Phraseologisms come to the Russian language from various sources, for example, they appear thanks to legends and myths. āHercules Pillarsā is a speech construct, the meaning of which is hardly understood by a person who is new to ancient Roman mythology. So, where did this steady turn come from, where does the legendary hero Hercules come from? The answers to these questions can be found in the article.
"Hercules Pillars": the origin of phraseology
It is no secret that Hercules is the name that the ancient Romans endowed Greek Hercules. The meaning of the speech construct will help to understand its origin. āHercules Pillarsā is an expression that appeared in Russian thanks to the story of the 12 exploits of Hercules (Hercules).
One of the exploits of the legendary character was the abduction of cows belonging to the mighty giant Gerion. The monster lived on a small island located in the westernmost part of the world, which the ancient Greeks knew about. Heading to Gerion, Hercules erected two steles, placing them on the northern and southern shores of the strait that separated Africa from Europe.
Other versions
There is another version of the legend, thanks to which the phraseology āHercules Pillarsā was born. She says that Hercules parted the mountains, which hid access to the ocean, resulting in the formation of the Strait of Gibraltar. He created steles on different banks of this strait.
Finally, there is a third version of the myth. He insists that Hercules-Hercules did not personally build the stela. The legendary hero just found columns located on the border that separated the world known to people from an unknown land.
"Hercules Pillars" is the name given to the steles located on the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar. The ancient Romans were convinced that Hercules not only erected columns, but also wrote on them ānowhere elseā in Latin. Obviously, going beyond the pillars means reaching the final limit, beyond which there will be nothing.
Value, use
The above describes where the phraseological phrase āHercules Pillarsā came from. The meaning of this expression is easy to understand. Pronouncing it, people talk about the limit, border, extreme. Most often, idiom is used in an ironic manner. With it, a person can point out the stupidity of words and actions of certain people, reproach them.
āHercules Pillarsā is a phraseological unit which is rarely used today in everyday speech. However, it can often be found in literary works. For example, Leonid Sobolev resorted to him in his book āOverhaulā. One of the heroes expresses joy at the presence on the ship of sane officers who will not reach the pillars of Hercules. It is understood that they will not make a fatal mistake.
Legendary pillars are also mentioned in the āDivine Comedyā, the creator of which is the Italian poet Dante. This work tells us that they represent a border that mere mortals should not cross. The ban was violated only once, this crime was committed by Odysseus, who was famous for curiosity and courage. Dante claims that the gods punished the impudent hero by sending him straight to Hell.
Are there pillars
Today, on the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar there are no pillars that are mentioned in the famous legend. Many researchers are convinced that they never existed. However, there are scientists who hold a different opinion. They believe that columns must be sought in a completely different place. Some believe that they are located on the shores of the Bosphorus, this strait connects the Sea of āāMarmara with the Black Sea.
Another suggestion is made. The Hercules pillars, if you rely on this version, are the mountains that frame the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar.
Coat of arms of Spain
Famous pillars exist not only in myths and legends. You can see them on the coat of arms, which is used in modern Spain. It depicts columns entwined with a ribbon. An inscription is put on the tape, which is translated into Russian as "all further."
This inscription is intended to remind the world that the Spaniards are proud of their fellow seafarers. Their travels to the shores of the New World allowed people to learn more about the planet on which they live, to get acquainted with a previously unknown world.
Interesting Facts
Many people are interested in how to correctly pronounce the phraseological phrase. Hercules Pillars or Hercules Pillars - which version is considered correct? Linguists insist that both are correct. āPillarā is just an outdated form of the word āpillarā.
āPillars of Herculesā - this option is also allowed, as well as the āpillars of Herculesā. As already mentioned, Hercules and Hercules are different names for the same legendary hero.