The Twelve Labors of Hercules
First Labor- The Nemean lion. Hercules was supposed to kill the terrible lion that could not be harmed by iron, bronze, and stone and also skin it. Hercules killed it with a wooden club. Then he had to skin it with its own claws. He was supposed to give the skin to King Eurystheus but kept it himself. The Nemean Lion is represented by the constellation Leo.
Second labor- The Hydra. Hercules was to battle the terrible Hydra. It had nine heads including the immortal one. He buried the immortal head under a rock. It is still believed to be alive. The other heads were very special. If the heads were cut, two more would grow in its place. While in this mess, and crab came and pinched Hercules. Hercules killed the crab and it became a constellation in the sky. The crab is represented by the constellation Cancer. Then Hercules got an idea. He burned the end of the head of the Hydra so that when cut, no more would grow in it's place. That was the end of the Hydra. The Hydra is also a constellation
Third labor- The Arcadian Deer. Hercules was to catch this deer which had golden antlers and brazen feet. He chased it for a year. Now legend says that Hercules found it while it was sleeping. He caught and brought it back to King Eurystheus.
Fourth labor- The Erymanthian Boar. Hercules was to bring this violent boar alive back to King Eurystheus. This boar was a nuisance to the people and destroyed their crops. He chased the boar in the snow until it fell down in exhaustion. Hercules put the boar on his shoulders and brought it to the hall where King Eurystheus was sitting. The king got scared and hid himself in a large wine jar.
Fifth labor- This labor for Hercules was to clean the stables of Augeas. Augeas was the king of Elis. The stables had 30,000 cattle and have been cleaned of 30 years. Hercules agreed to clean it for 1/10 of the cattle. Augeas agreed. So Hercules made a gap in both sides to the stable and combined two rivers and changed the course so it flowed straight through the stables. After it was finished, Augeas made an excuse for paying the cattle to Hercules so Hercules killed him.
Sixth labor- The Stymphalian birds. These birds were man-eating birds. Hercules was to kill them. Athena helped him by giving him a brass rattle. Hercules shook the rattle and the birds flew up in the air. Then Hercules took some arrows and shot some of them down.
Seventh labor- The Cretan Bull. Hercules was to bring the beautiful bull of King Minos in Crete. The bull had gone mad at the time and Hercules just caught it and let it loose in Greece. It destroyed everything in its path until it stopped in Marathon.
Eighth labor - The Mares of Diomedes. These mares were savages. To tame them, Hercules gave them their own king of Thrace. Then the mares became tame and Hercules easily led them to King Eurystheus.
Ninth labor- Hercules was to get the Girdle of the Queen of Amazons. The Queen agreed but the rest to the tribe didn't. So the two sides had a war and the Hercules side won. At the end, Hercules got the Girdle.
Tenth labor- The Oxen of Genyones. This creature was a horrid monster that Hercules had to kill. This monster had three bodies that were joined at the waist. This was a big journey for Hercules so at the Straits of Gibraltar, he set up two pillars now known as the Pillars of Hercules. At the end, he shot the oxen and set up an orderly government of the area.
Eleventh labor- The Golden Apples of Hesperides. While Hercules was trying to find them, he met Prometheus and he told Hercules to ask Atlas to tell him where to find them. Hercules went to Atlas but he said that he could not tell where they were but he could get them if Hercules held up the heaven for a little time. Hercules agreed and so he held up the heavens until Atlas came back. Atlas came back but would not hold up the heavens again. So Hercules tricked him by saying if that the heaven were slipping and if Atlas held it up for a moment, Hercules would tighten his grip around the heavens. Atlas agreed and held it up and Hercules quickly got up and ran away with the apples. Draco the dragon is believed to be a constellation representing the dragon that guarded the apples.
Twelfth labor- The Cerberos dog. Hercules was to fetch Cerberos from Tartaros. Hades, god of the underworld, said Hercules could have the dog if he did not use his weapons to capture it. He seized it with his hands and crushed it tight until its sprit was tame. Then Hercules went to King Eurystheus and showed him. From then on, Cerberos was the watchdog of the underworld.
Death came to Hercules when he killed the evil creature, Nessos. While it was dying, she called Hercules's wife, Deianeira, and told her to catch some of her blood. Then she told Deianeira that when Hercules loses interest in you, just soak his clothing in some of my blood and he will like you again. Then she said to keep the blood from light and fire. So for many years Deianeira kept the blood safe. Then the time came when Hercules was going to marry another bride. So Deianeira soaked his robe in the blood and gave it to Hercules. Hercules wore the robe and went outside with it. The light burned the robe that burned Hercules to death. After death, Hercules rose up to the heavens and lived with the gods of the rest of time. There he got Hebe, the goddess of youth, as his bride.
