Greek and Roman myths and legends are alike in many ways since they are based on similar cultural concepts and moral rules. This similarity is evident in the fact that some Olympic gods in Greece corresponded to the Roman gods; Heracles or Hercules existed in both cultures, and many heroes demonstrate the same qualities under different names. The Greeks and Romans also revered and ridiculed the almost identical traits in people and gods, although in some cases, their emphasis was slightly different. For this reason, this essay will examine the Greek myth about Prometheus and the Roman myths about Hercules, which have similarities in understanding manly excellence and moral rules but differ in their way of performing heroic acts.
Both myths are an example of the heroic deeds of strong and brave men who sought to benefit people. Prometheus is a titan who helped Zeus take his throne; however, when Zeus decides to exterminate the entire human race, Prometheus steals the divine fire and brings it to people. For his act, he is punished by Zeus and suffers torture for many years but does not repent and considers his deed as the right decision.
Hercules also wants to help people and protect them from the evil that filled the world. He is the son of Jupiter and Alcmena, a daughter of Electryon, so he had great strength and dexterity, as well as the protection of the gods. This combination of power allowed him to fight with the monsters and defeat them. Hercules beats the Nemean Lion, which kills innocent animals and people; he murders the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra, which hits the men with her breath. The hero also stabs Erymanthian Boar, who destroys crops and instills fear in people; he shoots the Stymphalian Birds and kills Diomedes’ mares, which are fed by human flesh. Most of the heroic deeds of Hercules are aimed at helping ordinary people since they cannot fight with the monsters.
Moreover, in some way, the fates of Prometheus and Hercules intersect when Hercules performs one of his feats, which are not included in the famous twelve exploits. Prometheus is punished by Zeus for his kindness to people and chained to a rock where an eagle pecks his liver every day, and overnight it grows back again. After years of torment, Hercules saves Prometheus by shooting at the heart of an eagle and freeing the titan from his fetters, and Prometheus also makes peace with Zeus. Thus, even the plots of myths are intertwined, which indicates their similarity.
These heroic acts of both characters are glorified both in Greece and Rome because they coincide with the established concepts of morality and culture. In Roman mythology, manly behavior that deserves respect at war, religion, and relationships is denoted by the term “uirtus,” and in Greek culture, it corresponds to the word “aretê”. The stories of Prometheus and Hercules demonstrate bravery, justice, strength, and patience for the sake of lofty goals, which is an example of manly excellence, and therefore precisely coincides with the above concepts. In addition, their actions are aimed not so much at gaining fame and approval by the gods but at committing right and appropriate acts.
Furthermore, both heroes were guided by universal moral rules to perform their feats, and they did not always depend on the will of the gods. Prometheus acts against Zeus’s desire, but he does the morally right thing by protecting living beings, or, more accurately, people from death. Hercules is guided more by the will of the gods, but he also performed his feats for the sake of justice by killing monsters or freeing Prometheus from the fetters. These actions are also reflected in the philosophical and concepts of both cultures. The Greeks describe such acts as “themis,” and the Romans call them “fas”. Both concepts mean roughly the same thing — something right accordingly to universal social and moral laws. Thus, it can be noted that both myths have many similarities based on the philosophical and cultural characteristics of their origin states.
The most apparent difference, which the reader can notice in the myths about Prometheus and Hercules, are ways of performing their ideas and accomplishing their feats. Prometheus uses his intellect and wisdom, as well as empathy, to bring fire to people and help their development. Hercules more often relies on his physical strength and dexterity to defeat monsters or perform another task. These features are more likely justified by the personal qualities of the heroes than by any cultural differences between Greek and Roman culture since the history of Hercules differs little in the Greek version. For this reason, the main contrast is the methods and styles of Prometheus’ and Hercules’ acting, although these features do not characterize the culture of their stories’ origins.
Prometheus is an example of a person who achieves the desired results because of his mind and cunning. Moreover, his cheating and disobedience are aimed at the right actions. In a dispute with Zeus, Prometheus shows his wisdom, clear mind, and dexterity by defiantly answering the god when he tries to offend him and harm people. Then, Prometheus steals the fire from Olympus by using trick but not force and passes it to people to protect them from the cold and open thousands of other possibilities for them. This act is justified both by his personal qualities of intelligence and a craving for justice, as well as rationality since the titan cannot defeat Zeus, especially if other gods join him.
At the same time, Hercules relies more on his physical strength and dexterity than his intellect to accomplish his exploits. Naturally, Hercules also has some intelligence and cunning; for this reason, he manages to accomplish all the feats. For example, he shoots the Stymphalian Birds with their own. However, the physical approach to actions is also logical for him, since having the strength of gods to fight with monsters and beasts is not as difficult as in the case of Prometheus and Zeus.
Moreover, the difference between Prometheus and Hercules is the original motives of their deeds as well as their consequences. Hercules has to accomplish his feats because the gods want them to be done, and if he achieves them, he will receive a reward. Besides, he does not contradict the prevailing nature of things or the hierarchy of the world. This behavior falls under the Roman concept of “pietas,” which means devotion to the gods, their family, and people. Although sometimes Hercules comes into conflict with some gods, yet he obeys their will in the process of achieving the desired result.
At the same time, Prometheus shows the opposite behavior, since his actions contradict the desires of gods as well as the hierarchy of the world. Prometheus acts against the wish of Zeus and brings fire to people, which causes the god’s anger and also makes humanity more powerful and independent of the will of the gods. In addition, he disobeys Zeus, which is a violation of the hierarchical rules. This action can be explained by the Greek concept of “hybris,” which means “outrage” and refers to any action that breaks the natural order or hierarchy. Thus, Prometheus, guided by his concept of justice, violates the current state of things, and although he takes the right decision on a global scale, for him, his feat brings years of painful punishment.
Therefore, one may note that when comparing the myths about Hercules and Prometheus they have many similar and different features based on the cultural characteristics of Greek and Roman mythology. Both cultures have the same concepts emphasizing the merits or vices of people, which is reflected in the plot of the myths. However, differences in the actions of the two heroes are justified not only by cultural influence but also by the stories themselves, since both narratives are parts of Roman and Greek mythology. Consequently, these two heroic stories demonstrate the close relationship between the two ancient cultures and their heritage.
References
Barker, Adam. “CLA204H1: Introduction to classical mythology.” PowerPoint lecture, 2019.
Curran, Stuart. “The Political Prometheus.” Studies in Romanticism 25, no. 3 (1986): 429-455.
Hesiod. (2017). Poems of Hesiod: Theogony, works and days, and the shield of Herakles. (B. B. Powell, Trans.) University of California Press.
Philips, F. Carter. “Narrative compression and the myths of Prometheus in Hesiod.” The Classical Journal 68, no. 4 (1973): 289-305.
Smith, R. S. & Trzaskoma, S. M. (Trans.). (2007). Apollodorus’ library and Hyginus’ fabulae: Two handbooks of Greek mythology. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company.