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Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database



10246
Seneca The Younger, Hercules Oetaeus, 1983-1996
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Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

12 results
1. Euripides, Hercules Furens, 1250 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

2. Xenophon, Memoirs, 2.1.21-2.1.34 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)

2.1.21. Aye, and Prodicus the wise expresses himself to the like effect concerning Virtue in the essay On Heracles that he recites to throngs of listeners. This, so far as I remember, is how he puts it: When Heracles was passing from boyhood to youth’s estate, wherein the young, now becoming their own masters, show whether they will approach life by the path of virtue or the path of vice, he went out into a quiet place 2.1.22. and sat pondering which road to take. And there appeared two women of great stature making towards him. The one was fair to see and of high bearing; and her limbs were adorned with purity, her eyes with modesty; sober was her figure, and her robe was white. The other was plump and soft, with high feeding. Her face was made up to heighten its natural white and pink, her figure to exaggerate her height. Open-eyed was she; and dressed so as to disclose all her charms. Now she eyed herself; anon looked whether any noticed her; and often stole a glance at her own shadow. 2.1.23. When they drew nigh to Heracles, the first pursued the even tenor of her way: but the other, all eager to outdo her, ran to meet him, crying: Heracles, I see that you are in doubt which path to take towards life. Make me your friend; follow me, and I will lead you along the pleasantest and easiest road. You shall taste all the sweets of life; and hardship you shall never know. 2.1.24. First, of wars and worries you shall not think, but shall ever be considering what choice food or drink you can find, what sight or sound will delight you, what touch or perfume; what tender love can give you most joy, what bed the softest slumbers; and how to come by all these pleasures with least trouble. 2.1.25. And should there arise misgiving that lack of means may stint your enjoyments, never fear that I may lead you into winning them by toil and anguish of body and soul. Nay; you shall have the fruits of others’ toil, and refrain from nothing that can bring you gain. For to my companions I give authority to pluck advantage where they will. 2.1.26. Now when Heracles heard this, he asked, Lady, pray what is your name? My friends call me Happiness, she said, but among those that hate me I am nicknamed Vice. 2.1.27. Meantime the other had drawn near, and she said: I, too, am come to you, Heracles: I know your parents and I have taken note of your character during the time of your education. Therefore I hope that, if you take the road that leads to me, you will turn out a right good doer of high and noble deeds, and I shall be yet more highly honoured and more illustrious for the blessings I bestow. But I will not deceive you by a pleasant prelude: I will rather tell you truly the things that are, as the gods have ordained them. 2.1.28. For of all things good and fair, the gods give nothing to man without toil and effort. If you want the favour of the gods, you must worship the gods: if you desire the love of friends, you must do good to your friends: if you covet honour from a city, you must aid that city: if you are fain to win the admiration of all Hellas for virtue, you must strive to do good to Hellas : if you want land to yield you fruits in abundance, you must cultivate that land: if you are resolved to get wealth from flocks, you must care for those flocks: if you essay to grow great through war and want power to liberate your friends and subdue your foes, you must learn the arts of war from those who know them and must practise their right use: and if you want your body to be strong, you must accustom your body to be the servant of your mind, and train it with toil and sweat. 2.1.29. And Vice, as Prodicus tells, answered and said: Heracles, mark you how hard and long is that road to joy, of which this woman tells? but I will lead you by a short and easy road to happiness. And Virtue said: 2.1.30. What good thing is thine, poor wretch, or what pleasant thing dost thou know, if thou wilt do nought to win them? Thou dost not even tarry for the desire of pleasant things, but fillest thyself with all things before thou desirest them, eating before thou art hungry, drinking before thou art thirsty, getting thee cooks, to give zest to eating, buying thee costly wines and running to and fro in search of snow in summer, to give zest to drinking; to soothe thy slumbers it is not enough for thee to buy soft coverlets, but thou must have frames for thy beds. For not toil, but the tedium of having nothing to do, makes thee long for sleep. Thou dost rouse lust by many a trick, when there is no need, using men as women: thus thou trainest thy friends, waxing wanton by night, consuming in sleep the best hours of day. 2.1.31. Immortal art thou, yet the outcast of the gods, the scorn of good men. Praise, sweetest of all things to hear, thou hearest not: the sweetest of all sights thou beholdest not, for never yet hast thou beheld a good work wrought by thyself. Who will believe what thou dost say? who will grant what thou dost ask? Or what sane man will dare join thy throng? While thy votaries are young their bodies are weak, when they wax old, their souls are without sense; idle and sleek they thrive in youth, withered and weary they journey through old age, and their past deeds bring them shame, their present deeds distress. Pleasure they ran through in their youth: hardship they laid up for their old age. 2.1.32. But I company with gods and good men, and no fair deed of god or man is done without my aid. I am first in honour among the gods and among men that are akin to me: to craftsmen a beloved fellow-worker, to masters a faithful guardian of the house, to servants a kindly protector: good helpmate in the toils of peace, staunch ally in the deeds of war, best partner in friendship. 2.1.33. To my friends meat and drink bring sweet and simple enjoyment: for they wait till they crave them. And a sweeter sleep falls on them than on idle folk: they are not vexed at awaking from it, nor for its sake do they neglect to do their duties. The young rejoice to win the praise of the old; the elders are glad to be honoured by the young; with joy they recall their deeds past, and their present well-doing is joy to them, for through me they are dear to the gods, lovely to friends, precious to their native land. And when comes the appointed end, they lie not forgotten and dishonoured, but live on, sung and remembered for all time. O Heracles, thou son of goodly parents, if thou wilt labour earnestly on this wise, thou mayest have for thine own the most blessed happiness. 2.1.34. Such, in outline, is Prodicus’ story of the training of Heracles by Virtue; only he has clothed the thoughts in even finer phrases than I have done now. But anyhow, Aristippus, it were well that you should think on these things and try to show some regard for the life that lies before you.
3. Cicero, On Duties, 1.118 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)

1.118. Nam quodHerculem Prodicus dicit, ut est apud Xenophontem, cum primum pubesceret, quod tempus a natura ad deligendum, quam quisque viam vivendi sit ingressurus, datum est, exisse in solitudinem atque ibi sedentem diu secum multumque dubitasse, cum duas cerneret vias, unam Voluptatis, alteram Virtutis, utram ingredi melius esset, hoc Herculi Iovis satu edito potuit fortasse contingere, nobis non item, qui imitamur, quos cuique visum est, atque ad eorum studia institutaque impellimur; plerumque autem parentium praeceptis imbuti ad eorum consuetudinem moremque deducimur; alii multitudinis iudicio feruntur, quaeque maiori parti pulcherrima videntur, ea maxime exoptant; non nulli tamen sive felicitate quadam sive bonitate naturae sine parentium disciplina rectam vitae secuti sunt viam. 1.118.  For we cannot all have the experience of Hercules, as we find it in the words of Prodicus in Xenophon; "When Hercules was just coming into youth's estate (the time which Nature has appointed unto every man for choosing the path of life on which he would enter), he went out into a desert place. And as he saw two paths, the path of Pleasure and the path of Virtue, he sat down and debated long and earnestly which one it were better for him to take." This might, perhaps, happen to a Hercules, "scion of the seed of Jove"; but it cannot well happen to us; for we copy each the model he fancies, and we are constrained to adopt their pursuits and vocations. But usually, we are so imbued with the teachings of our parents, that we fall irresistibly into their manners and customs. Others drift with the current of popular opinion and make especial choice of those callings which the majority find most attractive. Some, however, as the result either of some happy fortune or of natural ability, enter upon the right path of life, without parental guidance.
4. Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library, 4.10.7 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)

4.10.7.  And when Heracles ignored the summons Zeus despatched word to him to enter the service of Eurystheus; whereupon Heracles journeyed to Delphi, and on inquiring of the god regarding the matter he received a reply which stated that the gods had decided that he should perform twelve Labours at the command of Eurystheus and that upon their conclusion he should receive the gift of immortality.
5. Ovid, Metamorphoses, 9.229-9.272, 15.49 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)

6. Anon., Didache, 1.6 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

7. Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, 2.4.8 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

2.4.8. πρὸ τοῦ δὲ Ἀμφιτρύωνα παραγενέσθαι εἰς Θήβας Ζεύς, διὰ νυκτὸς ἐλθὼν καὶ τὴν μίαν τριπλασιάσας νύκτα, 3 -- ὅμοιος Ἀμφιτρύωνι γενόμενος Ἀλκμήνῃ συνευνάσθη καὶ τὰ γενόμενα περὶ 1 -- Τηλεβοῶν διηγήσατο. Ἀμφιτρύων δὲ παραγενόμενος, ὡς οὐχ ἑώρα φιλοφρονουμένην πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν γυναῖκα, ἐπυνθάνετο τὴν αἰτίαν· εἰπούσης δὲ ὅτι τῇ προτέρᾳ νυκτὶ παραγενόμενος αὐτῇ συγκεκοίμηται, μανθάνει παρὰ Τειρεσίου τὴν γενομένην τοῦ Διὸς συνουσίαν. Ἀλκμήνη δὲ δύο ἐγέννησε παῖδας, Διὶ μὲν Ἡρακλέα, μιᾷ νυκτὶ πρεσβύτερον, Ἀμφιτρύωνι δὲ Ἰφικλέα. τοῦ δὲ παιδὸς ὄντος ὀκταμηνιαίου δύο δράκοντας ὑπερμεγέθεις Ἥρα ἐπὶ τὴν εὐνὴν ἔπεμψε, διαφθαρῆναι τὸ βρέφος θέλουσα. ἐπιβοωμένης δὲ Ἀλκμήνης Ἀμφιτρύωνα, Ἡρακλῆς διαναστὰς ἄγχων ἑκατέραις ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοὺς διέφθειρε. Φερεκύδης δέ φησιν Ἀμφιτρύωνα, βουλόμενον μαθεῖν ὁπότερος ἦν τῶν παίδων ἐκείνου, τοὺς δράκοντας εἰς τὴν εὐνὴν ἐμβαλεῖν, καὶ τοῦ μὲν Ἰφικλέους φυγόντος τοῦ δὲ Ἡρακλέους ὑποστάντος μαθεῖν ὡς Ἰφικλῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται.
8. Dio Chrysostom, Orations, 1.64 (1st cent. CE

9. New Testament, Luke, 1.26, 3.23, 4.1-4.15, 4.22, 4.43 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.26. Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth 3.23. Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli 4.1. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 4.2. for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry. 4.3. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. 4.4. Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' 4.5. The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 4.6. The devil said to him, "I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. 4.7. If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours. 4.8. Jesus answered him, "Get behind me Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.' 4.9. He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here 4.10. for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge concerning you, to guard you;' 4.11. and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, Lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.' 4.12. Jesus answering, said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' 4.13. When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time. 4.14. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. 4.15. He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 4.22. All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, "Isn't this Joseph's son? 4.43. But he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.
10. New Testament, Mark, 3.31-3.35 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

3.31. His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him. 3.32. A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, "Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you. 3.33. He answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers? 3.34. Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers! 3.35. For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
11. New Testament, Matthew, 1.24-1.25, 4.1-4.11 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.24. Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 1.25. and didn't know her sexually until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus. 4.1. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 4.2. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 4.3. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. 4.4. But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' 4.5. Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple 4.6. and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge concerning you.' and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, So that you don't dash your foot against a stone.' 4.7. Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord, your God.' 4.8. Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 4.9. He said to him, "I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me. 4.10. Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.' 4.11. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.
12. Seneca The Younger, Hercules Oetaeus, 1093, 1131-1336, 1377-1380, 1419-1426, 1488-1496, 1518-1606, 1609-1757, 1940-1943, 1963-1976, 1984-1996, 1085 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)



Subjects of this text:

subject book bibliographic info
aetolia Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
alcmena Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
apotheosis Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
ariadne Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
atreus Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
audience Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
choral reconciliation Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
chorus, choral Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145, 255
cornutus Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
cosmic dissolution Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
creon (jason myth) Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
death Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145, 255
deianira Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145, 255
dialogue Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
divinization Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
fear Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
glauke Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
heracles/hercules, christian literature Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
heracles/hercules, jesus parallels Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
heracles/hercules, new testament Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
heracles/hercules Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
hercules Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145, 255
hippolytus Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
hyllus Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
iole Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
jason (argonauts) Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
jesus, as heracles Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
judaism Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
lament Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
medea Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
metre Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
monster Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
mt. oeta Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
myth Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
nero Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
octavia Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145, 255
orpheus Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
pain Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
parallels/parallelism Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
phaedra Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
philosophy Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
plutarch Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
politics Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
reproach Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
resurrection Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
seneca Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
stoic Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
stoicism Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
suicide Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
theseus Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
thrace Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
thyestes Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255
tradition, christian' Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
trojan war Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
trojans Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
troy Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
two ways Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
underworld Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 145
urevangelium Malherbe et al., Light from the Gentiles: Hellenistic Philosophy and Early Christianity: Collected Essays of Abraham J (2014) 661
virtue Harrison, Brill's Companion to Roman Tragedy (2015) 255