Love Takes a Holiday
Encyclopedia
"Love Takes a Holiday" is the third episode of the third season of the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
.
quits as the Goddess of Love and tries out a new career. Meanwhile there is a plot to kidnap Iolaus' grandmother, Leandra.
Meanwhile, Hercules has gone to Corinth
to visit Iphicles
and his wife, as they are due to have a baby, so Iolaus is traveling by himself. He meets a friend, Mykonos, who tells him that the women are behaving strangely. When Iolaus meets his lover, Evanthea, she greets him by smashing a pot over his head.
When he regains consciousness, Evanthea tells him that she never wants to see his face again. In the marketplace, Iolaus hears etheric laughter and recognizes it as Aphrodite's. He calls for her to show herself, and she appears. She tells Iolaus that she has given up being the Goddess of Love and is looking for a new career. Iolaus tries to inform her of the consequences of there being no love in the world. She says, "Tell someone who cares," and vanishes.
Later on, Iolaus finds Aphrodite in the forest attempting to be the Goddess of the Hunt
. Iolaus shows her how to fire a bow correctly and she enjoys having a personal trainer. In the village of Syllabus, Iagos demands that they give up Leandra or the village will disappear forever. Iolaus and Aphrodite are hunting a boar when he hears a woman scream and runs off to see what is happening.
Iolaus finds that Iagos and some other men have taken Leandra by force and he orders them to let her go. They tell him not to interfere, but they fight and he saves Leandra. She takes Iolaus back to her village and he notices that their clothes are a little outdated. At the village, the elder tells Iolaus that because of his actions, they will be cursed by Hephaestus again.
Aphrodite appears, this time attempting to be the Goddess of Wisdom
, and tells Iolaus that Hephaestus put a curse on the village. Meanwhile, Iagos breaks into the tavern telling the people to enjoy themselves because it is their last day on earth. The elder asks if they can find Leandra can they have another chance. Iagos says they have until sunset.
While Leandra is packing clothes, she tells Iolaus that Hephaestus has chosen her to be his wife. She says her husband was killed in the Punic Wars two years earlier. Iolaus says his grandfather fought in the same war, more than 50 years ago. Leandra says he must be mistaken. When the villagers come to take her, she asks Iolaus to find her son. Iolaus is taken by the villagers and later realizes that Leandra's missing son was his own father, who escaped the curse because he was playing by the brook.
Iagos takes Leandra to Hephaestus. She lies to him, saying that she is there of her own free will. Meanwhile, Iolaus and Aphrodite go to rescue Leandra. Iolaus tells Aphrodite that it would be easier if she made Hephaestus fall in love with someone else. When they enter Hephaestus' forge, they are attacked by one of Hephaestus' creations, and Aphrodite throws her spear to Iolaus and vanishes.
Aphrodite appears in the forge and Hephaestus says he has not seen her for centuries. She tells him to give up Leandra but he captures her in one of his creations, a magical chair. She tries to escape but he tells her, "Zeus himself couldn’t get out of that chair." While trapped, Aphrodite finds out that Hephaestus is in love with her.
Elsewhere, Iolaus finds Leandra and tells him about her son escaping the curse. He tells her that her son Skouros is his father. She does not believe him, but he shows her a medallion that his father was wearing when they found him. She tells Iolaus that the medallion belonged to her husband. They escape from Hephaestus' forge.
Hephaestus sends Iagos with some of his magical walking armor. While escaping, Iolaus tells Leandra that her son is dead. He tells her that he grew up to be a great general. Iagos and the warriors arrive and as they fight Iolaus, they take Leandra prisoner again. Aphrodite says that Iagos is not Hephaestus' friend if he calls him "ugly" to his face. Hephaestus tells her that Hera threw him out of Olympus because he was too ugly. Aphrodite tells him, "Beauty is not just what you look like. It's also on the inside." She says they share the truth that they are judged only by their appearances.
Iolaus gives chase after Iagos and Leandra. He risks his life to save Leandra and she thanks him, he replies that they are family. Leandra says that if Skouros had not wandered off, Iolaus would not be alive. He replies that sometimes things work out the way they are supposed to. Leandra tells him she is proud of him. He leaves her to go to Syllabus alone, while he goes after Iagos.
Back at the forge, Aphrodite asks Hephaestus if he is in love with her, he replies, "For centuries," and the two kiss. Iolaus catches up with Iagos but he uses a magical shield to become invisible. Iagos begins fighting with Iolaus, who has a hard time trying to find Iagos, but in the end accidentally pushes him into a blazing inferno.
After defeating him, Iolaus runs into Hephaestus who thanks him for bringing Aphrodite to him, and she apologizes for leaving him earlier and reveals that she and Hephaestus are now a couple. Iolaus asks if everything is back to normal and she says that she is going to leave the "action business" to Hercules. Aphrodite also tells Iolaus that she'll go back to being the Goddess of Love.
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is a television series, filmed in New Zealand and the United States. It was produced from 1995, and was very loosely based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles...
.
Overview
AphroditeAphrodite (Xena and Hercules)
Aphrodite is a fictional character played by Alexandra Tydings in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.-Overview:...
quits as the Goddess of Love and tries out a new career. Meanwhile there is a plot to kidnap Iolaus' grandmother, Leandra.
Plot synopsis
Aphrodite is fed up with being the goddess of Love because it bores her. Elsewhere, Hephaestus is yearning for Aphrodite. Iagos tells him that he must get over his obsession by working. He suggests that Hephaestus set his sights on someone more attainable: the mortal woman, Leandra. Hephaestus says she also rejected him, more than 50 years ago. Iagos says she may have changed her mind after all this time. He tells Iagos that he will lift the curse on the village of Syllabus but will not force Leandra.Meanwhile, Hercules has gone to Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
to visit Iphicles
Iphicles
In Greek mythology, Iphicles is the name of three different people:*The half-brother of Heracles, being the son of Alcmene and her human husband Amphitryon, whereas Heracles was her son by Zeus. Iphicles was the father of Heracles' charioteer Iolaus by Automedusa, daughter of Alcathous...
and his wife, as they are due to have a baby, so Iolaus is traveling by himself. He meets a friend, Mykonos, who tells him that the women are behaving strangely. When Iolaus meets his lover, Evanthea, she greets him by smashing a pot over his head.
When he regains consciousness, Evanthea tells him that she never wants to see his face again. In the marketplace, Iolaus hears etheric laughter and recognizes it as Aphrodite's. He calls for her to show herself, and she appears. She tells Iolaus that she has given up being the Goddess of Love and is looking for a new career. Iolaus tries to inform her of the consequences of there being no love in the world. She says, "Tell someone who cares," and vanishes.
Later on, Iolaus finds Aphrodite in the forest attempting to be the Goddess of the Hunt
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
. Iolaus shows her how to fire a bow correctly and she enjoys having a personal trainer. In the village of Syllabus, Iagos demands that they give up Leandra or the village will disappear forever. Iolaus and Aphrodite are hunting a boar when he hears a woman scream and runs off to see what is happening.
Iolaus finds that Iagos and some other men have taken Leandra by force and he orders them to let her go. They tell him not to interfere, but they fight and he saves Leandra. She takes Iolaus back to her village and he notices that their clothes are a little outdated. At the village, the elder tells Iolaus that because of his actions, they will be cursed by Hephaestus again.
Aphrodite appears, this time attempting to be the Goddess of Wisdom
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, and tells Iolaus that Hephaestus put a curse on the village. Meanwhile, Iagos breaks into the tavern telling the people to enjoy themselves because it is their last day on earth. The elder asks if they can find Leandra can they have another chance. Iagos says they have until sunset.
While Leandra is packing clothes, she tells Iolaus that Hephaestus has chosen her to be his wife. She says her husband was killed in the Punic Wars two years earlier. Iolaus says his grandfather fought in the same war, more than 50 years ago. Leandra says he must be mistaken. When the villagers come to take her, she asks Iolaus to find her son. Iolaus is taken by the villagers and later realizes that Leandra's missing son was his own father, who escaped the curse because he was playing by the brook.
Iagos takes Leandra to Hephaestus. She lies to him, saying that she is there of her own free will. Meanwhile, Iolaus and Aphrodite go to rescue Leandra. Iolaus tells Aphrodite that it would be easier if she made Hephaestus fall in love with someone else. When they enter Hephaestus' forge, they are attacked by one of Hephaestus' creations, and Aphrodite throws her spear to Iolaus and vanishes.
Aphrodite appears in the forge and Hephaestus says he has not seen her for centuries. She tells him to give up Leandra but he captures her in one of his creations, a magical chair. She tries to escape but he tells her, "Zeus himself couldn’t get out of that chair." While trapped, Aphrodite finds out that Hephaestus is in love with her.
Elsewhere, Iolaus finds Leandra and tells him about her son escaping the curse. He tells her that her son Skouros is his father. She does not believe him, but he shows her a medallion that his father was wearing when they found him. She tells Iolaus that the medallion belonged to her husband. They escape from Hephaestus' forge.
Hephaestus sends Iagos with some of his magical walking armor. While escaping, Iolaus tells Leandra that her son is dead. He tells her that he grew up to be a great general. Iagos and the warriors arrive and as they fight Iolaus, they take Leandra prisoner again. Aphrodite says that Iagos is not Hephaestus' friend if he calls him "ugly" to his face. Hephaestus tells her that Hera threw him out of Olympus because he was too ugly. Aphrodite tells him, "Beauty is not just what you look like. It's also on the inside." She says they share the truth that they are judged only by their appearances.
Iolaus gives chase after Iagos and Leandra. He risks his life to save Leandra and she thanks him, he replies that they are family. Leandra says that if Skouros had not wandered off, Iolaus would not be alive. He replies that sometimes things work out the way they are supposed to. Leandra tells him she is proud of him. He leaves her to go to Syllabus alone, while he goes after Iagos.
Back at the forge, Aphrodite asks Hephaestus if he is in love with her, he replies, "For centuries," and the two kiss. Iolaus catches up with Iagos but he uses a magical shield to become invisible. Iagos begins fighting with Iolaus, who has a hard time trying to find Iagos, but in the end accidentally pushes him into a blazing inferno.
After defeating him, Iolaus runs into Hephaestus who thanks him for bringing Aphrodite to him, and she apologizes for leaving him earlier and reveals that she and Hephaestus are now a couple. Iolaus asks if everything is back to normal and she says that she is going to leave the "action business" to Hercules. Aphrodite also tells Iolaus that she'll go back to being the Goddess of Love.
Trivia
- This is the first episode in which HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
(Kevin SorboKevin SorboKevin David Sorbo is an American actor best known for the roles of Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda and Kull in Kull the Conqueror.-Early life:...
) is not present for the entire episode. - This is also the first episode in which Michael HurstMichael HurstMichael Eric Hurst, ONZM is a New Zealand actor, director and writer, mostly on stage and television. He is probably best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess...
(IolausIolausIn Greek mythology, Iolaus was a Theban divine hero, son of Iphicles, Heracles's brother, and Automedusa.He was famed for being Heracles's nephew and for helping with some of his Labors, and also for being one of the Argonauts...
) is listed in the main credits instead of as a guest star.
Cultural references
- This episode contains elements from the musicalMusical theatreMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Brigadoon, which was later made into a film starring Gene KellyGene KellyEugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
. - The character of Iagos is a reference to the character Iago in the William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
play, OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
.