Heracles – The Strongest Hero of Ancient Greece

Heracles (Roman name/anglicized as Hercules) was the strongest and, if not the most, revered hero in Ancient Greece. He is regarded as the greatest Greek hero of all time, as well as the most powerful and popular. Heracles demonstrated from an early age that he was no ordinary mortal, but rather one endowed with extraordinary abilities and divine gifts. Let us learn about the famous hero and his twelve labors.

Achilles Key Facts

Name and Etymology

The name Heracles, from which the Roman name Hercules is derived, has great significance. Derived from the Greek words ρα (goddess Hera) and κλέoς (/kl’eos/, meaning “glory”), it translates to “Glory of Hera,” a fitting name for the son of Zeus and the object of Hera’s unrelenting wrath. Despite the goddess’ attempts to thwart him, Heracles’ exploits earned him eternal glory and cemented his place in the pantheon of Greek heroes.

Heracles was also known as Alcides or Alcaeus. That name could have come from his grandfather, Alcaeus, the father of Amphitryon. Amphitryon was Alcmene’s husband, as well as the father of Heracles’ stepsiblings, Iphicles and Laonome.

Heracles Family and Relationships

Heracles dressed in a lion skin comes to the seated Zeus and Hera. Archaic sculpture from the temple.
Heracles dressed in a lion skin comes to the seated Zeus and Hera. Archaic sculpture from the temple
Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There are several stories about Heracles’ life and relationships. Heracles was the son of Zeus, the father of the gods, and mortal Alcmene. Alcmene was the spouse of Amphitryon. Alcmene asked her husband to defeat the Taphians in order to avenge her brothers’ deaths.

While Amphitryon was away, Zeus disguised himself as him and spent three days sleeping with Alcmene. Alcmene became pregnant and gave birth to Heracles (Zeus’ son) and Iphicles (Amphitryon’s son).

Heracles had two siblings from his mother, Iphicles and Laonome. Heracles was related to the Olympians and Zeus’ other children via his father, Zeus.

Heracles had numerous relationships with women throughout his life. His first wife was Megara, with whom he had four to eight sons (including Creontiades, Therimachus, and Deicoon). He had also married Deianira, who killed him because she was afraid he would abandon her for Iole. They also had several children, including Ctessipus, Hyllus, Glenus, and Macaria

In between his two marriages, Heracles had several lovers, including the Eastern queen Omphale. After Heracles died and became a god, he married Hebe, the daughter of Zeus and Hera. They had two children named Alexiares and Anicetus. This marriage symbolizes Heracles’ reconciliation with Hera, even if it occurred after his death.

Heracles had a close relationship with his nephew, Iolaus, who helped him with his labors.

Myths about Heracles

The Birth of Heracles

Heracles, the legendary hero of Ancient Greece, was born into circumstances that shaped his heroic journey. As we discussed above, Zeus, disguised as Amphitryon, slept with Alcmene, who became pregnant with Heracles.

It is said that Alcmene’s birth was extremely difficult. Hera, jealous of Zeus’ relationship with Alcmene, became Heracles’ constant rival. In Homer’s Iliad, Hera devised a devious plan to prevent Heracles’ mother, Alcmene, from giving birth, ensuring that Eurystheus, not Heracles, rose to power. Ovid’s Metamorphoses describes Alcmene’s agonizing labor, which was thwarted by Juno’s (Hera’s) intervention through the goddess of childbirth, Lucina, extending Alcmene’s agony until Galanthis, a wise maid, cleverly deceived Lucina with a false claim of the child’s birth, allowing Heracles to finally enter the world. 

When Alcmene gave birth to Heracles and Iphicles, Hera sent two venomous serpents to kill him in the cradle. Heracles, despite his infancy, demonstrated remarkable strength and bravery by strangling the serpents with his bare hands. This was Heracles’ first feat, foreshadowing his future heroic exploits and insurmountable strength. 

The Twelve Labors of Heracles

All 12 labours of Heracles, Mosaic of Llíria (Valencia, Spain)
Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When Heracles reached adulthood, he married Megara, King Creon’s daughter. They had several children together. In a fit of madness caused by his rival, Hera, Heracles killed Megara and his children.

After his madness was lifted, he fled to the Oracle of Delphi to seek atonement for his sins. However, the Oracle was led by Hera, who had devised another method to force Heracles to pay. Thus, the Oracle instructed him to serve Eurystheus for ten years. King Eurystheus assigned him ten labors, but when he completed them, he added two more. That resulted in Heracles’ Twelve Labors.

Another story about the labors tells how Zeus gave Heracles the labors in order to win over Hera. Hera agreed that if Heracles completed the twelve labors assigned to him by Eurystheus, she would grant him immortality. In his play “Heracles,” Euripides describes how the hero killed Megara and his sons after completing his labors. 

Let us go over the labors in detail, following the order given by Apollodorus’ Bibliotheca.

Labor #1 – The Nemean Lion

Heracles was assigned his first labor: to kill a massive lion that lived in Nemea, southwest of Corinth, mauling men and animals and terrorizing the local population. The goddess Hera trained the lion, and its skin was impervious to iron weapons.

When Heracles encountered the lion, he attempted to kill it with his bow, but the arrows were ineffective, so Heracles had to use his club and follow it into a cave with two entrances. Heracles blocked one entrance with stones before entering through the other to find the lion. He killed the beast without using his club, relying solely on his hands.

Heracles then handed the lion over to Eurystheus, who fashioned a cloak from its skin, while the gods transferred its body to the sky, forming the constellation Leo.

Labor #2 – The Lernaean Hydra

The Lernaean Hydra was an aquatic creature that breathed fire and had nine serpentine heads. It lived in Argos’ Lake Lerna. According to Hesiod, the Lernean Hydra was Typhon and Echidna’s offspring.

Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Heracles and his nephew Iolaos discovered the monster in a swamp. He began to cut off its heads with an axe, but each attempt resulted in two new ones. Heracles then instructed Iolaos to light a torch and burn the flesh right after he severed the monster’s head. This idea was a success, and no new ones could emerge.

Heracles buried the ninth head, which was immortal, deep in the earth and topped it with a massive stone after successfully cutting it off with a golden sword given to him by Athena. He then dipped his arrows in the poisonous gall of the Hydra.

However, King Eurystheus declared the work incomplete, claiming that Iolaos had assisted Heracles. The Greeks refer to the “Lernaean Hydra” as a problem that, despite all efforts to combat it, continues to resurface powerfully.

Labor #3 – The Ceryneian Hind

As a third labor, Eurystheus asked Heracles to bring the Ceryneian hind to Mycenae.

The Ceryneian hind was a golden-horned stag dedicated to Artemis, the hunter goddess. Heracles had to capture the sacred animal, which was known for its speed, without injuring it, as harming or killing the animal was considered blasphemy. The hero had to hunt the hind for a year before firing an arrow that slowed the animal and caught it.

On his way to Mycenae, Heracles met the goddess Artemis and her brother Apollo. When Artemis noticed her sacred animal on the hero’s shoulder, she became furious. However, Heracles pleaded necessity, explaining that Eurystheus was to blame. Artemis decided to assist him, so Heracles transported Artemis’ Golden Hind to Eurystheus alive.

Labor #4- The Erymanthian Boar

As a fourth labor, Eurystheus directed Heracles to bring him the Erymanthian boar alive.

The Erymanthian boar was a wild, marauding beast that lived on Mount Erymanthos in southern Greece. It posed an ominous threat to the people of Arcadia because its tusks destroyed the villagers’ crops and tore their flocks apart. To find the beast, Heracles had to travel throughout the region, where he also encountered centaurs and learned details about the boar, which resulted in a fight.

Then Heracles went out to hunt the boar, employing the following strategy: first frightening it, then chasing it, and finally leading it to a snowy location and tying it in a snare. He then tied up the defeated animal and carried it to Mycenae on his shoulders. Heracles later sent the boar’s teeth as a votive offering to Apollo’s temple.

Labor #5- The Augean Stables

As the fifth labor, Heracles was required to clean Augeas’ stables all by himself in a single day. It is said that these stables had not been cleaned in over thirty years and housed over 3,000 disease-carrying cattle.

Augeas was the king of Elis, in southern Greece. His father, the sun god Helios, bestowed many herds upon him; however, there were too many herds, and the dung threatened the city with disease. Heracles went to the king and offered to remove the waste for a tithe of his livestock. Augeas gave his word.

The hero completed the task quickly by cutting a breach in the foundation of the courtyard wall. Then he diverted the course of two nearby rivers, Alpheios and Pineios, directing the water into the courtyard.

However, when Augeas discovered that Heracles was acting on behalf of Eurystheus, he refused to pay the reward, claiming that he had never promised. So, the case had to be taken to court, where Augeas’ son, Phyleus, testified against his father. When Augeas heard this, he became enraged and drove both Heracles and his son out of his kingdom.

Later, Heracles exacted his revenge. He returned to the city with an army, conquered it, and eventually killed Augeas, establishing his son Phyleus on the throne. However, back in Mycenae, Eurystheus decided to disregard the work because Heracles was paid for it.

Labor #6- The Stymphalian Birds

Heracles’ sixth labor was to drive out the Stymphalian Birds. The Stymphalian birds were man-eating creatures with bronze beaks, claws, and feathers as sharp as arrows, which they hurled at their enemies. To avoid other beasts, they lived on the shores of Stymphalia Lake in Arcadia, deep in the forest.

As Heracles pondered how to drive them away, the wise goddess Athena intervened and gave him bronze castanets forged in the blacksmith Hephaistos’ workshop. Heracles rattled the castanets on a hill by the lake, and the birds, unable to bear the noise, flew up in terror, allowing the hero to defeat them with his arrows. According to legend, some of the birds escaped, but they were so terrified that they flew away and never returned to the area.

Later, Heracles exacted his revenge. He returned to the city with an army, conquered it, and eventually killed Augeas, establishing his son Phyleus on the throne. However, back in Mycenae, Eurystheus decided to disregard the work because Heracles was paid for it.

Labor #7- The Cretan Bull

Eurystheus assigned Heracles the seventh labor, which was to fetch the raging Cretan bull. According to one myth, this was the bull that carried Europa across the sea; according to another, it was the bull summoned from the sea by Poseidon, the capricious god of the Seas, after King Minos promised to sacrifice whatever emerged from the sea. Minos, blinded by its beauty, returned the bull to his flocks and sacrificed another in its place. Poseidon was enraged by Minos’ disobedience and drove the bull insane, causing fire to flow from its nostrils.

Heracles sailed to Crete and asked Minos for assistance, but he declined. So, Heracles faced the bull alone and eventually captured it, bringing it to Eurystheus in Mycenae. Eurystheus wanted to sacrifice the bull to Hera, the queen of the gods, but Hera resented Heracles and refused the offering, so Eurystheus released the bull. In this manner, the Cretan Bull wandered through Sparta and all of Arcadia before arriving in Marathon, where he became Marathonian Bull and continued to harass the locals. While in Marathon, he was slain by the hero Theseus.

Labor #8- The Mares of Diomedes

The eighth challenge that Eurystheus, the king of Mycenae, issued to Heracles was to capture Diomedes’ mares and bring them to him alive. Diomedes was the king of Thrace (northern Greece) and the son of Ares, the god of war. He owned four wild mares that he had trained to consume the flesh of any passerby.

Each mare had a name, and according to one myth, Alexander the Great’s horses were descended from these mares. Heracles killed Diomedes and fed his flesh to the mares. According to legend, the mares were tamed in this manner, allowing Heracles to bring them to Eurystheus. Eurystheus then released them on Mount Olympus, where they were devoured by the wild beasts.

Labor #9 – The Girdle of Hippolyta

As the ninth labor, Eurystheus requested that Heracles bring his daughter the jeweled girdle of Hippolyte. Hippolyte was Ares’ daughter and the queen of the Amazons, a race of warlike warriors. Her father gave her the belt, which was adorned with gold and precious stones and symbolized her superiority over others.

So, Heracles gathered a group of comrades, including Theseus, and marched against the city where the Amazons lived, near the Black Sea. Hippolyta was initially willing to give up the belt, but Hera, queen of the Olympian gods, disguised herself as an Amazon, causing misunderstandings and resulting in war between the heroes and the fierce Amazons, with casualties on both sides. In the end, Heracles killed Hippolyte, stole her belt, and departed.

Labor #10 – The Cattle of Geryon

Eurystheus assigned Heracles the tenth labor of going to the island of Erytheia and bringing him Geryon’s cattle. Geryon, a giant with six arms and three heads, had a two-headed dog named Orthus. 

Heracles had to endure many hardships to reach the island, which was located in the far west of the Mediterranean Sea, near Spain. He was threatened by wild animals and overheated by the sun in the Libyan desert until, in frustration, he shot an arrow at Helios, the sun god. Helios was so impressed with the hero that he lent him his golden cup to help him sail safely across the sea.

When he arrived on the island, it was difficult to approach the cattle because they were guarded by the herdsman Eurytion, a son of Ares, and Orthos.

However, Heracles was able to defeat the dog and the shepherd with his club. While attempting to drive the cattle away, he came across their master, Geryon, who engaged him in a fight. He also used an arrow to kill Geryon.

Heracles then placed the cattle in the golden cup, crossed the sea, and gave the cup back to the sun god. Heracles continued his journey through more turbulence, which he skillfully managed when he arrived in Mycenae and handed over the cattle to Eurystheas. The king offered the cattle as a sacrifice to Hera.

Labor #11 – The Apples of the Hesperides

The Hesperides were four maidens who lived in a sacred garden filled with trees that produced golden apples. These apples were so precious that Gaea, Mother Earth, gave them to Hera as a wedding present. No one was allowed to cut the apples from the trees, so Hera assigned Ladon, a monstrous serpent with a hundred heads and the ability to speak in different voices, to guard the garden.

On his way to the garden, Heracles passed by Mount Caucasus, where he freed the Titan Prometheus from chains. Prometheus gratefully informed the hero that his brother, Titan Atlas, would show him the way to the garden. However, he strongly advised the hero to send the Titan himself to retrieve the apples.

Heracles met the Titan Atlas in the depths of the West, carrying Heaven on his shoulders, and decided to take Prometheus’ advice: he agreed to take the sky from the Titan in exchange for the apples. But when Atlas returned with three golden apples, he refused to give them to Heracles, claiming that he would carry the apples to Eurystheas himself. So, Heracles tricked him by telling him to carry the heavens for a moment longer, until he had built a base for his head. Atlas agreed, laid the apples on the ground, and reclaimed the sky. At that point, Heracles grabbed the apples and vanished.

Back in Mycenae, Heracles gave the apples to Eurystheas, who promptly returned them. It was considered unholy for the apples to be anywhere else, so Heracles gave them to the sage goddess Athena, who returned them to the garden.

Labor #12 – Cerberus the Dog of the Underworld

Eurystheus was disappointed that Heracles had completed all of the tasks he had assigned to him, so the last thing he asked Heracles to do was impossible: fetch Cerberus, the underworld’s watchdog, from his master Hades.

Cerberus was a fearsome dog with three heads, a dragon tail, and snakes all over him. No one had ever escaped this monster or the realm of Hades.

When Heracles arrived at the border between the living and the dead, he stared at Charon, the ferryman of the dead, who ferried the hero across the Styx and into the underworld.

Heracles approached Hades and humbly asked for permission to give him his dog. Hades agreed on one condition: Heracles would defeat the monster without weapons, wearing only a lion’s skin.

Heracles snatched Cerberus’ head between his arms and wrestled him to submission. During the fight, Cerberus’ tail severely injured the hero, but Heracles eventually defeated the beast and it surrendered.

Heracles transported it to Mycenae after his victory and presented it to King Eurystheus. The mere sight of the monster terrified Eurystheus, who fled and hid in a barrel. Eventually Heracles brought Cerberus back to Hades unharmed.

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Other Feats of Heracles

During his quest for the twelve labors, Heracles accomplished a few other feats. These stories provided a better understanding of the power of the famous hero.

Heracles and Megara

Megara, Heracles’ wife, died tragically at the hands of her own husband during a fit of madness caused by Hera, who harbored a long-standing hatred for Heracles. In his temporary insanity, Heracles unintentionally committed the unspeakable act of murdering their own children, a heinous crime that shattered their family. 

Megara’s fate after this tragedy is unclear; some sources claim she died alongside her children, while others believe she survived. According to some accounts, Megara married Heracles’ nephew Iolaus after completing the Twelve Labors, and she became the mother of Leipephilene.

Heracles and Omphale

During his turbulent journey, Heracles found himself serving under Lydian Queen Omphale as a form of penance imposed by the Delphic Oracle for a previous crime. Heracles was forced to perform women’s tasks and wear women’s clothing while Omphale donned the formidable Nemean Lion’s skin and wielded his olive-wood club, until their dynamic took an unexpected turn. Omphale eventually freed Heracles, and the two married, cementing their relationship. 

Their marriage reportedly resulted in the birth of a son, though sources differ on his name. During their time together, mischievous forest spirits known as the Cercopes dared to steal Heracles’ weapons, a transgression that was swiftly punished by Heracles, who suspended the culprits with their faces pointing downwards, ensuring they learned their lesson.

Heracles Constellation

In a celestial ode to Heracles’ awe-inspiring exploits, a constellation bears witness to his valiant battle against two formidable giants in Liguria, North-West Italy. Albion and Bergion, or Dercynus, sons of Poseidon, were formidable opponents, testing Heracles to the limit as he sought divine intervention to secure victory. Heracles emerged victorious from the fierce battle under the watchful eye of his father Zeus, exemplifying his resilience and determination.

In a defining moment of humility and prayer, Heracles knelt before the heavens, as commemorated by the constellation named after him. Known as Engonasin, which means “the Kneeler” or “on his knees,” this constellation honors Heracles’ unwavering courage and unwavering stance against adversity, immortalizing his enduring legacy in the night sky.

Heracles and Barcelona

A myth attributes the city’s foundation to the powerful hero Heracles. During his perilous fourth labor, Heracles joined Jason and the Argonauts in their search for the Golden Fleece, crossing the Mediterranean in nine ships.

During a storm, one of the ships became lost off the coast of Catalonia, and Jason asked Heracles to find it. Heracles discovered the shipwreck at the base of a small hill (the Montjuic hill), but the crew had survived. The crew was taken aback by the beauty of the coastal landscape and founded Barcelona in the location.

The Death of Heracles

Heracles, the legendary Greek hero, died as a result of an act of vengeance that turned tragic. In Sophocles’ Trachiniae and Ovid’s Metamorphoses Book IX, Heracles defeats Achelous, the god of the Acheloos River, and marries Deianira. During their stay in Tiryns, a centaur named Nessus tried to steal Deianira away from Heracles while he was swimming across a fast-flowing river. Heracles retaliated by shooting Nessus with arrows dipped in the blood of the Lernaean Hydra. Before dying, Nessus gave Deianira his blood-stained tunic, claiming it would “arouse her husband’s love.”

Years later, Deianira learned of a rumor that suggested she had a rival for Heracles’ love, Iole. Remembering Nessus’ words, she gave Heracles the bloodstained shirt, unaware that the Hydra’s poisonous blood was still on it. This resulted in Heracles being poisoned, tearing his skin and exposing his bones. In his delirious state, he blamed Lichas, the herald who delivered the shirt, and threw him into the sea, where he reportedly turned to stone.

Philoctetes (or Poeas in some versions) lit a funeral pyre on Mount Oeta that Heracles had built. His mortal body burned, leaving only his immortal side. Heracles died and ascended to Olympus as a result of Zeus’ apotheosis. Philoctetes was the only one who lit Heracles’ funeral pyre, earning the right to keep his bow and arrows, which were crucial to the Greeks’ victory in the Trojan War. The poison from the Hydra eventually killed Paris, but the Trojan War raged on until the Trojan Horse brought down Troy. According to Herodotus, Heracles lived around 1300 BCE, 900 years before his own time.

Depiction And Characteristics

Hercules is frequently depicted in art and literature as a muscular figure dressed in lion’s skin and wielding his iconic club. His strength and prowess in battle are represented by the lion’s skin, a trophy from his first labor, and the club, a weapon that became synonymous with his power.

Aside from his physical attributes, Hercules was known for his unwavering courage, devotion to his friends and family, and dedication to justice. However, he was also prone to fits of rage and impulsiveness, which frequently led him into tragic situations, such as murdering his wife and children in a fit of madness.

The lion symbolizes Hercules’ strength and valor, while the club represents his indomitable spirit and determination.

Representations Of Heracles in Art

Hercules’ exploits have inspired numerous works of art throughout history, including ancient Greek pottery and sculptures, Renaissance paintings, and modern interpretations. One of the most famous depictions is the Farnese Hercules, a massive marble sculpture of the hero leaning on his club, his muscular form testament to his legendary strength. He is also shown in various amphorae and Roman fresca. 

In the modern era, we can find “The Giant Hercules” by Hendrik Goltzius (1589), “The Drunken Hercules” by Rubens (16912-1614), and “Hercules, Deianira and the Centaur Nessus” by Bartholomäus Spranger (1580-1582). In addition, Guillaume Coustou the Elder (1704) created the magnificent marble sculpture “Hercules on the Pyre.”

Mentions in Ancient Texts

Heracles, a legendary figure known for his incredible strength and numerous heroic feats, appears frequently in ancient literature. Heracles appears as a central figure in many stories, including Homer’s epic poems and Sophocles’ and Euripides’ tragedies. In Book 12 of the Odyssey, Homer recounts Heracles’ exploits, focusing on his heroic deeds and divine lineage dating back to Zeus.

Sophocles’ play “Women of Trachis” explores Heracles’ tragic fate as he unwittingly brings about his own demise with the cursed Shirt of Nessus. In his play Herakles, Euripides explores the complexities of Heracles’ character, depicting the hero’s struggles with madness as well as the consequences of his violent actions.

Theocritus, Callimachus, and Apollonios Rhodios add to the mythological tradition surrounding Heracles with their respective works, weaving tales of adventure and heroism. Pseudo-Apollodorus’ Bibliotheca contains a detailed account of Heracles’ labors and exploits, while Ovid’s Metamorphoses provide poetic interpretations of the hero’s myths. Overall, the mentions of Heracles in these ancient texts highlight the multifaceted nature of this legendary figure, as well as his lasting influence on literature and culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Heracles?

Heracles, also known as Hercules in Roman mythology, was a renowned hero in Greek mythology. He was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and a mortal woman named Alcmene.

What were Heracles’ famous feats?

Heracles is best known for his Twelve Labors, a series of tasks he was required to complete as penance for killing his own family in a fit of madness. These labors included slaying the Nemean Lion, capturing the Golden Hind, and stealing the belt of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.

Was Heracles a god or a mortal?

Heracles was a demigod, meaning he was half-human and half-god. His father, Zeus, was the ruler of Mount Olympus and the most powerful of the gods.

How did Heracles die?

Heracles ultimately met his end when he was poisoned by a centaur’s blood and ascended to Mount Olympus to live among the gods as a full deity.

What lessons can we learn from the story of Heracles?

The story of Heracles teaches us about the importance of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and overcoming challenges. Heracles’ strength and courage in the face of adversity serve as an inspiration for modern-day heroes.

Featured Image Credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Evangelia

Evangelia Hatzitsinidou is the creator and author of www.greek-gods.info which has been merged with Olympioi.com. She has been writing about Greek Mythology for almost twenty years. A native to Greece, she teaches and lives just outside Athens.