Mount Olympus Presents:
Hercules: The First Superhero
An Unauthorized Biography
by Philip Matyszak
I now have a new favorite book on
the Theban Hercules, one that stands out in a bookcase crammed with
many such books, one that has already earned a place on my shelf of
honor, containing beloved tomes I re-read annually.
Hercules: The First Superhero can be
compared to a composite piece of jewelry composed from fragments of
antiques, polished up and threaded with ultra-modern string. The
beads are quotes from actual ancient authors who provided us with
what we know about the life of Hercules. The charms are images from
ancient art. And the thread is a very modern, and extremely amusing,
narrative that ties the work together. I laughed aloud at several
points, something I rarely ever do while reading.
Unlike most
books on my divine ancestor, operant archetype and tutelary deity,
Hercules: The First Superhero does not focus exclusively on the
famous Labors. It begins with the exploits of Hercules' grandfather
Perseus and extends into our world today, where the echoes of
Hercules' mighty presence still reverberate.
Details which
are usually ignored or minimized in other accounts, such as his early
military exploits and married life with Megara, are honored and
respectfully granted their proper place in this Unauthorized
Biography. And keen insights abound. Philip Matyszak gifted me with a
much broader, and deeper, understanding of King Eurystheus'
perspective and motivations. This alone impressed me greatly and I am
truly thankful for my expanded outlook on what the villainous
Assigner of Labors may have been thinking or hoping to accomplish.
Attention is also drawn to alternate versions of events, as well as continuity glitches in the overall saga. This is helpful and necessary, for the epic survives through fragments that are rife with inconsistencies.
There is even a Bibliography of
modern and ancient texts at the tail-end of the tome for those
who wish to explore the sources used and learn more about the life of
Hercules. Other than Theocritus' Idylls, which I don't recall ever
reading, all of the books listed are, or were at one point, honored
guests in my personal library.
Hercules: The First Superhero kept me company on my own wide-wanderings for a bit over a week. It was a wonderful companion and I enjoyed the time we spent together. Though I have completed it, it is definitely worth a more leasurely re-read before I introduce it to my other treasured tomes.
Onwards!
Hercules Invictus
Larger Than Life Living in the World Today
(c) 1975-2016 Hercules Invictus
