Hercules at the Crossroads

During a visit last Saturday to the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art (I am lucky to live so close to the National Mall), I viewed for the first time Albrecht Durer’s enigmatic engraving, “Hercules at the Crossroads.”  In Durer’s 1498 piece (and in the story told by the Greek writer Xenophon), a youthful Hercules is forced to decide between the paths of Virtue and Pleasure.  As might be expected, the path of Virtue was a narrow pass marred by large stones and thorns, while the path of Pleasure was both wide and straight.  Legend claims that Hercules ultimately chose the more difficult path of Virtue, a decision that rewarded him with both glory and recognition for his amazing deeds.

The story of Hercules at the Crossroads is symbolic of the struggles we all face in daily life, weightlifter or “average Joe,” alike.  For athletes in the sport of weightlifting, the path of Virtue is littered with heavy squats and attempts at 90 percent or more while the path of Pleasure consists of “light days,” long rests, and needless accessory work.  Regardless of external factors (friends, family, coaches, etc.), each athlete must make their own decision, for he or she will stand alone at the time of competition.

Much like Hercules before them, champions (of all walks of life) understand that struggle precedes greatness.  As such, we are left with one question – when faced with the choice of two paths, did you choose Virtue or Pleasure?