twelve labors of hercules

Twelve Labors of Hercules

Hercules was the son of Zeus king of the gods, which made him a demi god. Unfortunately Juno queen of the gods grew jealous of Zeus’s many affairs and took her revenge on Hercules, by tormenting him into massacring his family. When he realized what he’d done, he felt such remorse that he pleaded to the gods for guidance. The gods told him that he had to serve king Eurystheus for 12 years and perform 12 arduous tasks to atone for his sin.

Twelve Labors of Hercules the Nemean lion

• There was an invulnerable lion terrorizing the people around the Nemea hills. Hercules’s first task was to slay this beast and recover its fur as proof for the deed. For 30 days Hercules searched for this vicious beast, until finally he found it in the wild. Hercules grabbed his club and chased it in a nearby cave and with nowhere to go they started to rumble.

Twelve Labors of Hercules the Nemean lion

• No weapon could harm this invulnerable beast, so Hercules grabbed it in a chokehold and strangled it to death. He then used the beast’s own claws to cut the fur off and bring it back to the king.

The twelve labors of Hercules the Hydra

• A monstrous serpent with a multitude of heads was terrorizing the countryside near Lerna with its poisonous breath. Hercules’s second task was to rid the place of this vile beast. Hercules and his nephew Iolaus both made haste to the spring of Amymone, where the Lernean Hydra resided.


• Hercules caught its attention by shooting his flaming arrows at it. The hydra seized Hercules by wounding his leg so there’d be no escape, and with nowhere to go Hercules started to bash the hydra heads with his club, but every time he struck one down, two more would replace the one.


• Hercules called Iolaus to aid him in slaying this beast, when Hercules struck a head down Iolaus would quickly set the head aflame preventing any heads to regrow. After the hydra was slain, Hercules slit open its body and dipped his arrows in the poisonous venom, then he and Iolaus went back to the unimpressed king Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Hind

• Hercules was ordered to retrieve the dear of Ceryneia. This dear had a golden horn; bronze hoofs, and was the special pet of Diana the goddess of the hunter and moon. Hercules tracked this deer for a whole year until finally he found it resting on mount Artemisius and heading towards the river Ladon. Hercules shot the deer with his arrow before she got too far, then he grabbed the deer and carried her back across the river on his back.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Hind

• On his way back Hercules was stopped by the goddess Diana, she was furious that Hercules committed such a heinous act against this sacred creature. Hercules told Diana about his plight and how he had to because the gods told him to serve king Eurystheus. Reluctantly she forgave him and decided to let him pass with the deer, but first she would heal the deer so Hercules could bring her back alive

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Boar

• There was a boar that lived on mount Erymanthus and everyday it would hurtle down annihilating everything in its path. Hercules was sent to stop this rampaging menace from causing any more harm, on his way to Mount Erymanthus Hercules decided to visit his old friend Pholus that lived on the way to Mount Erymanthus.


• After Hercules visited Pholus, he proceeded towards finding the boar, which wasn’t hard to find because the boar was surveying the mountain for its next meal.


• Hercules turned into a berserker and charged forward with blinding rage, frightened by this maneuver the boar ran away. Hercules chased the boar around the mountain for hours, until the boar got tired and hid in a bush. Hercules grabbed his spear and stabbed the bush, causing the boar to retract into a net that Hercules set to capture the beast. Hercules then grabbed the boar and carried it back to King Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Stables

• Hercules was sent to clean the stables of King Augeas in one day. Every night thousands of animals would be packed into the stables. Hercules came to King Augeas and told him that he could clean his stables in one day, astonished by this remark King Augeas agreed to let him clean.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Stables

• Hercules made two holes in the stables then he dug two trenches connecting the stables to a nearby river, so the current could flow into the stables and wash away the filth. The job was done and Hercules returned to the displeased King Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Stymphalian Birds

• Hercules was sent to drive away an enormous flock of man-eating birds that lived at a lake near town Stymphalos. As Hercules arrived at the lake he realized that he had absolutely no idea how to do this. Athena goddess of wisdom and war decided to aid Hercules and provided him with a pair of clappers made by Hephaistos god of the forge.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Stymphalian Birds

• Hercules spotted the birds resting in a nearby tree, and then he took the clappers and started shaking them. This caused the birds to get agitated and start flying away, when they were out in plain sight Hercules was able to shoot his arrows at the birds and get rid of this nuisance.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Cretan Bull

• A Minotaur was causing a muck in the land of Crete and Hercules was sent to capture this beast. Hercules arrived at the island Crete, where he met King Minos that gave him approval to use any force necessary to capture this nuisance from wrecking his land. Hercules was told where to find this savage beast; in a labyrinth that King Minos built to contain the Minotaur from going on a rampage.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Cretan Bull

• Hercules found the Minotaur deep within the labyrinth; Hercules used a lasso then ran towards the Minotaur. Hercules jumped on the Minotaur’s back, then tied the lasso around its neck and rode the Minotaur back to King Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Man-Eating Horses of Diomedes• Hercules was sent to the

island Thrace to retrieve the man eating horses of Diomedes. Hercules arrived with several other men and his closest friend Abderus to steal the horses from King Diomedes. King Diomedes was a barbaric king that ruled over Thrace; King Diomedes was renowned for feeding travelers passing through his lands to his horses.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Man-Eating Horses of Diomedes

• Hercules and his men stealthily snuck into the stalls where the horses were kept, and rounded them up to take back to King Eurystheus. Unfortunately King Diomedes found out about his horses and summoned his men to accompany him in reclaiming his horses.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Man-Eating Horses of Diomedes• King Diomedes ambushed

Hercules and his men as they were proceeding through Thrace. As the battle commenced Hercules told Abderus to take the horses back to King Eurystheus, unfortunately the horses were too much for poor Abderus and gobbled him up. After Hercules defeated King Diomedes and his men he fed King Diomedes to his horses, then he paid last rites for his friend Abderus and brought the horses back to King Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesHippolyte's Belt

• King Eurystheus desired a special belt worn by Hippolyte queen of the amazons that was given to her by Ares god of war. Hercules was sent to retrieve the belt from Queen Hippolyte and his friends accompanied him on this adventure. Hercules and his men arrived at the island of the amazons, where they were greeted by Queen Hippolyte and asked why he came. Hercules told Hippolyte that he needed her belt and she agreed to give it to him, but Hera queen of the gods had other plans.

The twelve labors of HerculesHippolyte's Belt• Hera disguised herself as an

amazon and told the other amazons that Hercules was kidnaping their queen down the shore. The amazons rampaged towards the shores, when Hercules spotted the amazons and saw their weapons and armor; he knew they were under attack. Hercules instantly killed Queen Hippolyte and looted her body for the belt, then he and his men clashed with the amazons. After Hercules’s triumphant victory he brought the belt to King Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Cattle of Geryon

• Hercules had to travel to the distant island Erytheia to steal cattle from Geryon a three headed, six armed, three legged giant monstrosity. Hercules was passing through the Libyan dessert, and the scorching heat was so overbearing that he shot an arrow at Helios the sun. Hercules was given a ship to sail across the sea by Helios for impressing him by being so bold and shooting an arrow at him.


• Hercules sailed to Erytheia where Orthrus the two-headed watchdog attacked him, but Hercules just swung his club and clobbered him with one almighty blow. Eurytion the herdsman of the two-headed hound tried to seize Hercules but was quickly overpowered by his mighty club.


• Geryon charged fully armed with three shields, three spears and three helmets towards Hercules, but Hercules shot his deadly arrows until one of them pierced Geryon and eventually killed him. Hercules gathered the cattle to bring back to King Eurystheus except Hera didn’t want Hercules to succeed, so she caused the cattle to scatter across Erytheia. It took a whole year to retrieve the cattle and set sail, but Hercules finally brought the cattle to King Eurystheus.

The twelve labors of HerculesThe Apples of the Hesperides

• Hercules was commanded to steal the unique golden apples that Hera queen of the gods gave Zeus king of the gods for a wedding gift, in an elusive garden guarded by Ladon a hundred headed dragon and the Hesperides nymphs. Hercules traveled to various places to discover where to head,


• as he was passing through towns he overheard that Nereus the sea god knew the location of the garden. Hercules found Nereus and strangled him until he reviled where the location of the garden was. Hercules climbed mount Caucasus on his way towards the gardens, and he met Prometheus chained to rock for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to man.


• Everyday a giant eagle would swoop down and feast on Prometheus’s liver, then when it flew away, his liver would grow back. The eagle would come day after day torturing Prometheus, until Hercules decided to aid him by defeating the giant bird and setting Prometheus free. After Prometheus was set free, he told Hercules that he needed Atlas the titan, condemned to hold the weight of the world to retrieve the golden apple


• because all mortals are forbidden from entering the gardens. Hercules sought out and found Atlas holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. Proposed his proposition, he would take over Atlases’ burden if he retrieved the golden apple. Atlas agreed without hesitation, anything for the relief, and then he rushed off to get the golden apple.


• He returned with the apple, and then asked Hercules if he could take over and he’d bring the apple to King Eurystheus. Hercules agreed, but first he asked to stretch his legs then he tossed the weight to Atlas and quickly grabbed the apple, then ran to give King Eurystheus the golden apple.

The twelve labors of HerculesCerberus

• Hercules was ordered to travel to the Underworld, capture Cerberus the viscous guard dog of the underworld, and bring him back alive. Hercules knew going into the Underworld was risky, once through there’s no certainty of coming back. Hercules thought before he entered the realm of hades that aft he’d travel to Eleusis to receive blessings from the priests.


• After he received his blessings, Hercules made his way down the Underworld to ask Pluto god of the dead if he could take Cerberus back with him. Eventually Hercules found Pluto and asked if he could take Cerberus. Pluto replied that, only if Hercules could best Cerberus without using his weapons but with his brawn then he could take him. Hercules left his weapons behind and looked around for Cerberus, he came to the gates of Acheron where he found the three-headed hound.

The twelve labors of HerculesCerberus• Cerberus was an exotic

creature; he had three wild dog heads, a dragon for a tail, snakes all over his back, and the size of a mountain. Hercules charged towards Cerberus’s paw then pounded it causing him to fall, when he was on the ground Hercules clutched all three heads with his muscular arms until Cerberus submitted.


• Hercules dragged Cerberus from the underworld to King Eurystheus causing him to panic and flee, then Hercules retuned the hound completely unharmed except for maybe his pride.

After Hercules completed these 12 impossible labors, he was made an idol of for future generations.

twelve labors of hercules

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