In this article, we will get to know Heracles, the most magnificent hero of Ancient Greek mythology for some and the madman for others. He is the illegitimate son of Zeus, the most prominent of the gods, and also the most libertine.
Heracles, a mythological hero, is known by this name in Greek mythology; In Roman mythology, his name is "Hercules". In English sources, his name is mentioned as "Hercules".
He is the son of Alcmene, the daughter of the Mycenaean king, and Zeus, the King of the Gods. Zeus, who fell in love with Alcmene, approached Alcmene by taking the form of the woman's husband. Heracles, who had a demigod nature and had a divine power since birth, managed to kill two poisonous snakes sent by Hera when he was only a few days old. Realizing that Heracles was the son of Zeus, Hera constantly struggled with Heracles and caused his death.
Heracles, was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon. He was a descendant and half-brother (as they are both sired by the god Zeus) of Perseus. He was the greatest of the Greek heroes, the ancestor of royal clans who claimed to be Heracleidae, and a champion of the Olympian order against chthonic monsters. In Rome and the modern West, he is known as Hercules, with whom the later Roman emperors, in particular Commodus and Maximian, often identified themselves. Details of his cult were adapted to Rome as well.
Heracles received a very superior education compared to his time. He learned to shoot arrows, ride a horse, and wrestle perfectly. According to legend, when Heracles turned 18, he managed to kill the famous monster in the forests of Kitharion. Therefore, as a reward, Megara, the daughter of the King of Thebes, was given to him. Hera's various tricks drove Heracles, who had 3 children from Megara, crazy, and Heracles killed his children and his wife. To be purified from this crime and all his sins, he was forced to enter the service of the Mycenaean King Eurystheus and do whatever the king wanted. The 12 tasks that the Mycenaean King had Heracles do are called "12 tasks of Heracles" in mythological sources.
12 Labors of Hercules
1. Defeating the Nemean Lion. (In the legends about this lion, it is stated that the lion's hide can only be cut with its claws.)
2. Killing the Hydra in Lake Lerna.
3. Succeeding in capturing the Kyrenia Deer, known as one of Artemis' sacred animals.
4. Catching the big wild boar, which is believed to live on the Erymanthian Mountain, with a net.
5. Cleaning Augias' stables in just one day. (To clean these barns, the beds of two large rivers should be shifted and passed through the barns.)
6. To expel the Stymphalian Birds that were disturbing the people of the Stymphalos region, with the help of God Athena.
7. Bringing from Crete the uncontrollable Cretan Bull that Poseidon gave to Minos.
8. Under the command of Diomedes, King of Troy at the time, to kill the sea monster that oppressed the people of Troy. (He also killed the king who could not control himself and treated him badly.)
9. Receiving the belt from Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. (Actually, he agreed with the queen for the belt, but with Hera's provocations, the Amazons attacked Heracles. Then, Heracles had to kill the queen.)
10. Stealing the cattle of Geryoneus, a giant creature with three bodies.
11. Bringing the golden apples of the Hesperides. (He also made a deal with Atlas, the protector of the golden apples.)
12. Bringing Hades' dog named Kerberos, whose duty is to protect the land of the dead, to the earth
After completing 12 tasks, Heracles had to experience difficult adventures again. Events such as saving Prometheus, spinning wool disguised as a woman, damaging Troy, and participating in the expedition of the Argonauts are some of the legendary stories of Heracles.
After a while, he married Deianeira and killed Nessos with his arrows because the Centaur Nessos wanted to get closer to his wife. Nessos left some of his blood to Deianeira before he died. Later, after Heracles' wife had a fit of jealousy, she gave Heracles a shirt soaked in blood, which prepared the death of the mythological hero. The shirt sticking to Heracles caused him unbearable pain. Wanting to get rid of the pain, Heracles threw himself into the fire and burned to death.
All the gods, especially his father Zeus, were very saddened by the death of Heracles. For this reason, Heracles was taken to Olympos and granted immortality. He was then married to the Goddess Hebe. Heracles, who is considered the ancestor of the people of the Greek Peninsula known as the Sons of Heracles, is the symbol of physical strength and moral strength.