There’s a new action movie out about the myth of Hercules, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and based on graphic novels by Steve Moore. It’s just a bit of silliness but it looks like it’s been well-made, at least in terms of the visual effects, etc. Unlike another (not to be confused!) recent film, The Legend of Hercules, that was thoroughly panned by the critics, and somewhat surprisingly, this one looks like it actually draws, albeit loosely, on the myth of the Twelve Labours. This myth, and legend of Hercules, was of great importance to the Stoics, who followed their predecessors the Cynics in taking the demi-god as a kind of role-model.
The movie might be rubbish (we wait with baited breath!) but it’s inspired me to think again about the relevance of Hercules for the Cynic-Stoic tradition. A lot of people are unaware of the importance placed on Hercules by the Stoics so I’ve pulled together some quotations quickly to help provide a bit of context. Apologies for just providing some rough notes at the moment. Treat this is a draft – I’ll work it into a more polished article later, time permitting. (Hercules in Latin = Heracles in Greek, incidentally.)
Prodicus / Xenophon
Socrates reputedly admires the Sophist Prodicus, who was renowned for his inspirational lecture, which became known as The Choice of Hercules. In his Memorabilia, Socrates’ friend and follower, the Athenian general Xenophon portrays Socrates recounting his own version of this story. We’re told that it was reading Xenophon’s Memorabilia of Socrates, and apparently this chapter in particular, that inspired Zeno after his shipwreck to embrace the life of a philosopher and become a follower of the Cynic Crates. Later Stoics appear to also have revered this part of the Hercules myth and perhaps saw it as important insofar as it perhaps ultimately inspired the founding of the Stoa itself.
Diogenes Laertius says that Antisthenes was the original founder of Cynicism and that “he argued that hardship is a good thing” and pointed to Hercules as an example in this regard. We’re told he wrote several texts referring to Hercules in their title, such as Heracles, or Of Wisdom or Strength. Antisthenes was also respected by the later Stoics, and perhaps seen as a precursor of their own school.
Diogenes of Sinope
Diogenes Laertius states that Diogenes of Sinope, the Cynic, wrote a dialogue entitled Hercules. If that’s true, it’s possible this may have been a response to the writings of the same name by his alleged teacher, or at least his inspiration, Antisthenes.
Diogenes was generally associated with the myth of Hercules and is even portrayed as explicitly modelling himself on the mythic hero. For example, Diogenes is on sale at the slave market…
Buyer: Where are you from?
Buyer: What do you mean?
Diogenes: You’re looking at a citizen of the world!.
Buyer: Is there anyone whom you strive to emulate?
Diogenes: Yes, Hercules.
Buyer: Then why aren’t you wearing a lion-skin? Though I’ll admit that your club looks like his.
Diogenes: Why, this old cloak is my lion skin, and like him I’m fighting a campaign against pleasure, not at anyone else’s bidding, but of my own free will, since I’ve made it my purpose to clean up human life. (Lucian, Philosophies for Sale)
This passage makes it crystal clear that the Cynics sought to emulate Hercules.
Diogenes Laertius says of Diogenes the Cynic that “he maintained that his life was of the same stamp as that of Hercules, in so far as he set freedom above all else.”
But you for your part should regard your rough cloak as a lion’s skin, and your stick as a club, and your knapsack as being the land and sea from which you gain your sustenance; for in that way the spirit of Hercules should rise up within you, giving you the power to rise above every adversity. (Letter from Diogenes to Crates)
Diogenes tells Metrocles that he should have no shame about begging for food because even Hercules did so.
Now it is not for mere charity that you are begging, or to be given something in exchange for something of lesser value; no, for the salvation of all, you are asking for what nature requires, to enable you to do the same things as Hercules, son of Zeus, and so give back in exchange something much more valuable than what you receive. (Letter from Diogenes to Metrocles)
Crates of Thebes
Crates was Zeno’s teacher and a student of Diogenes. Like Diogenes before him, Crates was compared, metaphorically, to the figure of Hercules.
The poets recount how Hercules of old, through his indomitable courage, vanquished dreadful monsters, human and animal alike, and cleared the whole world of them; and this philosophical Hercules achieved just the same in his combat against anger, envy, greed, and lust, and all other monstrous and shameful urges of the human soul. All these plagues he [Crates] drove out of people’s minds, purifying households and taming vice, he too going half-naked and being recognizable by his club, a man who had been born, moreover, at the same Thebes in which Hercules is supposed to have entered the world. (Apuleius, Florida 22; G18)
Diogenes Laertius concludes his account of the Cynics by writing:
They hold further that “Life according to Virtue” is the End to be sought, as Antisthenes says in his Hercules: exactly like the Stoics.
He then describes the Cynic doctrine in a way that may be a continuation of this allusion to Antisthenes’ Hercules:
They also hold that we should live frugally, eating food for nourishment only and wearing a single garment. Wealth and fame and high birth they despise. Some at all events are vegetarians and drink cold water only and are content with any kind of shelter or tubs, like Diogenes, who used to say that it was the privilege of the gods to need nothing and of god-like men to want but little.
They hold, further, that virtue can be taught, as Antisthenes maintains in his Hercules, and when once acquired cannot be lost; and that the wise man is worthy to be loved, impeccable, and a friend to his like; and that we should entrust nothing to fortune. Whatever is intermediate between virtue and vice they, in agreement with Ariston of Chios, account indifferent.
Diogenes Laertius says that Cleanthes was called “a second Hercules” and he says that after being insulted by a poet who mocked him, Cleanthes accepted his apology graciously. He explained that as Hercules was ridiculed by the poets without being moved to anger, it would be absurd for him to be upset by verbal abuse.
Lucan, the Stoic nephew of Seneca, recounts the myth of Hercules in his epic poem, The Civil War, which portrays Cato of Utica as a kind of Stoic superman, and appears to juxtapose his heroism in Africa (“Libya”) with that of the legendary Hercules.
There are several intriguing references to the myth of Hercules in the surviving Discourses of Epictetus.
What do you think that Hercules would have been if there had not been such a lion, and hydra, and stag, and boar, and certain unjust and bestial men, whom Hercules used to drive away and clear out? And what would he have been doing if there had been nothing of the kind? Is it not plain that he would have wrapped himself up and have slept? In the first place then he would not have been a Hercules, when he was dreaming away all his life in such luxury and ease; and even if he had been one, what would have been the use of him? and what the use of his arms, and of the strength of the other parts of his body, and his endurance and noble spirit, if such circumstances and occasions had not roused and exercised him? Well then must a man provide for himself such means of exercise, and seek to introduce a lion from some place into his country, and a boar, and a hydra? This would be folly and madness: but as they did exist, and were found, they were useful for showing what Hercules was and for exercising him. Come then do you also having observed these things look to the faculties which you have, and when you have looked at them, say: Bring now, 0 Zeus, any difficulty that thou pleasest, for I have means given to me by thee and powers for honouring myself through the things which happen. (Discourses, 1.16)
Who would Hercules have been, if he had sat at home? He would have been Eurystheus and not Hercules. Well, and in his travels through the world how many intimates and how many friends had he? But nothing more dear to him than God. For this reason it was believed that he was the son of God, and he was. In obedience to God then he went about purging away injustice and lawlessness. But you are not Hercules and you are not able to purge away the wickedness of others; nor yet are you Theseus, able to purge away the evil things of Attica Clear away your own. (Discourses, 2.16)
Hercules when he was exercised by Eurystheus did not think that he was wretched, but without hesitation he attempted to execute all that he had in hand. And is he who is trained to the contest and exercised by Zeus going to call out and to be vexed, he who is worthy to bear the sceptre of Diogenes? (Discourses, 3.22, On Cynicism)
It was the fortune of Hercules to visit all the inhabited world. Seeing men’s lawless deeds and their good rules of law casting out and clearing away their lawlessness and introducing in their place good rules of law. And yet how many friends do you think that he had in Thebes, bow many in Argos, how many in Athens? and how many do you think that he gained by going about? And he married also, when it seemed to him a proper occasion, and begot children, and left them without lamenting or regretting or leaving them as orphans; for he knew that no man is an orphan; but it is the father who takes care of all men always and continuously. For it was not as mere report that he had heard that Zeus is the father of men, for he thought that Zeus was his own father, and he called him so, and to him he looked when he was doing what he did. Therefore he was enabled to live happily in all places. And it is never possible for happiness and desire of what is not present to come together. For that which is happy must have all that it desires, must resemble a person who is filled with food, and must have neither thirst nor hunger. (Discourses, 3.24)
He [Zeus] does not supply me with many things, nor with abundance, he does not will me to live luxuriously; for neither did he supply Hercules who was his own son; but another (Eurystheus) was king of Argos and Mycenae, and Hercules obeyed orders, and laboured, and was exercised. And Eurystheus was what he was, neither king of Argos nor of Mycenae, for he was not even king of himself; but Hercules was ruler and leader of the whole earth and sea, who purged away lawlessness, and introduced justice and holiness; and he did these things both naked and alone. (Discourses, 3.26)
What would Hercules have been if he said, How shall a great lion not appear to me, or a great boar, or savage men? And what do you care for that? If a great boar appear, you will fight a greater fight: if bad men appear, you will relieve the earth of the bad. Suppose then that I lose my life in this way. You will die a good man, doing a noble act. (Discourses, 4.10)
Kuna filamu mpya ya vitendo juu ya hadithi ya Hercules, inayoigiza Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, na kulingana na riwaya za picha na Steve Moore. Ni kidogo tu ya silliness lakini inaonekana kama ni imekuwa vizuri kufanywa, angalau katika suala la athari za kuona, nk. Tofauti na mwingine (si kuchanganyikiwa!) "Hekalia ya Hercules, ambayo ilichapishwa mnamo mwaka wa 2015, ilichapishwa na wakosoaji wengi, na kwa kushangaza, inaonekana kama inaonyesha hadithi ya ""Twelfth Labor.""" Hadithi hii ya Hercules ilikuwa muhimu sana kwa Stoiki, ambao walifuata watangulizi wao, Wasiniki, katika kuchukua mungu wa nusu kama aina ya mfano. Huenda filamu hiyo ikawa ya kutisha (tunakusubiri kwa hamu!) lakini imenichochea kufikiria tena kuhusu umuhimu wa Hercules kwa utamaduni wa Cynic-Stoic. Watu wengi hawajui umuhimu uliowekwa kwa Hercules na Wastoiki kwa hivyo nimeunganisha nukuu kadhaa haraka kusaidia kutoa kidogo ya muktadha. Naomba radhi kwa kutoa maelezo machache tu kwa sasa. Tumia hii ni rasimu <unk> Mimi <unk> itabidi kazi katika makala zaidi polished baadaye, wakati kuruhusu. (Hercules katika Kilatini = Heracles katika Kigiriki, kwa bahati mbaya.) "Socrates, ambaye alikuwa na ushawishi mkubwa juu ya Sophist Prodicus, aliandika kitabu chake cha ""The Choice of Hercules.""" Katika kitabu chake Memorabilia, rafiki na mfuasi wa Socrates, jenerali wa Athene Xenophon anamwonyesha Socrates akisimulia hadithi yake mwenyewe. "Kama ilivyoelezwa, ""Memorials of Socrates"" ya Xenophon, na inaonekana sura hii hasa, ilimsukuma Zeno baada ya kuanguka kwa meli yake kukumbatia maisha ya mwanafalsafa na kuwa mfuasi wa Cynic Crates." Wa-Stoiki wa baadaye pia walionekana kuwa na heshima kwa sehemu hii ya hadithi ya Hercules na labda waliona kuwa muhimu kwa kadiri ambayo labda hatimaye ilichochea kuanzishwa kwa Stoa yenyewe. Diogenes Laertius anasema kwamba Antisthenes alikuwa mwanzilishi wa awali wa Cynicism na kwamba <unk>alidai kwamba ugumu ni kitu kizuri<unk> na alionyesha Hercules kama mfano katika suala hili. Inasemekana kwamba aliandika maandishi kadhaa yanayomrejezea Hercules katika kichwa chao, kama vile Hercules, au Of Wisdom or Strength. Antisthenes pia aliheshimiwa na Waestoiki wa baadaye, na labda alionwa kuwa mtangulizi wa shule yao wenyewe. Diogenes wa Sinope Diogenes Laertius anasema kwamba Diogenes wa Sinope, Mkiniko, aliandika mazungumzo yenye kichwa Hercules. Ikiwa hilo ni kweli, inawezekana kwamba hilo lilikuwa jibu kwa maandishi ya jina hilohilo yaliyoandikwa na mwalimu wake anayedhaniwa, au angalau msukumo wake, Antisthenes. Diogenes kwa ujumla alihusianishwa na hadithi ya Hercules na hata anaonyeshwa kuwa anajiiga waziwazi kwa shujaa wa hadithi. Kwa mfano, Diogenes anauzwa katika soko la watumwa... mnunuzi: Unatoka wapi? Mnunuzi: Unamaanisha nini? Diogenes: Wewe ni kuangalia katika raia wa dunia!. Mteja: Je, kuna mtu yeyote unayejitahidi kumiga? Diogenes: Ndiyo, Hercules. Mnunuzi: Basi kwa nini huvalii ngozi ya simba? Ingawa nitakubali kwamba klabu yako inaonekana kama yake. "Diogenes: ""Kwa nini, kanzu hii ya zamani ni ngozi yangu ya simba, na kama yeye mimi nina vita dhidi ya furaha, si kwa mtu mwingine bidding, lakini kwa hiari yangu mwenyewe, tangu nimefanya ni lengo langu kusafisha maisha ya binadamu.""" (Lucian, Philosophies for Sale) Mstari huu unaonyesha waziwazi kwamba Wasiniki walijaribu kumwiga Hercules. "Diogenes Laertius anasema, ""Hakika yeye aliamini kwamba maisha yake yalikuwa sawa na ya Hercules, kwa kuwa aliiweka uhuru juu ya kila kitu kingine."" - Diogenes Laertius, ""Lakini wewe kwa upande wako unapaswa kuiona kanzu yako kama ngozi ya simba, na fimbo yako kama klabu, na mkoba wako kama nchi na bahari ambayo unapata riziki yako; kwa sababu kwa njia hiyo roho ya Hercules inapaswa kuongezeka ndani yako, ikikupa nguvu ya kuongezeka juu ya kila shida." "Diogenes alimwambia Metrocles kwamba ""si lazima aone aibu kuomba chakula kwa sababu hata Hercules alifanya hivyo.""" "Sasa si kwa ajili ya misaada tu kwamba wewe ni kuomba, au kuwa na kitu kwa kubadilishana na kitu cha thamani ya chini; hapana, kwa ajili ya wokovu wa wote, wewe ni kuomba kwa ajili ya nini asili inahitaji, ili kuwezesha wewe kufanya mambo sawa na Hercules, mwana wa Zeu, na hivyo kutoa nyuma kwa kubadilishana kitu thamani zaidi ya kile wewe kupokea. """ (Barua kutoka kwa Diogenes kwa Metrocles) Krates wa Thebes Krates alikuwa mwalimu wa Zeno na mwanafunzi wa Diogenes. Kama Diogenes kabla yake, Crates alilinganishwa, kwa njia ya mfano, na sanamu ya Hercules. "Washairi wanasimulia jinsi Hercules wa zamani, kwa ujasiri wake usioweza kukandamizwa, alivyoshinda monsters za kutisha, binadamu na wanyama sawa, na kuondoa ulimwengu wote kutoka kwao; na Hercules huyu wa falsafa alifanikiwa sawa katika mapambano yake dhidi ya hasira, wivu, pupa, na tamaa, na matakwa mengine yote ya kutisha na ya aibu ya nafsi ya binadamu. """ "Kates aliondoa magonjwa yote hayo katika akili za watu, akisafisha nyumba na kuondoa uovu, naye pia alikuwa nusu uchi na kutambuliwa kwa klabu yake, mtu ambaye alikuwa amezaliwa, zaidi ya hayo, katika Thebes ile ile ambayo Hercules inadhaniwa kuwa aliingia ulimwenguni. """ " (Apuleius, Florida 22; G18) Diogenes Laertius anamalizia simulizi lake la Wakanisa kwa kuandika: ""Wanaamini kwamba ""Maisha kulingana na wema"" ni Mwisho wa kutafuta, kama vile Antisthenes anasema katika Hercules yake: sawa na Stoics." "Kisha anaelezea mafundisho ya Cynic kwa njia ambayo inaweza kuwa mwendelezo wa hii ""Anti-Sistene Hercules"": Wao pia wanashikilia kwamba tunapaswa kuishi kwa kiasi, kula chakula kwa ajili ya lishe tu na kuvaa nguo moja." Wanachukia utajiri, umaarufu, na uzazi wa hali ya juu. "Wengine ni mboga na wanakunywa maji baridi tu, na wanaridhika na aina yoyote ya makazi au mabwawa, kama Diogenes, ambaye alikuwa akisema kwamba ilikuwa ni upendeleo wa miungu kutohitaji chochote na wa watu kama miungu kutaka kidogo tu. """ "Wanaamini kwamba wema wa adili unaweza kufundishwa, kama vile Antisthenes anavyosema katika Hercules yake, na mara moja inapatikana haiwezi kupotea, na kwamba mtu mwenye hekima anastahili kupendwa, na ni msaidizi wa watu kama yeye, na kwamba hatupaswi kuamini chochote kwa bahati.""" Chochote kilicho kati ya wema na uovu wao, kwa makubaliano na Ariston wa Chios, wanahesabu kuwa haijalishi. Diogenes Laertius anasema kwamba Cleanthes aliitwa <unk> Hercules wa pili<unk> na anasema kwamba baada ya kudhulumiwa na mshairi aliyemcheka, Cleanthes alikubali msamaha wake kwa fadhili. "Hekalia alieleza kwamba kwa kuwa Hercules alidhihakiwa na washairi bila kuchochewa na hasira, ingekuwa jambo lisilo la busara kwa Herakles kukasirika kwa matusi ya maneno.""" "Lukan, mpwa wa Seneca, anasimulia hadithi ya Hercules katika shairi lake la epic, ""Vita vya Wenyewe kwa Wenyewe,"" ambalo linaonyesha Cato wa Utica kama aina ya superman wa Stoic, na inaonekana kuunganisha ushujaa wake huko Afrika (Libya) na ule wa Hercules wa hadithi." Kuna marejeo kadhaa yenye kupendeza kuhusu hadithi ya Hercules katika Discourses of Epictetus ambayo yameokoka. "Hakika Hercules angekuwaje kama isingekuwa na simba, na Hydra, na nyati, na mbweha, na watu wengine wasio haki na waovu, ambao Hercules alitumia kuwafukuza na kuwaondoa?""" Na angekuwa akifanya nini ikiwa hakungekuwa na jambo lolote kama hilo? Je, si wazi kwamba angejifunga na kulala usingizi? "Hata hivyo, kwa sababu ya kuwa Hercules, alikuwa na ""maono mbali maisha yake yote katika anasa na urahisi kama; na hata kama alikuwa mmoja, nini ingekuwa matumizi yake?""" Na silaha zake, na nguvu za viungo vingine vya mwili wake, na uvumilivu wake, na roho yake ya heshima, zingekuwa na matumizi gani, kama hali na matukio kama hayo hayangemchochea na kumzoeza? Basi, je, mtu anapaswa kujipatia njia kama hizo za kujifurahisha, na kutafuta kuingiza simba kutoka mahali fulani katika nchi yake, na mbwa mwitu, na hydra? Hii ingekuwa upumbavu na wazimu; lakini kama walikuwepo, na kupatikana, walikuwa na manufaa kwa kuonyesha nini Hercules alikuwa na kwa ajili ya mazoezi yake. "Basi, wewe pia, baada ya kuona mambo haya, angalia uwezo wako, na baada ya kuwaona, sema: ""Basi, Ee Zeu, ulete shida yoyote utakayopenda, kwa sababu nina njia uliyonipa na nguvu za kujiheshimu mwenyewe kupitia mambo yanayotokea.""" (Mazungumzo, 1.16) Hercules angekuwa nani, kama angeketi nyumbani? Angekuwa Eurystheus na si Hercules. Katika safari zake za kuzunguka dunia, alikuwa na marafiki wangapi? Lakini hakuna kitu alichokipenda zaidi kuliko Mungu. Kwa sababu hiyo, watu waliamini kwamba alikuwa Mwana wa Mungu, na alikuwa hivyo. Kwa utii kwa Mungu, aliendelea kuondoa ukosefu wa haki na ukosefu wa sheria. Lakini wewe si Hercules, wala huwezi kuondoa uovu wa wengine; wala wewe si Theseus, ambaye unaweza kuondoa uovu wa Attica. "Hekalia, wakati alipokuwa akichezwa na Eurystheus, hakufikiri kwamba alikuwa mnyonge, lakini bila kusita alijaribu kutekeleza yote aliyokuwa nayo mkononi mwake. """ "Na yeye ambaye amezoezwa kwa mashindano na kufundishwa na Zeu ataita na kuchukizwa, yeye ambaye anastahili kubeba fimbo ya Diogenes? """ (Mazungumzo, 3: 22-23, On Cynicism) Ilikuwa bahati ya Hercules kutembelea ulimwengu wote wenye watu. Kwa kuwa wanaona matendo ya watu yasiyo ya sheria na sheria zao nzuri zikiondoa na kuondoa uovu wao na kuanzisha sheria nzuri mahali pake. Lakini unafikiri alikuwa na marafiki wangapi huko Thebes, Argos, na Athene? Na unafikiri alipata wangapi kwa kuzunguka? "Akaoa pia, alipopata nafasi, akazaa watoto, na kuwaacha bila kuomboleza, wala kuwahuzunisha, wala kuwaacha yatima; kwa maana alijua ya kuwa hakuna mtu aliyetoka yatima, bali ni Baba ambaye huwatunza watu wote daima na daima.""" "Kwa maana haikuwa habari tu kwamba alikuwa amesikia kwamba Zeu ndiye baba ya wanadamu, kwa maana alidhani kwamba Zeu alikuwa baba yake mwenyewe, na akamwita hivyo, na kumtazama alipokuwa akifanya kile alichokuwa akifanya. """ Kwa hiyo aliweza kuishi kwa furaha katika mahali popote. Na haiwezekani kamwe kwa furaha na tamaa ya kile ambacho hakipo kuja pamoja. Kwa maana mwenye furaha lazima awe na yote anayotamani, lazima awe kama mtu aliyejaa chakula, na lazima asiwe na kiu wala njaa. "Zeus anasema: ""Hakuna mtu anayenipa vitu vingi, wala ananipa vitu vingi, wala hataki niishi kwa anasa, kwa maana hakunipa Hercules, ambaye alikuwa mwana wake mwenyewe, bali Eurystheus alikuwa mfalme wa Argos na Mycenae, na Hercules alitii amri, akafanya kazi, na akafanya mazoezi.""" Eurystheus alikuwa mfalme wa Argos na Mycenae, lakini Hercules alikuwa mfalme wa dunia na bahari, na kuondoa uovu na kuanzisha haki na utakatifu. "Hekalia alimwambia Herakles, ""Ninawezaje kuwa na simba mkubwa, au mbwa mwitu mkubwa, au watu wa mwitu?""" Na unajali nini kuhusu hilo? "Kama mbwa mwitu mkubwa atatokea, utapigana vita vikubwa zaidi; kama watu wabaya watatokea, utaondoa wabaya duniani.""" Basi, nadhani kwamba mimi kupoteza maisha yangu kwa njia hii. Utakufa ukiwa mtu mwema, ukifanya tendo la heshima. (Mazungumzo, 4.10)