searching for the labours of hercules

Who was heracles?Heracles was the son of Zeus byAlcmene of Thebes in Boeotia,and the favourite of his father.His stepfather was Amphitryon.Amphitryon was the son ofAlcaeus, the son of Perseus, andAlcmene was a grand-daughterof Perseus. So Heraclesbelonged to the family ofPerseus.

Alcmena was King Electrion´s

daughter.While Amphitryon, herhusband, was absent from Thebes,Zeus one night, to which he gavethe duration of three other nights,visited Alcmene, and assuming theappearance of Amphitryon, andrelating to her how her brothershad been avenged, he seduced herand she became pregnant.

Alcmene brought into the world twoboys, Heracles, the son of Zeus, andIphicles, the son of Amphitryon,who was one night younger thanHeracles.

HÉRCULES as a child killing theserpents s. II d.C.

Roma, Musei Capitolini

Heracles was only a few months oldwhen Hera sent two serpents into theapartment where Heracles and hisbrother Iphicles were sleeping, butthe former killed the serpents with hisown hands. Heracles was brought upat Thebes.

The Birth of the Milky Way

Though loved and protected

by his father, he was

repudiated by Zeus´ wife,

HERA. To insure his son's

immortality, ZEUS placed

him in the goddess's arms

so that he could suckle

while she was sleeping next

to her chariot pulled by

peacocks. When, in his

enthusiasm, Hercules bites

her, HERA awakens and

brusquely pulls him away

from her. The milk spilling

out of her breast turned into

the Milky Way. On the left,

Jupiter looks on. He is

identified by his eagle and

lightening bolts.RUBENS (1577-1640)

The Origin of the Milky Way.

El Prado Museum,Madrid

His childhoodHercules’ youth was spent in thehands of the best teachers in Greece.His father taught him to ride chariotsand tame horses. His music teacherwas Linus, son of Apollo, althoughHercules’ quick temper wasdemonstrated when he killed Linuswith a blow from his stool (or lute).

Being charged with murder, IIeraclesexculpated himself by saying that thedeed was done in self-defence. Hewas then sent to live with herdsmenin the mountains and there he cameinto contact with the wise centaurChiron.

Heracles attacks Lino, her music teacher

(c. 480 a.C.)

The Birth of the Milky Way - Peter Paul R

.

Chiron (Χείρων) was the eldest and

wisest of the Centaurs, a tribe of half-

horse men. He was a great teacher who

mentored many of the great heroes of

myth including Jason, Peleus, Aquilleus

and Heracles. After his death he was

given a place amongst the stars by Zeus

as the constellation Saggitarius or

Centaurus.

Kheiron's name was derived from the

Greek word for hand (χείρ), which also

meant "skilled with the hands." The name

was also closely associated in myth with

kheirourgos or surgeon.

Why was he punished to do the labours?

In a fit of madness, inducedby Hera, he killed his ownchildren by Megara and twoof Iphicles. In his grief hesentenced himself toexile.He then consulted theoracle of Delphi as to wherehe should settle. The Pythiafirst called him by the nameof Heracles (glory of Hera)--his name had been Alcidesor Alcaeus,--and orderedhim to live at Tiryns, toserve Eurystheus for thespace of twelve years, afterwhich he should becomeimmortal. Asteas Painter, 4th century

BC Madrid Museum

10 or 12 labours?Eurystheus who had become

King in his stead and was his

enemy ordered him to carry

out ten tasks .

Herakles successfully carried

them all out, but Eurystheus

considered that two of the

tasks had been failed

because Herakles had been

helped, and allocated two

more, which Herakles also

completed, making 12.

Mosaic with the Labors of Hercules, 3rd century AD

National Archaeological Museum , Madrid

1. The fight with the Nemean lion.

2. Fights against the Lernean hydra.

3. The stag of Ceryneia in Arcadia.

Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring him the Hind of Ceryneia.

Ceryneia is a town in Greece, about fifty miles from Eurystheus' palace in Mycenae.

This animal had golden antlers andbronze feet. It had been dedicated toArtemis by the nymph Taygete, becausethe goddess had saved her from thepursuit of Zeus. Heracles was ordered tobring the animal alive to Mycenae. Hepursued it in vain for a whole year: atlength it fled from Oenoe to mountArtemisium in Argolis, and thence to theriver Ladon in Arcadia.

Heracles wounded it with an

arrow, caught it, and carried it

away on his shoulders. While yet

in Arcadia, he was met by Apollo

and Artemis, who were angry

with him for having outraged the

animal sacred to Artemis; but

Heracles succeeded in soothing

their anger, and carried his prey

to Mycenae. According to some

statements, he killed the stag.

British

Museum,

London, United

Kingdom

Artist/Maker

Unknown

4. The Erymanthian boar.

5. The stables of Augeas.

6. The Stymphalian birds.

7. The Cretan bull.

8. The mares of the Thracian Diomedes.

9. The girdle of the queen of the Amazons.

Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring

him the belt of Hippolyte . This was no

ordinary belt and no ordinary warrior.

Hippolyte was queen of the Amazons,

a tribe of women warriors. These

Amazons had nothing to do with the

Amazon river in South America. Their

name comes from a Greek word

meaning "missing one breast." This is

because an Amazon's right breast got

in the way when she threw a spear.

The Amazons lived apart from men,

and if they ever gave birth to children,

they kept only the females and reared

them to be warriors like themselves.

Amazon wearing trousers

and carrying a shield with

an attached patterned cloth

and a quiver. Ancient Greek

Attic white-ground

alabastron, c. 470 BC,

British Museum, London.

The legendary Amazons are believed to have lived in Pontus, which is part of modern-day Turkey near the southern shore of the Euxine

Sea (the Black Sea). There they formed an independent kingdom under the government of a queen named Hippolyta or Hippolyte

("loose, unbridled mare").

Hippolyte, the queen of the Amazons possessed a girdle, which she had

received from Ares, and Admete, the daughter of Eurystheus, wished to

have it. Heracles was therefore sent to fetch it, and, accompanied by a

number of volunteers, he sailed out in one vessel.

Hercules Obtaining the Girdle of Hyppolita by Nikolaus

Knüpfer

He first landed in Paros, where he became involved in a quarrel with the sons of Minos.

Having killed two of them, he sailed to Mysia, where his aid was solicited by Lycus, king

of the Mariandynians, against the Bebryces. Heracles assisted Lycus, took a district of

land from the enemy, which was given to Lycus, who called it Heracleia.

When Heracles at length arrived in the port

of Themiscyra (Thermodon), after having

given to the sea he had crossed the name of

Euxeinus, he was at first kindly received by

Hippolyte, who promised him her girdle.

But Hera, in the disguise of an Amazon, spread the report that the

queen of the Amazons was robbed by a stranger. They

immediately rose to her assistance, and Heracles, believing that

the queen had plotted against him, killed her, took her girdle, and

carried it with him.

10. The oxen of Geryones in Erytheia.

These ten labours were performed by Heracles in the space of eight years and one month; but as Eurystheus declared two of them to have been performed unlawfully,

he commanded him to accomplish two more.

11. The golden apples of the Hesperides.

12. Cerberus.

The most dangerous labor of all was the

twelfth and final one. Eurystheus ordered

Hercules to go to the Underworld and

kidnap the beast called Cerberus . The

ancient Greeks believed that after a

person died, his or her spirit went to the

world below and dwelled for eternity in

the depths of the earth.

The Underworld was the kingdom of

Hades, also called Pluto, and his wife,

Persephone. Depending on how a person

lived his or her life, they might or might not

experience never-ending punishment in

Hades. All souls, whether good or bad,

were destined for the kingdom of Hades.

T

Heracles, previous to setting out on his

expedition, was initiated by Eumolpus in

the Eleusinian mysteries, in order to purify

him from the murder of the Centaurs.

Accompanied by Hermes and Athena,

Heracles descended into Hades, near

Cape Taenarum, in Laconia.

Diros Caves,Laconia.

The entrance to underworld

On his arrival most of the shades fled

before him, and he found only

Meleager and Medusa, with whom he

intended to fight; but, on the command

of Hermes, he left them in peace. Near

the gates of Hades he met Theseus

and Peirithous, who stretched their

arms imploringly towards him. He

delivered Theseus, but, when he

attempted to do the same for

Peirithous, the earth began to tremble.

After having rolled the stone from

Ascalaphus, he killed one of the oxen

of Hades, in order to give the shades

the blood to drink, and fought with

Menoetius, the herdsman. Upon this,

he asked Pluto permission to take

Cerberus, and the request was

granted, on condition of its being done

without force of arms.

Cerberus was the gigantic hound which guarded the gates of Hades. He was posted to

prevent ghosts of the dead from leaving the underworld. It was described as a three-

headed dog with a serpent's tail, a mane of snakes, and a lion's claws. Some say he had

fifty heads, though this number might have included the heads of his serpentine mane.

This was accomplished,

for Heracles found

Cerberus on the Acheron,

and, notwithstanding the

bites of the dragon, he

took the monster, The

place where he appeared

with Cerberus is not the

same in all traditions, for

some say that it was at

Taenarum, others at

Hermione, or Coroneia,

and others again at

Heracleia.

Heraclea Pontica ( Ἡράκλεια Ποντική ) was an ancient city

on the coast of Bithynia in Asia Minor, at the mouth of the

river Lycus. It was founded by the Greek city-state of

Megara in approximately 560–558.

It was named after Heracles whom the Greeks believed entered the

underworld at a cave on the adjoining Archerusian promontory

(Cape Baba). The site is now the location of the modern city

Karadeniz Ereğli, in the Zonguldak Province of Turkey.

When Cerberus appeared in the

upper world, it is said that, unable to

bear the light, he spit, and thus called

forth the poisonous plant called

aconitum. After having shown the

monster to Eurystheus, Heracles took

it back to the lower world.

Hercules and Kerberos

Musée du Louvre

Sebastiano Conca, Hercules Crowned by Fame

In ancient Greek Archaic and Classical art Hercules is often depicted carrying a knotted

club, a quiver full of arrows, and wearing a lion’s pelt with sometimes also a lion’s head

helmet. He is usually bearded (until the late 5th and 4th centuries BCE when he is more

often depicted beardless) and has very large eyes.

Representation in art

Glykon, reproduced from the original by Lysippos c. 216 AD (4th century BCE for original)

Location Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples

The earliest complete depiction of Hercules’ twelve labours is from the metopes of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (completed in 457 BCE).

In Greek Classical comic plays he is often somewhat parodied as a partyreveller.

"Phlyax" scene (Zeus as

Amphitryo) — (source:

Vatican Museum). Aestas

painted a scene from a

phlyax farce: Zeus

carries a ladder in an

attempt to visit one of his

loves. The scene on this

vase probably represents

Zeus visit to Alkmene,

wife of Amphitrion, who

appears at a window.

Hermes holds up a lamp

at the right.

On Greek coins (notably 5th century BCE Theban ones) the infant Hercules strangling two snakes was a

frequent design.

BOEOTIA. Thebes (c.425-395 B.C.), Silver

Stater, 11.80g. infant Herakles.

Hercules was particularly esteemed

in Athens, which is reflected in his

frequent depiction on Attic black-

and red-figure pottery in a multitude

of mythological scenes, but his

presence on pottery from all over

Greece is evidence of his popularity.

Heracles & the Nemean Lion, Athenian

red-figure stamnos C5th B.C., University

of Pennsylvania Museum

Heracles & the Hind, Athenian

black-figure

amphora C6th B.C., British

Museum

the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar in Spain, they are the farthermost limits reached by Heracles.

The Pillars of hercules

Hercules in coats of arms

Andalucía Cádiz

Hercules in coats of arms

España Melilla

Heracles in films and tv series

Arnold Schwarzenegger Steven Reeves

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Heracles gives name to many gyms