In an age of equal rights and radical feminism, the intrinsically male figure of the hero - the protector, the saviour, the man of invincible might - has lost its identity and stature. The most famous names in the history and mythology of all races are those of heroes - Herakles and Samson, who fought with the lions; Lohengrin and Perseus, who rescued princesses; the Horatii, who saved Rome; the Samurai, warriors of Japan; Gagarin, conqueror of space; Zapata, defender of his people. Rightly used, the cult of the hero has led to the highest that a culture can conceive. Misused, it has led to tyranny, violence and death.