Eracle (e gli Argonauti) nell’Anabasi. La rifunzionalizzazione di un paradigma mitico

Abstract

This paper explores the presence of Heracles’ myth within the Anabasis narrative, highlighting how it resonates with the broader themes of the work, such as the perseverance of the Greek mercenaries, the panhellenism and the Xenophon’s colonial project. Furthermore, an alleged textual error should also be read as functional in creating a connection between the story of the mercenaries and another mythical referent, the enterprise of the Argonauts. The integration of these myths enriches Xenophon’s narrative by linking the expedition of the Ten Thousand to earlier legendary quests.