Greek Mythology : Hercules wrestles Thanatos

The myth where Hercules wrestles Thanatos-the spirit of death-to retrieve the soul and restore the life of Queen Alcestis.

Our story begins when the King of Thessaly, Admetus, takes in a man asking for shelter and offers him hospitality. The visiting man asks a favor of Admetus which is to become the King’s slave for a year. Admetus agrees and during the visitor’s year of service the King treats his new slave with compassion and kindness, appointing him as a shepherd. True to his word, Admetus releases the visitor from his servitude after one year.

The King is shocked when the visitor reveals himself to be none other than the God Apollo, who had been punished by Zeus through the stripping of his divinity and slaving for a mortal for one year. Apollo was impressed by the King’s treatment, and told Admetus if he ever had need of him to grant a request he only had to ask.

Admetus called in the King’s favor when he fell in love with Princess Alcestis. The princesses’ father decreed that the man who could yoke a lion and boar to their chariot and ride through his city could marry his daughter. This task would’ve been impossible for a man, but luckily Admetus had Apollo to happily do it for him.

When Admetus rode into the city on this bizarre chariot, he fulfilled the marriage criteria and married Alcestis.

At the wedding, Apollo gave to his friend a special gift. It was a type of life prolongation where, if Admetus was ever close to death he only had to find someone to die in his place and he would live.

Sadly that fateful day arrived when Admetus was close to his mortal end and he could not find a single person to die, not even his elderly parents. Instead, his wife Queen Alcestis volunteered and as her health wavered Ademtus’ was restored until she finally died. The King was overwhelmed with grief, unable to process how he could life without his wife.

That’s when our Hero Hercules comes to visit the King. Admetus welcomes him and neither he nor any member of the court or servants tell the Hero about the recent passing. Before Alcestis’ passing, the court was known for the parties it held and Hercules wanted to have that experience. Not wanting to ruin his friend’s desires the King allowed it.

However the servants and attendants were in poor spirits and made for bad company. Hercules, angry at the poor quality of the fest ranted. One of the servants told the Hero that the King’s wife had just died, which was why everyone was so despondent.

Understanding the gravity of his mistake, Hercules is encumbered by shame and immediately desires to make up for his poor behavior. He goes into Alcestis’ tomb and finds Death Thanatos taking her spirit away to the underworld.

Hercules attacks Death itself and wrestles with the spirit until he forces the being to submit to the Hero’s will. He releases death from his grasp on the condition that Death will release Alcestis’ soul.

Hercules wrestles Death Thanatos beside the resting place of Queen Alcestis

Death agrees and Hercules returns Alcestis’ soul to her body. The Queen awakens and Hercules brings her to an euphoric Admetus.

Hercules must leave to continue his labors, while the thankful Admetus and Alcestis live happily.

This has to be my favorite myth because its filled with themes of love, friendship, sacrifice, heroism, justice and kindness.

Alcestis and Admetus show deep love for each other. Alcestis loves her husband so much that she wishes him to live longer and sacrifices her own life for him. Admetus, just as in love, is inconsolable at her loss and vows to never take another wife nor host a party again.

Apollo, Admetus and Hercules all show friendship. The God helps Admetus to win over the princess and gives him an extraordinary gift at the wedding. Admetus hosts a party (even though he vowed he wouldn’t) only to make his friend Hercules happy. Hercules shows friendship when he does a great favor to the King by retrieving his wife.

Alcestis and Hercules both exhibit heroism. Alcestis does this by giving her life for her husband’s, while Hercules does this by risking his safety by fighting and defeating the one being that no mortal hero can hope to beat….Death.

True to his nature, Hercules administers justice. When he finds out that his friend allowed the party to happen in-spite of his own pain and vow, just to make the Hero happy, Hercules is filled with remorse and knows that he must make amends to right his wrong.

Finally my favorite part of this myth is the underlying kindness that pervades all of it. Admetus treats Apollo with compassion as a slave (not knowing that the slave was a god) and in turn the God helps him and gifts him. Alcestis loves Admetus deeply and gives her life for his when the time comes. Admetus, welcoming his friend Hercules, throws a party for him despite his personal anguish. When Hercules realizes he has been ungrateful and wounded his friend, he beats Death Thanatos and gives Alcestis back to her husband.

Greek mythology is just too good.