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Study Guide
Bibliography
Course Hero. "Heracles Study Guide." Course Hero. 15 Nov. 2019. Web. 27 Jan. 2023. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Heracles/>.
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(Course Hero)
Bibliography
Course Hero. (2019, November 15). Heracles Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Heracles/
In text
(Course Hero, 2019)
Bibliography
Course Hero. "Heracles Study Guide." November 15, 2019. Accessed January 27, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Heracles/.
Footnote
Course Hero, "Heracles Study Guide," November 15, 2019, accessed January 27, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Heracles/.
Megara, Heracles's sons, and Amphitryon shelter on the steps to Zeus's altar outside their palace.
PrologosAs Heracles's family awaits execution, Heracles returns unexpectedly and vows to save them.
Episode 2Lycus returns to find only Amphitryon outside, who lures the king into the palace to his death.
Episode 3A messenger tells the chorus that Heracles has gone mad and killed his wife and sons.
Stasimon 4The messenger says that Pallas put Heracles to sleep before he could kill Amphitryon.
Stasimon 4Theseus arrives to fight for Heracles but discovers that Heracles has killed his family.
ExodosTheseus argues against suicide and persuades Heracles to live in Athens as an honored hero.
Exodos| Scene | Summary |
|---|---|
| Prologos | Outside Heracles's palace in Thebes is an altar to Zeus. On the steps leading up to the altar sit Heracles's family: his... Read More |
| Parodos | The chorus—a group of old Theban men—enters, singing a song about the discomforts of old age. They liken themselves to "... Read More |
| Episode 1 | Lycus enters with his entourage of followers. He makes snide comments to Amphitryon and Megara, asking if they really th... Read More |
| Stasimon 1 | The chorus sings a song in praise of Heracles. Whether he should be called the "son of Zeus or of Amphitryon" makes no d... Read More |
| Episode 2 | Megara laments that she is seeing her and Heracles's sons for the last time. She tells them that their father had intend... Read More |
| Stasimon 2 | The chorus sings the praises of youth and laments the growing burden of old age. They wish old age would "sink beneath t... Read More |
| Episode 3 | Lycus returns with his retinue just as Amphitryon is coming out of the palace. Lycus tells the old man to have Megara an... Read More |
| Stasimon 3 | The chorus sings a song calling on the city to rejoice that Lycus is dead. Lycus, they say, is paying the "penalty of [h... Read More |
| Episode 4 | Iris introduces herself and Madness. Iris is "the handmaid of the gods." Madness is the "daughter of Night." They mean n... Read More |
| Stasimon 4 | The chorus sings out their horror at the murders taking place. They watch as "a tempest rocks the house; the roof is fal... Read More |
| Exodos | The doors of the palace open. Heracles lies there asleep, chained to the fallen column. Amphitryon comes out and asks th... Read More |
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