Labor X: The Cattle of Geryoneus (page 403, with art)

Chapter 13: Herakles

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Chest of Kypselos from temple of Hera at Olympia (known through Pausanias’ description and modern reconstructions)

Pausanias Description of Greece 5.19.1

Then comes the combat between Heracles and Geryones, who is represented as three men joined to one another. Greek Text

Detail of combat between Herakles and Geryon, from reconstruction of chest of Kypselos (lost monument once in temple of Hera, Olympia) by W. von Massow, “Die Kypseloslade,” Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilungvol. 41 (1916), pl. 1

Throne of Apollo at Amyklai (known through Pausanias’ description and modern reconstructions of whole throne)

Pausanias 3.18.13

Heracles is driving off the cows of Geryones. Greek Text

Plan and reconstruction of whole throne from R. Martin, “Bathyclès de Magnésie et le « trône » d’Apollon à Amyklae,” in Architecture et urbanisme (1987) p. 385 fig. 7

Stesichoros, Geryoneis 186 PMG Poetae Melici Graeci, p. 101 ed. D. L. Page. Oxford 1962.

Geryoneus is the son of Okeanos’ daughter, Kalliroe, and of Chrysaor. Stesichoros says that he has six hands and six feet and that he is winged. (Transl. E. Bianchelli)

London, British Museum  B155: Chalcidian black-figure amphora, with Herakles (named) stabbing middle body of Geryoneus (named) with a sword; middle body of Geryoneus, who has two wings, fights back with spear raised, while his left and right torsos collapse; Geryoneus has one pair of legs, which are also collapsing; Athena (named) stands on the left  

LondonHerakles Geryon

British Museum

E. Gerhard, Auserlesene Griechische Vasenbilder, hauptsächlich Etruskischen Fundorts (Band 4): Griechisches Alltagsleben (1858) pl. 323.1

Digital LIMC

Paris, Cabinet des Médailles 223: Attic black-figure neck amphora by Swing Painter; on side A, Herakles in lionskin shooting arrow, and armed Athena; on side B, two-headed Orthos, one struck by two of Herakles’ arrows, and Geryoneus, with three full bodies, one falling forward and one falling backwards; left and central bodies of Geryoneus raise their right hands, with left one brandishing a spear

A. de Ridder, Catalogue des vases peints de la Bibliothèque Nationale (1902) pl. 6 (detail of Side A)

A. de Ridder, Catalogue des vases peints de la Bibliothèque Nationale (1902) fig. p. 133 (Side A)

Wikimedia

A. de Ridder, Catalogue des vases peints de la Bibliothèque Nationale (1902) fig. p. 135 (side B)

Cabinet des Médailles

Beazley Archive Pottery Database

Digital LIMC (wrong image of side A)

Paris, Cabinet des Médailles 202: Chalcidian black-figure neck amphora with (front of vase) Herakles and Geryoneus; Athena stands behind Herakles and encourages him; Herakles wears lionskin and shoots an arrow at Geryoneus; dead Orthos lies on ground; Geryoneus, with a pair of wings, has one pair of legs and three torsos, all of which are upright and raise spears; on ground, dead Eurytion (struck by an arrow); (back of vase) Iolaos acting as charioteer in Herakles’ chariot; five cattle of Geryoneus 

E. Gerhard, Auserlesene Griechische Vasenbilder, hauptsächlich Etruskischen Fundorts (Band 2): Heroenbilder (1843) pls. 105-6 upper

Wikimedia

Athena, from Wikimedia

Herakles, Orthos and Geryoneus, from Wikimedia

Geryoneus and Eurytion, from A. Rumpf, Chalkidische Vasen, Tafeln 1 (1927) pl. 7

Orthos, Geryoneus and Eurytion, from Wikimedia

Iolaos in chariot of Herakles, from from A. Rumpf, Chalkidische Vasen, Tafeln 1 (1927) pl. 9

Iolaos in chariot of Herakles, from E. Gerhard, Auserlesene Griechische Vasenbilder, hauptsächlich Etruskischen Fundorts (Band 2): Heroenbilder (1843) pls. 105-6 lower

Five cattle of Geryoneus, Wikimedia

Cabinet des Médailles

Digital LIMC

Beazley Archive Pottery Database

Rome, Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia 50683 (M430): Attic black-figure hydria by Lydos with Herakles and Geryoneus; Herakles in lionskin shoots at Geryoneus; Eurytion on ground; triple-bodied Geryoneus with two torsos upright and brandishing spears, and third torso collapsing to right

P. Mingazzini, Vasi della Collezione Castellani: Catalogo (1930), pl. 46.1-2

Flickr

Beazley Archive Pottery Database

Digital LIMC

Munich, Staatliche Antikensammlung 2620: Attic red-figure cup by Euphronios, with Herakles and Geryoneus; on Side A (below in drawing), collapsed Eurytion under handle; Iolaos standing; Athena rushing to Herakles’ aid; Herakles in lionskin, brandishing club and holding bow and two arrows; dead, two-headed Orthos, struck by Herakles’ arrow; triple-bodied Geryon, with two torsos brandishing spears and third body collapsing to right, struck in eye by Herakles’ arrow; distressed woman (Geryoneus’ mother Kallirhoe?); on Side B (above in drawing), cattle of Geryoneus, with four soldiers (Herakles’ men?)

A. Furtwaengler and K. Reichhold, Griechische Vasenmalerei: Auswahl hervorragender Vasenbilder (Serie I, Tafel 1-60, 1904) pl. 22

MuichHeraklesGeryon

Wikimedia

Detail of dead Orthos, from Wikimedia

Digital LIMC

Attic Vase Inscriptions

Beazley Archive Pottery Database

Perseus Art & Archaeology Artifact Browser

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Tags:

#Herakles#Geryoneus#cattle, #Athena, #Orthos, #Eurytion, #Iolaos, #Kallirhoe

Artistic sources edited by Frances D. Van Keuren, Prof. Emerita, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Univ. of Georgia, November 2023

Literary sources edited by Elena Bianchelli, Retired Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. Of Georgia, January 2021

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