The dream was born when I was a small boy, watching Sword &
Sandal epics with my dad on our small black and white TV. Ancient Greek heroes,
played by Reg Park, Steve Reeves and a handful of other peplum-clad musclemen, routinely fought monsters and toppled
tyrants who sought to oppress a struggling humanity. I was totally enthralled and my life-path was firmly set.
Being of Greek descent and raised with mythic tales of high
adventure, I was especially drawn to the Hercules movies and the Sons of Hercules
TV show, a series that followed the adventures of those who were descendants of Hercules by blood or in spirit. They
appeared in the world when humanity most needed them, and then, like many other pop-culture heroes, they wandered off
into the sunset.
I
was proud of my Greek heritage. How could I not be? These were my ancestors on the flickering screen! I longed to be worthy
of them and imagined myself continuing their noble work when I was older. While my playmates declared their desire to be policemen,
firemen, teachers or nurses when they grew up, I firmly maintained that I would be a mighty Son of Hercules.
The
dream stayed with me and influenced almost everything I've done in my life so far.
For
my career path I chose to battle monstrous social conditions and to help people transcend their circumstances in the Social
Services and Academic arenas. In this way I could help to bring about positive change in people’s lives like my strong-man
ancestor.
I had Herculean theatrical adventures as well. By the early
dawn of this new millennium I was wandering through the concrete canyons of New York City, sword in hand, while a band
of modern minstrels armed with mini-dv cams chronicled my journeys for my local cable show, Thor the Barbarian.
As
I worked with talented, creative and socially aware people over the years I often wondered: What if we could band together
and actually be Hercules in today's world, guided by our deepest wisdom to create a wonderful world beyond our wildest
dreams?
I
decided to find out. I declared that the Age of the Victim was finally over and that the Age
of Heroes had begun.
In
Greek Mythology the Age of Heroes was a time when people strove to actualize their full potential and embody the Highest
they could conceive. It was an age when individuals and groups, through their actions, shared their divine gifts with
their communities and transformed the world.
Surprisingly, I found that many others were also inspired by
the Sword & Sandal entertainment of the late 50s and early 60s and wanted to be Sons (and Daughters) of Hercules
as well.
The Age of Heroes initiatives harnessed the creative energy
and focused the attention of many heroic individuals with radically diverse backgrounds over the years. Together we brought
into being a drop-in Computer Center in downtown Brooklyn, an innovative
Internship Program and lots of instructional multimedia. As with the Argonaut
expedition of old, this was an interfaith effort. The children of many different religions joined together to do something
both fantastic and memorable for the benefit of the humanity we all shared.
During the course of these adventures I met Muninn, a truly
remarkable woman. We fell in love, got married and moved to Northeastern Pennsylvania.
And the dream
lived on. Muninn had been inspired by the same heroic tales in her youth and partnered with me in actualizing my dream here.
I started to
work for Northampton Community College and held diverse classes through Wallenpaupack Community Education and the
YMCA. We volunteered our time towards championing local literacy, mostly through the Hawley Public Library. We met a handful
of kindred spirits who were quick to lend a helping hand. In time we developed our own programs and formed a non-profit corporation.
Hercules Invictus picks up where our Age of Heroes initiatives
of 2000 - 2005 left off, and takes them a step further.
It
is our belief that the human spirit is essentially heroic and always seeking ways to express its innate nobility and greatness.
And that a life fully lived, dedicated to actualizing the Highest we can conceive, is the noblest form of existence.
All humans have unique talents and gifts that can be cultivated
and applied to the betterment of the world around them. And everyone is endowed with creativity, a truly divine power. We
ask: If not you, then who? If not now, then when? Once you commit to doing something great, your heart will guide you on your
path. Of that we are certain.
Our
beginnings as a local organization are humble, but our dreams are bold. We’d love to invite you to join us on our real-world
adventures!
Article by Thor the Barbarian published in Mulligan Printing's Fall 2007 Lifestyles magazine.
