Hercules

Reading notes

• The Odes §1.3 the labor of Hercules

  Hercules, who 'broke through Acheron' by descending alive to the underworld.

• The Odes §1.12 Alcides

  Hercules (grandson of Alceus), the hero among the demigods praised here.

• The Odes §2.12 Herculean hand

  The hand of Hercules, by which the earth-born Giants were subdued.

• The Odes §3.3 wandering Hercules

  Cited with Pollux as one who won heaven by toil; Augustus is set beside them.

• The Odes §3.14 Hercules

  The model of the hero who 'sought the laurel bought with death.'

• The Odes §4.4 Hercules

  The hydra grew no stronger against him than Rome against Carthage.

• The Odes §4.5 Hercules

  Paired with Castor as a hero-god whose cult prefigures Augustus's.

• The Odes §4.8 Hercules

  Who 'shares the longed-for feasts of Jove,' an example of song-won godhead.

• The Epistles §1.1 Hercules'

  The deified hero, popularly a giver of sudden windfalls and finder of treasure; 'made rich by Hercules' favor' names a lucky strike Horace says he does not pray for.

• The Epodes §3 Hercules

  The great hero-god; the 'gift' that burned his shoulders is the poisoned robe of Nessus that killed him.

• The Satires §2.6 Hercules' favor

  The deified hero, popularly the giver of windfalls and finder of buried treasure; the lucky strike Horace pointedly does not pray for.