Art in Detail: The Crazies in Greek and Roman Mythology (Paintings)
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This document summarizes Greek and Roman mythological figures who experienced madness or insanity, including Orestes, Cassandra, and Heracles. Orestes was driven insane after killing his mother at Apollo's command and being pursued by the Furies. Cassandra was cursed by Apollo such that her prophecies were never believed, driving her mad. Heracles experienced a brief period of madness induced by Hera that led him to kill his children, after which he had to perform his famous twelve labors to atone.
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Art in Detail: The Crazies in Greek and Roman Mythology (Paintings)
- 2. Art in Detail The Crazies in Greek and Roman Mythology (Paintings)
- 3. ... This unfortunate group is full of folks who are just a wee bit mentally unstable.
- 5. ORESTES Orestes' bout with insanity came after he murdered his mother to avenge his father. To make matters worse, he was tortured mercilessly by the Furies for the killing. If being chased and whipped by psycho she-demons with snakes in their hair isn't enough to drive a person insane, we don't know what is.
- 6. CABANEL, Alexandre Orestes 1846 Oil on canvas, 221x 236.3 cm Musée des Beaux-Arts, Béziers
- 7. AGAMEMNON ... Why don't you come hang out with me and Menelaus by the pool this afternoon? Bikinis galore! You deserve a little award for sticking that sword in your mother for me. ORESTES ... No thanks, Dad. I'm trying to put that all behind me. AGAMEMNON ... She stabbed me in the bathtub! She was sleeping with my cousin Aegisthus!
- 9. WICAR, Jean Baptiste Electra Receiving the Ashes of Her Brother, Orestes 1826-1827 Oil on canvas Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts
- 10. ELECTRA ... Hey, Orestes, want to go throw eggs at Mom's condo? ... Poop bombs? Axes? Missiles? ORESTES ... Electra! Stop! ELECTRA... She killed Daddy! She deserves to suffer! ORESTES... We're all dead now! Why can't we just let all the bad stuff that happened go?
- 12. MEI, Bernardino Orestes slaying Aegisthus and Clytemnestra 1654 Oil on canvas Palazzo Salimbeni, Siena
- 13. CLYTEMNESTRA ... I think about how I stabbed you to death in a bathtub ... AGAMEMNON ... I think about how Orestes killed you. How does it feel to be slaughtered by your own son, you heartless crone? ORESTES ... Sorry Mom... Apollo told me I had to do it.
- 15. BOUGUEREAU, William-Adolphe The Remorse of Orestes or Orestes Pursued by the Furies 1862 Oil on canvas, 227 × 278 cm Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk
- 16. ERINYES (FURIES) ... We've got our eyes on you, Orestes. Once a mother-killer always a mother-killer. ORESTES ... Hey, I was acquitted. ATHENA ... You three—leave Orestes be. ORESTES ... I think I need a restraining order.
- 18. LASTMAN, Pieter Pietersz. Orestes and Pylades Disputing at the Altar 1614 Oil on panel, 83 x 126 cm Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
- 19. IPHIGENIA ... We're all dead now anyway. Can't we just get along? AGAMEMNON, CLYTEMNESTRA, ELECTRA ... NO! ORESTES ... Probably not.
- 21. ORESTES ... How crazy would it have been if Iphigenia had actually sacrificed me? Phew.
- 24. CASSANDRA Some might debate whether Cassandra belongs in this clique. She was cursed so that nobody would believe any of her predictions for the future. So every time she told people what was about to happen, they said she was nuts. Sadly, this terrible curse actually did drive her insane.
- 25. MORGAN, Evelyn de Cassandra 1898 - De Morgan Centre, London
- 26. CASSANDRA ... I think you're a total jerk for putting this awful curse on me. APOLLO ... I gave you the amazing gift of prophecy, and you refused to give yourself to me. How dare you, puny mortal?! You deserved all your suffering. CASSANDRA ... What fools these immortals are.
- 28. APOLLO ... Enjoying life as a prophetess? CASSANDRA ... I warned them that Troy would fall, but no one would listen.
- 30. TISCHBEIN, Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Ajax and Cassandra 1806 Oil on canvas, 232 × 177 cm Eutin Castle, Eutin Ostholstein
- 31. CASSANDRA ... Look what he did to me! And they call this guy a hero.
- 33. LANGLOIS, Jérôme-Martin Cassandra Imploring the Vengeance of Minerva against Ajax 1810 Oil on canvas, 180.9 × 193 cm Musée des beaux-arts de Chambéry, Chambéry, Savoie
- 34. CASSANDRA ... I'm still a bit confused about why Clytemnestra felt the need to murder me. CLYTEMNESTRA ... You were my husband's lover! CASSANDRA ... I would've totally helped you kill him. I hated him. AGAMEMNON ... So, does this mean you ladies won't be coming to my pool party this afternoon?
- 36. HERACLES (HERCULES) Like in some versions of Ajax's story, Heracles was driven crazy by a goddess. In Heracles' case, Hera was the one responsible for pushing him over the edge. Heracles' madness was particularly sad because it drove him to kill his own children. To atone, Heracles had to set out on his famous Twelve Labors.
- 37. TINTORETTO The Origin of the Milky Way 1570 Oil on canvas, 148 x 165 cm National Gallery, London
- 38. HERACLES (HERCULES) ... The day Hera unknowingly saved my life. HERA ... Have I ever told you how much I absolutely loathe your guts? HERACLES (HERCULES) ... No! Wow, I am so shocked to hear that. HERA ... Sarcastic little twerp.
- 40. WERFF, Pieter van der The Infant Hercules with a Serpent 1700-1722 Oil on panel, 34.5x 43cm Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
- 41. HERACLES (HERCULES) ... Wishing Hera would leave me alone. You put snakes in my cradle on the day I was born. HERA ... Stop whining, tough guy. HERACLES (HERCULES) ... Yes, I was a baby, you psychopath!
- 43. POLLAIUOLO, Antonio del Hercules and the Hydra c. 1475 Tempera on wood, 17 x 12 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
- 44. HERACLES (HERCULES) Getting bored on Mt. Olympus. HERA I could send a monster your way. Maybe a giant snake with lion's claws, the tusks of boar, and fire for blood. HERACLES (HERCULES) Really ?! Thanks, that sounds great!
- 46. SPRANGER, Bartholomaeus Herkules, Dejanira und der Kentaur Nessus 1580 -1585 Oil on canvas, 112 × 82 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
- 47. HERACLES (HERCULES) ... This centaur got exactly what he deserved. Too bad his blood killed me later on – by setting my skin on fire!
- 49. ZURBARÁN, Francisco de The Death of Hercules 1634 Oil on canvas, 136 x 167 cm Museo del Prado, Madrid
- 50. HERACLES (HERCULES) ... Being on fire is probably one of the less fun things I've had to go through. Ugh, it was horrible. Deianira felt so bad that she killed herself. And then I committed suicide by setting myself on fire – literally.
- 51. Art in Detail: The Crazies in Greek and Roman Mythology images and text credit www. Music wav. created olga.e. thanks for watching oes HERACLES (HERCULES) ... I buried the hatchet with Hera, and married her daughter, Hebe, goddess of youth. Now I'm a god. Life is pretty sweet. If only Hebe would stop trying to feed me ambrosia.