In the Greek myth Hercules is holding up the Earth.
What is he standing on?
Northwest Africa. Near the end of the Earth, where the sun goes down.
As Bernard has related, the old versions of Greek myth have Atlas
holding up the *heavens*, not the Earth. Atlas was an immortal, but not
a god.
I suspect the "holding up the Earth" version comes from the Pass-It-On
Effect, whereby a story becomes distorted as it is retold repeatedly.
As it becomes distorted, it makes even less sense than ever.
The heavens were originally held up above the Earth by a pair of great
pillars owned by the rich and powerful Atlas. As punishment, Zeus took
away Atlas' treasured pillars and made Atlas take their place. Or made
Atlas hold the pillars on his shoulders, depending on whose version you
want to believe.
There is a mountain just south of Gibraltar which is what's left of old
Atlas, turned to stone and still keeping the heavens in their rightful
place. And just beyond the remains of Atlas is the great watery expanse
at the edge of the earth, Okeanos, which now bears Atlas' name.
BTW, Hercules is the Roman version of the Greek name of Herakles, who
was actually named Alcides at birth. The name Herakles was bestowed on
him late in life by the Pythian priestess of the Oracle at Delphi as she
sent him off to the pathos of The Twelve Labors under the supervision of
his cruel uncle. So some say, unlike the Disney version.
More than you wanted to know, right?
Best wishes,
Larry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright <exit60@cablespeed.com>
Retired (June 2001) Physics Teacher
Charlotte MI 48813 USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~