Hercules Research Paper

The motive behind his labours were not to aid others out of repentance of his action, rather it was to reinstate his own honour and pride. To establish that he is not a villain however his impure motif is further proven when he takes money for the labour of The Cattle of Augeias (The story of Hercules, 126). Hercules’ reasons were selfish and that is the greatest difference between Hercules and modern-day heroes that are supposed to be selfless. They have to be altruistic and Hercules is

In Greek mythology Hercules is known for his strength and courage, considered as half man and half god. He was an adventurous superhuman born from mortal mother and the son of god Zeus. Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus decided to kill Hercules after his birth. Hercules then married the Theben princess Megara and had three children. However, Hera wasn’t happy about him. She was filled hatred of him, and as time goes, this situation made him to kill his wife and all his children. Hercules then felt guilty about the crime he had done. Hercules was charged to serve his cousin, king Eurystheus, and the ‘twelve labors’ were given to him as punishments. Those labors are a call to adventure that made Hercules to cross the threshold

It all started when Hera,angered by discovering that Hercules was the son of Zeus and Zeus had cheated on her,drove Hercules mad and forced him to murder his entire family.Disturbed by his maniatic actions,hercules prayed to the oracle of Apollo which gave him instructions to serve king Eurystheus for twelve years as a punishment.The task were all the items,creatures or people Eurystheus wished to have. This story features the theme of perseverance. Twelve tasks that were almost impossible to accomplish in years were no more harder that taking a walk in the park for Hercules.From cleaning stables full of feces to the belt of the queen of the amazons to deadly hydra even stealing Hera wedding gift,the

Hercules is not the hero that greek mythology glorifies him to be. His ruthless acts to “purify” himself from killing his family, are nothing but him following commands of robbery, whether it be of a life or possession. He is less of a hero and more of a modern day hired ‘hitman’. Hercules agreed to completing the twelve tedious labours, however bad they might be. If he was ordered to steal something, he would. If he was told to kill something, he would do it. His actions are more alike the ones of an assassin or hitman rather than a selfless hero.

In the eleventh he was tasked with collecting the golden apples of the Hesperides as a wedding present for Hera. In his final labor, he dragged Cerebrus from the underworld, where he brought back the three headed dog from the Underworld (7-18). Many believe Heracles, and his 12 labors, to be the personification of strength, courage, and endurance, while Heracles himself, and his legends as an allegory of triumph of good over evil. Years after the 12 labors, Hercules went to the top of Mount Etna where he built a funeral pyre in a clearing, gave away everything he had, and was covered in lions skin. Mythologist Thomas Bullfinch wrote how the gods did not enjoy seeing a once famed hero in that state.

In the book of Mythology, by Edith Hamilton, the author introduces the Greek hero, Hercules, who is the son of Zeus. The author explains Hercules’ atonement towards a fatal accident that Hercules caused. The accident was so great that he feels a desperate need for purification, so he accomplishes labors that are believed to be incredibly impossible to complete so he can be granted the desire for atonement after the horrific murder of his family.

The fourth Labor was for Hercules to capture an enormous boar in Arcadia, and bring it back alive. On the way, Hercules stopped to visit the half-horse, half-man Pholus. Pholus was looking at one of Hercules' arrows when he accidentally dropped it on his foot. He died instantly because the arrow was still soaked with the deadly blood of the Hydra.

Hercules faced these Labor with training, as a young boy. Heracles was trained by the famous hero mentor, Cheiron. Hercules went into these labors ready to face the world and to try

He was told he would get paid for cleaning horse stables. However, the king refused to pay. Hercules then declared war on the king’s sons, Elis and Augeias. He sought vengeance for the king’s refusal to honor his promise. Hercules soon went to battle and killed the king and his sons. After this, he went to Olympia. Hercules organized a foot race, and the winners of the race would win the prize of a wreath woven with olive branches. This foot race started the Olympic Games, which Hercules is known for founding. He raised temples dedicated to twelve gods of Mount Olympus and the hero of

Second Hercules went to the city of Lerna to kill the nine-headed Hydra—a poisonous, snake-like creature who lived underwater, guarding the entrance to the Underworld. Hercules third task was to capture the sacred pet of the goddess Diana a red deer, or hind, with golden antlers and bronze hooves. Fourth Hercules used a giant net to snare the terrifying, wild boar of Mount Erymanthus. His fifth task was supposed to be humiliating as well as impossible cleaning all the dung out of King Augeas’ enormous stables in a single day. His sixth task was to travel to the town of Stymphalos and drive away the huge flock of carnivorous birds. His seventh task was to go to Crete to capture a rampaging bull that had impregnated the wife of the island’s king. His eighth task was to capture the four man-eating horses of the Thracian king Diomedes. His ninth labor was complicated stealing an armored belt that belonged to the Amazon queen Hippolyte. Hercules tenth task was in Africa to steal the cattle of the three-headed, six-legged monster Geryon. His next task was to steal Hera’s wedding gift to Zeus, a set of golden apples guarded by a group of nymphs known as the Hesperides. His final task was to travel to Hades to kidnap Cerberus, the vicious three-headed dog that guarded its gates. Hercules completed all the

Hercules, or better known as Heracles, was a Greek demigod that is the Son of Zeus and a mortal woman that was named Alcmene. When he was an infant, Zeus's wife Hera was really jealous of Heracles, so she sent two snakes to kill him. She was unsuccessful however, as he enjoyed strangling the snakes to death with one in each arm. He grew to become proficient in the bow and arrow, became a great wrestler, and possess superhuman strength. He later married and had five children. But, Hera tried to strike Heracles with madness and was successful. While Heracles was full with madness, he killed his five children all at once, in one day. When he recovered from his madness, he ventured to Delphi to consult the Oracle. He ordered Heracles to serve

In This essay, I will talk about the Greek god Hercules. I will be talking about where He was from. And what He did as a kid and as an adult. Hercules is the son of Zeus the god of thunder and the most powerful of the gods.

These labors were designated to him through King Eurystheus because of the unspeakable acts he committed. Hercules sought out many prophets, only in the end to return to King Eurystheus to complete his 12 suicidal labors. One of the last 6 labors completed was to capture the Cretan Bull. Minos promised Poseidon that he would sacrifice whatever the god sent to him. Poseidon sent a great bull, but Minos thought it was too beautiful to kill. So he killed another bull, and Poseidon grew angry so he made it rampage through the city of Crete. Hercules wrestled the bull to the ground. He carried the bull back to Eurystheus, but it could not be tamed so Eurystheus set it free. The 8th labor Hercules had to complete was stealing the Mares of Diomedes. Diomedes’ Mares are 4 men eating horses with terrible tempers. Diomedes kept the horses chained to a golden post to keep them from escaping. Hercules snuck behind the golden post taming the horses, and right before he could release them Diomedes soldiers began attacking Hercules. From hearing all the commotion Diomedes awakens. He is informed that Hercules is trying to steal the mares from a random foot soldier. Diomedes is irate and attacks Hercules.

King Eurypterus told Hercules that the only way to cleanse himself is to complete 12 heroic labors. He added that performing these labors would cause Hercules to become an immortal god with honor restored. Hercules first labor was to kill the Nemean lion. The second labor was to kill the multi-headed hydra. The third labor was to capture Cerynitian without wounding it. The fourth labor was to capture an enormous boar. The fifth labor was to clean the stables of King Augeas in a single day. The sixth labor was to kill the stymphalian birds without entering the swamp. The seventh labor tasked Hercules was disposal of the Minotaur. The eighth labor was to bring the mares of Diomedes to King Eurypterus. The ninth labor was to retrieve the belt of the queen Hippolyta. The tenth labor was to capture cattle that belonged to Geryon, a monster. The eleventh

The twelve labours of Hercules is a myth because it is a story passed down all the way to today’s generation, making it be a traditional tale. Hercules is originally a Roman god; however, it is similar to the Greek’s version of Heracles. This myth is originally from the Latin language--which is typically used by the Romans. The twelve labours of Hercules was originally written by Peisanders and was then lost in 600 B.C. Hercules was born a demigod with supernatural powers that established the patterns of life as we know it. According to Synnøve Des Bouvrie and Bascom’s definition, the 12 labours of Hercules is a myth because it is traditional, remote, and true.