There is more material available on Herakles than any other Greek god or hero. His story has many more episodes than those of other heroes, concerning his life and death as well as his battles with myriad monsters and other opponents. In literature, he appears in our earliest Greek epic and lyric poetry, is reinvented for the tragic and comic stage, and later finds his way into such unlikely areas as philosophical writing and love poetry. In art, his exploits are amongst the earliest identifiable mythological scenes, and his easily-recognisable figure with lionskin and club was a familiar sight throughout antiquity in sculpture, vase-painting and other media. He was held up as an ancestor and role-model for both Greek and Roman rulers, and widely worshipped as a god, his unusual status as a hero-god being reinforced by the story of his apotheosis. Often referred to by his Roman name Hercules, he has continued to fascinate writers and artists right up to the present day. In Herakles, Emma Stafford has successfully tackled the ‘Herculean task’ of surveying both the ancient sources and the extensive modern scholarship in order to present a hugely accessible account of this important mythical figure. Covering both Greek and Roman material, the book highlights areas of consensus and dissent, indicating avenues for further study on both details and broader issues. Easy to read, Herakles is perfectly suited to students of classics and related disciplines, and of interest to anyone looking for an insight into ancient Greece’s most popular hero.

Duty or Pleasure? This was the legendary choice which faced Hercules and which pre-eminent philosopher A.C. Grayling uses as the starting point of this masterful book. He shows us how much more people can understand about themselves and their world by reflecting on today's moral challenges. Above all, he explores the idea that certain demands and certain pleasures are necessary, not just because of their intrinsic merits but because of what they do for each other. With exceptional clarity and unrivalled prose, Grayling addresses the everyday ethical choices which confront us all.

The Modern Hercules explores the reception of the ancient Greek hero Herakles – the Roman Hercules – in western culture from the nineteenth century to the present day, exploring the hero’s transformations of identity and significance in a wide range of media.

John G. Fitch's new Latin text of Seneca's play, Hercules Furens, is based on a collation of the chief manuscripts, including the Paris manuscript T.

Hercules is the best-known character from classical mythology. Seneca's play Hercules Furens presents the hero at a moment of triumph turned to tragedy. Hercules returns from his final labor, his journey to the Underworld, and then slaughters his family in an episode of madness. This play exerted great influence on Shakespeare and other Renaissance tragedians, and also inspired contemporary adaptations in film, TV, and comics. Aimed at undergraduates and non-specialists, this companion introduces the play's action, historical context and literary tradition, critical reception, adaptation, and performance tradition.

This is most comprehensive study of Seneca's Hercules Furens to date and indeed of any Roman tragedy. Apart from illustrating the poetic language, the literary conventions and the dramatic technique of the play, the book highlights the figure of the Roman Hercules in relation to its Greek model, the Euripidean Herakles. The comprehensive introduction on myth, modern interpretations and textual transmission of the play is followed by a discussion of the newly discovered collation of the codex Etruscus by J.F. Gronovius. The detailed commentary is provided with a new critical edition and a new German translation. The work includes a full bibliography, an analytical index and a complete index of passages cited. Special attention is given to literary motifs and topoi as well as to Seneca's poetic language in its pivotal position between the Augustan poets and Neronian-Flavian epic.

Drawing on the insights of artists, philosophers, anthropologists, and other unusual sources, this first look inside the successful Japanese company addresses not just the question of how do we make good, responsible products, but the very basic questions that nag at us as we try to figure out the moral center--the purpose--of our everyday work.