Zenobius 5.22

An apple as Heracles

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English

Proverb

An apple as Heracles

Explanation

Apollodorus, in his On the Gods, says that at Athens a peculiar sacrifice is offered to Heracles "Alexikakos." For when once the bull they were going to bring as a sacrifice to Heracles ran off, they took an apple, and setting four twigs under it for legs and two for horns, fashioned a bull, and so performed the sacrifice.

Greek

Proverb

Μῆλον Ἡρακλῆς

Explanation

Ἀπολλόδωρος ἐν τοῖς περὶ θεῶν, ὅτι θύεται Ἀθήνησιν Ἡρακλεῖ ἀλεξικάκῳ ἰδίαζουσά τις θυσία. Τοῦ γὰρ βοός ποτε ἐκφυγόντος, ὃν ἔμελλον τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ προςάξαι, μῆλον λαβόντας καὶ κλάδους ὑποθέντας τέσσαρας μὲν ἀντὶ σκελῶν, δύο δὲ ἀντὶ κεράτων, σχηματίσαι τὸν βοῦν καὶ οὕτω τὴν θυσίαν ποιήσασθαι.

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0098.tlg001.1st1K-grc1:5.22