Hercules’ Twelve Labors

Background on Hercules… Hercules was the son of the mortal Alcmene and the god Zeus. Alcmene did not willingly become involved with Zeus; Zeus changed form and Alcmene thought it was her husband. Hera became furious when she found that Zeus had been unfaithful again. She swore to make Hercules miserable for all of his mortal life.

Hera caused Hercules to go mad. When he awoke from madness, he learned he had killed his wife Megara and his children. He visited the oracle of Apollo to find what he needed to do to be cleansed of his sin. Apollo sent him to Eurystheus; this king would assign him the tasks to complete.

Labor One-The Nemean Lion Hercules was to kill the Nemean Lion. It was named such because it was terrorizing the area of Nemea. Hercules met a workman by the name of Molorchus and asked if he would pray for him to be successful. Hercules asked the man to wait for 30 days; when he returned they would make a sacrifice to Zeus together.

When Hercules arrived and began to fight the lion… He learned that the lion could not be harmed by arrows or clubs. He entered a cave and choked it with his bare hands and wore the skin. He returned and sacrificed with Molorchus, the workman. Eurystheus was so afraid, he hid in a bronze jar which was partially buried in the earth. He did not want to face Hercules.

Labor 2 The Lernean Hydra From the swamp near Lernea, the Hydra would terrorize the nearby town. The hydra was a monstrous serpent with nine heads. One of the heads was immortal and could not be destroyed. Hercules took his nephew with him, Iolaus. He is often said to have been Hercules Charioteer in the Olympic games. Hercules lured the Hydra out of its cave by shooting flaming arrows into the cave. The Hydra also had a friend—a crab which Hercules smashed with his club.

Every time Hercules cut off a head, two more would grow back in its place. Hercules had Iolaus start a fire and light a torch; they used this to seal each wound. Hercules chopped off the immortal head and buried it under a rock. Hercules cut open the Hydra’s corpse and dipped his arrows in its venomous blood. Eurytheus tried to say that the labor should not count, but ancient authors still give him credit.

Labor 3-The Hind of Artemis/Diana Hercules was told to bring back a hind that was special to Artemis. It was a female red deer, which was her pet. He was not to harm it because Artemis would have been angry with him forever more. He chased the hind for a year. Stories say he either shot an arrow with a rope which wound around its legs or captured it in a net. He showed it to Eurystheus, and then released it. Artemis was furious, but when he explained the situation, she forgave him.

Labor 4-The Wild Boar Hercules had to capture a wild boar that was said to be as ferocious as the Nemean Lion. It, like the Nemean Lion, could not be scratched by weapons. Hercules chased it until it was exhausted, and then it ran into a deep snow. He carried it back to show his cousin, and it was placed in a cage.

Labor 5-The Augean Stables The Augean stables were filthy. They were the filthiest place on earth. The powerful king Augeas owned thousands of cattle but was too lazy to clean the stables. He obviously did not mind the smell. Hercules was to clean them in one day. He diverted two rivers, and all of the filth was washed away in a matter of minutes. (Diverted means he changed the paths of the rivers.)

Hercules cleans the Augean Stables.

Labor 6-The Stymphalian Birds Hercules was to drive away an enormous flock of birds which gathered at a lake near the town of Stymphalos. These birds were rumored to be maneaters and also killed cattle; some stories say they carried the children away. He could not walk into the water, so the goddess Athena came to his aid, providing a pair of bronze krotala, noisemaking clappers similar to castanets. These were no ordinary noisemakers because they had been made by an immortal craftsman, Hephaestus, the god of the forge. As they flew away, Hercules killed them with his arrows. Stories say he killed thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of birds.

Labor 7 The Cretan Bull King Minos, whom we know from our story of Theseus, was a powerful king. We know that he demanded sacrifices for the minotaur. However, before the minotaur came to exist, King Minos wanted to ensure his right to the throne. He prayed to Poseidon, and Poseidon sent a white bull that was more beautiful than Minos had ever seen. Minos was supposed to sacrifice this to Poseidon, but he refused. Poseidon made the bull rampage. Hercules was careful not to harm the bull, for he did not want to anger Poseidon. He wrested the bull, hog-tied it, placed him aboard a boat and transported him back to show his cousin.

Labor 8-The Man-Eating Horses of Diomedes Hercules sailed with a band of volunteers across the Aegean to Bistonia. There he and his companions overpowered the grooms who were tending the horses, and drove them to the sea. They sent a band of soldiers to recapture the animals. To free himself to fight, Hercules entrusted the mares to a youth named Abderos. Unfortunately, the mares got the better of young Abderos and dragged him around until he was killed. Meanwhile Hercules fought the Bistones, killed Diomedes, and made the rest flee. The hero took the mares back to Eurystheus, but Eurystheus set them free. The mares wandered around until eventually they came to Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, where they were eaten by wild beasts. In one, Diomedes has the four horses harnessed to a chariot, and Hercules has to bring back the chariot as well as the horses. In the other, Hercules tames the horses for his own chariot.

Labor 9--The Girdle of Hippolyta Hippolyta was queen of the Amazons. She was given the girdle by Ares. Eurystheus wanted the girdle for his daughter. Hippolyta accepted Hercules with respect. However, Hera changed form and became an Amazon. She spread the rumor that Hercules was planning to kidnap their queen. They attacked Hercules and he slew them. He also slew Hippolyta and took the girdle.