Hercules: Kevin Sorbo,

Zeus: Anthony Quinn,

Deianeira: Tawny Kitaen,

Iole: Marley Shelton,

Nessus: Cliff Curtis,

Eryx the Boxer: Jorge Gonzáles,

Hades: Mark Ferguson,

Charon: Michael Hurst.

Cf. overall series entry.

Cf. overall series entry.

This narrative is based loosely on a combination of several known mythological tales: the rape of Deianeira by Nessus, the labour of Hercules capturing Cerberus in the underworld, the death of Hercules and Orpheus’ catabasis. The film begins in an undisclosed village where the ground opens up to create an eerie fissure from out of which a strange green light and mist emerge, destroying all who come into contact with it. Meanwhile, in Hercules’ own village, the hero is forced out of “retirement” to deal with Eryx the boxer – a villainous figure who has been conning (and killing) the villagers. Upon slaying Eryx, Hercules is presented with a peacock feather – a symbol of Hera – by Eryx’s handler. Hercules grows angry at Hera’s trials and at the needless loss of life, confronting the goddess and destroying her nearby shrine when she refuses to relent.

The next day a beautiful maiden arrives at Hercules’ house and collapses. She identifies herself as Iole and asks Hercules to rescue her village which is plagued by the unnatural fissure. Meanwhile, the centaur Nessus has become jealous of all the praise that Hercules is receiving. When Hercules, Nessus and Iole leave on their quest, Iole gives a medallion to Deianeira as a gift – revealed to be a symbol of a Nurian maiden: young women trained in the art of convincing men to perform any task for them. Deianeira chases after Hercules, hoping to reach him before the maiden can woo him, but it turns out that the hero knew the truth all along and was on his guard. Hercules instructs Nessus to take Deianeira home, only for the centaur to try and abduct his charge. Hercules saves Deianeira by slaying the centaur with an arrow, but not before Nessus gives his blood-soaked cloak to Deianeira, promising her that should Hercules wear it, he would remain faithful to her forever.

Upon reaching the fissure, Zeus reveals to Hercules that it leads to the underworld. Hercules then enquires whether he is a mortal or immortal, but the god refuses to answer. Hercules is convinced there is nothing he can do to save the town and resolves to return home. But, as it is a cold night, Hercules puts on Nessus’ cloak which springs to life, strangling him. Seeking relief from the torment, Hercules leaps into the fissure. Upon arriving at the bottom, Hercules encounters Charon who is unwilling to give Hercules passage across the Styx until the hero bullies him. Meanwhile, Deianeira is informed of Hercules fate and is tricked into walking off a cliff by Hera. Back in the underworld, Hercules fights numerous monsters including a mob of the various enemies whom he had previously killed. Hercules then encounters Nessus who informs him that the cloak was Hera’s doing and that Deianeira is now dead. Hercules tricks Nessus into showing him Deianeira via a portal, through which the hero jumps, finding himself in the Elysian fields. Hades informs Hercules that Deianeira does not remember anything about her life but the pair make a deal that Deianeira will be restored to Hercules if the hero is able to capture Cerberus (who has escaped his post guarding the entrance to the underworld). After a long chase, Hercules finds Cerberus and is able to return him to his post via gentle persuasion rather than brute force. With the entrance to the underworld now restored, the fissure seals itself and Hercules and Deianeira are returned to the upper world and their life together.

Hercules in the Underworld returns to the style of story-telling/adaptation found within the first movie, Hercules and the Amazon Women, as the plot takes the majority of its narrative inspiration from one of the myths of Hercules’ labour: here, the labour of capturing Cerberus from the underworld. This myth was well known during antiquity with representations of the narrative occurring in a variety of genres and forms: literary, e.g. the mythographers Apollodorus (Bibl. 2.5.12) and Diodorus Siculus (4.25.1, 4.26.1); dramatic, e.g. Aristophanes Frogs and Euripides Heracles; and visually, on numerous Attic and Apulian vases. 

Whether consciously or otherwise, the film picks up on several particularly subtle variants of this myth. First, Apollodorus (Bibl. 2.5.12) and a scholium on Homer’s Iliad (apud 5.395–397) record that Hercules made a deal with Hades to capture Cerberus. Indeed, in the film Hercules does exactly this, making a deal with Hades to capture Cerberus and restore order to the underworld; however, in return, Hercules requests Deianeira’s resurrection and in this regard, the film has more in common with the catabasis of Orpheus who undertook a catabasis to seek Eurydice’s return (see, e.g., Diodorus Siculus 4.25.4; Ovid Metamorphoses 10.1-80; Vergil Georgics 4.453–525). Here, however, Hercules is ultimately successful where Orpheus is not. Further, these two ancient sources affirm that a condition of the pact was that Hercules had to tame Cerberus without the use of his weapons. This too is reflected in the film, although Hercules chooses to lay down his arms and ‘embrace’ Cerberus, rather than to fight the beast, and it is for this reason that Hercules is successful when Hades’ own hunters are not. This is, of course, part of the franchises’ interest in presenting a modern (pacifist?) Hercules.

There is one notable point of difference between ancient versions of Hercules’ labour and this film: the motive for the catabasis. In our ancient sources, this is one of Hercules’ famous twelve labours ordered by King Eurystheus. Here, however, there is no mention of any labours, nor the King. Instead the motivation for the catabasis lies with an entirely ‘novel’ quest to save Iole’s town from unnatural fissure (itself part of scheme by Hera to hurt the hero) However, Hercules actually abandons Iole’s quest on account of his commitment to his family – i.e. he does not want to risk his life by visiting the underworld and not being able to return – another recurrent theme for the franchise. Hercules is consequently ‘forced’ into his catabasis due to the cloak of Nessus attacking him, resulting in Hercules falling into the chasm to escape the pain. This motivation, by contrast, does find ancient precedent: the rape of Hercules’ wife, Deianeira by the centaur Nessus – see, e.g. Apollodorus (2.151, 157), Diodorus Siculus (4.38.1), Ovid (Met. 9.101ff), Hyginus (Fab. 34). In antiquity, this narrative culminated in either the death and/or apotheosis of Hercules (e.g. Sophocles. Trachiniae; Ovid Met. 9). But it would make little sense for Hercules to either die or be apotheosized at the start of a popular serial franchise. In a manner of thinking, however, Hercules can be said to die simply by partaking in a catabasis. This conceptualization of a catabasis (as equating to one’s death) finds precedent in Homer’s Odyssey for Circe greets Odysseus upon his return from the underworld as a man who will now die twice (Od. 11–12). 

In a clever bit of narrative adaptation, it is the figure of Iole who unites the otherwise disparate narratives of Hercules death and his catabasis. In myth, Iole was a captive of Oechalia whom Hercules fell in love with and of whom Deianeira became jealous (see, e.g., Diodorus Siculus 4.38.1; Ovid Heroides 9). It is because of this jealousy that Deianeira gives Hercules the cloak of Nessus, believing it to be a love potion. But Iole never appears in conjunction with Hercules’ catabasis. In the film, however, the essence of Iole’s characterisation is retained as Deianeira indeed becomes jealous of her and for this reason gives the cloak as a ‘love potion’ but this is because Iole is a beautiful and alluring Nurian maiden (an innovation by the film). Thus, by attributing to Iole the quest which results in Hercules catabasis, these two narratives become united.

Cf. overall series entry.

Directors: Bill Norton.

Writers: Andrew Dettmann and Daniel Truly.