🏛️Greek and Roman Myths Unit 12 – Hercules and the Twelve Labors

Who's Hercules?

• Son of Zeus and Alcmene, a mortal woman, making Hercules a demigod with extraordinary strength and abilities
• Known as Heracles in Greek mythology and Hercules in Roman mythology, though the myths are largely the same
• Often depicted as a muscular man wearing a lion skin (usually the Nemean Lion) and wielding a large club
• Considered a hero in Greek mythology due to his bravery, strength, and numerous adventures and labors
• Patron of athletes, with many athletes praying to him for strength and success in their endeavors
• Embodies the ideal of the strong, heroic man in Greek culture, admired for his masculinity and power
• His life and adventures serve as moral lessons, showcasing the importance of strength, perseverance, and redemption

The Backstory

• Hercules was born to Zeus and Alcmene, the wife of Amphitryon, after Zeus disguised himself as Amphitryon to seduce her
• Hera, Zeus' wife, was jealous of Hercules and sought to make his life difficult from the start
  • She sent two snakes to kill him in his crib, but the infant Hercules strangled them, showing his immense strength
• As an adult, Hercules married Megara and had children, but Hera drove him to madness, causing him to kill his family
• Seeking atonement for his actions, Hercules consulted the Oracle of Delphi, who instructed him to serve King Eurystheus for 12 years and perform any tasks the king asked of him
  • These tasks became known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules
• By completing these labors, Hercules sought to cleanse himself of his sins and earn immortality, as promised by the gods

The Twelve Labors: An Overview

• King Eurystheus assigned Hercules twelve labors, each more challenging than the last, as a way to atone for his sins
• The labors took Hercules all over the ancient Greek world, from the Peloponnese to the far reaches of the Mediterranean
• Each labor required Hercules to use his strength, cunning, and bravery to overcome mythical beasts, dangerous obstacles, and seemingly impossible tasks
• Some of the most famous labors include slaying the Nemean Lion, capturing the Erymanthian Boar, and cleaning the Augean Stables
• Other labors involved capturing mythical creatures alive, such as the Ceryneian Hind, the Cretan Bull, and Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the Underworld
• The Twelve Labors served as a test of Hercules' heroic qualities and his worthiness for immortality
• Through his successful completion of the labors, Hercules proved his strength, resilience, and determination, cementing his status as one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology

Breaking Down the Labors

1. Nemean Lion
   • Hercules was tasked with slaying the Nemean Lion, a monstrous lion with an impenetrable hide
   • He strangled the lion with his bare hands and used its claws to skin it, making a cloak from the hide
2. Lernaean Hydra
   • The Hydra was a multi-headed serpent that grew two heads whenever one was cut off
   • Hercules, with the help of his nephew Iolaus, cauterized each neck after cutting off the heads to prevent regeneration
3. Ceryneian Hind
   • Hercules had to capture the golden-horned Ceryneian Hind, sacred to Artemis, without harming it
   • He chased the hind for a year before capturing it and later released it unharmed
4. Erymanthian Boar
   • Hercules was tasked with capturing the giant Erymanthian Boar, which he chased until it tired, then trapped it in a net
5. Augean Stables
   • Hercules had to clean the vast Augean Stables, which housed thousands of cattle and had not been cleaned for years
   • He diverted two rivers to flow through the stables, washing away the filth in a single day
6. Stymphalian Birds
   • These man-eating birds had bronze beaks, wings, and claws, and infested the woods around Lake Stymphalia
   • Using a rattle given to him by Athena, Hercules startled the birds and shot them with his arrows as they flew away
7. Cretan Bull
   • Hercules was tasked with capturing the wild Cretan Bull, father of the Minotaur
   • He wrestled the bull to the ground and brought it back to King Eurystheus
8. Mares of Diomedes
   • Diomedes, a giant, owned four man-eating mares that Hercules had to capture
   • He fed Diomedes to the mares to calm them, then bound their mouths shut and led them to Eurystheus
9. Belt of Hippolyta
   • Hercules was sent to retrieve the belt of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons
   • After initial conflict, Hippolyta agreed to give Hercules the belt, but Hera spread a rumor that he intended to kidnap the queen, leading to a battle in which Hercules and his men emerged victorious
10. Cattle of Geryon
    • Geryon was a three-bodied giant who owned a herd of red cattle that Hercules was tasked with stealing
    • Hercules killed Geryon and his two-headed dog, Orthrus, then herded the cattle back to Eurystheus
11. Apples of the Hesperides
    • Hercules had to retrieve the golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides, which was guarded by the dragon Ladon
    • He convinced Atlas, who held up the sky, to get the apples for him, then tricked Atlas into taking back the sky
12. Cerberus
    • For his final labor, Hercules had to capture Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to the Underworld
    • With Hades' permission, Hercules wrestled Cerberus and brought him to Eurystheus, who cowered in fear at the sight of the beast

Themes and Symbolism

• The Twelve Labors represent the hero's journey, a common theme in mythology, where the protagonist must overcome challenges and obstacles to achieve a goal or redemption
• Each labor symbolizes a different aspect of the human struggle, such as facing one's fears (Nemean Lion), overcoming seemingly impossible odds (Lernaean Hydra), or the importance of perseverance (Ceryneian Hind)
• Hercules' use of wit and strategy in addition to his strength (Augean Stables, Apples of the Hesperides) highlights the importance of intelligence and resourcefulness in overcoming challenges
• The labors also demonstrate the power of the gods and the role of fate in human lives, as Hercules' destiny is shaped by the whims of the gods, particularly Hera's jealousy and Zeus' favor
• Hercules' ultimate success in completing the labors and achieving immortality symbolizes the human potential for greatness and the ability to overcome even the most daunting obstacles through perseverance and strength of character

Cultural Impact

• The Twelve Labors of Hercules have had a lasting impact on Western culture, inspiring countless works of art, literature, and popular media
• Hercules has become a symbol of strength, courage, and heroism, with his name often invoked to describe people who display these qualities
• The labors have been depicted in ancient Greek and Roman art, such as pottery and sculptures, as well as in more modern art forms like paintings and films
• The story of Hercules has been adapted and reinterpreted in various ways, from ancient plays like Euripides' "Heracles" to modern movies like Disney's "Hercules" (1997)
• Elements of the Twelve Labors have been incorporated into modern language and idioms, such as "Herculean task" to describe a challenging or seemingly impossible undertaking
• The Twelve Labors have also influenced psychology, with the term "Hercules complex" referring to a personality type characterized by an exaggerated sense of strength and invincibility
• The enduring popularity of the Hercules myth demonstrates the universal appeal of the hero's journey and the human fascination with stories of strength, perseverance, and redemption

Key Takeaways

• Hercules, son of Zeus and Alcmene, was a Greek demigod known for his extraordinary strength and bravery
• To atone for killing his family in a fit of madness induced by Hera, Hercules had to complete twelve labors assigned by King Eurystheus
• The Twelve Labors included slaying monsters (Nemean Lion, Lernaean Hydra), capturing mythical creatures (Ceryneian Hind, Erymanthian Boar, Cretan Bull), and performing seemingly impossible tasks (cleaning the Augean Stables)
• Each labor tested Hercules' strength, courage, and wit, and required him to travel across the ancient Greek world
• The labors symbolize various aspects of the human struggle and the importance of perseverance, resourcefulness, and strength of character in overcoming challenges
• By completing the Twelve Labors, Hercules achieved redemption for his sins and earned his place among the gods as an immortal
• The story of Hercules and his labors has had a lasting impact on Western culture, inspiring countless works of art, literature, and popular media, and becoming a timeless symbol of heroism and human potential

Beyond the Labors

• After completing the Twelve Labors, Hercules continued to have adventures and perform heroic deeds throughout his life
• He participated in the Argonautic expedition, helping Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece
• Hercules also fought alongside the gods in the Gigantomachy, the battle between the Olympian gods and the Giants
• He married Deianira, but accidentally killed himself with a poisoned robe that she gave him, thinking it would ensure his love for her
• Upon his death, Hercules was welcomed into the pantheon of Olympian gods, where he married Hebe, the goddess of youth
• In some versions of the myth, Hercules also freed Prometheus from his eternal punishment of being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten daily by an eagle
• The Romans adopted Hercules into their mythology, and he became a popular figure in Roman art and literature
• Hercules' cult spread throughout the ancient world, with many cities and towns claiming a connection to the hero and establishing temples and shrines in his honor
• The legacy of Hercules extends beyond the ancient world, with his name and image continuing to be used in modern times as a symbol of strength, courage, and perseverance