Herakles 11ST Labor: The Golden Apples
The third step of the eleventh labor and the mythical origin of wrestling: the combat between the Herakles and Antaeus son of Poseidon and Ge. Antaeus was invincible, since every time an opponent threw him he came in contact with his mother Ge (Earth) and rose with renewed strength. Thus Antaeus had killed all comers and used their skulls in building a temple to his father, Poseidon. Heracles held him aloft and crushed him to death. Some versions of this story take Heracles to the Caucasus Mountains.
The two external halves of the kylix surface are decorated with two scenes concerning the deeds of two vary popular heroes: Herakles and Theseus v.s. Prokrustes.
Kylix side A) – Combat between the Hercules and the giant Antaios. Heracles with his head surrounded by a crown of leaves, grasps with his strong arms the shoulder of Antaios. The giant son of Poseidon leans on the ground with his right hand. To the right, hung in the background, the himation of Heracles, to the left, the club, the bow and the quiver of the hero. If, according to myth, Theseus learned wrestling directly from Athena, Herakles was regarded as the patron god of wrestling.
Above Herakles and Antaeus an inscription reads «καλος Αθενοδοτος»
Some scholars consider this cup an art- work of Douris, but this attribution, made according to the inscription reading Δορι painted in the inner part of the kylix, is controversial.
CAV / CAVI @ www.beazley.ox.ac.uk
Attic red-figured kylix
H. 9 cm.; D. to rim 23 cm
Attributed to Douris [?]
Ca. 500 – 490
Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Inv. No. 1666
Herakles 11ST Labor: The Golden Apples
The third step of the eleventh labor and the mythical origin of wrestling: the combat between the Herakles and Antaeus son of Poseidon and Ge. Antaeus was invincible, since every time an opponent threw him he came in contact with his mother Ge (Earth) and rose with renewed strength. Thus Antaeus had killed all comers and used their skulls in building a temple to his father, Poseidon. Heracles held him aloft and crushed him to death. Some versions of this story take Heracles to the Caucasus Mountains.
The two external halves of the kylix surface are decorated with two scenes concerning the deeds of two vary popular heroes: Herakles and Theseus v.s. Prokrustes.
Kylix side A) – Combat between the Hercules and the giant Antaios. Heracles with his head surrounded by a crown of leaves, grasps with his strong arms the shoulder of Antaios. The giant son of Poseidon leans on the ground with his right hand. To the right, hung in the background, the himation of Heracles, to the left, the club, the bow and the quiver of the hero. If, according to myth, Theseus learned wrestling directly from Athena, Herakles was regarded as the patron god of wrestling.
Above Herakles and Antaeus an inscription reads «καλος Αθενοδοτος»
Some scholars consider this cup an art- work of Douris, but this attribution, made according to the inscription reading Δορι painted in the inner part of the kylix, is controversial.
CAV / CAVI @ www.beazley.ox.ac.uk
Attic red-figured kylix
H. 9 cm.; D. to rim 23 cm
Attributed to Douris [?]
Ca. 500 – 490
Athens, National Archaeological Museum, Inv. No. 1666