The Twelve labors of Hercules

As well as cultivating all that is beautiful in art and letters, the ancient Greeks worshiped sheer physical strength. High in honor among their heroes was Hercules, whom they adopted as the patron of strength. "The labors of Hercules" has become a well- known phrase, and the separate titles of labors are often quoted today. in his youth Hercules roused the Jealousy of Eurystheus, king of Argolis: and the gods placed the heroic youth in the power of the king for a term of service. Eurystheus gave Hercules the following. tasks.

The Sank with a Hundered Heads

The hydra was a monstrous water snake with many heads, which grew again as fast as they were cut off. This fierce monster devastated Argolis, dragging both men and beasts into the swamp where it lived, and there strangling them. Hercules was aided by his friend lotus, who applied a lighted firebrand to the stumps immediately after Hercules had cut off the heads with his sord. They both dipped thier arrows in the hydra's poisonous gall so that the wounds they gave should be incurable.

A dreadful lion was terrifying the inhabitants of a district in Argolis, coming out of the forest from the time to time and killing the inhabitants of the neighboring villages. So powerful was the beast that none dared attack it, and neither sword nor arrow could piece its skin; but Hercules seized the lion in his powerful arms and forced it on its back. Then he knelt upon it and strangled it with his hands. The hero removed its invulnerable skin, and ever that he wore it around his own shoulders.

There lived on the Ceryneian Mountan a wonderful stag that was sacred to Diana, the goddess of hunting. Its horns were of pure gold, its hoofs were of brass, and it was so fleet of foot that no man had ever been able to catch it. Hercules was commanded to capture it and to bring it unhurt to Eurystheus. This he succeeded in doing after a full year's chase through the forest of Greece. As he was returning the warthful diana met hin, but she was appeased when he told her his story.

One of the labors of Hercules has given a proverb to the world, for when we wish to call a task almost impossible of accomplishment, we speak of it as "Cleansing" the Augean stables." Augeas was king of Elis and the owner of some three thousand head of cattle. The stables in which these cattle lived had never been cleansed and were  in a terrible state of filth, so that the task of cleaning them out in one day seemed impossible even for Hercules. Yes he easily effected it by breaking down a part of the wall, and diverting through the stables a river that flowed close by, thus washing out thorughly the horrible mire and filth within.

The neighboring state of Arcadia was in great danger of being ruined by a huge boar which came down from mount Erymanthus, and spared neither man nor beast. Hercules was accordingly sent to capture the beast. The boar had hitherto defined all the attacks and ruses of the Arcadian shepherd folk but when the terrible monster saw Hercules it turned and fled up the snow-clad mountanins, with Hercules in full chase. He succeeded in bringing it to Eurystheus, who was so terrified at the sight of it, however, that he crept into a cask t hide.

The marshy forest around lake Stymphalis, in Arcadia, were infested by some voracious birds whose wings, talons and heads were of brass. These birds fed on the flesh of men and animals. When sent to slay them, Hercules was puzzled how to get near them, so inaccessible was their nest. He therefore begged Minerva, the goddess of brave deeds, to help him, and she gave him a brazen rattle. Hercules stood on the shores of the lake and made the woods re-echo with a terrible din. The startled birds flew out into the open, and Hercules shot them one by one with his poisoned arrows

Minos, king of crete, an island to the south of Greece, had once promised to sacrice a huge bull to Neptune, god of the sea. Because of its great size and beauty, however, Minos had kept it for himself. The bull went mad and began to destroy the crops of the island. Mycenae as his seventh labor, but King Eurystheus foolishly let it loose, and it crossed the Isthmus of Corinth and ravaged the valley of Marathon in Attica.

Diomedes, king of Thrace, was so cruel that he was wont to throw all strangers to some wild horses, which devoured them. HErcules, with some of his brave friends, sailed to Thrace, attacked and captured the tyrant, and gave the King to his own horses to eat. Hercules then brought the horses over the sea to Mycenae, and drove them up into the mountain, where they were torn to peice by other wild beasts.

In his ninth labor Hercules had also to make a long journey. This time he was sent to fetch the girdle of Hippolyta, the queen of the warlike Amazons who dwelt in the land of Scythia, in the south of the country we now call Russia Some say that he killed the Queen after a hard fight, and others that he captured her and gave her in marriage to his friend Theseus. At any rate, he succeded in his object of bringing the famous girdle back to Eurystheus.

Far away from Greece, in the unknown western sea, there was an island called Gades. Traders brought strange tidings thence of a three-bodied giant named Geryon, who owned beautiful herds of cattle and a two-headed dog to watch over them. Hercules was sent to fetch these cattle. Many are the tales told by the Greek poets about this journey-how, for instance, scorched by the heat, he tried to shoot the sungod, who, admiring his audacity, gave him a golden bowl wherein he sailed to the island, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar, the rocks on either side being called the Pillars of Hercules in memory of the mighty Hercules' journey through them.

The hero slew the giant's herdsmen and his two-headed dog, but just as he was driving off the cattle Geryon came up in hot haste and seized him. After a terrific struggle Greyon was defeated. Even all was not peaceful sailing homeward, for in Italy a fire-breathing giant called Cacus stole some of the herd, and hid them in a cave, dragging them backward, so that their tracks should deceive their owner. Hercules, however, heard the lowing of the cattle, gripped Cacus to the death and set them free.

In a beautiful land in the west of Africa lived some nymphs called the Hesperides. It was  their duty to guard the fruit which Mother Earth had presented to the goddess Juno as a bridal gift. A sleepless dragon guarded the orchard where grew the golden apples, and the way that led to it was full of difficulties. After many wanderings and terrible fights with giants and tyrants, Hercules succeeded in catching Nereus, one of the gods of the sea, who changed into all kinds of shapes in his endeavors to escapes from the strong hands that gipped him. Finding all his wiles of no avail he resumed his natural shape and sent Hercules to Atlas, who agreed to steal the fruit, on condition that Hercules support the heavens while Atlas was away.

Atlas thought that at last he was rid of his heavy task, and suggested that he take apples to Eurystheus. Hercules agreed to this plan provided Atlas would hold the heavens a minute while he put a pad on his shoulder to ease the pressure. The giant took up his burden once more and Hercules seized the apples and went off.

At the entrance to Hades, the abode of the dead, there kept guard a three-headed dog named Cerberus, whose duty it was to prevent the living from entering and the dead from escaping out of the shadow-kingdom. Pluto, the dark visaged king of the Underworld, gave Hercules permission to take the dog up into the light, provided that he did not use weapons. This Hercules, by his mighty strength, succeeded in doing, and he also led it back uninjured. Hercules was then freed from his labors.