Hercules cinaedus
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20076245 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alexandra Eppinger (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2017 |
| Pages | 202-214 |
| Publication date | 2017-02-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | TransAntiquity (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.4324/9781315673844-13 |
| OpenAlex | W3217452387 |
| ISBN | 9781315673844 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
Hercules' adventures at Omphale's court are presented in ancient literature from the Classical period to Late Antiquity in significantly different ways. Some authors entirely omit the cross-dressing when recounting the Lydian episode, emphasising instead the heroic deeds Hercules performs at the queen's behest, or the humiliation of his servitude. Long before Christian condemnation of the cross-dressing episode, Ovid provided a version of the Hercules–Omphale narrative, which, for our purposes, helpfully highlights aspects considered problematic due to their inversion of conventional gender roles. The most thorough censure of Hercules' cross-dressing escapade is to be found in Christian polemic. When the apologists addressed the contemptible behaviour of pagan deities and heroes, a recurrent theme is moralising criticism of Hercules' character and deeds. While Hercules provided ample material for criticism, the cross-dressing and submission at Omphale's court, familiar to many readers, added another angle
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.4 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2021 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |