Greek Myths XS: Herakles-Hercules vs Antaios-Antaeus

The ancient earth goddess Gaia suffered immensely, when the Olympian gods took over power. They battled her titan- and giant-children, sparing not one, and they didn’t stop there. They also created the human race, that trampled all over her and devastated her natural beauty. She tried to diminish their numbers by creating offspring to go after them, but her powers shrunk, and despite her sacrifices, mankind kept on growing. As did their arrogance and negligence. In an ultimate attempt, she sent Antaios, her son with Poseidon. He wrestled everyone he met, and as Gaia empowered him, he was invincible. As long as he kept his feet on the ground, she could send strength and determination through his body, and slowly but surely, the number of humans came down. But Zeus didn’t back down. He instructed his son, Herakles, to step in. Herakles lifted the giant in the air, so that he lost contact with his mother, and crushed him. Which well may be the first environmental disaster in history.

Antaeus fighting Heracles, Francisco de Zurbaran, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Mother Earth, Dionysos Sarcophagus, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Did you know...

! Antaios dwelt in Libya (Africa for the Romans), in the region of the Garden of the Hesperids and the Atlas mountains.