Hercules

The Hero’s Journey * * For these ideas, special thanks to Joseph Campbell, noted scholar of mythology and author of “A Hero With a Thousand Faces” (1949). Your Picture Here!

The Dictionary says… Hero (n.): One who does brave or noble deeds Someone who shows extraordinary bravery, firmness, or greatness of soul in connection with any work or project; someone admired for his achievements and noble qualities. In ancient times, someone of superhuman strength, courage, or ability, favored by the gods.

Hercules was a son of Zeus and a young Theban girl, Alceme.

Hera was furious at Zeus for cheating…again! She vowed to make Hercules’ life miserable.

One night, when Hercules was a baby… Hera sent two snakes to kill the innocent child. Baby Hercules seized the snakes and strangled them with his bare hands!

As a young man, Hercules married a girl called Megara, and they had several children in a happy family….but Hera used her powers to make Hercules insane. Hercules killed Megara and their children. Hercules went to the oracle at Delphi. The oracle said he must do many labors to make up for what he had done wrong. Hercules reported to King Eurytheus

Labor #1: The Nemean Lion. Could Hercules kill it? He traveled to Nemea Tracked the beast to its cave. Tried to kill it with his spear. However, the lion’s skin was so tough that no weapon could pierce it. So… Hercules seized it by the neck and strangled it to death!

Labor #2: The Lerna Hydra Could he kill the nine-headed monster that lived in the swamps? Hercules found the Hydra Cut off its heads…but new heads grew in their place. Hercules sealed each cut off neck with a flaming torch He buried the largest head He dipped his arrows in the Hydra’s poisonous blood.

Labor #3: The Cerynitian Hind Could he catch a doe that was sacred to Artemis? The doe lived in the Sanctuary of Artemis on Mt. Cerynea It had golden antlers and brass hoofs; Hercules was supposed to catch it alive Hercules ran it down after a chase that lasted a whole year.

Labor #4: The Wild Boar of Mt. Erymanthus Could he catch a wild boar that was terrifying people? The Boar lived on Mt. Erymanthus, and Hercules was supposed to capture it alive. After a long chase Hercules trapped the the boar, who had fallen into a snow drift. Hercules carried the Erymanthean Boar on his shoulders back to King Eurytheus. When the king saw the huge beast he was so terrified that he jumped into a bronze pot!

Labor #5: The Augean Stables King Augeas’s stables hadn’t been cleaned in thirty years! Yuck! Hercules broke down the banks of a nearby river Diverted the water which instantly rushed through the stables

Labor #6: The Stymphalian Birds Could Hercules kill the man-eating birds of Lake Stymphalus in Arcadia, the ones that shot deadly bronze feathers ? the birds roosted in trees which grew out of the waters of the lake, hard to reach… Athene gave Hercules a pair of cymbals to startle the birds into flying. Hercules shot them down with his Hydra-poisoned arrows.

Labor #7: The Cretan Bull Could Hercules wrestle and tame the Cretan Bull? Yep! When he returned from Crete with the bull Euytheus was so scared that he released the beast into the countryside.

Labor #8: The Mares of Thrace Ulyssses was ordered to tame evil King Diomedes’s horses—the ones that fed on human flesh! Hercules found the horses but was attacked by Diomedes’ men. As Hercules fought soldiers he gave the horses to his friend Abderus. The horses ate Abderus. Hercules killed all the men and fed Diomedes to the horses. The horses lost their taste for human flesh and were tamed.

Labor #9: The Belt of Hippolyte, Queen of Amazons Hercules had to obtain the golden belt of Hippolyte, the queen of the man-hating Amazon Women. Hera told the Amazons that Hercules meant to kill their queen. Fighting broke out, and Hercules killed all the women to obtain the belt.

Labor #10: The Cattle of Geryon Could Hercules fetch the cattle belonging to Geryon, a savage giant with three bodies and three heads? First, Hercules killed a fierce dog named Othrus which watched over the cattle. Hercules then shot an arrow through the three bodies of Geryon, and the giant dropped down dead with a huge crash to the ground. Hercules then loaded the cattle onto his ship, and sailed back.

Labor #11: The Golden Apples Could Hercules get the Golden Apples of the Hesperides, which had been given as a gift to Hera by Gaia (Mother Earth)? The apples were kept in a secret garden. To discover the whereabouts of the garden, Hercules went to the titan Atlas, who agreed to fetch the apples, but only if Hercules held up the heavens during his absence. Hercules tricked Atlas into once again holding up the heavens, and then ran off with the apples.

Labor #12: Cerberus Could Hercules bring Cerberus, the savage three headed guard dog of Hades, up from the Underworld? With the help of Hermes. Hercules descended into the Underworld. Persephone, the wife of Hades, persuaded her husband to let Hercules carry out his labour on the condition that Cerberus was returned unharmed. Hercules wrestled Cerberus, wrapped him in his Lion’s skin, took the dog up to the Overworld. Eurytheus, terrified by the hellish hound, immediately ordered Hercules to return it to Hades.

After completing his labors, Hercules enjoyed many more adventures. Eventually he married a girl called Deianira, and they were very happy together.

Sadly, Deianira was tricked by the centaur Nessus, who gave her some blood that was supposed to keep Hercules loyal to her. Instead, the blood was poisoned with Hydra’s blood, and Hercules died in agony. His body was placed upon a funeral pyre to be cremated. However, Zeus took pity on his son, and bore Hercules up to Mount Olympus where he became a god.