The Ultimate Choice: A Herculean Effort
Before he became the Hydra-Slayer and Bane of Hades we know of him today, Hercules(or Heracles) in Greek was a mere mortal man traveling the roads.
One day, on an unfamiliar path, he sits down to contemplate his journey and direction, wondering which path he should take at this fork in the road.
And as he contemplated, two goddesses approached him.
The first one rushes toward him — she tells him her friends call her “Eudaimonia” — the Greek word for Happiness. In fact, she’s lying. Her true name is Kakia, or “Vice”.
She is dressed seductively, showing off her curves.
She tells Hercules that if he follows her path, he will be a King.
A king that benefits off the labors of others, that enjoys all the riches and excitements the world can offer. It will be easy, simple, and smooth a journey — and that if Hercules follows her, he will never feel pain of misery again.
However, as Kakia finishes speaking, another Goddess, Arete — the Greek word for Excellence — approaches Hercules.
She says the journey will not be easy.
It will be an uphill struggle, testing Hercules’ might and persistence. It will require discipline and virtue.
Yet she also tells him that this path will lead to valor, fame, and true recognition from the Gods.
Hercules chose the second path, of Arete.
He undertook the 12 Labors.
He wrestled with the Nemean Lion. Slayed the Hydra. Ventured into the Underworld, surpassing the Cerberus and putting an end to Hades’ madness.
As a result, he became a hero. He became Hercules — a demigod recognized by Zeus.
This is the Herculean Effort.
This is the Ultimate Choice of Life.
Do you choose a life of Virtue? Or one of Vice?
This is like the Ancient-Greek-700-BC-Equivalent of Neo choosing the Red or Blue Pill in the Matrix.
Do you choose a life of wisdom and Truth? Or one of distraction, lies, and ignorance?
By choosing the path of Virtue — a life of Eudaemonia of true internal satisfaction and happiness — is achievable only through hardship and stepping into the Hero “suit”.
Stepping into the role of the protagonist in a story.
I look at my life through the lens of the Hero’s Journey frame popularized by Joseph Campbell.
In order to grow and achieve the thing they desire — the hero must journey into the unknown, dive into the Underworld, and overcome obstacles.
They must slay the dragon, rescue the princess, and come back from the Underworld reborn.
But something often goes unnoticed.
In order to be Reborn, one must first die.
Part of the Hero dies in his journey towards fame.
Vice.
The choice of living a vicious life must perish.
The thought of being controlled by pleasures such as food, drink, sex, drugs, meaningless wealth, etc, must be abandoned if the Hero is truly to become a hero.
This is the same decision we must make.
Do we rise up to the occasion, abandoning vice and pursuing virtue?
This doesn’t mean that desire or pleasure derived from great food, sex, or other means must be abandoned.
But rather, we must control out desires instead of them controlling us.
The Vicious life is like a house built on sand, doomed to collapse under the weight of its own decadence.
The life of Virtue lays the foundation for a mansion or a log cabin alike — but the house is sturdy and no matter the storm, it will survive.
It is a Herculean Effort to choose the Virtuous Life. It requires constant reflection, authenticity, and honesty with oneself. It requires hardship and persistence.
But it is a life worth living.
Thank you for reading. I love you.
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