Hercules (Musgrave)

Latina: Penates apud Devisas in Belgio Nostro Effossi Anno 1714, Tabula iv Pagina 125.

Ffigura ... 4. Hercules. Long: Unc: iiii ¼. Pondo ℥ vi, ss.

§. IV. Τοῦ δὲ, inquit Apollodorus, παιδὸς ὄντος (Ἡρακλέος) ὀκτομηνιαίου, δύο δράκοντας ὑπερμεγέθεις Ἥρα ἐπὶ τὴν εὐνὴν ἔπεμψε, διαφθαρῆναι τὸ βρέφος θέλουσα. ἐπιβοωμένης δὲ Ἀλκμὴνης Ἀμφιτρύωνα, Ἡρακλῆς διαναστὰς ἄγχων ἑκατέραις ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοὺς διέφθειρε. i. e. At cum Hercules octo Jammenses natus esset, Dracones duos inusitatae magnitudinis Juno Infantem perdituros, in lectum demisit: Alcmena Amphitryonis opem implorante, Hercules in pedes erectus utraque manu constrictos ipsos necavit. Fuit non ita pridem Aquis Calidis Imago Herculis, duos Angues ambabus manibus, singula singulum, comprimentis: ut in superioribus ostensum est.




Lib. II. Sect. 8.Cap. IX. Sect. 10.

Notas: Nobilissimo Principi Frederico Georgii ffilio Celsissimi, Georgii Nep: Augustissimi, Caesari destinato, M. Britanniae spei, Delicijs, Animaeq. desideratissimae, Penates hosce, Annos sesquimille Terra absconditos, voti e Obsequij sui Pignus, sacrari voluit, Guilh: Musgrave, G. F. Iscanus.

Penates hi Guil: Cadby, apud Devisas Olitoris, Aere incisi, et Charta Imperiali impressi, veneunt a Bibliopolis Knapton Londiniensi, Clements Oxoniensi, et Yeo Exoniensi. MDCCXVII.


English: "Penates (Household Gods) Dug Up at Devises in Our Belgium in the Year 1714, Table 4, to Go before Page 125.

"Figure ... 4. Hercules. Length: 4¼ in. Weight: 6 oz.

"'Toû dè', said Apollodorus, 'paidòs óntos (Hērakléos) oktomēniaíou, dúo drákontas hypermegétheis Hḗra epí tḕn eunḕn épempse, diaphtharē̂nai tò bréphos thélousa. Epiboōménēs dè Alkmḗnēs Amphitrýōna, Hēraklē̂s dianastàs ágkhōn hekatérais taîs khersìn autoús diéphtheire.' That is, 'when Hercules was naught but eight months old, Juno—desiring to destroy the Child—sent two enormous Serpents to his bed. As Alcmena begged Amphitryon for help, Hercules stood on his own feet and killed them himself, strangling them both in his hand.' There was not so long ago at Vichy (Aquae Calidae) an Image of Hercules, crushing two Serpents with both hands, one by one, as was shown above."

Notes: "To the Most Noble Prince Frederick, the destined Royal Heir, Great Britain's hope, Delight, and most yearned for Spirit, son of the Most High George and grandson of the Most August George, William Musgrave, Fellow (?) of Exeter College, Oxford, of his own will and in Obedience to his Oath wished these here Penates, hidden by the Earth for 1500 years, to be dedicated.

"These Penates [found] by William Cadby, Gardener at Devizes, engraved on Brass and printed on Imperial Paper, are available for sale at the Booksellers Knapton in London, Clements in Oxford, and Yeo in Exeter. 1717."

Excerpt from Musgrave's 1st illustration of the Southbroom Hoard discovered outside Devizes, Wiltshire, in 1714. The statues of Venus and Vulcan are now lost, but the others are held by the British Museum. Listed by Durham as British statue #371. The given height is roughly correct at 10.7 cm. This cast bronze statue (B.M. 1811,0309.2)—identified by Musgrave as Hercules strangling the snakes—is now considered to represent a Romano-British or Gallo-Roman version of Mars from his raven helmet, pose, and attribute of the two horned snakes. (Musgrave's illustration does not include the small bumps on the actual figure.)

See also:

British Museum, "Figure 1811,0309.2", not on display.
Emma Durham, "Depicting the Gods: Metal Figurines in Roman Britain", Internet Archaeology, No. 31, 2012
Emma Durham, "Style and Substance: Some Metal Figurines from South-West Britain", Britannia, No. 45, November 2014, pp. 195–221.