Chapter 13: Herakles
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♠ Scholia to Iliad 14.324 – Scholia Graeca in Homeri Iliadem 2, p. 51, ed. W. Dindorf and E. Maass. Oxford 1875.
♠ Pherekydes 3F13c – Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker 1, pp. 63-64, ed. F. Jacoby, 2d ed. Leiden 1957.
♠ Plautus, Amphitrion 112-14
And my father is now lying here [he points to the house] in-doors with her; and for this reason is this night made longer, while he is taking this pleasure with her whom he desires. Latin Text
♠ Diodoros 4.9.2
The prowess which was found in him was not only to be seen in his deeds, but was also recognized even before his birth. For when Zeus lay with Alcmenê he made the night three times its normal length and by the magnitude of the time expended on the procreation he presaged the exceptional might of the child which would be begotten. Greek Text
♠ Pherekydes 3F13b – Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker 1, p. 63, ed. F. Jacoby, 2d ed. Leiden 1957.
♠ Hesiod, Aspis 79-89
“O hero Iolaus, best beloved of all men, truly Amphitryon sinned deeply against the blessed gods who dwell on Olympus when he came to sweet-crowned Thebes and left Tiryns, the well-built citadel, because he slew Electryon for the sake of his wide-browed oxen. Then he came to Creon and long-robed Eniocha, who received him kindly and gave him all fitting things, as is due to suppliants, and honored him in their hearts even more. And he lived joyfully with his wife the neat-ankled daughter of Electryon: and presently, while the years rolled on, we were born, unlike in body as in mind, even your father and I. From him Zeus took away sense, so that he left his home and his parents and went to do honor to the wicked Eurystheus.” Greek Text
♠ ApB 2.4.5-8 – Apollodoros, Bibliotheke (Library)
And he had sons by Andromeda: before he came to Greece he had Perses, whom he left behind with Cepheus (and from him it is said that the kings of Persia are descended); and in Mycenae he had Alcaeus and Sthenelus and Heleus and Mestor and Electryon, and a daughter Gorgophone, whom Perieres married.
Alcaeus had a son Amphitryon and a daughter Anaxo by Astydamia, daughter of Pelops; but some say he had them by Laonome, daughter of Guneus, others that he had them by Hipponome, daughter of Menoeceus; and Mestor had Hippothoe by Lysidice, daughter of Pelops. This Hippothoe was carried off by Poseidon, who brought her to the Echinadian Islands, and there had intercourse with her, and begat Taphius, who colonized Taphos and called the people Teleboans, because he had gone far from his native land. And Taphius had a son Pterelaus, whom Poseidon made immortal by implanting a golden hair in his head. And to Pterelaus were born sons, to wit, Chromius, Tyrannus, Antiochus, Chersidamas, Mestor, and Eueres.
Electryon married Anaxo, daughter of Alcaeus, and begat a daughter Alcmena, and sons, to wit, Stratobates, Gorgophonus, Phylonomus, Celaeneus, Amphimachus, Lysinomus, Chirimachus, Anactor, and Archelaus; and after these he had also a bastard son, Licymnius, by a Phrygian woman Midea.
Sthenelus had daughters, Alcyone and Medusa, by Nicippe, daughter of Pelops; and he had afterwards a son Eurystheus, who reigned also over Mycenae. For when Hercules was about to be born, Zeus declared among the gods that the descendant of Perseus then about to be born would reign over Mycenae, and Hera out of jealousy persuaded the Ilithyias to retard Alcmena’s delivery, and contrived that Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, should be born a seven-month child. Continue Greek Text
♠ Scholia to Homer, Odyssey 11.266 – Scholia Graeca in Homeris Odysseam, ed. W. Dindorf, vol. 2, p. 495 Oxford 1855.
♠ Pherekydes 3F13b – Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker 1, p. 63, ed. F. Jacoby, 2d ed. Leiden 1957.
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Edited by Elena Bianchelli, Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. of Georgia, December 2020
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