Heracles
Heracles, or Hercules- as he is known in Rome, was a demigod, and was and is the most famous Roman-Greco legend- common to even those that know absolutely nothing about mythology. He has been the subject of many stories and a major animated motion-picture, Disney's "Hercules". To many, he is more of a
fairytale (rather than mythological)
individual. But going beyond the "celebrity", this is what he was really
about. He was the son of Zeus and his great-granddaughter, Alcmene. Zeus and
Danaë had a son named Perseus, who was Alcmene's grandfather. Amphitryon-
Alcmene's consort- went on a mission to redeem himself after murdering his
uncle. During this period, an apparently love-starved pedophile- Zeus,
approached Alclemene (his great-granddaughter) in the form of her husband and
slept with her. The already-pregnant Alcmene ended up having twin sons-
Hercules for Zeus and Iphicles for Amphitryon.
Zeus swore that the next child born of the Perseid house, would rule Greece.
Heracles was lined up for the position, but due to a trick by Hera, her son-
Eurystheus, took his place. He was a sickly child, and is never mentioned among
the children, that Hera bore with Zeus. But no record was made of her having an
affair. Soon after his birth, Hera sent two serpents to kill him. but as
preview, showing his future demeanor, an infant Hercules strangled them.
When Heracles grew up, he was made
a servant to Eurytheus and his vengeful step-mother, Hera. Hera once sent him a
fit of madness, which caused him to kill his wife, Megara and their
children. Some of his exploits included were known as "The Labors of
Heracles". These were imposed by Eurystheus for killing the latter's wife
and children:
killing the Nemean lion.
killing the nine-headed hydra (see the Classical Mythology 2 banner button)
capturing of the elusive stag of Arcadia.
capturing the wild boar of Mountain Erymanthus
cleaning King Augeas' cattle stables in a day.
shooting the man-eating birds of the Stymphalian marshes.
capturing the mad bull that terrorized the island city of Crete.
capturing King Diomedes' man-eating mares.
taking the girdle of the Amazon Queen Hyppolyte.
seizing the cattle of Geryon, the giant.
retrieving the golden apples, kept at the ends of the earth by Hesperides
taking Cerberus from the underworld.
*If you would like a-picture-of-a-sculpture of the Labors of Hercules, Subscribe for "Pics" .