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Origin. Many popular stories were told of his life, the most famous being The Twelve Labours of Heracles; Alexandrian poets of the Hellenistic age drew his mythology into a high poetic and tragic atmosphere. [6] His figure, which initially drew on Near Eastern motifs such as the lion-fight, was widely known.
As is almost typical in the case of heroes, Heracles was the product of a union of a mortal woman ( Alcmene) and a god ( Zeus ). In Heracles’ case, even his mother was of a noteworthy parentage: Alcmene was the granddaughter of Perseus, possibly Greece’s greatest hero before Heracles.
Hercules battles Achelous, metamorphed into a serpent, 1824, by François Joseph Bosio. Louvre LL 325. [1] Hercules ( / ˈhɜːrkjʊˌliːz /, US: /- kjə -/) [2] is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena.
Jun 18, 2024 · Heracles, one of the most famous Greco-Roman legendary heroes. Traditionally, Heracles was the son of Zeus and Alcmene. Suffering the vengeful persecution of Hera, Heracles faced continual challenges, the first of which was two serpents that she sends to kill him in his cradle.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- The Nemean Lion. First, Apollo sent Hercules to the hills of Nemea to kill a lion that was terrorizing the people of the region. (Some storytellers say that Zeus had fathered this magical beast as well.)
- The Lernaean Hydra. Second, Hercules traveled to the city of Lerna to slay the nine-headed Hydra—a poisonous, snake-like creature who lived underwater, guarding the entrance to the Underworld.
- The Golden Hind. Next, Hercules set off to capture the sacred pet of the goddess Diana: a red deer, or hind, with golden antlers and bronze hooves. Eurystheus had chosen this task for his rival because he believed that Diana would kill anyone she caught trying to steal her pet; however, once Hercules explained his situation to the goddess, she allowed him to go on his way without punishment.
- The Erymanthean Boar. Fourth, Hercules used a giant net to snare the terrifying, man-eating wild boar of Mount Erymanthus.
Jul 14, 2023 · Learn about Heracles, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, who performed the Twelve Labors and became a god. Discover his life story, family, attributes, and mythology.
Learn about Heracles, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, who performed the Twelve Labours to prove his worth and gain immortality. Discover his adventures, feats, loves, enemies and legacy in Greek mythology.
