Hercules at the crossroads, also known as the Choice of Hercules and the Judgement of Hercules, is an ancient Greek parable attributed to Prodicus and known from Xenophon. It concerns the young Heracles/Hercules who is offered a choice between Vice and Virtue—a life of pleasure or one of hardship and honour. In the early modern period it became a popular motif in Western art.
Albrecht Dürer's Hercules at the Crossroads (1498): Hercules and Virtue on the right attack Vice who reclines with a satyr on the left.[1]
The parable stems from the Classical era of ancient Greece and is reported by Xenophon in Memorabilia 2.1.21–34. In Xenophon's text, Socrates tells how the young Heracles, as the hero contemplates his future, is visited by the female personifications of Vice and Virtue (Ancient Greek: Κακία and Ἀρετή; Kakía and Areté). They offer him a choice between a pleasant and easy life or a severe but glorious life, and present their respective arguments. Xenophon credits the invention of the parable to Prodicus. He cites a precursor in Hesiod's Works and Days, which also contrasts the paths of vice and virtue.[2]
The motif then appears in a number of works by ancient Greek and Roman writers. Aristophanes used it in a humorous way in the comedy The Birds, where Heracles has to choose between kingship and a tasty meal and almost chooses the meal. In book 15 of the epic poem Punica by Silius Italicus, the military commander Scipio Africanus appears in a situation modeled on the choice of Heracles.[2] The literary device of a contest in dialogue appears within many different genres throughout the literature of ancient Greece. It is related to the controversy stories in the Gospel of Matthew.[3]
Early modern period
In the Renaissance the story of Hercules at the crossroads became popular again, and it remained so in Baroque and Neoclassical culture. It became a part of the broader motif of psychomachia: the battle of spirits or soul war.[4]Petrarch used it in De vita solitaria (1346) and established it in the mainstream of Renaissance humanism as a figure of the choice between a contemplative life and an active life. Petrarch had read Cicero's summary of the story in De Officiis. Like Xenophon, Cicero stresses the hero's solitude as he deliberates with himself. Four decades after Petrarch's adaptation, Coluccio Salutati reintroduced the original moral choice between Virtus and Voluptas, using Cicero's Latin words.[2]
^"Hercules at the crossroads". Collection online. British Museum.
^ abcTucker, George Hugo (2003). Homo Viator: Itineraries of Exile, Displacement and Writing in Renaissance Europe. pp. 81–84. ISBN978-2-600-00857-0.
^Repschinski, Boris (2000). The Controversy Stories in the Gospel of Matthew. pp. 286–290. ISBN3-525-53873-1.
^ abcTucker, Shawn R. (2015). The Virtues and Vices in the Arts: A Sourcebook. pp. 179–181. ISBN978-1-62564-718-4.
Further reading
Erwin Panofsky. Hercules am Scheidewege und andere antike Bildstoffe in der neueren Kunst. (Studien der Bibliothek Warburg 18). Teubner, Leipzig/ Berlin 1930.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hercules at the crossroads.
The full text of Xenophon's Memorabilia at Wikisource (Greek text only)
February 10, 2023
hercules, crossroads, also, known, choice, hercules, judgement, hercules, ancient, greek, parable, attributed, prodicus, known, from, xenophon, concerns, young, heracles, hercules, offered, choice, between, vice, virtue, life, pleasure, hardship, honour, early. Hercules at the crossroads also known as the Choice of Hercules and the Judgement of Hercules is an ancient Greek parable attributed to Prodicus and known from Xenophon It concerns the young Heracles Hercules who is offered a choice between Vice and Virtue a life of pleasure or one of hardship and honour In the early modern period it became a popular motif in Western art Albrecht Durer s Hercules at the Crossroads 1498 Hercules and Virtue on the right attack Vice who reclines with a satyr on the left 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Classical period 1 2 Early modern period 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory EditClassical period Edit The parable stems from the Classical era of ancient Greece and is reported by Xenophon in Memorabilia 2 1 21 34 In Xenophon s text Socrates tells how the young Heracles as the hero contemplates his future is visited by the female personifications of Vice and Virtue Ancient Greek Kakia and Ἀreth Kakia and Arete They offer him a choice between a pleasant and easy life or a severe but glorious life and present their respective arguments Xenophon credits the invention of the parable to Prodicus He cites a precursor in Hesiod s Works and Days which also contrasts the paths of vice and virtue 2 The motif then appears in a number of works by ancient Greek and Roman writers Aristophanes used it in a humorous way in the comedy The Birds where Heracles has to choose between kingship and a tasty meal and almost chooses the meal In book 15 of the epic poem Punica by Silius Italicus the military commander Scipio Africanus appears in a situation modeled on the choice of Heracles 2 The literary device of a contest in dialogue appears within many different genres throughout the literature of ancient Greece It is related to the controversy stories in the Gospel of Matthew 3 Early modern period Edit In the Renaissance the story of Hercules at the crossroads became popular again and it remained so in Baroque and Neoclassical culture It became a part of the broader motif of psychomachia the battle of spirits or soul war 4 Petrarch used it in De vita solitaria 1346 and established it in the mainstream of Renaissance humanism as a figure of the choice between a contemplative life and an active life Petrarch had read Cicero s summary of the story in De Officiis Like Xenophon Cicero stresses the hero s solitude as he deliberates with himself Four decades after Petrarch s adaptation Coluccio Salutati reintroduced the original moral choice between Virtus and Voluptas using Cicero s Latin words 2 Famous examples from the visual arts include Albrecht Durer s print Hercules at the Crossroads 1498 Paolo Veronese s Allegory of Virtue and Vice 1565 Annibale Carracci s The Choice of Hercules 1596 Gerard de Lairesse s Hercules between Virtue and Vice 1685 and Mariano Salvador Maella s mural in the Royal Palace of Madrid Hercules between Virtue and Vice 1765 66 4 The story appears in musical compositions such as Lasst uns sorgen lasst uns wachen by Johann Sebastian Bach and The Choice of Hercules by George Frideric Handel 4 See also EditMatthew 7 13 Virtu The WayfarerReferences Edit Hercules at the crossroads Collection online British Museum a b c Tucker George Hugo 2003 Homo Viator Itineraries of Exile Displacement and Writing in Renaissance Europe pp 81 84 ISBN 978 2 600 00857 0 Repschinski Boris 2000 The Controversy Stories in the Gospel of Matthew pp 286 290 ISBN 3 525 53873 1 a b c Tucker Shawn R 2015 The Virtues and Vices in the Arts A Sourcebook pp 179 181 ISBN 978 1 62564 718 4 Further reading EditErwin Panofsky Hercules am Scheidewege und andere antike Bildstoffe in der neueren Kunst Studien der Bibliothek Warburg 18 Teubner Leipzig Berlin 1930 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hercules at the crossroads The full text of Xenophon s Memorabilia at Wikisource Greek text only Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hercules at the crossroads amp oldid 1031197801, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
