ABSTRACT
Hercules was not a senior citizen. He was not a doddering elder statesman who won respect by spouting words of wisdom. His forte was physical strength. He possessed the brute muscle power to make for legendary feats. No wonder the ancient Greeks stood in awe of his accomplishments. For them, he was a hero. He was someone to be admired, and, had he been real, someone to be followed. Literally a demigod, he was deemed superior to ordinary mortals and thus hierarchically superior as well. In this, he exemplifies the confluence of physical force with social status. The classic mesomorph, in overpowering others, he commanded their esteem. It is often assumed, especially by the very young, that this is how social prominence is achieved. They believe social leadership flows primarily from raw physical strength. To be able to thrash others is, for them, synonymous with higher rank. Surrounded, as they are, by a land of giants, they conclude that tests of comparative power are inevitably won by the biggest and most muscular. This, of course, is only partially true. Other factors, such as age, also matter.
