Page:History of Greece Vol I.djvu/126

 94 HISTORY OF GREECE. twelve labors, as they are called, too notorious to be here detailed, form a very small fraction of tla e exploits of this mighty being, which filled the Herakleian epics of the ancient poets. He is found not only in most parts of Hellas, but throughout all the riher regions then known to the Greeks, from Gades to the river Thermodon in the Euxine and to Scythia, overcoming all diffi- culties and vanquishing all opponents. Distinguished families are everywhere to be traced who bear his patronymic, and glory in the belief that they are his descendants. Among Achaeans, Kad- meians, and Dorians, Herakles is venerated : the latter especially 'reat him as their principal hero, the Patron Hero- God of the race : the Herakleids form among all Dorians a privileged gens, in which at Sparta the special lineage of the two kings was included. His character lends itself to mythes countless in number as well as disparate in their character. The irresistible force remains constant, but it is sometimes applied with reckless vio- lence against friends as well as enemies, sometimes devoted to the relief of the oppressed. The comic writers often brought him out as a coarse and stupid glutton, while the Athenian phi- losopher Prodikos, without at all distorting the type, extracted from it the simple, impressive, and imperishable apologue still known as the Choice of Hercules. After the death and apotheosis of Herakles, his son Hyllos and his other children were expelled and persecuted by Eurys- theus : the fear of his vengeance deterred both the Trachinian king Keyx and the Thebans from harboring them, and the Athenians alone were generous enough to brave the risk of offer- ing them shelter. Eurystheus invaded Attica, but perished in the attempt by the hand of Hyllos, or by that of lolaos, the old companion and nephew of Herakles. 1 The chivalrous courage which the Athenians had on this occasion displayed in behalf of oppressed innocence, was a favorite theme for subsequent eulogy by Attic poets and orators. All the sons of Eurystheus lost their lives in the battle along with him, so that the Perseid family was now represented only by the Herakleids, who collected an army and endeavored to 1 Apollod. ii. 8, 1 He:atae. ap. Longin. c. 27 ; Diodor. iv. 57