Vivienne Westwood: ‘Hercules and Omphale Heart Bag’ (1993)

Hercules and Omphale, a Fresco from the House of Marcus Lucretius Fronto, triclinium 16, east wall, Pompeii, c 70 CE. National Archaeological Museum of Naples :: [Robert Scott Horton]

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“I left you to make you understand my mystery. Do not believe others will die, not you. It is not for that I'm your friend. By laying myself on the pyre, I became divine. I have wrestled with Thanatos knee to knee, and I know how death is vanquished. Man's immortality is not to live forever, for that wish is born of fear. Each moment free from fear, makes a man immortal.” ― Mary Renault, Fire from Heaven

Hercules and Omphale, Francois Lemoyne, 1724

The Hercules and Omphale story is certainly multifaceted and highlights a spectrum of human emotions. It is a fact that despite Hercules being a very popular hero, the story of Hercules as a slave is relatively unknown. Maybe that is because we all want to see our heroes as a strong manly figure who can conquer any insurmountable odds. However, we forget that even heroes are also fallible human beings who may suffer because they may feel repentant on killing an innocent person or they may fall in love with their oppressor, who in this case was the beautiful Queen Omphale.

Vivienne Westwood: Hercules and Omphale jeans spring/summer 1993

Hercules at the Feet of Omphale by Édouard Joseph Dantan (1874)

Arts, life, meme: Hercules and Omphale, from Pompeii, House of Marcus Lucretius, triclinium (16), east wall // The trumpet meme

Heracles and Omphale, Francois Boucher, 1735

vivienne westwood ‘hercules and omphale heart’ bag (1993) via el cycer

Omphale ❤️❤️❤️

heracles and omphale

charles gleyre, charles antoine coypel & francois lemoine

Modern-day Omphale costume

It is said that Hercules spent 3 years as a slave to Queen Omphale. Although Queen Omphale had put Hercules in many embarrassing situations throughout his period of slavery, gradually the two fell in love and they were married after Hercules was given his freedom. Thus, Queen Omphale would become the second wife of Hercules, the first being Megara. Hercules and Omphale would be very much in love post their marriage & Queen Omphale and Hercules would go on to have at least two sons named – Tyrsenus and Agelaus.  Agelaus would later become well known because of descendants like Croesus – the famous Lydian king.

Gustave Courtois - Hercules at the Feet of Omphale (1912)