Introduction
After completing his Twelve Labours for King Eurystheus, Heracles gave his wife Megara a divorce, since he had killed their children in a fit of madness, and turned his attention to Iole, daughter of King Eurytus. Eurytus was not keen for Iole to suffer Megara’s fate, but Iole’s brother Iphitus backed the hero; which made it all the more unfortunate that Heracles then accidentally killed him.
Soon after this event Heracles was struck with a fearful disease, and betook himself to the temple of Delphi, hoping to obtain from the oracle the means of relief. The priestess, however, refused him a response on the ground of his having murdered Iphitus, whereupon the angry hero seized upon the tripod,* which he carried off, declaring that he would construct an oracle for himself. Apollo, who witnessed the sacrilege, came down to defend his sanctuary, and a violent struggle ensued. Zeus once more interfered, and, flashing his lightnings between his two favourite sons, ended the combat. The Pythia* now vouchsafed an answer to the prayer of the hero, and commanded him, in expiation of liis crime, to allow himself to be sold by Hermes for three years as a slave, the purchase-money to be given to Eurytus in compensation for the loss of his son.
Heracles bowed in submission to the divine will, and was conducted by Hermes to Omphale, queen of Lydia. The three talents* which she paid for him were given to Eurytus, who, however, declined to accept the money, which was handed over to the children of Iphitus.
* The tripod was the oracle’s seat. To enter a state of trance, she seated herself near the mouth of a cave from which vapours flowed out, and the hopeful client waited to hear what Apollo would say to her in this mood.
* The Pythia was the name of the oracle or prophetess at Delphi. She took her name from the huge snake Python that guarded her temple above the harbour at Crissa, on the northern shore of the Gulf of Corinth. Apollo slew the snake, much to the relief of the local herdsmen, and turned the temple and seer over to his own service; hence, when Heracles desecrated the shrine it was Apollo who intervened.
* A talent was an ancient unit of weight, often used for gold, silver and other precious commodities. The value varied wildly according to time and place, from little more than ¼oz in Homer’s day to about 57lb in later classical Greece and very nearly 130lb in the New Testament. As the price of Heracles’s purchase was intended as compensation for wrongful death, one of the larger values seems appropriate here. The word talente, talentan was used for the weight in Old English, but by association with the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 came to mean a God-given power or ability which ought to be put to good use.
Précis
After accidentally killing his friend Iphitus, Heracles sought advice from the oracle at Delphi. When she refused to help, Heracles promptly stole her throne. For this sacrilege, the oracle sentenced Heracles to three years’ enslavement to Omphale, Queen of Phrygia, and it was agreed that Iphitus’s family would be compensated with the price of his purchase. (56 / 60 words)
After accidentally killing his friend Iphitus, Heracles sought advice from the oracle at Delphi. When she refused to help, Heracles promptly stole her throne. For this sacrilege, the oracle sentenced Heracles to three years’ enslavement to Omphale, Queen of Phrygia, and it was agreed that Iphitus’s family would be compensated with the price of his purchase.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, despite, if, just, not, otherwise, until, who.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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