One thing a like about Herakles over other Greek heroes is when he finds out that he has done something that is wrong he feels bad about it and try to fix the mistake.
Yeah, that's SUBSTANTIALLY better than the mess of them that do something dumb that gets someone killed, regret it, and then kill themselves. Still don't get why that was such a common thing in Greek myth...
I remember being introduced to Greek mythology by watching the Hercules cartoon. I really liked it man. And while watching this series, I was reminded of it again and I went back and saw some episodes. They even did one with the golden apples.
I think it's worth mentioning that Hercules was part of Jason and the Argonauts quest for the golden fleece. He was separated by the will of the gods which is where the 12 labors story comes in.
I read a version (forgot the source) which stated that the reason why the Fifth Labor did not count was because it was the rivers - not Hercules - which cleaned the stables.
Hercules, hero of song and story, Hercules, winner of ancient glory, Softness in his eyes, Iron in his thighs, Virtue in his heart, Fire in every part, Of the Mighty Hercuuuulleeees
I always kind of wondered what the real lyrics were. I only ever heard my dad sing the parody that he and his friends made up in the fourth grade: Muscles up his nose Dirt between his toes Dandruff in his hair Dirty underwear That's the sign of Herculeeeees
I love this show!! Mithology is a wonderful way of framing human nature and our actions through history! A people's mythology can fell you a lot about it's culture. Once you see the biger picture, it can give us insight into human nature.
Definitely hope that you guys will make a season 2 for Crash Course Mythology (Like what you guys did for CC literature and CC world history), like moreover the mythology in a lot of cultures in each continent (not sure about Antarctica though)
Dear Mike Rugnetta and Crash Course Mythology, can you please make a video exclusively on Chinese pantheons and another video exclusively on Japanese pantheons. There is a lot to mention from these topics, such as Chang'e the Chinese moon goddess, Amaterasu the Japanese sun goddess, the Taoist elixir of life and so many more.
Ekmal Sukarno considering the past videos, I think it’s likely we’ll get videos that are exclusive to East Asian pantheons and the stories surrounding them.
Ekmal Sukarno Japanese pantheons is one thing but the Chinese pantheon myths could cover one whole season of CC considering it's a mixture of different pantheons, ancestry worship and real life folk hero's
Chinese mythology has like at least three pantheons (Taoist, deified Confucian, heavily localized buddist) and a whole bunch of folk beliefs. Would be wonderful if they at least do one episode on it...
we all know what happens afterwards. He gets summoned to the 5th holy grail war and his master is a loli that goes by the name Ilya Einzbern. Of course the mad version.
You omitted some cool details about Heracles: - When he first goes to the Oracle, he doesn't like what the Oracle tells him. So, in a fit of anger, he steals her chair and makes off with it. Apollo himself has to descend and fight him for the chair. - When he brings Cerberus to Eurystheus, Eurystheus is so scared, he hides in a vase and begs Heracles to let the dog go. He does, and it becomes a problem for a later date. -The Cretan Bull he wrangles is the same bull who fathered the Minotaur. After Minos refuses to sacrifice the bull and Pasiphae screws it, Poseidon sends madness upon the bull who starts wrecking fields and stuff. So Heracles has to go and stop it.
I always thought Hercules had the same function for Greece as Superman does for America. Namely, the idea of an indomitable superhuman who is controlled by their emotions and has their greatest challenge being trying to live a normal life.
He also became an Argonaut. But because it was going too easy for them and was no challenge at all Heracles left the mission for story reasons. He also took Troy singlehandedly once.
Dwayne Johnson: *"I AM HERCULES!!!"* Hercules (Berserker class from Fate Series): *(ROAR)* 9:18 Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Fate of the Atlantis - Torment of Hades, everyone? Right on the start in Episode 2
Thank you! You corrected the mistake of Hercules holding the Earth (although the animation *still* shows that). I loved Heracles' face when he get the magic cup/ship!!!
A small correction: The pelt worn by Herakles is supposedly the skin of the Nemean lion, not the lion of Cithaeron. The reason is exactly because its skin was invulnerable to all weapons; Herakles was using it as armor. As weapons couldn't hurt it, Herakles had to choke it to death. There's even an interesting detail that he couldn't skin the Nemean lion at first (knives wouldn't cut it) until he used the beast's own claws.
Hercules is played by Mark Addy (the dad on still standing sitcom) on BBC Atlantis!! robert baratheon & the dad from Still Standing (sitcom). a most unusual pick to play him, but he was great!
To be fair, Heracles brought the centaurs attacking them upon himself too. Centaurs keep their wine locked away because when they get near it they go into a rage. So after Heracles and his wife asked to procure the key to the cellar, they proceed to get wasted and come back up with all the wine to hangout with the cool centaurs. At this the centaurs go into a blood rage and while Heracles is slaughtering the rest, the named centaur steals his wife away. I swear, the people in mythology are more than dense. They are naive and gullible beyond belief... but I love it.
hi crashcourse. please think of making a video about anaximander, or something similar. i find the history of maps, and where maps from different civilizations came from to be very interesting. thank you
Don't forget, to rub it in to Hera, he made Hebe (their only daughter) Hercules' wife. But I think that was more so then the cupbearer position would be open for Ganymede to fill (Zeus should also be the god of opportunism).
+Loki Firefox Eileithyia was also a daughter of Zeus and Hera. Which is also a bit weird, considering how many times Hera has restrained and/or kidnapped her.
That's right! Which, for me, makes it more likely he had Hebe marry so the cupbearer position would be free since he could have had Eileithyia be the bride instead.
You should really do an episode on Polynesian mythology, for example, one of the many creation myths or Maui, a famous hero of the Pacific Islands (Yes the famous Trickster portrayed in the Disney movie: Moana). But i think you'll find trouble to find the sources. Anyway, it would be really interesting if you could do that....No, never mind...at the end of this episode, i heard what i wanted to hear haha, thanks CrashCourse!
Just a heads up, I have not watched the video yet, so this post is what I know / think I know. Hercules is the Roman name of the Greek hero / god Heracles, meaning "Glory of Hera," or something along those lines. The name was Zeus's attempt to appease his wife. This didn't work, as she drove him into a mad rage in which he killed his wife and children. As penance, he was tasked with 12 labors. Most of them involved slaying a monster, but some were a bit different (like cleaning stables). Once they were finished, he and a centaur fight over a princess. Heracles wins, but is unfaithful (like his father). The princess returns to the centaur to try to make him faithful, and he directs her to coat the insides of Heracles's clothes with centaur blood. This actually kills Heracles, but Zeus makes him a god.
This is the story of a time long ago - a time of myth and legend. When the ancient gods were petty and cruel, and they plagued mankind with suffering, only one man dared to challenge their power - Hercules. Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen - a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart. He journeyed the Earth - battling the minions of his wicked stepmother, Hera, the all-powerful queen of the gods. But wherever there was evil, wherever an innocent would suffer, there would be Hercules.
If I may float a hypothesis it's why dictators are seen as heros in their own countries despite being rather cruel they believe and sometimes there is great danger
You left out the best part of the final labor. The king hides in a huge urn when Cerberus is brought back. There are even ancient Greek paintings of that bit.
Thanks Fate/stay night for bringing me here. Heavens knows RU-vid won't recommend something I'm bell'd and subscribed to. Despite all of my greek myth searches.
Do you guys have a space where we could find the specific literature of all this mythology? I know alot of it could be oral tradition or whatever but are there specific books/authors I could look for?
OR you could remember that he was at the siege of Troy, that lasted 10 years, upon returning home he has PTSD. Something flips his switch and he kills his family. The labors are a healing process, finding a way to re-integrate a damaged man into society.
+PalimpsestProd No. Herakles was commanded to do the labors so as to redeem himself of the crime of murder; Hera had Herakles inflicted with madness, in which he killed his [first] wife Megara, the eldest daughter of King Creon of Thebes, along with their children. The Trojan War took place years after Herakles' death.
