a heavy spear, bow, and arrows, and of course the renowned club and his magnificent shield. The shield has been encrusted with enamel, ivory, and electrum, depicting the myriad of personifications meant to strike fear in the hearts of any enemies. A prize indeed for any man who can defeat the inimitable Greek hero. As the battle begins, both combatants launch their attack from their chariots. As the fight rages on, Heracles strikes a fatal blow to the throat of Cygnus. Heracles at first leaves the body of Cygnus where it lay. At length, he and Aeolus decide to strip the body of its armor. Once again victorious, Heracles rides off to Trachys and the next adventure that lay ahead. The shield of Heracles suggests that in the age of the Greek heroes, people were not only plagued by demons and tyrants and bandits, like Cynchus who preyed upon them. I would also suggest that for Hesiod, his shield of Heracles was a criticism of the dangers that lurked in his times. Thank you for joining us today and for your continued support of Traveler's Tales. Just as a reminder, we post new videos every Tuesday and Friday. Please like and subscribe. It really helps the channel grow. Don't forget to click the little bell icon to be notified every time we post a new video. Kartistos