The Pillars of Hercules

C

Circe

Registered Senior Member
Atlantis, as told by Plato was located beyond the Straits of Gibraltar called the Pillars of Hercules. But the story itself was supposed to originate in Egypt. So I wonder, what the original Egyptian phrase used to describe the location of Atlantis was. Perhaps "The Pillars Of Ra'?;)

But my question is: why were the Straits of Gibraltar known as the Pillars of Hercules? Why were they associated with this famous hero? Or do they refer to the Constellation of Hercules?

Is there an obscure link between Hercules and this lost island?
 
Another myth concerns Hercules' theft of the Golden Apples, placing the giant, Atlas, and his task of supporting the weight of the world, at the "Pillars of Hercules".
Click to expand...

So there is a vague link between Hercules and Atlantis - through Atlas, after whom the island was named and who was involved in one of the Herculean labors.

I've always wondered whether myths are just silly fairy tales or do they actually tell us in a very picturesque way about something that really happened.

For a moment the sky wasn't held up by Atlas (when Hercules replaced him) - does this incident perhaps suggest that some kind of a cataclysmal event occured once, long time ago? Was it the same one that destroyed Atlantis?

I am just speculating, of course. I'm not even sure Atlantis ever existed ;)

Thanks for the link, Adam.
 
Mere legends and fables, stapled together to form some sort of answer to strange incidents. Maybe something happened, but i'm sure it would've been more shown in myth if an entire civilization had been wiped out. Either that or we would find more evidence of a lost civilization.
 
"For a moment the sky wasn't held up by Atlas (when Hercules replaced him) - does this incident perhaps suggest that some kind of a cataclysmal event occured once, long time ago? Was it the same one that destroyed Atlantis?"

Not likely. The Herakles myth doesn't mention any bad coming when Herakles took the heavens from Atlas, nor when he tricked him into taking it back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top