1. The strongest man in the world
Hercules
The strongest man in the world

2. BABY HERCULES’S FAMILY TREE
Mother- Alcmena (Alcmene)
Father- Zeus (this made Hercules a
demigod (half human/half god).
Hera was crazy jealous- sent serpents into his cradle, but Hercules squeezed them to death.
SIDENOTES: Alcmena was already married the warrior Amphytrion (am-FIH-tree-un). He was the father of Hercules’s twin brother Iphicles (IF-uh- klees).

3. MEG & HERC: HOW THEY MET
Hercules was sent to the mountains because he was too strong and accidentally killed Linus, his music teacher.
After he rid the countryside of Thebes of lions and wolves, the King of Thebes rewarded him with his daughter’s (Megara’s) hand in marriage.

4. HERA STILL ON THE WARPATH
Hera, angry with Zeus, caused Hercules to go insane and kill both Megara and their children.
As a result, Hercules was sentenced to serve as a slave for ten years to his cousin: King Eurystheus.
He was told he must complete ten labors to receive absolution (forgiveness) for killing his family.

5. #1: Nemean Lion
Nemean lion: it had a hide so tough, no arrow could pierce it.
It was the child of Echidna (Mother of all Monsters). She gave birth to them to pose a challenge to future heroes.
Hercules seized the lion with his bare hands and squeezed it to death.
He skinned it and wore the skin like armor and the head like a helmet.

6. #2: HYDRA
Kill the nine-headed Hydra: its blood was poisonous, and it had killer breath.
Whenever Hercules chopped off a head, TWO more grew back in its place.
He discovered he could stop the heads from growing if he cauterized (burned shut) the wound where the head used to be.
After knocking off the last head, he dipped arrows in its blood to use for later.

7. #3: Erymanthean Boar
Chased the boar to the snow-topped mountains. Boar was so heavy, it sank in the snow, making it easy for Hercules to catch and subdue it.
Hercules pushed, dragged and rolled it to Eurystheus, who was so afraid, he dove into an urn to hide.

8. #4: Stymphalian Birds
Rid Stymphalian Lake of swarms of birds with brass feathers. When feathers fell off, they killed whomever they hit.
Feathers couldn’t penetrate the lion’s hide Hercules was wearing as armor.
Scared them of with a huge rattle, and they never returned.

9. #5 Golden Hind of Artemis (A hind is a female deer)
Bring back sacred hind of Artemis. Although the hind was female, it had golden antlers like a stag and brass hooves.
Eurystheus hoped Hercules would harm the hind and have to face the wrath of the goddess.
Chasing the deer for a year, Hercules finally caught it and carried it carefully back to Eurystheus.

10. #6: Stables of Augeas
Clean the stables of King Augeas, who had huge herds and stables and barnyards, which hadn’t been cleaned for years.
Hercules changed the course of two rivers to have them flood the stables and barnyards; he washed them out in less than a day.

11. #7: Belt of the Queen of the Amazons
Travel to the east to get the golden girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
Queen Hippolyta thought Hercules was handsome, so she just gave the belt to him.
Hera spread rumors that Hercules came to kidnap Hipployta, so the Amazons attacked Hercules
Hercules took back the belt, but the queen had been killed in the battle.

12. #8: Man-Eating Mares of Diomedes
Capture the four, man-eating mares of Diomedes.
Hercules killed King Diomedes and fed him to the horses.
After ridding themselves of the king, they were tame and allowed Hercules to drive them back to Eurystheus with ease. It turns out that the presence of Diomedes is what made them violent.

13. #9: Crazy Cretan Bull Catch a fierce, fire-breathing bull on Crete.
Hercules seized the charging bull by the horns and flung it to the ground.
Took it back to Eurystheus, and he once again hid in the urn.

14. #10: Red Cows of Geryon Bring back herd of red cows from an island.
Cows belonged to Geryon, a monster with three bodies on one pair of legs.
Found boat of Helios, the sun, and Hercules threatened him with his bow and arrow if he didn’t allow him to borrow the boat: the first boat- jacking.
Pulled together two huge cliffs and placed them on each side of Strait of Gibraltar that separates Europe from Africa.

15. Tenth cont.
As he loaded the cows, Geryon’s watchman and two- headed dog rushed at him, but Hercules swung his club- both were done for.
Then Geryon came running at him, but Hercules shot him with a poisoned arrow.
After Hercules arrived at mainland, Hera sent swarm of gadflies to sting the cows and they scattered all over Europe, but Hercules rounded them up.
Eurystheus sacrificed the cows to Hera, and she told him to demand two more labors of Hercules since his charioteer and rivers had helped him.

16. #11 Golden Apples of the Hesperides
Find Hera’s secret garden of Hesperides and pick three gold apples from the tree Mother Earth had given her.
Nereus, the Old Gray Man of the Sea- only one to know where this tree was.
Hercules grabbed him and squeezed him until he told where the tree was - west of the setting sun, close to where Atlas stood, holding up the sky.

17. While looking for the Golden Apples…
On his way, Hercules passed Prometheus, still chained to the mountain.
Hercules felt sorry for him, so he tore off his chains.
Zeus was impressed by his strength, so he let him do it.
Prometheus warned Hercules not to pick golden apples, because he’d die.
Apples of immortality - only picked by god.

18. STILL ON #11…
Hercules offered to hold up sky for Atlas if he’d pick apples.
Atlas was glad to do it, but was scared of Ladon, the 100-headed dragon under the tree.
Hercules killed the dragon with an arrow, then held up the sky for Atlas.
Atlas had no intention of returning, but Hercules tricked him into taking it back. “Just hold it up for a moment for me to make a cushion for my shoulders and neck.”

19. #12: Retrieve Cerberus
Capture Cerberus, three-headed watchdog of Hades.
Hercules scowled, and Hades was scared of him, so he told him he could take the dog.
Cerberus fought, but once again, Hercules squeezed him just enough to take the fight out of him.
When Eurystheus saw the scary dog, he hid once again.
Hercules then returned Cerberus back to Hades.

20. So, he’s done, right?! NOPE.
Hercules became too prideful, full of hubris, so Hera decided to remind him how powerful she was: Hercules killed his friend in a fit of rage.
After regaining his senses, he had to atone for his crimes once again.
Hercules had to serve as a slave to Queen Omphale and undergo VERY. PUBLIC. HUMILIATION:

21. Hercules learned TO BE HUMBLE.
Hercules was forced to dress
in women’s clothing
for three years.

22. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
TO BE
CONTINUED…