The life of Hercules in brief. Hercules (Heraclius, Alkid, Hercules), the greatest hero of Greek myths and legends, the son of Zeus. Taming the Erymanthian Boar
Alcmene. To woo Alcmene, Zeus assumed the form of her husband. The wife of Zeus, Hera, took a promise from her husband that the one who was born at a certain time would become a great king. Despite the fact that Hercules was supposed to be at the appointed hour, Hera intervened in the process, as a result of which Hercules' cousin, named Eurystheus, was born earlier. Nevertheless, Zeus agreed with Hera that Hercules would not obey his cousin forever, but would only fulfill his twelve orders. It was these acts that later became the famous 12 labors of Hercules.
Ancient Greek myths attribute many deeds to Hercules: from a campaign with the Argonauts to the construction of the city of Gythion along with the god Apollo.
Hera could not forgive Zeus for betrayal, but she vented her anger on Hercules. For example, she sent madness on him, and Hercules in a fit killed his own, born to Megara, the daughter of the king of Thebes. A prophetess from the temple of Apollo at Delphi stated that in order to atone for his terrible deed, Hercules must fulfill the instructions of Eurystheus, who envied the strength of Hercules and came up with very difficult tests.
A painful death of a hero
For twelve years, Hercules coped with all the tasks of his cousin, having received freedom. The further life of the hero was also feats, the content and number of which depends on the authors of specific myths, since there are quite a lot of ancient Greek monuments.
Most authors agree that, having defeated the river god Achelous, Hercules won the hand of Dejanira, the daughter of Dionysus. Once Dejanira was kidnapped by the centaur Ness, who admired her beauty. Nessus carried travelers across a stormy river on his back, and when Hercules and Dejanira approached the river, the hero put his wife on a centaur, and he went swimming.
Nessus tried to escape with Dejanira on his back, but Hercules wounded him with an arrow poisoned by the most powerful poison in the world - the bile of the Lernean hydra, which he killed during the second assignment of Eurystheus. Nessus, dying, advised Dejanira to collect his blood, lying that it could be used as a love potion.
Earlier, with an arrow poisoned by the bile of the hydra, Hercules mortally wounded his teacher and friend, the centaur Chiron.
After some time, Dejanira learned that Hercules wanted to marry one of his captives. Having soaked the cloak with the blood of Nessus, she sent it as a gift to her husband to return his love. As soon as Hercules put on the cloak, the poison entered his body, causing terrible torment.
To get rid of suffering, Hercules uproots trees, folding them into a huge fire, and lies down on firewood. According to legend, the hero's best friend Philoctetes agreed to set fire to the funeral pyre, for which Hercules promised him his bow and poisoned arrows.
It is believed that Hercules died at the age of fifty, after his death he was accepted among the immortals and ascended to Olympus, where he finally reconciled with Hera and even married her daughter.
Hercules (lat. Heracles, Hercules, in Greek mythology, a hero, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene (Amphitrion's wife). When Amphitryon (who fought against the tribes of teleboys) was absent, Zeus took on his appearance and appeared to Alcmene. After the return of her husband, Alcmene gave birth at the same time sons - Iphicles from her husband and Hercules from Zeus.
Hercules performed 12 labors while he was in the service of the Mycenaean king Eurystheus.
The First Labor of Hercules (Suffocation of the Nemean Lion)
First of all, he obtained the skin of a Nemean lion. Because the lion was invulnerable to arrows, Hercules managed to defeat him only by strangling him with his hands. When he brought the lion to Mycenae, Eurystheus was so frightened that he ordered Hercules to no longer enter the city, but to show the booty in front of the gates of the city. Eurystheus even built himself a bronze pithos in the ground, where he hid from Hercules and communicated with him only through the herald Kopreya.
The Second Labor of Hercules (The Killing of the Lernaean Hydra)
Wearing the skin of a Nemean lion, Hercules went to carry out the second command of Eurystheus - to kill the Lernean hydra, who stole cattle and devastated the lands in the vicinity of Lerna. She had nine heads, of which one was immortal. When Hercules cut off one head, two grew in its place. To help the hydra, Karkin crawled out - a huge cancer and grabbed Hercules in the leg. But Hercules trampled on him and called for help Iolaus (his nephew, who from that time became his faithful companion), who began to cauterize the fresh wounds of the hydra with burning brands, so that the heads could no longer grow back.
Having chopped off the last, immortal head, the winner buried it in the ground, leaning it with a heavy stone. Having cut the body of the hydra, the hero plunged the tips of his arrows into her deadly bile. Eurystheus refused to include this feat among the 10 destined to perform Hercules because Iolaus helped him.
The Third Labor of Heracles (The Destruction of the Stymphalian Birds)
The third feat of Hercules was the expulsion of the Stymphalian birds with sharp iron feathers, which were found in the forest swamp near the city of Stymphalus (in Arcadia) and devoured people. Having received copper rattles made by Hephaestus from Athena, Hercules frightened away the birds with a noise and then killed them; according to another version of the myth, some of the birds were able to fly to an island in Ponte Euxinus, from where they were then driven away by the Argonauts with a cry.
The fourth feat of Hercules (Capture of the Kerinean fallow deer)
The fallow deer that belonged to Artemis had golden horns and copper hooves. Hercules pursued her for a whole year, reaching the land of the Hyperboreans, and caught her, wounding her with an arrow. Apollo and Artemis wanted to take away the doe from him, but Hercules, referring to the order of Eurystheus, took the doe to Mycenae.
The Fifth Labor of Hercules (Taming the Erymanthian Boar)
Then Eurystheus began to demand from Hercules the Erymanthian boar. On the way to Erimanf (in Northern Arcadia), Hercules stopped at the centaur Fola, who began to treat Hercules cordially. Attracted by the smell of wine, other centaurs moved to the Fola cave, armed with stones and tree trunks. In the battle, the centaurs came to the aid of their mother, the goddess of the clouds Nephele, who threw streams of rain to the ground, but Hercules still partly killed, partly dispersed the centaurs. At the same time, Chiron and Phol died by chance; Foul, marveling at the deadly power of the arrows, pulled one of them out of the body of the dead centaur and accidentally dropped it on his leg, and the poison of the hydra instantly killed him. Hercules was able to catch the Erymanthian boar, driving it into deep snow, and carried it bound to Mycenae.
The sixth labor of Hercules (Cleaning the Augean stables)
The sixth feat of Hercules was the cleansing of the manure of the huge barnyard of the king of Elis Avgii. Hercules, in advance, having reprimanded himself from Avgii in the form of a payment, a tenth of his cattle, made holes in the walls of the room where the cattle was, and diverted the waters of the rivers Alpheus and Peneus there. The water washed the stalls. However, when Avgiy learned that Hercules was carrying out the order of Eurystheus, he did not want to pay him off, and Eurystheus, in turn, declared this feat not counted because Hercules performed it for a fee.
Seventh Labor of Hercules (Taming the Cretan Bull)
Then the king ordered Hercules to bring the Cretan bull, which was distinguished by unusual ferocity. With the permission of King Minos, Hercules was able to overpower the bull and delivered it to Eurystheus. After Hercules released the bull, and he, having reached Attica, began to devastate the fields in the vicinity of Marathon.
The Eighth Labor of Hercules (The Stealing of the Horses of Diomedes)
Hercules was ordered to bring the ferocious mares of the Thracian king Diomedes, who had them chained with iron chains to copper stalls and fed them with human meat. Hercules killed Diomedes, and drove the mares to Eurystheus.
The ninth feat of Hercules (Theft of the Girdle of Hippolyta)
After the request of his daughter Admeta, Eurystheus ordered Hercules to get the belt of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. Hippolyta agreed to give the belt to Hercules, who arrived on the ship, but Hera, taking the guise of one of the Amazons, frightened the others with the news that strangers wanted to kidnap Hippolyta. with weapons, jumping on horses, rushed to the aid of their queen. Hercules, deciding that the attack was insidiously set up by Hippolyta, killed her, took possession of the belt and, repelling the attack of the Amazons, boarded the ship.
Sailing near Troy, Hercules saw the daughter of King Laomedont Hesion, chained to a rock and given to be eaten by a sea monster, he promised Laomedont to save the princess, demanding a reward for this, divine horses. Hercules killed the monster (option: jumping into his throat, ripped open his liver, but at the same time lost his hair from the fire emanating from the insides of the beast), but Laomedontne gave the promised horses. Threatened with retribution, Hercules sailed to Mycenae, where he gave the girdle of Hippolyta to Eurystheus.
The tenth feat of Hercules (Kidnapping of the cows of the giant Gerion)
The tenth feat was to deliver to Mycenae the cows of Gerion from the island of Erifia, located far to the west in the ocean. Having reached Tartessus, Hercules placed on the northern and southern shores of the strait separating Europe from Africa, two stone steles, the so-called Pillars of Hercules (option: he moved apart the mountains that closed the exit to the ocean, creating the Strait of Gibraltar. Suffering from the scorching sun during the campaign, he directed his bow on Helios himself, and he, admiring the courage of Hercules, provided him with his golden goblet to travel across the ocean.
After arriving at Erifia, Hercules killed the shepherd Eurytion, and then shot Gerion himself, who had three heads and three fused bodies, from a bow. He plunged the cows into the cup of Helios, crossed the ocean, returned his cup to Helios, drove the cows further by land, overcoming many obstacles on the way. In Italy, the robber Kak was able to steal some of the cows from him, which he drove them into a cave. Hercules could not find them and already drove the rest on, but one of the stolen cows lowed; Hercules killed Kaka and took the stolen cows. Following through Scythia, Hercules met a half-maiden-half-snake and entered into a marriage relationship with her; the sons born from this union became the ancestors of the Scythians. When he drove the cows to Mycenae, the king sacrificed them to Hera.
Eleventh labor of Hercules (Theft of golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides)
Then the king ordered Hercules to bring golden apples from the Hesperides. To find out the way to the Hesperides, Hercules went to the river Eridanus (Po) to the nymphs, the daughters of Zeus and Themis, who advised him to find out the way from the omniscient sea god Nereus. Hercules captured Nereus sleeping on the shore, tied him up and, although he took on different guises, did not let go until Nereus agreed to show him the way to the Hesperides.
The road led first through Tartessus to Libya, where Hercules happened to enter into combat with Antaeus. To defeat Antaeus, Hercules tore him off the ground and strangled him in the air, because he remained invulnerable as long as he was in contact with the ground. Tired of the struggle, Hercules fell asleep, and the pygmies attacked him. When he woke up, he gathered them all in his lion's skin. In Egypt, he was seized and carried to the altar of Zeus to be stabbed, because, by order of King Busiris, all foreigners were sacrificed. But Hercules was able to break the shackles and kill Busiris.
Having crossed to the Caucasus, he freed Prometheus, killing the eagle that tormented him with a bow. Only after that Hercules through the Riphean mountains (Urals) arrived in the country of the Hyperboreans, where Atlant stood, supporting the vault of heaven. On the advice of Prometheus, Hercules sent him for the apples of the Hesperides, taking the vault of heaven on his shoulders. Atlas brought three apples and wished to take them to Eurystheus, so that Hercules would remain to hold the sky.
But Hercules was able to outwit Atlas: he agreed to hold the firmament, but said that he wanted to put a pillow on his head. Atlas took his place, and Hercules took the apples and took them to Eurystheus (option: Hercules himself took the apples from the Hesperides, killing the dragon who guarded them). Eurystheus gave the apples to Hercules, but Athena returned them to the Hesperides.
The twelfth labor of Hercules (Taming the dog Cerberus)
The last, 12 feat of Hercules in the service of Eurystheus was a journey to the kingdom of Hades for the guardian of the underworld, Cerberus. Before this, Hercules received an initiation into the mysteries in Eleusis. Under the ground into the kingdom of the dead, he descended through the entrance, which was located not far from Cape Tenar in Laconia, near the entrance Hercules saw Theseus and Pirithous rooted to the rock, punished for Pirithous's attempt to kidnap Persephone (Theseus took part in the abduction on friendship with Pirithous).
Hercules tore Theseus off the stone and returned him to the ground, but when he tried to free Pirithous, the earth trembled, and Hercules was forced to retreat. The lord of the underworld, Hades, allowed Hercules to take Cerberus away, if only he could defeat him, without weapons. Hercules grabbed Cerberus and began to choke him. Despite the fact that the poisonous snake that Cerberus had instead of a tail bit Hercules, he was able to tame Cerberus and led him to Eurystheus, and then, at his command, took him back.
Two nymphs (Virtue and Virtue) offered our hero, when he was still young, the choice between a pleasant, easy life or a hard, but glorious and full of deeds, and Hercules chose the latter. One of the first trials was given to him by King Thespius, who wanted the hero to kill a lion on Mount Cithaeron. As a reward, the king offered him to impregnate each of his 50 daughters, which Hercules accomplished in one night (sometimes referred to as the 13th labor).
Later, the hero married Megara. sent him a fit of insanity, as a result of which Hercules killed Megara and his children. Our hero went to the Delphic oracle to find out his fate. The oracle was controlled by Hera, which he did not know about. Following the prediction received, the hero went to serve King Eurystheus, for 12 years, carrying out any of his orders. Many victories were won in this service, their description is collected in the book "The Twelve Labors of Hercules", whether this is myth or truth, each reader has the right to decide for himself. The exploits brought the hero great fame and fame. After all, just think, Hercules is known and remembered to this day, after many millennia!
Briefly, the twelve labors of Hercules will be described below.
Feat 1. Nemean Lion
The first task given to Hercules by Eurystheus (the hero's cousin) is to kill and bring his skin. It was believed that Leo was a descendant of Typhon and Echidna. He controlled the lands around Nemea and had a skin so thick that it was impenetrable by any weapon. When Hercules first tried to kill the beast, any of it and arrows, the club from which he pulled straight out of the ground, and a bronze sword) turned out to be ineffective. Finally, the hero threw away the weapon, attacked the Lion with his bare hands and strangled him (in some versions, he broke the Lion's jaw).
Hercules had already lost faith that he could complete the task, because he could not remove the skin from the beast. However, the goddess Athena helped him, saying that the best tool for this is the claws of the animal itself. The twelve labors of Hercules were accomplished with the help of the skin of the Nemean Lion, which was used for protection.
Feat 2. Lernaean Hydra
The second feat was the destruction of a sea creature with many heads and poisonous breath. The monster had so many heads that the ancient artist, painting on a vase, could not depict them all. Arriving in a swamp near Lake Lerna, Hercules covered his mouth and nose with a cloth to protect them from poisonous fumes. He then fired hot arrows into the monster's lair to get its attention. Hercules attacked the Hydra with a sickle. But as soon as he cut off her head, he discovered that two more heads had grown in its place. Then our hero called his nephew, Iolaus, for help. Iolaus (possibly inspired by Athena) suggested using burning firebrands after they cut off the Hydra's head. The animal's own poisonous blood was thus used to burn off the heads so that they could not grow back. When Eurystheus found out that his nephew was helping Hercules, he declared that the feat did not count for him.
Feat 3. Kerinean Doe
Eurystheus was very indignant that Hercules managed to avoid death by completing the two previous tasks, so he decided to spend more time thinking about the third test, which must certainly bring death to the hero. The third task did not involve killing the beast, as Eurystheus thought that Hercules could handle even the most formidable opponents. The king sent him to capture the Kerinean Doe.
There were rumors about this animal that it runs so fast that it can overtake the flight of any arrow. Hercules noticed Doe by the golden sheen of her horns. He pursued her for a year in the expanses of Greece, Thrace, Istria, Hyperborea. Our hero caught Lan when she was exhausted and could not continue to run. Eurystheus gave Hercules this difficult task also because he hoped to provoke the wrath of the goddess Artemis for defiling a sacred animal. As the hero was returning with Lan, he encountered Artemis and Apollo. He asked the goddess for forgiveness, explaining his act by saying that he had to catch the animal in order to atone for his guilt, but promised to return it. Artemis forgave Hercules. But, having arrived with Lanyu to the court, he learned that the animal should remain in the royal menagerie. Hercules knew that he must return the Doe, as promised to Artemis, so he agreed to give it up only on the condition that Eurystheus himself come out and take the animal. The king came out, and at the moment when our hero was handing Lan over to the king, she fled.
Feat 4. Erymanthian Boar
The twelve labors of Hercules are continued by the fourth - the capture of the Erymanthian Boar. On the way to the place of the feat, the hero visited Fall, a kind and hospitable centaur. Hercules dined with him and then asked for wine. Pholus had only one jar, a gift from Dionysus, but the hero convinced him to open the wine. The smell of the drink attracted the other centaurs, who got tipsy from the undiluted wine and attacked. Hercules fired his poisonous arrows at them, forcing the survivors to retreat to Chiron's cave.
Foul, interested in the arrows, took one and dropped it on his leg. The arrow also struck Chiron, who was immortal. Hercules asked Chiron about how to catch the Boar. He replied that it was necessary to drive him into deep snow. Chiron's pain caused by the arrow wound was so strong that he voluntarily gave up immortality. Following his advice, Hercules caught the Boar and brought it to the king. Eurystheus was so frightened by the formidable appearance of the animal that he climbed into his chamber pot and asked Hercules to get rid of the beast. The twelve labors of Hercules, pictures and descriptions of the following labors, see below.
Feat 5. Augean stables
The story "The Twelve Labors of Hercules" continues with the cleansing of the Augean stables in one day. Eurystheus gave the hero such a task in order to humiliate him in the eyes of people, because the previous exploits glorified Hercules. The inhabitants of the stables were a gift from the gods, and therefore they never got sick or died, it was considered impossible to clean them. However, our hero succeeded, he came up with the idea of changing the channels of the rivers Alfei and Penei, which washed away all the dirt.
Augeas was angry because he promised Hercules a tenth of his cattle if the work was done within 24 hours. He refused to keep his promise. Hercules killed him after he completed the task and handed over the administration of the kingdom to Augeas' son, Philaeus.
Feat 6. Stymphalian birds
"The Twelve Labors of Hercules" the author continues with the following feat. Eurystheus ordered Heracles to kill the birds that feed on humans. They were pets of Ares and were forced to fly to Stymphalia to avoid being pursued by a pack of wolves. These birds multiplied rapidly, taking over the countryside and destroying local crops and fruit trees. The forest in which they lived was very dark and dense. Athena and Hephaestus helped Hercules by forging huge brass rattles that frightened the flying birds and helped the hero shoot them down with arrows. The surviving Stymphalian birds never returned to Greece.
Feat 7. Cretan bull
The seventh task of Hercules was to go to the island of Crete, where the local king Minos allowed him to take the bull, as he wreaked havoc on the island. Hercules defeated the bull and sent him back to Athens. Eurystheus wanted to sacrifice the bull to the goddess Hera, who continued to be angry with the hero. She refused to accept such a gift, since it was obtained as a result of the victory of Hercules. The bull was released and went to wander in the vicinity of Marathon. According to another version, he was killed near this city.
Feat 8. Horses of Diomedes
Hercules had to steal the horses. In different versions of the books "The Twelve Labors of Hercules", the names of the labors vary slightly, and the plot also changes somewhat. For example, according to one version, the hero took his friend Abder and other men with him. They stole horses and were pursued by Diomedes and his assistants. Hercules did not know that horses were cannibals and could not be tamed. He left Abder to look after them, while he himself went to fight Diomedes. Abder was eaten by animals. In revenge, Hercules fed Diomedes to his own horses.
According to another version, the hero gathered the animals on the high ground of the peninsula and quickly dug a trench, filling it with water, thus forming an island. When Diomedes arrived, Hercules killed him with the ax used to create the trench and fed his body to the horses. The meal made the horses calmer, and the hero took advantage of this to tie their mouths and send them to Eurystheus. Then the horses were released and began to roam in the vicinity of Argos, having calmed down forever. The twelve labors of Hercules are depicted very picturesquely by ancient artists.
Feat 9. Belt of Hippolyta
The ninth task of Hercules was to receive, at the request of Admeta, the daughter of Eurystheus, the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. The belt was a gift from Ares, the god of war. So the hero came to the land of the Amazons, a famous tribe of female warriors who lived on the banks of the Fermodont River, which flowed through the northeast of Asia Minor and flowed into the Black Sea.
According to one legend, in order to keep their men, to leave them at home, the Amazons broke the arms and legs of male babies, making them unfit for war. According to another legend, they killed all male babies. The left breast of the Amazons was either exposed or cut off so as not to interfere with their use of a bow or throwing spears.
Hippolyta was so fascinated by the hero's muscles and lion skin that she herself gave him the belt without a fight. But Hera, who continued to follow Hercules, took on the appearance of an Amazon and spread a rumor among them that Hercules wanted to kidnap the queen. Amazons rushed to the enemy. In the ensuing battle, the hero killed Hippolyta and received the girdle. He and his companions then defeated the Amazons and returned with the trophy.
Feat 10. Herd of Gerion
Hercules had to go to Erythea to get Gerion's herd. On the way there, he crossed the Libyan desert and was so annoyed by the heat that he shot an arrow at the Sun. The luminary was delighted with his exploits and gave him a golden boat, which he used every night to cross the sea from west to east. Hercules reached Erythea on a boat. As soon as he set foot on this land, he encountered a two-headed dog, Orff. With one blow, our hero killed the watchdog. The shepherd came to the aid of Orph, but Hercules dealt with him in exactly the same way.
Hearing the noise, Gerion himself went out to the hero with three shields, three spears and three helmets. He pursued Hercules on the Antemus River, but fell victim to an arrow dipped in the poisonous blood of the Lernaean Hydra. The arrow was fired with such force that the hero pierced Geryon's forehead with it. The herd was sent to Eurystheus.
To annoy Hercules, Hera sent a gadfly that stung the animals, forcing them to scatter. It took the hero a year to gather the herd. Then Hera made a flood, raising the level of the river so that Hercules, along with the herd, could not cross it. Then our hero threw stones into the water and made the water level lower. Eurystheus sacrificed the flock to the goddess Hera.
Feat 11. Apples of the Hesperides
Eurystheus did not count two feats to Hercules, since they were accomplished with the help of others or by bribery, so he assigned two additional tasks to the hero. The first of these was to steal apples from the garden of the Hesperides. Hercules first caught Nereus, the god who took the form of a wave of the sea, and asked him where the garden was located. Then he deceived Atlas, promising him some golden apples if he agreed to hold the sky for a while. When the hero returned, Atlas decided that he did not want to hold the sky any longer, and offered to deliver the apples himself. Hercules again deceived him, agreeing to take his place on the condition that he hold the sky for a while so that the hero could straighten his cloak. Atlas agreed, but Hercules left and never returned.
On the way back, our hero had to endure many adventures. In Libya, he met the giant Antaeus, the son of Gaia and Poseidon, who loved to fight his guests to the point of exhaustion and then kill them. As they fought, Hercules realized that the giant's strength and energy was renewed each time he fell to the ground, as the Earth was his mother. Then the hero lifted the giant high into the air and crushed him with his hands.
Arriving in the Caucasus Mountains, he met the titan Prometheus, who was chained to a rock for 30,000 years. Taking pity on him, Hercules killed the eagle feasting on the liver of a titan every day for all these years. Then he went to the wounded centaur Chiron, see feat 4 ("The Twelve Labors of Hercules", summary), who begged him to release him from pain.
When the hero finally brought Eurystheus, the king immediately gave him the fruits back, since they belonged to Hera and could not remain outside the garden. Hercules gave them to Athena, who returned the apples to their place.
Feat 12. Taming Cerberus
The twelve labors of Hercules are closed by the taming of Cerberus from the underworld of Hades. Hades was the god of the dead and ruler of the underworld. The hero went first to Eleusis in order to be initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries and be able to enter the underworld and return from there alive, and at the same time to absolve himself of guilt for the murder of centaurs. Athena and Hermes helped him find the entrance to the underworld.
Hercules passed Charon, the transporter of shadows, with the help of Hermes. In hell, he freed Theseus, but when he tried to free his friend Pirithous, an earthquake began, and the hero was forced to leave him in the underworld. Both friends were imprisoned for trying to kidnap Persephone, the wife of Hades, and were magically chained to a stone. The magic spell was so strong that when Hercules freed Theseus, part of his thighs remained on the stone.
The hero appeared before the throne of Hades and Persephone and asked permission to take Cerberus. The gods agreed, but on the condition that he did not harm him. According to one version, Persephone gave her consent because Hercules was her brother. Then our hero took the dog Eurystheus, passing through a cave at the entrance to the Peloponnese. When he returned with Cerberus to the palace, Eurystheus was so frightened of the formidable beast that he jumped into a large vessel to escape from him. From the saliva of a dog that fell to the ground, the first poisonous plants grew, including aconite.
You have read "The Twelve Labors of Hercules", a summary. An entire book is devoted to these exploits. The collection "The Twelve Labors of Hercules" Kuhn compiled, bringing together all the exploits of the hero. Another option was proposed by a Russian writer. In the book "The Twelve Labors of Hercules" Ouspensky outlined his vision no less interesting.
Cinema has not been left out of these exciting myths either. The film "The Twelve Labors of Hercules" exists in many versions in different countries of the world, there are even series dedicated to these events.
Ancient Greek mythology is filled with stories of great conquerors, brave warriors and romantic heroes. In a series of divine daredevils, the son, Hercules, stands out. The exploits of a man are retold from generation to generation for many centuries, and the masculinity of a brave man is admired even by modern emancipated girls.
History of creation
It is impossible to know the author of the myths about the ancient Greek demigod. Like any folk art, the legend of Hercules was formed and grew with the help of a large number of people. It is known for certain that Pausanias also made a significant contribution to the spread of legends.
Literary analysis and processing of the works of ancient philosophers allowed Nikolai Kun to release a collection of stories "Myths of Ancient Greece", which describes in detail the life of the great hero.
The appearance of the future god attracts attention. The young man grew a head taller than those around him (according to other sources, he is not tall). Hercules is a brunette with a curly beard. The eyes of a brave man glow with a special divine light. A physically developed daredevil is endowed with incredible strength and power.
The character of Hercules is distinguished by waywardness and irascibility. Already during his studies, the young man, in a fit of anger, killed the teacher with a hated cithara. A feature of the son of Zeus is hidden madness. Under the pressure of this feeling, Hercules will kill his own children and wife in the future.
The ancient Greeks justified the behavior of their beloved hero by the act of Hera. The wife of Zeus, tormented by jealousy, sent a mental illness to the demigod. However, Hera often put spokes in the wheels of a young hero.
The beginning of the legend of the great warrior and brave man is counted from the moment of his birth. The head of Olympus was captivated by the beauty of the princess Alcmene and, reincarnated as her husband, visited the woman. The son of the god Zeus and Alcmene is one of the twins. The younger brother of the future hero is conceived from the legitimate husband of the princess. The boys received sonorous names - Alkid and Iphiklon. Later, at the insistence of the great seer, the eldest son will be renamed Hercules.
Inspired by the birth of a descendant, Zeus promises that the firstborn from the Perseus clan will rule over all relatives:
“Hear, gods and goddesses, what I will tell you: it is my heart that tells me to say! Today a great hero will be born; he will rule over all his relatives who descend from my son, the great Perseus.
Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus, uses a spell to hasten the birth of another child. Now Hercules, who was born the second in the family of Perseus, must serve the prince Eurystheus. To make amends for his arrogance and long tongue, Zeus agrees with the gods on a small concession for his son. Hercules must perform 12 labors for the ruler, and then Eurystheus will free his relative from captivity.
Many years later, the matured hero succumbs to another attack of madness and kills his beloved wife, children and younger brother. To atone for guilt, the son of Zeus went to Eurystheus to serve.
The Twelve Labors of Hercules
The wanderings of Hercules begin with the destruction of the Nemean lion. A huge monster destroyed all life around the city of Nemea. The hero tried to kill the lion with an arrow, but the weapon bounced off the skin of the beast. The son of Zeus had to strangle the lion with his bare hands. In honor of the first feat, Hercules established the Nemean Games. Eurystheus was horrified when he realized all the strength and power of a relative. Now Hercules is forbidden to approach the ruler's house.
The second feat of the daredevil was the murder of the Lernean Hydra. The monster had several heads, in place of the log house of each of which two new ones grew. The long confrontation ended with the victory of Hercules. The poison oozing from the rad hydra was used by the warrior for his arrows. From now on, every shot of a demigod is fatal.
The third task was the Stymphalian Birds. The half-sister of the hero, Athena, helped to cope with the birds, whose feathers and claws were made of bronze. The goddess provided her brother with a special tool that made a fuss. The birds soared into the sky, and the brave man shot down the monsters. Those who survived left Greece forever and never returned.
The fourth feat is the Kerinean doe, which devastated the fields. The furious brave man drove the animal around the world for a year, but could not catch up with the beast. Then Hercules wounded the doe in the leg. Such an act angered the owner of the fallow deer, the goddess Artemis. The hero had to humiliately ask for forgiveness from his sister:
“Oh, great daughter of Latona, do not blame me! I did not pursue your doe of my own free will, but at the command of Eurystheus.
The fifth order of the ruler of Mycenae was the murder of the Erymanthian boar. Having found his prey in the middle of the forest, the daredevil screamed and drove the boar into the mountains. We managed to tie up a huge monster stuck in the snow. Hercules delivered the trophy to the castle to the ruler alive, which caused a great commotion.
The next task was to clear the Augean stables. Augeus, the son of the god Helios, owned a huge herd. To clear the rubble, Hercules broke the walls of the stable and directed the riverbeds there. The waters washed out all the manure from the premises and the yard of Avgii.
The seventh commission for the son of Zeus was the Cretan bull. Eurystheus wanted to take possession of the bull, which Poseidon sent to Crete for a bad offering. The ancient Greek hero caught and tamed the monster. But the ruler was afraid to leave the bull in his herd. The monster of Poseidon gained freedom and fled to other lands.
The next whim of the cowardly king was the horses of Diomedes. Magnificent animals lived in Thrace. For many years, horses were fed only human meat. Diomedes did not want to part with his wealth, a great fight took place. Hercules emerged victorious from the battle. Eurystheus did not want to leave the horses to himself and released them into the wild. Animals were torn to pieces in the forests by wild animals.
The ninth commission is the girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. The girl happily gave the jewelry to Hercules, but Hera inspired the warlike women that the hero was planning evil:
“Hercules is not telling the truth,” Hera told the Amazons, “he came to you with insidious intent: the hero wants to kidnap your queen Hippolyta and take her as a slave to his house.”
Women rushed to the attack, but the great warrior and his friends won. The demigod captured Hippolyta's best fighter. The Amazon gave the belt in exchange for the life of her beloved maid.
The tenth task for the hero was the cows of Geryon. The brave man traveled for a long time to the secret pasture of the animals. To steal the herd, Hercules killed the two-headed dog Orfo and the giant Eurytion. On the way back, Hera sent rabies to the herd. The hero had to chase the cows for a long time, which did not want to leave their native places.
The penultimate feat of the courageous brave man was the abduction of Cerberus. Having descended into the realm of the dead, Hercules begged for permission to fight the monster. If the hero wins, he will take the creepy dog with him. Hades, the lord of Cerberus, did not believe that the demigod would overcome his dog and gave permission. But the son of Zeus coped with the task.
The final task for Hercules is the golden fruits of the Hesperides. The one who touches the magic apples will be equal to the gods. But only the titan Atlas can pluck the magical fruits. By cunning, Hercules persuaded a powerful creature to pick apples and give them to him. The son of Zeus brought fruit to his master. Only Eurystheus did not need gifts. The king suffered that for 12 years he could not destroy the famous hero.
Screen adaptations
The myths of ancient Greece are fertile ground for film adaptation. The film about the adventures of a demigod was first released in 1957. The main role went to actor and bodybuilder Steve Reeves. The Italian film tells about the search for the Golden Fleece and does not affect the main mythology. The audience liked the film, so it received a sequel - "The Labors of Hercules: Hercules and Queen Lydia."
In 1970, the role of the hero went to another bodybuilder -. The tape "Hercules in New York" tells about the adventures of the character in modern America. The film was the debut of the future governor in the cinema.
The athletically built character attracts many bodybuilders. In the film, directed by Luigi Cozzi in 1983, Lou Ferrigno played the same role. The character of a bodybuilder enters into a confrontation with King Minos. Two years later, the film crew filmed a continuation of the picture.
The next appearance of the Greek hero was the television musical film "Merry Chronicle of a Dangerous Journey", which was filmed in the USSR. , the director of the picture, showed the audience his view on the adventures of the Argonauts. The part of the son of Zeus was performed by Roman Rtskhiladze.
In 1995, the first full-fledged series about Hercules appeared. The image of the main character brought to life. The actors and the roles they played glorified the work of the ancient Greeks. The multi-part film is a free interpretation of myths that affect many deities and heroes.
In parallel, Hercules performed by Kevin Sorbo appeared in another epic. "Xena - Warrior Princess", released simultaneously with the adventures of the demigod, was in great demand. The producers had to close the picture, which tells about the confrontation between Hercules and the forces of evil.
The year 2005 was marked by a new film adaptation of the difficult heroic life of a Greek. This time the main role went to Paul Telfer. Fantasy, which tells about the 12 deeds of the heroic demigod, passed in the world box office unnoticed by most.
A different result was achieved by the picture "Hercules: The Beginning of the Legend" in 2014. Actors, including (the lead actor) received nominations for the Golden Raspberry, an award that glorifies the worst films of our time.
In the same year, another tape, which tells about an ancient Greek character, saw the light. The film "Hercules" is an adaptation of the comic book "Hercules: The Thracian Wars" by Steve Moore. The main role went to a hereditary wrestler.
In addition to full-length films and serials, the brave man from myths appears in computer games, musical works and cartoons.
- In the stables of King Avgii, horses were not kept at all. Bulls and goats lived in a neglected building.
- The name of the hero in Greece is Hercules, the Romans called the same character Hercules.
- The demigod died through the fault of his wife, who was jealous of her husband for a slave.
- The city seal of Florence is decorated with the image of the famous Hercules.
- The Greek hero died at the age of 52.
- The main attributes of a demigod are the skin of a lion and a wooden club.
Quotes
“I don’t remember such love on their faces since Narcissus looked in the mirror.”
“If the waves are carrying us in the same direction, then maybe we shouldn’t resist them.”
“Good is fraught with great power!”
"History is a chronicle of wars, and wars are chronicles of suffering, written by mothers' tears."
"The gods are generous with events, but stingy with details."
Ancient Greek culture left behind a rich heritage. Among the many myths about almighty gods and beautiful goddesses, the myth of "12 Labors of Hercules" stands out. The son of the god Zeus and Alcmene - the invincible strongman Hercules - became famous for his outstanding exploits when he was in the service of the Mycenaean king Eurystheus.
For better preparation for the literature lesson, we recommend reading the online summary of the “12 Labors of Hercules” chapter by chapter. A brief description of each feat is also useful for the reader's diary.
Main characters
Hercules- the son of Zeus, a brave and courageous young man, endowed with remarkable strength.
Other characters
Eurystheus- the cowardly king of Mycenae, to whose service Hercules was assigned.
Zeus- a powerful thunder god, the main of the host of the Olympian gods, the father of Hercules.
Athena Pallas- invincible warrior, goddess of wisdom and knowledge, patroness of Hercules.
Hera- the supreme goddess, the wife of Zeus, who, out of jealousy for Hercules, arranged all sorts of intrigues for him.
First feat. Nemean lion
The first assignment of the "weak, cowardly Eurystheus" was to kill the Nemean lion. It was an incredible predator, "spawned by Typhon and Echidna", which inspired fear in the inhabitants of the city of Nemea.
Hercules obediently went in search of a bloodthirsty lion. He climbed high into the mountains, and wandered for a long time through the wooded slopes and gorges, trying to find the lair of this monster. Finally, he reached the goal of his journey - it was a large cave with two exits, one of which Hercules filled up with rock fragments, and he himself "began to wait for the lion, hiding behind the stones".
As dusk approached, "a monstrous lion with a long, shaggy mane appeared." One after another, Hercules fired three arrows at him from his bow, but they all bounced off the animal skin, hard as steel. The lion growled furiously, and prepared to attack. He jumped on his offender, but Hercules managed to get his club out and knocked the lion down with a powerful blow. Without a moment's hesitation, the hero "rushed at the lion, wrapped his mighty arms around him and strangled him."
Having loaded the carcass of the lion he had killed, Hercules went to Nemea, where, in memory of the feat he had committed, he established the Nemean games. King Eurystheus, seeing what monster Hercules could defeat with his bare hands, was seriously scared.
Second feat. lernaean hydra
Eurystheus gave the next task to Hercules - to kill the Lernean hydra. This "monster with the body of a snake and nine heads of a dragon" was also the offspring of Echidna and Typhon. It hid from human eyes in a large swamp near the city of Lerna, and came to the surface only to satisfy its exorbitant appetite.
The hydra's greatest danger was that "one of its heads was immortal". Hercules called on Iolaus to help in the fight against the invincible monster. Finding the lair of the hydra, Hercules lured her to the surface with red-hot arrows. He fearlessly began to cut off heads one after another, but "in place of each knocked head" the hydra began to grow two new ones.
At that moment, a huge crayfish crawled out of the swamp, and grabbed the hero's leg with its claw. Realizing that he alone could not cope with two monsters, Hercules called Iolaus for help. The young man killed the cancer and began to cauterize the severed necks of the hydra with fire so that new heads would not grow.
With the last inhuman effort, Hercules defeated the Lernean hydra. He buried the immortal head deep, and smeared his arrows with the poisonous bile of the hydra. Hercules returned in triumph to Mycenae, but there he was already waiting for a new task for Eurystheus.
Third feat. Stymphalian birds
Huge bloodthirsty birds, which turned the once rich land into a real desert, became a real torment for the inhabitants of the city of Stimfal. Attacking people and livestock, they ruthlessly tore them apart with "their copper claws and beaks". In addition, they deftly wielded sharp copper feathers, which they used like arrows, dropping them on the enemy or victim.
Hercules thought about it - the third task of Eurystheus turned out to be very difficult. The goddess Pallas Athena came to the rescue, who advised the hero to go to the nesting place of the Stymphalian birds, strike loudly at the magic copper timpani, and then shoot the feathered predators with a bow.
Hercules did just that. When he struck the timpani, "there was such a deafening ringing" that the birds took to the air in horror and began to circle chaotically. Hercules took a bow, poisoned arrows and killed a lot of copper birds, and the survivors left Greece forever.
Fourth move. kerinean fallow deer
The next task of Hercules was the capture of an extraordinary Kerinean fallow deer, sent by the "goddess Artemis to punish people." Thin-legged, golden-horned, extraordinarily beautiful, this doe rushed through the mountains and dales, like the wind.
During the year, Hercules pursued the elusive doe, and overtook her only after he wounded her in the leg with an arrow. He wanted to go with his valuable booty to Mycenae, but an angry Artemis blocked his way. The goddess was very unhappy that the hero had injured her beloved doe. She took pity only after Hercules asked for forgiveness for his act, which he did not of his own free will.
Fifth move. Erymanthian boar and the battle with the centaurs
After the fourth feat, Hercules did not enjoy his rest for long - Eurystheus ordered him to kill the Erymanthian boar. It was a huge beast, "possessing monstrous strength" and devastating the surroundings of Psophis.
On the way to Mount Erimanfu, where the boar lived, Hercules decided to visit "the wise centaur Fola". To celebrate, Fall arranged a real feast, opening wine for the dear guest, the wonderful fragrance of which reached the other centaurs. They were terribly angry with Fol because he bought a vessel with valuable wine that belonged to all the centaurs, and attacked the feasters. However, Hercules did not lose his head, and quickly put to flight the impudent ones, who found shelter with Chiron, “the wisest of the centaurs”, a close friend of Hercules.
By chance, the hero wounded Chiron with a poisoned arrow, and he, not wanting to die in torment, "voluntarily descended into the dark kingdom of Hades." Suppressed by the swishing, Hercules went in search of the Erymanthian bull. He found him in a dense forest, and after a short chase he caught him, tied him tightly and "carried him alive to Mycenae." King Eurystheus, seeing the defeated monster, "hid himself in a large bronze vessel out of fear."
The sixth feat. Animal Farm of King Avgiy
After a while, Eurystheus instructed Hercules to go to King Avgiy, the son of the "radiant Helios", who became famous for his innumerable riches. The main pride of Avgiy were numerous herds of beautiful bulls, and Hercules had to "cleanse the entire barnyard" of the king from manure.
In turn, the hero offered Augeus a deal - to clean out the entire barnyard in one day in exchange for a tenth of the cattle. Realizing that it was impossible to do this, Avgiy agreed. Hercules broke one of the walls of the barnyard, directed the channels of two neighboring rivers there, and the water “carried away all the manure in one day”, after which Hercules again laid down the wall.
When the hero demanded payment from the king, he refused to share his bulls with him. Hercules did not forget the insult inflicted on him, and a few years later he returned to Augeas and "killed him with his deadly arrow." He sacrificed part of the rich booty to the gods of Olympus, and organized the famous Olympic Games, which since then have been held by the Greeks every four years.
The seventh feat. Cretan bull
To fulfill the next order of the Mycenaean king, Hercules had to go to the distant island of Crete in order to "bring the Cretan bull to Mycenae."
The king of Crete - Minos - was supposed to sacrifice this mighty bull to Poseidon. The ruler was sorry to part with such a beautiful bull, and he replaced it with another animal. Upon learning of this, Poseidon was terribly angry with Minos, and sent a monstrous rage to the bull.
Since then, the cursed bull has been running all over the island, "destroying everything in its path." Local residents fled in fear, barely seeing columns of dust in the distance, knocked out from under the hooves of an angry bull. And only the strong man Hercules managed to catch him and subjugate him to his will. Riding the bull's broad back, Hercules "sailed across the sea from Crete to the Peloponnese".
Fearing the wrath of Poseidon, Eurystheus did not dare to leave the Cretan bull in his herd, and set him free.
Eighth feat. Horses of Diomedes
Having tamed the Cretan bull, Hercules went to Thrace, to King Diomedes, who had "horses of marvelous beauty and strength." They were so powerful that in the stalls they were not tied with fetters, and they were chained with iron chains. The horses of Diomedes ate exclusively human meat.
Hercules easily took possession of the unusual horses and led them to his ship. Upon learning of the loss, Diomedes with his army rushed in pursuit, but the hero managed to win in an unequal battle.
When Hercules brought the zealous horses to Eurystheus, he let them go free in fear.
The ninth move. Belt of Hippolyta
The journey "to the country of the Amazons behind the belt of Queen Hippolyta" went down in history as the ninth feat of Hercules. The belt was presented to the queen of the Amazons by the god of war Ares himself, and she highly valued it as a symbol of her power. Upon learning of this, the daughter of Eurystheus was inflamed with a desire to get him. The Mycenaean king, always fulfilling the whims of his daughter, sent Hercules for the belt.
The hero and his faithful comrades had to overcome a difficult path to get to the kingdom of the Amazons. However, the fame of his extraordinary exploits reached even such distant lands.
Hippolyta is so fascinated by Hercules that "she was already ready to voluntarily give him the belt." But at that moment, under the guise of an Amazon, Hera appeared, who fiercely hated Hercules, and began to spread rumors that he wanted to kidnap the great queen and "take her away as a slave to his house".
Believing Hera, the Amazons rushed to Hercules and his army. In a fierce battle, many of them died. To save her faithful warriors, Hippolyta made peace with Hercules, and gave her belt as an offering.
Tenth feat. Cows of Gerion
Returning with a valuable trophy to Mycenae, Hercules received a new task - to drive to the king "the cows of the great Geryon, the son of Chrysaor and the oceanid Kalliroi".
The hero went on a long journey. Before reaching the goal, he had to go "through Africa, through the barren deserts of Libya, through the countries of wild barbarians." Once at the "shores of the gray ocean", the son of Zeus thought about how to get him to the island. At that moment, the chariot of the shining god Helios appeared. The sun's rays blinded the hero, and he, in anger, "grabbed his formidable bow."
However, Helios was not angry with him - on the contrary, he offered to take him to the island on his golden boat. As soon as Hercules stepped on the ground, “the formidable two-headed dog Orfo sensed him and rushed at the hero with barking.” Having dealt with the monstrous dog, he began to fight the giant Eurytion, the shepherd of the royal flock.
Hearing the noise of the battle, Geryon himself appeared - a giant who "had three bodies, three heads, six arms and six legs." It was not easy for Hercules to defeat such an opponent, and "the great warrior Pallas Athena" came to his aid.
Having defeated the three-bodied giant, Hercules safely ferried the herd across the stormy Ocean in the golden boat of Helios. However, the road to Mycenae was not easy - "the goddess Hera sent rabies to the whole herd." As a result, the cows fled, and with great difficulty the hero managed to gather them back into a herd. When the cows were at Eurystheus, he immediately "sacrificeed them to the great goddess Hera".
Eleventh feat. kerberus
Having not rested after the tenth feat, Hercules went to carry out the next assignment of Eurystheus. He was supposed to descend into the gloomy kingdom of Hades and bring to the king "the terrible hellish dog Kerberus", who had three heads, and the tail "ended in the head of a dragon with a huge mouth."
Hercules descended into the underworld with the help of Hermes and Pallas Athena. During the journey, the hero had a chance to see many horrors before he appeared before the ruler of the kingdom of the dead - Hades, and his wife Persephone. Hercules managed to conquer the gods with his courage and unprecedented strength.
The hero admitted that it was against his will that he ended up in a dark kingdom, and was forced to fulfill the order of King Eurystheus. Hades graciously allowed Hercules to take Kerberus with him, but only if he managed to tame the terrible dog.
Having found Kerberos, Hercules wrapped his powerful arms around his neck and squeezed him until the dog was exhausted. Then the hero took him to Eurystheus, but with only one glance at the underground monster, he began on his knees to beg Hercules to take him back to Hades.
Twelfth feat. Apples of the Hesperides
The most difficult for Hercules was "his last, twelfth feat." Eurystheus instructed him to go to the titan Atlas, who "holds the vault of heaven on his shoulders", and steal three golden apples from his gardens. These magical fruits grew on a golden tree, and the daughters of the titan, the Hesperides, looked after them.
The task was complicated by the fact that "no one knew the way to the Hesperides and Atlas", and Hercules had to wander around Asia and Europe for a long time. Taking pity on the son of Zeus, the beautiful nymphs "gave him advice on how to find out the way to the gardens of the Hesperides." To do this, he had to surprise the “sea prophetic old man Nereus” - only he alone knew the right path to Atlas and his daughters.
On the way, Hercules had to fight the invincible giant Antaeus, who drew strength from the earth - his mother Gaia. Having solved the secret of Antaeus, Hercules lifted him high above the ground. When the enemy's strength ran out, the hero strangled him.
Hercules had to meet many more dangers on his way before he "reached the ends of the earth, where the great titan Atlas stood." With great reverence, he asked the titan to take three golden apples from his famous orchards.
Atlas invited Hercules to hold "the vault of heaven on his shoulders" while he goes for apples. The hero agreed, and immediately "an incredible weight fell on the shoulders of the son of Zeus." With great difficulty he held the vault of heaven, his strength was fading before his eyes. Hercules realized that the titan wanted to change places with him by cunning, and he had no choice but to deceive Atlas himself. He took the apples and with a clear conscience went to Mycenae.
Eurystheus was quite surprised that Hercules managed to accomplish such a great feat, and presented him with golden blocks. As a token of gratitude, the hero presented them to his patroness, Pallas Athena, and she, in turn, “returned the apples to the Hesperides so that they would forever remain in the gardens.”
After the successful completion of the twelfth feat, Hercules "was freed from the service of Eurystheus." New heroic adventures awaited him ahead...
Conclusion
The greatest hero of ancient Greece for many years riveted attention not only to his brave deeds, but also to the unimaginable suffering that fell to his lot. His courage, endurance and fortitude invariably aroused respect and admiration.
A brief retelling of the "12 Labors of Hercules" will be especially useful in preparing for a literature lesson.
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