Who is Hercules?
Almost everyone knows the myth of Hercules, this famous hero is in fact, for Greek mythology, Heracles. His name is a combination of the word Kleos which means glory and the name of the goddess Hera, Hēraklḗs then it means “Glory of Hera”.
This hero is very famous for his various stories. In fact, Hercules, or Heracles, is considered one of the most famous characters in both Greek and Roman mythology. Hercules was the son of Zeus, the god of thunder, and Alcmene, a mortal queen. He was adopted by Amphitryon, and according to his family tree, he is believed to be the great-grandson of Perseus on his mother's side.
What many do not know about the myth of Hercules is that his original name is not Hercules. That is, at birth, he received the name Alceo (in some versions Alcides) in honor of his grandfather Alceo. He got his hero name in his adult life, so it could be considered a nickname. Apollo gave him his name to indicate that he had a status as a servant of Hera.
The myth of Hercules tells of a difficult life; he had to endure many trials and sufferings to live among the Olympian gods. Known as one of the strongest mortals, the ancient Greeks theorized that his superhuman strength was a gift from the gods to compensate for his lack of intelligence and ingenuity.
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The myth of Hercules
Because there are many stories about Hercules, they have different versions or have been modified to fit the modern narrative. However, the Hercules myths are epic and quite different from what everyone expected of a hero.
The myth of Hercules tells of a terrible temper. On one of the hottest days on earth, he threatened the sun with his bow, as the high temperatures were bothering him.
Other characters stand out for their intelligence, their way of governing or even their kindness. Hercules is noted for having a changeable mood, his wits to get into trouble, and his selfish goals.
One clear difference that can be observed when compared to other characters is that within the myth of Hercules, he doesn't pretend to be a god, nor does he behave like one. His popularity isn't due to his perfection. Quite the contrary, apart from his strength, Hercules was an ordinary man, with ordinary problems, with a strong and proud character.
The human being behind the myth
His cousin and friend, Theseus, was completely different. He ruled Athens, while Hercules was driven by his own passions. Many Greek playwrights portray this hero as the typical muscular buffoon with little intellect. Hercules was believed to be kind. He was willing to help anyone in need; many attributed this dedication to his impulsiveness.
Many of the problems they faced were situations he himself had created by letting his emotions get the better of him. For many, this was what made Hercules a popular character; people who read his stories could identify with him. This, in turn, made him beloved by the Greek and Roman people, even when his selfishness caused destruction.
If we analyze the stories of Hercules a little, we can see how his basic characteristics were linked to the characteristics that could describe human beings. The only difference was that, as a slightly more divine character (being considered a demigod by his father Zeus), these characteristics were amplified. Imagining Hercules is very simple; the stories were dedicated to exemplifying him in the best possible way.
Impact of the figure of Hercules
Over the years, his image has been widely used in various fields, although the most famous is the 1997 Disney film. The truth is that Hercules is one of the most used characters, almost on par with Zeus. Undeniably, this is due to the multitude of myths that can be attributed to him—the number is so vast that it was impossible for him not to become an important figure in culture.
Regardless of whether it happened millions of years ago or not, today's society continues to use, study, and learn about ancient myths and legends. Why? Because it's a simple way to learn about the thinking of our ancestors. Regardless of whether the stories are false or not, myths, both Roman and Greek, had two purposes: either to explain a natural event or to teach some valuable lesson about behavior and its consequences.
The first purpose was forgotten when scientific explanations became available. However, the second purpose is still preserved in stories. People of different cultures, races, and religions continue to use myths and legends to transmit knowledge. Although they have been adapted to better fit modern society, this does not mean that the original stories have been abandoned.
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The beginning of the end
It can be seen in the stories of the Hercules myth that he was one of his greatest critics. The myths reflect that Hercules could not be punished in the same way as the average human. Therefore, he had to become his own judge, judged, and executioner. Hercules had to perform various penances for his actions, facing numerous punishments and vowing that he would not use his strength until he had fulfilled them.
Despite this, Hercules faced several undeserved punishments. Hera's hatred forced the young hero into various unfortunate situations, brought about by the gods rather than his own. Hercules was a man in a constant battle, both with himself and with the rest of the world.
Many experts explain that Hercules' existence is unlikely; however, he did impact Greek and Roman culture. The god among mortals was, without a doubt, a beloved and respected figure. In some records, it is believed that several people worshipped him and maintained it for several decades.
The Greek Hercules
As we had already mentioned before, Hercules was a Roman character, since the Greeks had nicknamed him Heracles. Despite this distinction, we are talking about the same character, since the stories are exactly the same, which is why people have generalized his name so that he is known worldwide as Hercules and not as Heracles.
With some minor differences, Heracles is considered one of the most famous Greek characters in history, in fact, it is said that he represents the paradigm of virility and the champion of the Olympic order against the chthonic monsters. From ancient Greece to the present, it has been noted that the popularity of this character is due to the number of myths that he has.
Among the best known we have the myth of the twelve works, however, it is also full of other secondary stories, which intertwine many characters, causing Heracles or Hercules to be involved in multiple stories. Historians have had a hard time creating a chronological exposition that explains the events of Heracles' life in a simple way to avoid any time confusion.
Categories of the myth of Hercules
The French historian Pierre Grimal established in his Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology that the myths of Hercules were divided into three simple categories:
- The cycle of the twelve labors.
- Independent feats performed before the twelve labors.
- Side adventures that occur during jobs.
This division managed to create a relatively simple timeline, within the framework of the three cycles, are the stories of his birth, his death and later his apotheosis, which indicates a before and after in his history.
Documentation of the myth
The oldest mention of Heracles in history is his appearance in the works of Homer and Hesiod, however, the stories of his adventures did not appear until the works of Lindos Psinus (who was a native of Rhodes and whose history, origin and subsequent descent are unknown), Pisander of Camiros (a Rhodian poet of the 640 BC century) and Paniasis of Halicarnassus (Author of the work Heracleia from the XNUMXth century BC).
All the original works, except for a few fragments, have been lost to history, a fairly common trait among the various Greek myths and legends, which have failed to survive the evolution of society.
Time after his first appearances, the poets, commentators and mythographers of the Hellenistic era are the only ones whose writings have managed to reach the present day, they tell of the exploits of Heracles, which has been very important for their study and later for manage to create an iconology of this character through the years.
In other mythologies
Observing Heracles across cultures is very interesting, as the Greeks managed to spread the stories and even the cult of this figure throughout their settlements. This led to the character being incorporated into various mythologies or even being identified with an earlier mythical figure. Among the Etruscans, who were extremely receptive to Hellenistic mythology, the character of Heracles became Hercle, son of Tynia and Uni.
It was thanks to these personifications that the Latins were able to develop the figure of Heracles to fit their society. On the other hand, in Roman mythology, Heracles was transformed into Hercules, however, he did not lose his history or characteristics, as the character was the same. The only thing that happened was that they added a couple of adventures with destinations within Italy and Lazio, to represent their culture. However, the original stories, such as that of the twelve labors, remained the same.
In other cases, it was the Greeks themselves who compared Hercules to other mythical beings from different cultures, that is, they adapted characters from different societies to represent them as Hercules. This was the case with the Phoenician god Melqart or the Egyptian deities Khonsu and Herishef. Their very similar characteristics led the Greeks to represent these characters as a single hero.
Birth and Childhood
Within the myth of Hercules, his birth is very important for understanding how the rest of his life unfolds. Zeus, the god of thunder and the skies, lay with Alcmene, a queen daughter of Electryon and granddaughter of Perseus for reasons unknown. There, he took the form of Alcmene's husband, Amphitryon of Thebes, who had gone to war with the Taphians.
When Amphitryon returned, he too lay with his wife, causing her to become pregnant with twins, one of them a son of Zeus and the other of her husband. The future of Heracles and his brother Iphicles was already decided long before they were born. When they were about to be born, Zeus made it his mission to swear that one of the children born under Perseus's house that night would become a great king.
More about childhood
Several versions affirm that it was Hera who convinced Zeus to swear to the child and then take away his right to the crown, however, the most accepted version explains that Hera did not know anything about Zeus's infidelity until that night. After swearing, Hera found out what her husband had done, publicizing the adultery and creating a terrible hatred for the fruit of infidelity, that is, for any of the two babies that were her husband's.
Hera was known for being an extremely vengeful character, so she dedicated herself to harming the integrity of children, before their birth, Hera ran to Alcmena's house and made sure to slow down her labor by making her sit with her legs crossed and with knots in her clothes, in addition, she made Eurystheus, the cousin of the twins, be born two months early, so that he would be crowned as the king of Mycenae because of his age.
Hera had the power to slow down childbirth for life, what stopped her, was in deception of Galantis, the maid, who had told her that she had already helped deliver the babies, Hera, confused, untied the knots of Alcmene's clothes giving her a chance to give birth to her children.
Little Hercules Adventures
The children were born in Thebes, and the Greeks commemorated their birth on the fourth day of each Greek month. There are several versions that claim that Hera tried to slow down the birth in other ways, but all of these ended in the same way: being tricked by the servant.
A few months after his birth, Hera tried to get rid of the creature once again, sending Heracles two snakes to kill him while he slept in his cradle. What actually happened was that the young hero strangled a snake in each hand, demonstrating his immense strength, the nanny found him some time later, playing with the animal's body as if it were a toy.
This image (of the baby Heracles strangling the snakes) became very popular, and was widely depicted in the arts. There is also a myth about the creation of the Milky Way that includes Heracles. It is said that Zeus tricked Hera into breastfeeding Heracles, and when she discovered who he was, she removed him from her breast, causing a jet of milk to spurt out and form a spot in the sky. (Another version suggests that it was not Heracles but Hermes, and that Hera grew fond of the newborn.)
Youth
The myth of Hercules is quite complex and extensive. Despite an assassination attempt during his childhood, Heracles grew up healthy and strong. He and his brother attended various classes, especially a music class taught by Maestro Linus. Heracles' personality and character began to develop from his youth, which was quite different from his peers, as he was a rebellious and undisciplined student.
Linus constantly scolded Heracles, which enraged the young man, and he ended up beating him with a lyre, resulting in Linus's death. Heracles had to face a tribunal and was accused of murder, but he managed to get off the hook by quoting a ruling by Rhadamanthus, which stated that Linus existed to explain the right to kill if it was in self-defense (although Linus had never touched Heracles, there was no one around to prove otherwise).
prolonged youth
Heracles was declared innocent, but Amphitryon ultimately decided against his son's fate, clearly a victim of his own impulses. Seeking to prevent a terrible future, he sent Heracles to the countryside where he appointed him herdmaster, a job that would ensure he would not become angry again. There, he continued his studies and was able to dabble in the art of weapons, choosing the bow and arrow as his favorite.
Heracles performed several impressive feats throughout his life, the most famous of which was killing the Lion of Cithaeron, which was harassing and hunting all the local herds. Once dead, Heracles took its skin and dressed it, giving him an even more violent and powerful aura. Another well-known story tells of how he was able to win the hand of Megara, the daughter of King Creon.
Other Manifestations and Feats
This happened when he was returning from a hunt and encountered a group of emissaries from the Minian king Erginus of Orchomenus, who had defeated the Thebans years before and had imposed an annual tribute. Heracles attacked this Greek, cutting off his nose and ears and tying up their necks. Finally, he sent this group back with the message that this was all the tribute they would receive.
The Theban king Creon was so pleased with her intervention that he granted her the hand of his eldest daughter, Princess Megara, with whom he eventually had several children. Megara's younger sister, Pyrrha, married Heracles's twin brother, Iphicles.
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The intervention of Hercules
Continuing a bit with the previous point, one of the stories that forms the myth of Hercules at the beginning is the narration of his intervention in the face of social injustice, the legend is quite interesting, since it is a short story that explains how the heart of hero is always in helping people. Legend has it that he was returning from killing the lion of Cithaeron, that he met several emissaries of King Erginos, these were claiming the tribute that the Thebans had to pay to the inhabitants of Orchomenus.
Hercules, enraged by this tribute, cut off the noses and ears of the emissaries, hanged them by the neck, and told the survivors that he would take this tribute to his master. Erginus, outraged by the insult, went to Thebes to meet the hero. Hercules defeated him and imposed on the inhabitants of Orcemonos twice what they had imposed.
The vigilante
The king of Thebes rewarded Hercules for his deeds; Creon granted him the hand of his eldest daughter, Princess Megara. This couple had three children (some versions indicate eight). Unfortunately for Hercules, his happy ending was not his, as Hera's hatred was so great that it caused Hercules to suddenly go mad, causing him to kill his family.
Humiliated and unable to bear the pain, Hercules tried to commit suicide, but when he asked the Pythia (who was the oracle of Delphi) for his penance, she revealed to him that he could and should purify himself of his crime and that he would only do this by placing himself at the service and mercy his cousin Eurystheus, the king of Mycenae, moreover, ordered him to take the Latin name of Hercules.
the twelve labors
While it is true that there are many stories that mention Hercules, either as a main or secondary character, the best known myth is that of the twelve labors, not only because they say that it took place over a very long period of time (twelve years, one year each labor) but also because it was what originated several secondary adventures, the same ones, he did while performing the labors, making more stories added to his repertoire.
The Twelve Labors were a punishment imposed by the Oracle of Delphi. Heracles had killed his wife and children in a fit of sudden madness provoked by Hera. Many versions of the myth speak of him also killing two of his nephews, while others claim that Megara, his wife, survived.
The truth is that Heracles could not bear the pain and humiliation he felt, so when he woke up and realized what he had done, he decided to take his own life, withdrawing into the wilds. He isolated himself from all society to await his death. His twin brother, Iphicles, sought out his brother and convinced him to go to the Oracle at Delphi to obtain penance for his actions. The oracle told him that he must purify his soul and that to do so, he must surrender to Eurystheus and serve him.
Importance of the 12 jobs
Eurystheus was his cousin but he was also the man Heracles hated the most, since he had crowned himself king, stealing his rightful right to the crown. Heracles agreed and under the king's command he performed ten labors successfully, however, Hera, who had not yet overcome her husband's infidelity, decided to attack him once more and convinced Eurystheus to declare the second labor invalid, since his nephew Iolaus had helped him and his fifth labor, which was actually a labor for Augeas.
This intervention by Hera forced Heracles to perform two more labors, for a total of twelve labors as penance. An extremely curious aspect of this is that this mythical element of the twelve labors was not part of the legend when it was created. As times changed, the existing versions were so varied that they were adapted to fit twelve labors, thus explaining why there was such a variable number between versions.
Description of the 12 jobs
Although many people believe that Heracles' timeline is very confusing, his multiple tasks making it impossible to create an exact chronology, despite this, it has been theorized (according to different accounts) that the traditional order of the labors is as follows:
- Kill the Nemean lion and strip him of his skin
- Kill the Lernaean Hydra
- Capture the Cerinia Doe
- Catch the Erymanthian Boar
- Clean the stables of Augeans in a single day,
- Kill the birds of Stymphalus
- Capture the Cretan Bull
- Steal the Mares of Diomedes
- Take Hippolyta's belt
- Carrying off Geryon's cattle
- Grabbing the apples from the garden of the Hesperides
- Capture cerberus and get him out of the underworld.
According to the chronicle of Jerome of Stridon, Heracles managed to complete his twelve labors in the year 1246 BC, a date accepted by most historians.
Kill the Nemean Lion
The first job Heracles had to do for Eurystheus was to hunt down the Nemean lion and strip it of its skin. This lion was a ruthless being who lived in the city of Nemea, he dedicated himself to terrorizing all the inhabitants around him. Many people tried to defeat the creature, however, its skin so thick, that no weapon could penetrate it.
Heracles was entrusted with the task of killing the beast, he went to Nemea and stayed at the house of Molorchus, from there he went to hunt the lion, he made several attempts to bring it down, he used his arrows, attacked it with his sword and even gave it a blow with a bronze club, however, it was all in vain when he noticed that these weapons did not do any harm.
Heracles planned a strategic attack and went to the beast's lair. It had two entrances, so he decided to block one and leave the other free to escape. He provoked the lion to enter through the open one and, cornering it, strangled it until the beast died. Heracles lifted the lion and took its body to Mycenae, so that Eurystheus could see the beast. Eurystheus was so frightened that he denied him entry to the city, causing the rest of his completed labors to be displayed from outside.
More of the lion slaughter
On the other hand, the king ordered the blacksmiths to forge a bronze jar, which he himself hid underground. This jar served as a hiding place for him to announce himself to Heracles. Eurystheus entrusted his instructions to the hero through a Herald.
Despite having killed the creature, the job wasn't complete, as he still had to remove its skin. He quickly realized that his tools weren't very useful, as the lion's impenetrable hide made the job impossible. Athena decided to help him, so transforming into an old crone, she instructed Heracles to use the lion's claws to do the job. Once he completed the task, he had completed his first task.
Heracles used the lion's skin in the rest of his adventures, as it made perfect armor; he kept the claws to make arrowheads, and he used the head as a helmet.
Kill the Lernaean Hydra
Heracles' second labor was to kill the Lernaean Hydra, one of the oldest and most vicious monsters in the chthonic aquatic world. Its shape was terrifying, having the body of a multi-headed serpent. Its three heads (in some versions five, nine, or even a hundred) were terrifying, but one of them was covered in bronze and immortal. This monster was very difficult to kill; its condition meant that when one of its heads was cut off, two more would sprout.
The creature, in turn, was said to have poisonous breath. It was raised by Hera under a plane tree near the Amymone fountain on Lake Lerna. There, the Hydra guarded the entrance to the underworld. The murder of this creature was planned, as it was believed to be capable of killing Heracles. The Lernaean Hydra was the sister of the Nemean Lion and thirsty for revenge. Eurystheus saw the perfect opportunity to get rid of Heracles.
When the hero arrived at the swamp near Lake Lerma, he was accompanied by his nephew Iolaus, for Heracles had requested his help in defeating the beast. Both heroes covered their noses and mouths to protect themselves from the Hydra's toxic breath and ventured to the spring of Amymone, its refuge.
The details of this fight are explained by Apollodorus, who indicates that Heracles shot flaming arrows into the fountain, forcing the hydra to come out.
the power of the sword
When she did so, Heracles lashed out at her with his sword, severing several of her heads. Other versions indicate that Hera sent a crab called Carcinos to pinch Heracles' feet and thus distract him from his fight; however, Heracles ended up crushing the animal and continues fighting.
The Hydra regenerates two heads where one was severed. This made the hero realize that winning with this method was impossible. Iolaus suggested that Heracles cauterize the wound to prevent it from growing a new head; this idea was possibly inspired by Athena. To achieve this, Iolaus and Heracles worked together. While the hero cut off the heads, Iolaus passed a burning cloth over the stump, cauterizing the wound.
With this joint work, both were able to defeat the Lerma hydra, leaving it headless. Heracles took the immortal head, which was completely useless without the rest of the body, and buried it under a large rock on the way between Lerna and Eleia. In this way, he managed to complete the second job of his.
Additionally, Heracles is said to have dipped several of his arrowheads in the hydra's poisonous blood and used them throughout his adventures. Unfortunately, this work was later dismissed when Hera told Eurystheus that it was Iolaus who had burned the stumps, rendering all his efforts invalid.
Capture the Cerinea doe
The Ceryneian hind had bronze hooves and golden antlers; it was not an evil animal by any means, however, it was very strange and coveted, since it was said to have been consecrated by the goddess Artemis. Artemis herself had tried to capture five hinds to harness them to her chariot, but only one had managed to escape.
Eurystheus instructed Heracles that his third job should be to capture this doe. Heracles chased this animal day after night for a whole year without being able to catch it. The speed of this animal was superior to that of common deer, since not even arrows could reach it.
He finally managed to capture her when she stopped in the land of the Hyperboreans to drink water; with an arrow, he pierced her two front legs, piercing only the skin, sinew, and bone. Heracles did not want to spill her blood, as it was said to be a terrible poison that could even kill a god.
The hero led the hind to Mycenae, where Eurystheus observed that he had completed the task. Heracles inspired other ancient heroes, such as Yhuidr and Castus.
Capture the Erymanthian Boar
Within the story of Labor, there is a secondary story that takes place shortly before Heracles encounters the Erymanthian boar. This monster was a terrible creature that created earthquakes at will and destroyed the vegetation of the city of Erymanthus, wreaking havoc throughout its surroundings. It also preyed on young men, leaving the nearby villages bereft.
before work
While Heracles was on his way to Erymanthus, he made a brief stop to visit an old friend, the centaur Pholus. Recalling their friendship and the good times they had shared together, he shared a meal with him and his wine.
The nearby centaurs became enraged, since the wine was sacred and only centaurs should drink it; these creatures decided to attack Heracles, who initially resisted.
Despite this, Heracles gradually grew enraged and killed several of the centaurs using arrows soaked in the Hydra's blood. When only he, his friend, and the dead centaurs remained, he decided to bury his victims. Pholus removed one of the centaur's arrows and began to examine it. He was curious to know how such a simple instrument could end the lives of such incredible creatures.
Folo dropped the arrow and it buried itself in his skin, piercing and killing the centaur. Heracles buried his old friend at the foot of the mountain, which later would take the name of Foloe.
Work
After Pholus' burial, Heracles continued on his way and eventually found the boar. After chasing it for several hours, he managed to corner it in a snowy area where he jumped on its back. Heracles didn't kill the boar; he simply chained it and brought it alive to Mycenae. This hero's supernatural strength made it possible for him to carry the beast on his shoulders.
Clean Augean stables in one day
Cleaning the stables was a common task for servants of the time, but the Augean stables were very different. The cattle that lived there had been designated by the gods for the king of Elis, so they could not contract any disease. Furthermore, they were guarded by twelve bulls, which their father, the sun god Helios, had given to the king.
Not only was it the largest herd in the country, but the stables had never been cleaned. Eurystheus assigned this task to Heracles, believing he could not complete it, as the amount of excrement was so great that it would be impossible to clean it in a single day.
Completing the task was so unlikely that Augeas himself made a personal bet with Heracles: if he managed to clean the stables, Augeas would give him a portion of his livestock. Although no one expected it, Heracles managed to clean the stables; it didn't require his own strength, but rather a little ingenuity.
By diverting the Aldaeus and Peneus rivers, he managed to cleanse the area of the filth through a channel he had dug himself. To everyone's surprise, Heracles had managed to complete his fifth labor.
related adventure
As we mentioned before, within the myth of Hercules there are several labors that generated additional adventures; in the case of the fifth labor, Eurystheus and Augeas didn't expect Heracles to be able to complete it. Eurystheus told him that his labor was invalid because he knew about the wager they had both agreed to (Hera, once again, had told Eurystheus everything). The king claimed that the labor hadn't been done by him, but by the rivers.
On the other hand, when Heracles demanded payment for his bet from Augeas, he refused using the same argument that Eurystheus had used. Heracles, instead of getting angry and killing him, decided to take the matter to court, obtaining the testimony of Phileo, the son of Augeas, who was in favor of the hero.
Reluctantly, Augeas gave some of his cattle to Heracles, but banished his son for having driven him mad; because of this, Heracles left Elis and sought an alliance with other princes throughout Greece to defend Phyleus. He declared war on Augeas, who counterattacked, beheading the Mollusc twin brothers, two efficient generals.
He didn't win the war; in fact, Augeas's army managed to assassinate his brother Iphicles. Later, the Corinthians, who were allies of Heracles, officially declared peace, signing an Isthmian truce document and creating the Isthmian Games, a possible predecessor of the ancient Olympic Games.
Despite this, Heracles did not forget that stab in the back, so three years later, he took advantage of the Molionids and their men celebrating a festival in honor of Poseidon to trap them in an ambush, where he managed to massacre the army of Augeas, kill his son Eurytus and kill the Molionids, leaving him without his best generals.
Some time later, he recruited another army from the cities of the Peloponnese, with which he delivered his final blow, sacked Elis and killed Augeas, making Phileus, who had been banished, the legitimate king of the city.
Kill the birds of Stymphalus
For his fifth labor, Heracles had to kill the Stymphalian birds, these animals had beaks, wings, and talons of bronze. They were found in the region around Lake Stymphalus, hiding in the nearby forests. For Eurystheus, these birds were a danger to the inhabitants, as they displayed aggressive behavior and were carnivorous, feeding on both the local humans and their livestock.
Heracles arrived at Stymphalus and set about shooting the birds with his arrows, bringing down many of them; however, after a long effort, he realized that there were too many and that the number of arrows he had would not be enough to handle them all, making his great gift of strength useless.
Athena decided to help Heracles, appearing on his path and giving him a bronze bell, explaining that he should ring it on a fairly high hill. When he did so, the birds were so frightened that they flew away, never to be seen near the lake again. Many of the birds went to the island of Ares in the Dead Sea, while others flew to Mycenae.
When Heracles arrived to deliver the news to Eurystheus, he noticed that he was hiding in his shelter, as several birds were fluttering above his palace; the hero rang the bell once more and the birds left.
Capture the Cretan Bull
One of the best known stories in mythology tells about the Minotaur locked in the labyrinth in Crete. What many do not know is that Heracles was commissioned to capture his father, that is, the Cretan bull that Poseidon had brought out of the sea when King Minos promised him that he would offer it as a sacrifice.
King Minos, despite having accepted the deal, hid the bull when he saw its beauty, for which Poseidon punished him, causing his wife to fall in love with the bull and sleep with it. From this union, the Minotaur was born, who later had to be imprisoned, as he was a danger to the inhabitants of Crete. Although everyone speaks of the Minotaur, few talk about his father.
Eurystheus appointed him to capture the bull, if possible, and take it away from Crete. Heracles did this and transported it to Mycenae across the Aegean Sea. The king wanted to offer it as an offering to Hera, but she refused, and the bull was left free in the field.
Steal the mares of Diomedes
Many of the jobs that Eurystheus gave Heracles was either because it was ridiculous or because he was certain that he would be killed, in the case of the seventh job, this was no exception. The mares of Diomedes were in fact four carnivorous animals, although in some versions they are mentioned as being twenty animals.
These were under the care of Diomedes and he kept them locked up, and he also fed them with the innocent guests who stayed in the town.
The job: Regarding the task, Heracles set out with a large group of volunteers and managed to secure the mares and kidnap them; Diomedes sent his army to pursue the robbers. The hero then sent his friend Abderus to guard the mares while he and his men fought the battalion of soldiers who wanted to kill them. Unfortunately, as Abderus tried to free the chariot, the mares broke free and devoured him.
Heracles and his men managed to defeat the enemy army; the hero killed Diomedes by throwing him to his own mares, who, being ruthless animals, devoured him mercilessly. The few remaining enemies fled in terror at the sight.
For some reason, they became extremely tame after the massacre, so Heracles managed to tie them to a new chariot and take them to Mycenae, where he gave them to Eurystheus, who offered them as an offering to Hera. Various versions of this myth indicate that the mares died on Mount Olympus, falling to stronger beasts such as furies and vermin.
related adventure
Like some of the labors, this one also had a related adventure: in honor of his friend Abderus, who was devoured by mares while helping Heracles, he founded the city of Abdera next to his tomb, where, as a final tribute, he inaugurated the Agonal Games in his name. Among these games, chariot racing was prohibited, as this was linked to Abderus's death.
Steal Hippolyta's Belt
For the Greeks, fighting the Amazons was impossible, as they were extremely powerful, skilled in battle, and blessed by the goddess Artemis. Facing them meant certain death. The person who suggested this task to Eurystheus was his daughter, Admete, who explained that he must steal the magic belt of Hippolyta, the Amazon queen.
There are two versions of this labor; the first explains that Hippolyta, upon learning of Heracles' arrival and his motives, promised to give him her belt, but Hera, disguised as an Amazon, spread the rumor that he was actually seeking to kidnap the queen, which caused Heracles's companions to attack Heracles' ship. Because he believed Hippolyta had tricked him, he decided to attack the Amazons, kill the queen, and take the belt.
On the other hand, the second version tells of Heracles kidnapping Melania, one of Hippolyta's sisters, and demanding that she hand over the belt to pay the ransom. Because of this, the queen ends up giving him the belt, and the hero frees his sister without harming her. Meanwhile, his friend Theseus kidnaps Antiope, another of Hippolyta's sisters, and tries to escape with Heracles.
The hero's eternal friend, Hera, informs the Amazons about the kidnapping, and they attack the group; however, they manage to escape, and Theseus ends up marrying Antiope and having several children.
Stealing Geryon's Cattle
Geryon was a giant monster, born from the union of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe. Greek myths describe him as an anthropomorphic creature, whose body consisted of three bodies, each with its own head and limbs; this information often varies depending on the version of the story.
Little is known exactly how the three bodies were joined, but they are usually depicted with a linear connection at the waist. In some versions, this creature is depicted with wings, while others simply omit this detail. Its image closely resembles a human and lived on the island of Erytheia, which is now known as Cadiz.
related adventure
Before beginning his labor, Heracles had a related adventure. While undertaking his journey to the island of Erytheia, he had to cross the Libyan Desert (Libya was the generic name given to North Africa by the Greeks), and there he found himself so frustrated by the immense heat that he threatened Helios, the sun god, with his bow.
The god asked him to stop, and in return, Heracles asked for the golden cup the god used to cross the sea each night. The hero used the cup on his journey to Erytheia, but when he almost reached his destination, he noticed that the path was blocked by rocks.
Heracles, using his great strength, pushed them out of the way, opening the Strait of Gibraltar and establishing the Pillars of Hercules as its boundary; the first of these is located at the base of the rock, and the second on Mount Hacho in Ceuta, at a height of 204 meters.
The job: Once he reached his destination, he found Geryon's cattle kept in a hut, guarded by Orthrus, a two-headed dog who was the brother of Cerberus (the guard dog of the underworld). He was also with the shepherd Eurytion.
Heracles managed to kill these two creatures and took the cattle. On the way, while climbing the Aventine Hill in Rome, a giant named Cacus stole some of his cattle while they were resting. The giant made the cattle walk backward so they wouldn't leave any tracks, a trick he had learned from Hermes.
popular versions
There are several versions of what happens next, the most accepted being that Heracles found the stolen cattle and killed Cacus, continuing on his way to Mycenae.
Roman mythology indicates that Heracles (or, to them, Hercules) founded an altar on the site where the Forum Boarium, the cattle market, would later be held. As the hero passed through Silicea, he told Erice, the island's king, the story that had happened.
Erice was an incredible boxer, so Heracles convinced him to accept a bet: if he lost, he would give up some of his cattle, but if the king lost, he would have to surrender his kingdom to the hero. Erice was very confident, but Heracles was the one who emerged victorious in the fight.
Heracles left the village and told them he would send his offspring to rule it later. Hera, trying to prevent the hero from completing his task, decided to annoy him by sending a horsefly to bite the cattle, irritating them and spacing them out across the field. The goddess then sent a flood, which raised the river level until it overflowed, preventing him from moving the cattle.
After this, Echidna attacked Heracles and stole some of his cattle; to get them back, the hero had to have sexual relations with the nymph, and from this union were born Agathirsus, Gelonus, and Scythes. When he arrived at Mycenae with the cattle, Eurystheus made a sacrifice in the name of Hera.
Steal the apples from the garden
For some context, we should clarify that the Hesperides were nymphs located in a great garden, whose trees were filled with golden apples. Heracles had to capture Nereus, an old man of the sea who was characterized by his shape-shifting ability, to get information about the garden.
Related adventure: Depending on the version, Heracles meets Antaeus at the beginning or end of the labor. This figure was invincible as long as he was in contact with his mother Gaia, the earth. Heracles killed him by holding him in the air and crushing him with one of his powerful arms. Herodotus claims that the hero stopped in Egypt, where the soldiers of King Busiris captured him.
This wasn't a personal attack, but rather the king had promised the gods that he would sacrifice every foreigner who entered his land. Heracles was held with other wretches destined for death, but, unable to accept this fate, he broke the chains that held him and managed to escape. Before leaving, he killed Busiris, freeing all the prisoners and the inhabitants who lived under his terrible regime.
You can read other articles like this one about the myth of Hercules on our blog, in fact, we recommend you read myth of Icarus.
Work
When Heracles arrived at the Garden of the Hesperides, he tricked Atlas into picking some apples; he did so by promising to hold the sky in place. Some versions indicate that Atlas was the father of the Hesperides, while others only say that he was a distant relative.
When Atlas returned to where Heracles was, the Titan decided not to carry the sky anymore; despite this, the hero tricked him into doing so, arguing that he needed to fix his cloak. When Atlas took to the sky, the hero grabbed the apples and left.
Capture Cerberus and get him out of hell
For his final labor, Eurystheus entrusted Heracles with what would be one of the most difficult tasks of his life. He was to travel to Eleusis to be initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries, which would teach him how to enter Hades (the underworld) and how to escape alive. Unbeknownst to him, the mysteries also helped alleviate the guilt he felt over killing his wife and children.
Related adventure: As we mentioned before, several of his labors created additional adventures that happened before or after the task was performed. Heracles found the entrance to the underworld at Taenarum; there he was helped by Athena and Hermes to enter and exit. At Heracles's insistence and his own fierce appearance, Charon took him in his boat across the Acheron.
While sailing, he met his friend Theseus and Pirithous, who had been captured by the god of death, Hades, while he was trying to abduct Persephone. Both prisoners were magically fastened to a bench; Heracles tried to pull him free, but while the bench broke, Theseus's thighs remained stuck to it. He tried the same with Pirithous, but as he did so, he noticed that the earth was shaking, so he decided to abandon him and continue on his way.
The job: As for the story, we can note that there are three different versions. The first says that in order to take Cerberus, Heracles had to ask permission from the god Hades, and after explaining his situation, he granted it on the sole condition that he not harm the animal. The hero obeyed and, treating it kindly, managed to get it out of the underworld in a docile manner, taking it to Mycenae for Eurystheus to see. Eventually, Heracles returned Cerberus to its home.
The second version is a bit more aggressive, explaining that Heracles shot an arrow at Hades, distracting him and knocking him out; he also indicated that he had a very violent fight with Cerberus, until he managed to take the beast to the cave of Acherusia and from there brought him out into the outside world.
Other Adventures
While it's true that the twelve labors are one of the many stories within the most popular Hercules myth, this doesn't mean he didn't have other incredible adventures. In fact, Hercules is one of the most adventurous characters in existence. His character led him to get into numerous troubles, but despite everything, he usually emerged victorious.
Next, we'll talk about some other important adventures within the world of Hercules.
Participation in the Gigantomachy
The Olympian gods were very powerful beings, however, they were not the only ones with such power. After the titans were condemned to Tartarus, the mother of the last, Gaia, the earth, engendered powerful giants that carried the blood of Uranus to execute revenge against those who imprisoned her children.
The oracle prophesied that those giants could not be killed by the gods, or at least not without a mortal fighting at their side. Zeus decided to summon Heracles through Athena. The giants launched their first attack, armed with enormous rocks and tree trunks, and the battle took place at their home, Phlegra.
Heracles and the other contests
There are several important points to highlight within this struggle, the same ones that are key points exposed by Heracles' intervention in the battle and that of other gods.
- Heracles first attacked Alcyoneus, a giant who possessed immortality and was a great fighter. The hero pierced the giant with one of his poisoned arrows, but every time the giant fell to the ground, he came back to life. Athena recommended that Heracles remove him from his land so he could die, and he did so almost immediately.
- Porphyrius attacked Heracles and attempted to rape his eternal nemesis, Hera. Zeus prevented this by striking him with a lightning bolt, and the hero finished him off with his prized arrows.
- Ephialtes died because two arrows were buried in his eyes, one of them was from Apollo and the other was from Heracles.
- When Enceladus was forced to abandon the battle, Athena attacked him and crushed him using the island of Sicily. The giant was trapped, his fiery breath erupting from Etna.
- Hephaestus buried Mimas in a mass of molten metal; several versions indicate that he remains there, condemned to spend the rest of his eternity imprisoned.
- Poseidon buried Polybotes, who threw him a piece of the island of Cos; this land later became the island of Nisyros.
- Hippolytus was defeated by Hermes, while the god wore a helmet that made him invisible.
- Dionysus knocked out Eurytion with his thyrsus.
- Hecate burned Clytius using her precious infernal torches.
- The Moirai, armed with bronze maces, managed to kill Agrio and Thoas.
- Hera defeated the giant Phoitos and also managed to convince Cthonius to fight against Dionysus, however, he died because of Demeter.
- Ares killed Peleorus.
And so, each giant fell after a arduous fight; those who weren't buried were shot with Heracles' poisoned arrows. In this way, they ensured that all of them were dead. The myth of Hercules doesn't end with this fight, as many historians claim that Hercules managed to perform many additional activities for a long time.
If you are interested in reading other articles like this one about the myth of Hercules, you can check out the different categories of our blog; additionally, we recommend reading myth of the Amazons.
Heracles in Troy
Hera, Poseidon, and Apollo conspired against Zeus; after this rebellion, Zeus decided to punish Poseidon and Apollo by putting them at the service of Laomedon, the king of Troy. Laomedon had the gods build a long wall around the city. With the help of Aeacus, they managed to complete it. However, Laomedon refused to pay any compensation for the work, as it had been done on Zeus's orders.
Poseidon was outraged and sent the king a sea monster to devour all the people who left the city. The king had to consult the oracle who instructed him in a sacrifice, his daughter Hesione, had to die to calm the beast. The young woman was tied to some rocks on the coast, waiting for the creature and her cruel fate.
Heracles, Telamon, and Oicles were walking near the place when they heard the story of the monster and the human offering that was being made. To this hero, all offerings that end human life were abominable, so he decided to help the young princess. To this end, he agreed to kill the monster, provided the king granted him the horses he had received from Zeus.
Laomedon agreed, but when his promise ended and the creature's body was already dead, he refused to pay the hero, and the latter had to leave empty-handed. Heracles threatened the Trojan king, explaining that he should expect war.
Returning to Greece, Heracles assembled a small expedition and, with him in command, attacked Troy. In the battle, Laomedon killed Oicles, but soon realized he must retreat and take refuge within the walls of Troy. Heracles followed him and ultimately killed him, as well as his sons, with the exception of one, Podarces, who had been rescued by his sister Hesione.
Hercules and the Olympic Games
Many believe that Heracles was the one who inaugurated the Olympic Games, but the truth is that there are three versions that speak about the possible inauguration and how this rumor began.
The first version of the Hercules myth states that he established the games to celebrate his victory over Augeas; however, this version confuses the Isthmian Games with the Olympic Games. On the other hand, the second version states that he did establish the Olympic Games, and that he did so in honor of Zeus, while the third version speaks of a character named Heracles, who is not the hero.
The death of Hercules
Despite his immense power, the hero was not immortal. After completing his twelve labors, he dedicated himself to several feats that, to this day, are very famous and embody the mysticism of the Hercules myth. Legend has it that he remarried Dejanire (Deianira in English) and became friends with his rival Antee, the son of Poseidon.
Furthermore, it is said that the centaur Nessus attempted to rape Dejanire, and to prevent this, Hercules pierced him with one of his poisoned arrows. Unfortunately, the centaur convinced the woman to drink his blood, claiming it was a love potion when, in fact, it was poison. Dejanire, believing that Hercules had fallen in love with Princess Lole, had Hercules wear her tunic, which had previously been dipped in her blood.
As soon as he put it on, he began to feel the burning of the poison; it was so strong that he tried to eliminate it. Finally, Hercules could not bear the pain and ended up throwing himself into the flames of a funeral pyre. The gods of Olympus watched his death and decided to give him Hebe, the goddess of youth, as his wife.
Facts related to the death of the myth
In Greek mythology, Hebe was the goddess of eternal youth and there were various versions explaining her birth. One of these versions indicated that she was the legitimate daughter of Zeus, the god of thunder and king of the gods, and his wife Hera. On the other hand, this same theory explains that her conception was very simple, since it happened while Hera was eating some lettuce leaves at a dinner that she shared with her friend Apollo, a fellow god of Olympus.
As she grew up, Hebe was entrusted with the title of "Cup of the Gods." This meant she was responsible for serving the gods and goddesses of Olympus all their drinks, especially the beloved nectar they consumed so much. She also assisted Hera with various daily tasks. Hercules, being one of the most famous heroes in all of Greece, was offered Hebe's hand in marriage by Zeus, as she was the perfect wife to spend the rest of his eternity with.
The inhabitants of ancient Greece loved and revered Hercules, both as a god and as a mortal hero. Usually they used to portray the image of him as a strong and brave man wearing the skin of a lion and carrying a club. Although much is said about his lack of intelligence, the truth is that this hero had quite a great ingenuity, since he used to get out of conflicts with great skill.
As for the Romans, they viewed Hercules as one of the greatest heroes, dedicating a statue to him so that all inhabitants could worship him, just as they did other gods; this statue stood alongside Hera and Zeus; however, there was no specific cult of Hercules, or at least none that has been recorded.
Characters of the myth of Hercules
If there's one thing the myth of Hercules teaches us, it's that plans work better if you have help. Although we see this hero as an incredible being, the reality is that in most of his adventures he was accompanied, whether it was of his own free will or not, we cannot deny that the exploits of this hero also include various characters from mythology.
Companions of adventures
Among the great companions Hercules had throughout his life, several stood out for their assistance and intelligence; some of these are:
Lint
While Heracles was wandering through the wilderness (following the fit of madness that caused him to kill his wife and children), he was attacked by the Dryopes, who killed King Thyodamas. The army quickly surrendered and offered the young prince Hylas as tribute. The hero, who hated all human sacrifice, decided to make the prince his squire.
Years later, Heracles and Hylas joined the crew of the Argo. As Argonauts, they only participated in a small part of the voyage; on the orders of Hera, Heracles's nemesis, Hylas was kidnapped in Mysia by nymphs from the fountain of Pangaea. The Argonaut Polyphemus heard the boy's cry and notified Heracles.
Both men quickly searched for the prince, but time was not enough and the ship sailed without them. Eventually, Heracles was never able to find Hylas again, as the young man had fallen in love with one of the women.