Detachable penis added to statue to foil thieves
Poor Hercules: everyone just wants a piece of his dick.
The town of Archacon, France, is proud of its 10-foot statue of Hercules, located in picturesque Parc Mauresque. But ever since its construction, the statue had been routinely vandalized. The thieves were only interested in one part of Hercules' body -- his, um, bountiful endowment -- so local officials decided to take action and add a special something: a detachable penis.
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Officials hope that the removable dick will confuse potential robbers. The penis, whose dimensions are currently unknown, will only be attached to the statue during ceremonies.
The rest of the time, the statue will just hang around, penis-free.
"Considering Heracles' fragile manhood we've chosen to give him a removable prosthetic that we can add to the statue before each ceremony," Deputy Mayor Martine Phelippot told Sud Oest.
Hercules, son of Zeus and Alcmene, was a Greek God known for his virility and sexual prowess. By making his penis detachable, authorities hope to keep his dignity -- and cup size -- intact.
"I wouldn't want anyone -- not even my worst enemies -- to go through what happens to this statue," Phelipott added.
The statue has been vandalized so frequently over the past decade that only a thin metal wire remains. Claude Bouscau, who designed the sculpture in the 1940s, was initially criticized for making the original sculpture's phallus too large. He trimmed it back, hoping to help the town's citizens feel more comfortable with Hercules' manhood.
Hercules: an ancient god with a detachable penis. Just as nature intended.
Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.
