Nobly to live or nobly to die. The re-elaboration of an heroic dilemma in Euripides’ Heracles

Abstract

In Euripides’ Heracles the characters (Heracles’ family in the first part and Heracles himself in the second) have to decide, in the face of a difficult situation, whether they accept death or endure life. The family of Heracles accepts to die to fulfil the notion of εὐγένεια. Heracles, by contrast, finally decides to live. The argumentation underlying this decision implies a re-elaboration of heroic values from much more humanistic perspectives.