Megara (wife of Heracles): Difference between revisions

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In Greek mythology, Megara (Μεγάρα) was the oldest daughter of Creon, king of Thebes. In reward for Heracles' defending Thebes from Orchomenus in single-handed battle, Creon offered his daughter Megara to Heracles,^[1] and he brought her home to the house of Amphitryon.^[2] She bore him a son and a daughter,^[3] whom Heracles killed when Hera struck him with temporary madness; in their hero-tombs in Thebes they were venerated as the Chalkoarai.^[4] In some sources Heracles slew Megara too,^[5] in others, she was given to Iolaus when Heracles left Thebes forever.

In some traditions, in order to atone his guilt, he was forced to perform the Twelve Labours, but in Euripides' tragedy, Heracles' return from his encounter with Cerberus in Hades begins the agon.

History

In culture

Megara appears in Disney's Hercules film and Hercules TV series voiced by Susan Egan when Hercules met him at the river after being recruited by Nessus and the romantic love interest, sweetheart and lover of Hercules. Megara has fair skin and very long Brown hair that is pulled into a ponytail. She wears purple makeup to match the color of her eyes and Grecian-style sleeveless shawl.

Notes

^ Odyssey 11.269.
^ Euripides, Madness of Heracles.
^ The number of Megara's sons varies according to the source; the Theban tradition made them eight (Kereny 1959:185f notes Pindar's Fourth Isthmian Ode) but Euripides' Heracles reduced them to three, possibly for the exigencies of his stage tradition, Kereny notes (Kerenyi 1959:1186).
^ "Those on whom fell a curse of bronze" (Kerenyi 1959:186).
^ Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheke 2.6.1.

References

Kerenyi, Karl, The Heroes of the Greeks (Thames and Hudson) 1959.

External links

Megara, Hercules' first wife

Preceded by ---	Wives of Heracles	Succeeded by Omphale

[1] Odyssey 11.269.

[2] Euripides, Madness of Heracles.

[3] The number of Megara's sons varies according to the source; the Theban tradition made them eight (Kereny 1959:185f notes Pindar's Fourth Isthmian Ode) but Euripides' Heracles reduced them to three, possibly for the exigencies of his stage tradition, Kereny notes (Kerenyi 1959:1186).

[4] "Those on whom fell a curse of bronze" (Kerenyi 1959:186).

[5] Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheke 2.6.1.

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 ==In culture==
-Megara appears in Disney's [[Hercules (1997 film)|Hercules film]] and [[Hercules (1998 TV series)|Hercules TV series]] voiced by [[Susan Egan]] when Hercules met him at the river after being recruited by [[Nessus (mythology)|Nessus]] and the romantic [[love interest]], sweetheart and lover of Hercules. Megara has fair skin and very long [[Brown hair]] that is pulled into a [[ponytail]]. She wears [[purple]] makeup to match the color of her eyes and Grecian-style sleeveless [[shawl]].
+Megara appears in Disney's ''[[Hercules (1997 film)|Hercules film]]'' and ''[[Hercules (1998 TV series)|Hercules TV series]]'' voiced by [[Susan Egan]] when Hercules met him at the river after being recruited by [[Nessus (mythology)|Nessus]] and the romantic [[love interest]], sweetheart and lover of Hercules. Megara has fair skin and very long [[Brown hair]] that is pulled into a [[ponytail]]. She wears [[purple]] makeup to match the color of her eyes and Grecian-style sleeveless [[shawl]].
 ==Notes==