''Hercules'' or ''Hercules furens'' (''The Mad Hercules'') is a ''
fabula crepidata
A ''fabula crepidata'' or ''fabula cothurnata'' is a Latin tragedy with Greek subjects. The genre probably originated in adaptations of Greek tragedy (hence the names, coming from ''crepida'' = ''sandal'' and '' cothurnus'') beginning in the early ...
'' (Roman tragedy with Greek subject) of c. 1344 lines of verse written by
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger (; 65 AD), usually known mononymously as Seneca, was a Stoic philosopher of Ancient Rome, a statesman, dramatist, and, in one work, satirist, from the post-Augustan age of Latin literature.
Seneca was born ...
.
Characters
*
Juno
Juno commonly refers to:
* Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods
* ''Juno'' (film), 2007
Juno may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters
*Juno, in the film ''Jenny, Juno''
*Juno, in the ...
, Sister and wife of Jupiter, and queen of heaven
*chorus, Of Thebans
*
Amphitryon
Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named e ...
, Husband of Hercules' mother
*
Megara
Megara (; el, Μέγαρα, ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken ...
, Wife of Hercules and daughter of Creon
*
Lycus, Usurper of the throne of Thebes
*
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted th ...
, Son of Jupiter and Alcmena, but the reputed son of Amphitryon
*
Theseus
Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages.
Theseus is sometimes describ ...
, King of Athens and friend of Hercules
Plot
Lycus was exiled for his crimes by
Creon the father-in-law of Hercules and king of Thebes. Hercules being at that time away in the underworld, where he had gone to seek out
Cerberus
In Greek mythology, Cerberus (; grc-gre, Κέρβερος ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring of the ...
as the final labour assigned him by
Eurystheus
In Greek mythology, Eurystheus (; grc-gre, Εὐρυσθεύς, , broad strength, ) was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean Greece, Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid, although other authors including Homer and Euripides cast him as ruler o ...
through Juno's hatred. Here he found Theseus, who had made a descent into the regions of Pluto in company of
Pirithous with the intention of carrying off
Proserpine. Lycus seized his opportunity, and aided by conspirators, slayed Creon together with his two sons, and usurped the Kingdom of Thebes.
Act I
Juno vents her anger at the love affairs of Jupiter, his concubines and bastard offspring, and is very angry about the successes of Hercules, and so on his return from the underworld will be thrown by Juno into a state of mad frenzy.
The Chorus of Thebans beginning with a description of the dawn of day alludes to the customs of the times, condemning the pursuits and undertakings of the nobles. They reprove Hercules for his audacity in the attempting of his various labors, and finally extol and sigh for the tranquillity which is only to be found in leading a retired life.
Act II
Megara bewails the absence of Hercules, and complains of the violence and insolence of Lycus. Amphitryon pities the despondent state of Megara's mind, and tenders his consolation.
Lycus, having slain Creon and his sons, has established himself on the throne and governs the kingdom. He seeks to marry Megara, using every stratagem, and threatens violence in case she refuses.
Act III
Hercules asks for the pardon of Phoebus and the rest of the gods, that although having been commanded, he had dragged Cerberus from the underworld to the regions above.
Hercules having returned from the underworld with Theseus encounters Amphitryon who greets him and informs him about events. Hercules goes off to kill Lycus. Theseus provides Amphitryon with an account of the underworld and the deeds of Hercules.
The Chorus sings of the victory of Hercules gained in the underworld, and praises the hero.
Act IV
Hercules having returned after the slaughter of Lycus, as he is about to offer sacrifices to the gods whom he has invoked, becomes mad and under the influence of his madness, he kills his wife and children, and then falls into a deep sleep.
Act V
Hercules wakes, with his mind restored, and learns that he has killed his own children. He prepares to kill himself, but prevailed on, by the appeals of Amphitryon and Theseus, he refrains from suicide, and at the suggestion of Theseus, he starts for Athens, to undergo the ordeal of atonement for his mad acts.
References
Further reading
* Otto Zwierlein (ed.), Seneca ''Tragoedia'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press: Oxford Classical Texts: 1986)
* John G. Fitch ''Tragedies, Volume I: Hercules. Trojan Women. Phoenician Women. Medea. Phaedra'' (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press: Loeb Classical Library: 2002)
External links
Latin textat
Perseus Project
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Latin textat the
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Translation by Frank Justus.Miller (1917) at Theoi.com(also available at
Wikisource
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)
{{Authority control
Plays by Seneca the Younger
Heracles in fiction
Tragedy plays