Heracles


 * Heracles**
 * by. Mia**

It was my English Class that got me to research Heracles. The whole process has taught me so much about greek history. I hope this site will help you by being an inforamtional and a user friendly source!

Heracles the son of Zeus and Alcmene is the strongest man to ever live. He was a subject to Hera’s hate from the beginning. That alone, not only lead him to his death but to his immortality. Heracles the strongest man ever! Known for his many great deeds. We all know Heracles as this superman type of figure. But the beginning of his life didn’t start off well especially with his father’s wife Hera. Zeus is the big man when it comes to gods and power. But with all his strength and wisdom, it made him a pretty bad husband. So one day [|Zeus] fell in love with the beautiful mortal Alcmene. Alcmene was married to Amphitryon. So while her husband was away Zeus got her pregnant. When Hera (Zeus official wife) found out she was furious. For this wasn’t the first time Zeus was unfaithful. Hera tried to kill the baby before it as born, but she failed. Not too long after, Heracles was born. (//Heracles// is his real Greek name but many are more familiar with the Roman Version //Hercules)// While in his crib Hera sent vicious snakes to strangle baby Heracles. But little did Hera know Heracles wasn’
 * The beginning**


 * Hera's Haterd**

As Heracles grew up he became stronger and stronger, as did Hera’s hate for him. Later in Heracles life he became a great warrior! And married the pretty mortal named Megara. They had too beautiful children. Hera never really liked any of Zeus illegitimate love children, but Hera despised Heracles! Hera with all of this hatred in her, wanted to get back at Zeus for having affairs with all of these other women. So she made the decision to make the rest of [|Heracles] life as horrible and as short she could. She conjured up a wave of madness into Heracles. This sent him into a great rampage of anger. In his rage he murdered Megara and their children. Once the rage disappeared Heracles came too his senses. And face to face with the bloody bodies of his wife and children.
 * The 12 labors**

Once Heracles gained control from his “outburst”. He was frightened by what he had done. After he prayed to the god Apollo for some insight on what he had done to his, and how he rid of the pollution he had caused. Apollo told him that he would have to serve Eurysthrus the king of the Tiryns and Mycenae for 12 straight years, as punishment for his murders. Many of these labors were so difficult that it seem that they could have been impossible. But fortunately he had the help of Hermes and Athena along the way.

Eurysthrus was tired of Heracles beating every challenge! So he decided that the last task Heracles would do would also be the hardest. It would be so challenging that surely Heracles would die during the process. With his last decision he ordered Heracles to abduct Cerberus, the underworld beast. But to Eurystrhus displeasure Heracles did eventually finish the tasks not only renewing his soul but rescuing the princess of Troy form a sea monster, and fighting alongside Zeus to defeat the giants in a huge battle for rule of Olympus!
 * Heracles's** **Success**


 * Hero turned into a God**

Heracles did married again. To a delightful Deianira. Deianira gave Heracles a cloak that she mistakenly thought was covered with a love potion. She was told that once he puts on the cloak he would love her forever and ever. Unfotuetly it was a poison. When Heracles put the cloak on the poison burned his skin. So engraved by the pain Heracles told his friends to set a fire. Which Heracles later lied on because he could not bear the pain anymore! Luckily Heracles had the gods watching over him. Zeus had decided that Heracles had suffered enough. Zeus asked Hera to end her anger towards Heracles, which she relucently did. Then Zeus summoned that Heracles be brought to Olympus in Athena’s chariot. Making Heracles not only a Hero but a God.


 * Bibliography**

Bolton, Lesley. //The Everything Classical Mythology Book: Greek and Roman Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Monsters from Ares to Zeus//. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2002. Print.

__Perseus Digital Library Project__. Ed. Gregory R. Crane. //date of last site update (see below).// Tufts University. //date you accessed the site .

"Library - About This Site." //ThinkQuest//. Education Foundation. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. [].

Skidmore, Joel. "The Labors of Heracles from Greek Mythology." //Myth Web//. Fleet Gazelle, 1999. Web. 2011. .