HERCULES By Mrs. Kubiak

Who was Hercules: Birth Parents Zeus and Alcema = Hercules Demi-God: Half god, half mortal Could not be killed by anything that lived on land, sea or air – only by magic He was courageous

Hercules: The Story Very strong baby Hera was jealous of him and sent two snakes to his crib to kill him Snakes - Killed two snakes with his bare hands Music Teacher - Accidentally kills his teacher when he is a teenager Doesn’t realize his own strength Thespian Lion - Kills the Thespian lion and wears the skin as a cloak

Trouble Begins Princess Megara – Marries princess Megara but Hera struck Hercules with madness and he kills Megara and his children Theseus – saved Hercules from killing himself Oracle – sent Hercules to King Eurystheus of Mycenae to do penance for his sin Penance = works to make up for your sin King of Mycenae – with Hera’s help, devised 12 tasks for Hercules

Other Adventures Giant Anteus – strangled in the air, because the giant gains strength when he (the giant) touches the ground Prometheus – on his way to the Golden apples, Hercules freed Prometheus

Death Deianira – Hercules killed a river god to get this princess as a wife, she thought he loved another and so she put what she thought was a magic potion on a robe for Hercules Centaur Nessas – carries Deianira across the river but insulted her and Hercules shot him. As he died he told Deianiara to save his blood as a love potion if Hercules ever strayed (his blood was poisoned…) Pyre – Hercules was in such agony, because he wouldn’t die quickly, that he decided to burn himself on a funeral pyre Philoctetes – lights the funeral Pyre Olympus – went to Olympus after his death and was turned into a full god. Reconciled with Hera. Hebe – Daughter of Zeus and Hera, married Hercules

The 12 Tasks of Hercules 1. Kill the lion of Nemea Could not be killed by weapons. 2. Kill Hydra, the 9-headed monster Had one immortal head that grew back when chopped off 3. Capture the golden-horned stag of Artemis and bring it back alive 4. Capture a giant boar

5. Clean the stables of King Augeas in one day The stables were filled with manure that had not been cleaned for years 6. Get rid of wild birds in Stymphalus 7. Capture the wild bull of Minos 8. Capture the flesh eating horses of Diomedes 9. Capture the girdle (belt) of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons

10. Capture the cattle of Geryon 11. Steal golden apples of Hesperides 12. Bring Cerberus (3-headed dog) up from the underworld

HOMEWORK: Hercules has to complete 12 tasks in order to make-up for killing his family. You know what the tasks were, but how does Hercules complete each task? In pairs, use your Mythology book to find the answers. (Story begins on page 166)