Home Forum Members Newsletter Photos Symposia Rituals Temenoi Eranoi & Thiasoi Exegetai Mantikoi Agon Retreat The Gods Hellenismos Shop Links Join Contact

Herakles Blessing: The blessings of Herakles are strength, discipline, and courage. When it seems like there's no way to get through an obstacle, Herakles appears and helps us to dig deep and find what it takes to overcome it. If one is stubborn enough, they can accomplish anything. Herakles, the mortal who became a God, is proof enough of that. Epithets: Alexikakos (Averter of Evil), Alkaios (original name), Custos (Guardian), Hegemonios (Leader of the March), Heros Theos (Hero God), Invictus (Unconquered), Kallinikos (Glorious Conquerer), Kyrios (Lord), Melqart (King of the City), Musagates (Leader of the Muses), Saxanus (of the Rocks), Soter (Savior), Victor (Victorius) Symbols: lion's head, club Animal(s): lion, snake Sacrifices: frankincense Primary Cult Center(s): Pan-Hellenic Festivals: Herakleia: Metageitnion (August-September) Olympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the Olympiad 4th day of the month Ways to honor: Keep fit. Take up a sport, especially boxing, wrestling, running, or the discus. Don't give up, no matter how hard things appear. Enjoy life. Drink, eat, and have lots of sex. Herakles is a God of titanic appetites, and he appreciates watching others take their pleasure - but don't try to outdo him. Only Dionysos has been able to drink Herakles under the table! For more information: Apollodorus' Library 1.6.1-2, 1.9.19, 2.4.9, 2.4.12, 2.5.4-12, 2.6.1-2.7.2, 2.7.8, 3.15.2 Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica Dio Chrysostom's Orations 4.29-32, 8.28, 8.36, 9.8, Epictetus' Enchridion 2.16.44, 3.22.56-57 Euripides' Alcestis Euripides' Heracles Herodotus' The Histories 2.43-44, 4.8-10, 8.43 Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 10-11 Hesiod's Shield of Heracles Hesiod's Theogony 313-318, 523-531, 950-55 Homer's Iliad 5.395-402, 14.249-62, 19.96-133, 20.144-148 Homer's Odyssey 11.601-625, 21.22-38 Homeric Hymn to Heracles the Lion-Hearted 15 Hyginus' Fabulae 29-36 Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.3, 2.6, 223-24, 2.38 Emperor Julian's Orations 7.220 Ovid's Metamorphoses 9.280-323, 11.194-217 Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.27.9-10, 2.15.1, 2.18.7, 3.15.3-6, 5.1.9.-5.2.2, 5.8.3-4, 8.22.4, 9.27.6-7, 9.29.9, 10.13.8, 10.29.7 Pindar's Isthmian Odes 6.27-54 Pindar's Nemean Odes 1.33, 1.37, 1.44, 1.67-69, 4.22-30, 7.94-97 Diodorus Siculus' Bibliotheca 4.31.1-8, 4.9.1-4.11.2, 4.26.2-4.27.5 Sophpcles' Philoctetes Sophocles' The Women of Trachis