Phraseologisms come into the Russian language from various sources, for example, they appear thanks to legends and myths. “Pillars of Hercules” is a speech construction, the meaning of which is unlikely to be understood by a person who is not familiar with 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.
"Pillars of Hercules": the origin of phraseology
It's no secret that Hercules is the name given by the ancient Romans to the Greek Hercules. The meaning of the speech construction will help to understand its origin. "Pillars of Hercules" - an expression that appeared in Russian thanks to the story of the 12 exploits of Hercules (Hercules).
One of the feats of the legendary character was the abduction of cows belonging to the mighty giant Geryon. The monster lived on a small island located in the westernmost part of the world, which the ancient Greeks knew about. Heading towards Geryon, Hercules erected two stelae, placing them on the northern and southern banks of the strait that separated Africafrom Europe.
Other versions
There is another version of the legend, thanks to which the idiom "Pillars of Hercules" was born. It says that Hercules moved apart the mountains, behind which the exit to the ocean was hiding, as a result of which the Strait of Gibr altar was formed. 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 stelae. The legendary hero just found the columns located on the border that separated the world known to people from the unknown land.
"Pillars of Hercules" - the name given to the steles located on the shores of the Strait of Gibr altar. The ancient Romans were convinced that Hercules not only erected the columns, but also wrote “nowhere else” in Latin on them. Obviously, going beyond the pillars means reaching the final limit, beyond which there will be nothing.
Meaning, usage
The above tells about where the phraseological phrase "Pillars of Hercules" came from. The meaning of this expression is easy to understand. Saying it, people talk about the limit, the border, the extreme. Most often phraseologism is used in an ironic manner. With its help, a person can point out the stupidity of the words and actions of certain people, reproach them.
“Pillars of Hercules” is a phraseological unit that is rarely used in everyday speech these days. However, it can often be found in literary works. For example, toit was resorted to by Leonid Sobolev in his book "Major Repairs". One of the heroes expresses joy at the presence on the ship of sane officers who will not reach the pillars of Hercules. The implication is that they will not make a fatal mistake.
The legendary pillars are also mentioned in the Divine Comedy, created by the Italian poet Dante. This work talks about the fact 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 his curiosity and courage. Dante claims that the gods punished the daring hero by sending him straight to Hell.
Do pillars exist
Today, there are no pillars on the shores of the Strait of Gibr altar, which 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 the columns must be looked for in a completely different place. Some believe that they are on the banks of the Bosporus, this strait connects the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea.
There is another suggestion. The Pillars of Hercules, if you rely on this version, are the mountains that frame the entrance to the Strait of Gibr altar.
Coat of arms of Spain
Famous pillars exist not only in myths and legends. You can also see them on the coat of arms, which is used in modern Spain. It depicts columns entwined with ribbon. An inscription is applied to the tape, which in Russianthe language translates as "more and more".
This inscription is intended to remind the world that the Spaniards are proud of their fellow sailors. 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 pronounce phraseological units correctly. "Pillars of Hercules" or "Pillars of Hercules" - which version is considered correct? Linguists insist that both options are correct. "Pillar" is just an obsolete form of "pillar".
"Pillars of Hercules" - this option is also allowed, as well as "Pillars of Hercules". As already mentioned, Hercules and Hercules are different names for the same legendary hero.
