Hercules Today:

Mount Olympus Speaks!

Sword & Sandal for the Soul

Last night, while doing stretches & abs, I watched Hercules and the Princess of Troy, a 50 minute epic starring Gordon Scott that was actually the pilot for a TV series that never took off.

In it Hercules, with a young Ulysses and an older Diogenes in tow, captains the sea-vessel Olympia. The series was to chronicle their jouneys back to Thebes, their homeland.

Troy was plagued by an insectoid sea monster, to which they offered maiden sacrifices. Though Trojan warriors still challenged the creature, no one had triumphed thus far and only one man survived the confrontation.

Hercules and his crew, having defeated some pirates and freed the slaves, find out about the situation from Trojan captives who attempted to escape the situation at home only to wind up enslaved and on their way to foreign markets.

As with many Hercules epics, there is treachery in high places and the fate of a kingdom hanging in the balance - with a royal lady as the pivotal point. Petra, the regent ruler, was seemingly very caring, wise and fair. Secretly he was a scheming serpent. Only the cynical Diogenes penetrated the disguise.

Afterwards I gave voice to my inner Diogenes and contemplated the politics of my current adventures. Who stands to benefit from circumstances NOT changing, despite their honeyed words and public displays of support. This helped me re-frame many circumstances and I resolved to remain alert in all future interactions.

Larger Than Life Living in the World Today