Ἡρακλέους ἄγαλμα
Herakles' statue, Heracles' statue
Translated by Jennifer Benedict19 Nov 2000Vetting: high12 revisions
Translation
Lifting up three apples in his left hand,1 because he had adorned himself with the tripartite nature of the soul.2
Herakles son of Pekos, also [called] Zeus,3 was the best philosopher. He is depicted wearing the skin of a lion, carrying a cudgel and possessing the three apples, which the mythographers say he took after killing the dragon with his cudgel, that is to say, when he conquered the argument of his appetite, and thus he had the three apples, that is to say, the three virtues, not to be angry, not to love money, and not to be wanton: and the vestment of the lion [represents] the noble mind with which he was invested.4
Herakles son of Pekos, also [called] Zeus,3 was the best philosopher. He is depicted wearing the skin of a lion, carrying a cudgel and possessing the three apples, which the mythographers say he took after killing the dragon with his cudgel, that is to say, when he conquered the argument of his appetite, and thus he had the three apples, that is to say, the three virtues, not to be angry, not to love money, and not to be wanton: and the vestment of the lion [represents] the noble mind with which he was invested.4