Zeus is the main god of a group of higher mythical creatures who sat after their deeds on Mount Olympus. He was the father of the famous Greek heroes - Hercules, Apollo, Perseus and others. True, the intimate ties of the Thunderer both with earthly women and with immortal goddesses, following the texts of many mythical narrations, aroused hostility from his third wife Hera throughout all three centuries of their secret marriage.
Hercules. Statue made of marble 2-3 century
Illegitimate and narrow-minded
With a high degree of probability, we can say that people became pawns in the hands of ancient Greek and other gods. But due to connections with ordinary women, heroes were born who went against the deities, such as Hercules, or as he was called in Greece - Hercules.
Zeus, seemingly conquering everyone and everything, could not cope with a tribe of giants who possessed the secret of their superiority even over the gods. Therefore, for this victory he needed only a mortal hero, and he decided to give birth to a similar one from the mortal woman Alcmene. Hercules was being prepared for this test. And the thunderer saw the illegitimate ruler of one or another territory.
Hera and Zeus
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Hera vs. Hercules
When the goddess-wife realized that Alcmene had given birth to Hercules from her husband, she fell into an indescribable rage. Such a negative quality of her character is inherent not only in such a situation. The fact that the wife-goddess was distinguished by power, cruelty and jealous disposition was described in many sources that have come down to our days.
Especially in Homer's Iliad, she is portrayed as jealous, quarrelsome, and stubborn. Although in Greece the author of this poem is considered not a Hellenic and the concept of "Homer" is interpreted either as a "hostage", then as a "blind man" (the author was indeed blind for many years). But they understand that Homer took the description from folk songs glorifying the power and greatness of Hercules.
And in Greek mythology, Hercules was considered, despite his narrow-minded mind, the greatest hero - for his strength. The lack of intelligence was compensated by irrepressible courage. Moreover, he experienced almost mental seizures. Hercules instantly and for no reason flushed and flew into a rage. Then he came to his senses, and regretted what he had done.
Infant Hercules strangles a snake. Pompeian fresco
Hera tried to kill him as a child. To do this, she threw snakes into the baby's bed so that they would kill him with poison. But the young Hercules also showed what he would be capable of in adulthood: he strangled the creeping creatures with his hands.
Realizing that her plans were frustrated, the goddess tirelessly watched her stepson and did all sorts of nasty things to him. In his mythical family, Zeus was the father of about sixty children from a dozen women of any mythical class. The spouse hated the illegitimate children of Zeus and severely punished them. As we have already understood, Hercules was the first to enter this list.
Hera almost killed the young man at sea. But in the future, the goddess constantly wove intrigues when she could not cope with force.
Zeus watched the behavior of his son, and it suited him. Zeus needed a mortal hero to defeat the giants, so he also prepared Hercules for this. His fate was predetermined from birth.
The exploits of Hercules in order and with pictures
The narratives of twelve brave and amazing deeds of the hero of the epic have reached the present (the ancient poem about "Hercules"). Here are just the number of feats and their order of different authors do not converge. Being at the request of Zeus in the service of the king of Argolis in the Peloponnese Eurystheus, his cousin, - also from the earthly mother Alcmene, he had to complete 10 tasks.
Their king was whispered in the ear of the priestess-soothsayer of the Delphic (actually existed, the ruins of which still stand at the foot of a high cliff) of the Temple of Apollo. The king-brother rejected two trials and had to replace them with others. So finally, the sum of the exploits was established at a dozen - twelve. We give the name of the exploits of Hercules in order:
1. Extermination of the Nemean lion
It was necessary to get his luxurious hide. Strangled with his hands. He made a trophy skin and wore it on his shoulders.
Hercules kills the Nemean lion
2. Destruction of the multi-headed hydra (not counted because of the assistant)
He cut off all the heads, but the necks grew back. Again they were struck with a huge, solid club. The hydra's breath was poisonous, and Hercules became infected. The lotus flower saved him.
Hercules slays the Lernaean Hydra
3. Expulsion of the Stymphalian birds
This bloodless feat is the last in the Peloponnese. Near the city of Stymphala, they devastated the land like locusts. The feathers of the birds were iron and sharp at the tips. But they were frightened by metal devices that made a crackle, knock, noise. The goddess Athena gave them. According to myths, they never appeared there.
Expulsion of the Stymphalian birds. Ancient mosaic
4. Capture of the Kerinean fallow deer
Artemis sent five fallow deer to punish the people to devastate their fields in Arcadia. Apparently, the goddess considered the task completed and drove the deer into the fence. But one ran away. So the son of Zeus was catching her for a whole year.
Hercules and the Kerinean doe
5. Taming the Erimanth Boar
Boar is a wild boar that devastated the fields of the same Arcadia. With shouts he drove him out of the grove, caught up, tied him up, covered him with the skin of a Nemean lion and brought it to Eurystheus, scaring him to death.
Hercules and the Erymanthian Boar. A statue
6. Cleaning of the Augean stables (not counted due to the demand for work payment)
No one looked after the horses, which made it impossible to pass in the stables because of the accumulated manure. Hercules blocked the river, and its waters washed the manure.
Augean stables. Mosaic
7. Taming the Cretan bull
He had to be caught, because the king of the island of Crete refused to hand him over to the god of the seas.
The taming of the Cretan bull. Image on an ancient vessel
8. The Abduction of the Horses of Diomedes and the victory over this king
He gave foreigners for horse feed. Reaching Thrace, the hero turned the cannibals away from bad pursuits.
The horses of Diomedes. Ancient mosaic
9. The abduction of the belt of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons
On the Black Sea, Hercules sailed to the capital of the Amazon. The queen of the Amazons promised to give the belt. But the hero's evil mother ruined the business. The battle began, there were many dead Amazons. Hippolyta gave up the unfortunate belt.
Fight of Hercules with the Amazons. Image on an ancient vase
10. Abduction of Geryon's cows
The hero took the herd from the three-headed giant Geryon and brought it to Mycenae.
Geryon's cows. Bas-relief
11. Stealing the golden apples of the Hesperides
Apples disappeared from their garden. Hercules had to apply physical strength to the guard and deceive someone.
Hesperides. Ancient greek vessel
12. Delivery of the dog Cerberus
This is the guardian of the dead space. One of the Greek mythical queens helped.
Hercules and Cerberus. Drawing on the cup