[Greek heroic] Heracles (Latin: Hercules) is the son of the god Zeus and Alcmene. His gift was fabulous strength; he strangled two serpents in his cradle, and killed a lion before manhood. Heracles' main antagonist was Hera. She eventually drove him mad, during which time he killed his own children and his brother's. He was so grieved upon recovery that he exiled himself and consulted the oracle of Apollo. The oracle told him to perform twelve labors These Twelve Labors were: Kill the lion of Nemea. He strangled it without further ado. Kill the nine-headed Hydra. Two new heads would grow on the Hydra from each fresh wound, and one was immortal. Heracles burned the eight and put the immortal one under a rock. Capture the Ceryneian Hind. After running after it for many months, he finally trapped it. Kill the wild boar of Erymanthus. A wild battle, but pretty straightforward: Heracles won. Clean the Augean Stables of King Augeas. He succeeded only by diverting a nearby river to wash the muck awa...
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