Hércules golpeando a las fieras

10:07 Nov 4, 2010 

thinking of Hercules' classic depiction, the best verb might be 'brandish' but it proves hard to fit in with Kate's 'beasts'

03:12 Nov 4, 2010 

I think the "problem" is to chose the verb since all Hercules labors had something to do with wild beasts.
HTH.
beatriz souza

(...) Interpretation of The Twelve Labors of Hercules

The twelve labors of Hercules all involve the taming, capture, cleaning (the cleaning of the Augean Stables), or slaying of wild beasts. Taken in this context the labor of taking Hippolyte's girdle stands out. The myth serves not only to explain (according to the Greeks), why there were no Amazons in the Thermiscrya region of the Anatolia peninsula, but also show the unnatural or dangerous side to a woman not bound by the traditions of Ancient Greece. In a sense, a woman who was not bound by marriage or the customs of Greece was dangerous. (...)

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/amazons/amazon...
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"The 12 labors are referred to as the Nemean Lion, Lernean Hydra, Cerynitian Hind, Erymanthian Boar, Stables of Augeas, Stymphalian Birds, Cretan Bulls, Mares of Diomedes, Belt of Hippolyte, Cattle of Geryon, Apples of Hesperides, and the Hound of Hades."

(own glossary)
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15:51 Nov 2, 2010 

I know that wild animals are beasts - but "beasts" is the term to google with IMHO

15:50 Nov 2, 2010 

I'm with Andrew (and you) on this. There must be many depictions of Hercules smiting the various wild beasts in some of his Labours, and there was probably a common style to many of these depictions.

15:45 Nov 2, 2010 

And these:

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/HeraclesGallery.html

15:42 Nov 2, 2010 

was also 'lions', but I think it means all the beasts he had to destroy. There is a certain similarity in posture between the Greco and some of these:

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/DHeraclesDiomedes.ht...

15:41 Nov 2, 2010 

That is what I'm thinking. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing some event or description of a particular feat which in Spanish was described as Hercules fighting "las fieras"... Thanks for your help Andrew.

15:37 Nov 2, 2010 

Kate I don't think the author can be referring to any specific beasts involved in Hercules' labours. It would have been easy enough to specify a particular animal if that were the author's intention. Perhaps a clue lies in the phrase 'figuras clásicas de Hércules'. This would seem to indicate that the author is not referring to any one depiction of Hercules but simply the prevailing carriage and demeanour he adopted when tackling the beasts.