To cleanse his soul after being tricked into murdering his wife and children by Hera, Hercules would have to successfully complete twelve most impossible tasks. Each of which would test his courage, strength and wisdom. Here is a list of the tasks he would perform over the twelve years of service to cowardly and cruel king Eurystheus.
1. Hercules Had to Slay The Nemean Lion - The huge man-eating Nemean lion who had an immortal head and hide that could not be penetrated. Hercules defeated the lion by using his wrestling skills; placing a tight grip around its neck from behind until the lion died from lack of breath. Hercules took the lion's head and hide to wear as his own, he could only skin the beast by using its own sharp claws, as its hide was far too strong to be cut by anything man could create.
2. Hercules Must Defeat Hydra - A fiercely powerful man-eating creature related to Typhon, who has nine heads, with one being secretly immortal. Hydra resides in the stinky swamps where it only comes out to feed. As Hercules would cut off one of its heads, two more would grow back. So, with help of his twin brother, when Hercules cut off one, his brother would sear the wound closed using a fiery torch so it could not grow back. This even worked on the immortal head until the Hyrda was defeated and laying dead on the ground.
3. Hercules Had to Catch a Golden Hind - This task doesn't sound too dangerous as a Hind is only a small fast moving deer. Where the danger resided was in the fact that these creatures were sacred to the goddess Artemis. By catching one, Hercules was just asking for trouble.
4. Hercules Must Chase Down a Deadly Erymanthian Boar - A large boar with long sharp tusks was stalking and wounding many of the villagers of Arcadia. Hercules was put to task to bring this reign of death to an end. He chased down the boar stabbing it with his spear. The swine fell into some snow where a net was soon cast over him. Hercules swept up the beast in the net and carried it back to King Eurystheus.
5. Hercules Had to Clean the Augean Horse Stables in a Single Day - This task was more a test of humility rather than designed to impress. The Augean stables were full of beautiful healthy immortal horses, who made a tremendous amount of manure over the years which had never been cleaned up. In fact, these stables had not been cleaned in over thirty years, and Hercules had to get them clean in a single day. Impossible for most, but not for the man made of muscles as well as brains. He simple rerouted the Alpheus and Peneus rivers to wash away the disgusting mess in a single day.
Stymphalian Dragon Bird of Prey 6. Slay the Stymphalian Birds - Next, Hercules was sent to kill the Stymphallian Birds of prey, which had beaks of bronze and sharp feathers of metal they could shoot at enemies. These birds produced a toxic dung that killed crops, and poisoned the livestock and villagers of Arcadia. Lake Stymphalian was on the edges of Arcadia and is where the birds quickly took over. They roosted deep in the surrounding swamp so Hercules found his muscular body far too heavy for the gooey swamp floor to support. When the goddess Athena noticed what was happening, she gave Hercules a giant rattle to scare the birds from their perch. When the rattle caused the birds to take flight, Hercules was able to shoot most of them with his bow and arrows. This caused the rest of the flock to leave and never return to Arcadia.
7. Hercules Must Capture the Cretan Bull - Hercules had to sail to Crete to capture the Cretan Bull. This huge bovine had been uprooting crops and knocking down walls, and simply causing too much damage and trouble. Hercules was to capture the bull and return it to King Eurystheus so he could sacrificed it to Hera. Hercules snuck up on the big brute from behind and subdued it with his strong hands around its neck. He shipped it back to the cowardly King, where Hera denied the sacrifice because she didn't want any glory to fall to Hercules. The bull was put out to pasture and later scarified to Athena (and/or Apollo).
Wild Man-Eating Horse of Diomedes 8. Hercules Must Steal the Mares of Diomedes - These mares were crazy and very uncontrollable due to their diet of human flesh, so they had to be tethered to a bronze manger as protection. When Hercules and his helpers came upon these man-eaters he knew he would have to fight the owner, Diomedes, before taking care of the horses. To do this he left his most loved companion Abderus in charge while he went to battle Diomedes. Upon his return Hercules discovered that his companion had been eaten while he was away. In revenge, he fed Diomedes' flesh to mares. After feeding the mares would always become calm. When they finished eating their owner, they were calm enough for Hercules to simply bind their mouths safely shut.
{"lat":38.963745,"lng":35.24332,"zoom":3,"mapType":"HYBRID","markers":[{"id":"30458","lat":38.963745,"lng":35.24332,"name":"Turkey","address":"Turkey","description":"Amazons were said to have lived in Pontus, which is part of modern day Turkey near the shore of the Euxine Sea (the Black Sea)."}]}
9. Hercules Had to Get the Girdle of Hippolyta - The cowardly king Eurystheus had a daughter who wanted the belt of Queen Hyppolyta, which was a gift from the god of war, Ares. Hyppolyta reigned over the tribe known as the Amazon Warrior Women. The king sent Hercules to get the gift for his daughter. With a group of friends, the powerful man set out to Themiscyra, which was where Hyppolyta lived. It was a hard journey full of fighting and sadness, but Hercules was able to overcome these struggles. When he arrived, Hyppolyta was impressed with such success that she agreed to simply give him the belt. But, Hera had other plans. The revengeful woman took up a disguise and told the villagers that Hercules and his men were there to kidnap the Amazon queen. Worried about their queen, the women rode to Hercules on horseback to see what his intentions truly were. When He saw the warrior women approaching so suddenly and with anger in their eyes, he thought Hippolyta had planned to kill him all along. He knew right then he must kill the queen. Once the queen was dead, Hercules took the belt from her and delivered it back to Eurythesus and his spoiled daughter.
10. Hercules Had to Get the Cattle of the Monster Geryon - In this task, Hercules had to travel to the Mediterranean island of Erytheia to round up the cattle. It would seem a simple labor, but Hera sent a biting fly (gladfly) to nip the cattle causing them to become irritated and thus spread out as they ran from the biting nuisances. They spread out so far that it took Hercules a full year to round them all up. Hera then flooded the river so it was impossible for him to get the cattle across without drowning. But, this did not stop the strong man, he made a bridge of stones that made the river shallow. This made it safe to cross the herd and complete his task by delivering the cattle to the court of Eurystheus, where upon their arrival the herd was sacrificed to Hera.
11. Hercules Had to steal the Apples of Hesperides - When Hercules made it to the garden of Hesperides, he tricked Atlas into stealing some of the apples for him. Because Atlas was related to Hesperides it would not seem so unlikely that he took some apples, making this task much easier for the strong man than any other so far.
12. Hercules Had to Capture and Bring Back Cerberus - Not only was this labor his last, but it was the most difficult. To accomplish the task, he would first have to learn how to get in and out of the underworld alive, where Cerberus—the three-headed guardian hound of the underworld—could be found. To do this, he went to Eleusis and learned the Eleusinian Mysteries. Once in the underworld, Hercules located Hades (the god of the underworld) asking if he could have permission to take Cerberus to the surface. Hades agreed to allow this task, but only if Hercules was able to defeat the three-headed beast without using a single weapon. Hercules was able to beat the beast with his powerful muscles, carrying it out of the underworld over one shoulder. When he presented the beast, the cowardly king was so scared that he begged Hercules to take it back to the underworld. Once he had completed this deed the king would release him from his labors. So Hercules took the beast back to its place at the gates of the underworld.
Hercules is Rewarded for Completing His Twelve Labors Once all twelve task were completed, Hercules was freed from his sinful past and given the gift of immortality. His father, the god Zeus, would take Hercules' life bringing him into the heavens. Hera put down her revengeful ways, and forgave the now immortal muscle man. As a sign of her forgiveness, she gave Hercules her daughter as his bride to live with for eternity, and so he did.
1. Hercules Had to Slay The Nemean Lion - The huge man-eating Nemean lion who had an immortal head and hide that could not be penetrated. Hercules defeated the lion by using his wrestling skills; placing a tight grip around its neck from behind until the lion died from lack of breath. Hercules took the lion's head and hide to wear as his own, he could only skin the beast by using its own sharp claws, as its hide was far too strong to be cut by anything man could create.
2. Hercules Must Defeat Hydra - A fiercely powerful man-eating creature related to Typhon, who has nine heads, with one being secretly immortal. Hydra resides in the stinky swamps where it only comes out to feed. As Hercules would cut off one of its heads, two more would grow back. So, with help of his twin brother, when Hercules cut off one, his brother would sear the wound closed using a fiery torch so it could not grow back. This even worked on the immortal head until the Hyrda was defeated and laying dead on the ground.
3. Hercules Had to Catch a Golden Hind - This task doesn't sound too dangerous as a Hind is only a small fast moving deer. Where the danger resided was in the fact that these creatures were sacred to the goddess Artemis. By catching one, Hercules was just asking for trouble.
4. Hercules Must Chase Down a Deadly Erymanthian Boar - A large boar with long sharp tusks was stalking and wounding many of the villagers of Arcadia. Hercules was put to task to bring this reign of death to an end. He chased down the boar stabbing it with his spear. The swine fell into some snow where a net was soon cast over him. Hercules swept up the beast in the net and carried it back to King Eurystheus.
5. Hercules Had to Clean the Augean Horse Stables in a Single Day - This task was more a test of humility rather than designed to impress. The Augean stables were full of beautiful healthy immortal horses, who made a tremendous amount of manure over the years which had never been cleaned up. In fact, these stables had not been cleaned in over thirty years, and Hercules had to get them clean in a single day. Impossible for most, but not for the man made of muscles as well as brains. He simple rerouted the Alpheus and Peneus rivers to wash away the disgusting mess in a single day.
Stymphalian Dragon Bird of Prey 6. Slay the Stymphalian Birds - Next, Hercules was sent to kill the Stymphallian Birds of prey, which had beaks of bronze and sharp feathers of metal they could shoot at enemies. These birds produced a toxic dung that killed crops, and poisoned the livestock and villagers of Arcadia. Lake Stymphalian was on the edges of Arcadia and is where the birds quickly took over. They roosted deep in the surrounding swamp so Hercules found his muscular body far too heavy for the gooey swamp floor to support. When the goddess Athena noticed what was happening, she gave Hercules a giant rattle to scare the birds from their perch. When the rattle caused the birds to take flight, Hercules was able to shoot most of them with his bow and arrows. This caused the rest of the flock to leave and never return to Arcadia.
7. Hercules Must Capture the Cretan Bull - Hercules had to sail to Crete to capture the Cretan Bull. This huge bovine had been uprooting crops and knocking down walls, and simply causing too much damage and trouble. Hercules was to capture the bull and return it to King Eurystheus so he could sacrificed it to Hera. Hercules snuck up on the big brute from behind and subdued it with his strong hands around its neck. He shipped it back to the cowardly King, where Hera denied the sacrifice because she didn't want any glory to fall to Hercules. The bull was put out to pasture and later scarified to Athena (and/or Apollo).
Wild Man-Eating Horse of Diomedes 8. Hercules Must Steal the Mares of Diomedes - These mares were crazy and very uncontrollable due to their diet of human flesh, so they had to be tethered to a bronze manger as protection. When Hercules and his helpers came upon these man-eaters he knew he would have to fight the owner, Diomedes, before taking care of the horses. To do this he left his most loved companion Abderus in charge while he went to battle Diomedes. Upon his return Hercules discovered that his companion had been eaten while he was away. In revenge, he fed Diomedes' flesh to mares. After feeding the mares would always become calm. When they finished eating their owner, they were calm enough for Hercules to simply bind their mouths safely shut.
{"lat":38.963745,"lng":35.24332,"zoom":3,"mapType":"HYBRID","markers":[{"id":"30458","lat":38.963745,"lng":35.24332,"name":"Turkey","address":"Turkey","description":"Amazons were said to have lived in Pontus, which is part of modern day Turkey near the shore of the Euxine Sea (the Black Sea)."}]}
9. Hercules Had to Get the Girdle of Hippolyta - The cowardly king Eurystheus had a daughter who wanted the belt of Queen Hyppolyta, which was a gift from the god of war, Ares. Hyppolyta reigned over the tribe known as the Amazon Warrior Women. The king sent Hercules to get the gift for his daughter. With a group of friends, the powerful man set out to Themiscyra, which was where Hyppolyta lived. It was a hard journey full of fighting and sadness, but Hercules was able to overcome these struggles. When he arrived, Hyppolyta was impressed with such success that she agreed to simply give him the belt. But, Hera had other plans. The revengeful woman took up a disguise and told the villagers that Hercules and his men were there to kidnap the Amazon queen. Worried about their queen, the women rode to Hercules on horseback to see what his intentions truly were. When He saw the warrior women approaching so suddenly and with anger in their eyes, he thought Hippolyta had planned to kill him all along. He knew right then he must kill the queen. Once the queen was dead, Hercules took the belt from her and delivered it back to Eurythesus and his spoiled daughter.
10. Hercules Had to Get the Cattle of the Monster Geryon - In this task, Hercules had to travel to the Mediterranean island of Erytheia to round up the cattle. It would seem a simple labor, but Hera sent a biting fly (gladfly) to nip the cattle causing them to become irritated and thus spread out as they ran from the biting nuisances. They spread out so far that it took Hercules a full year to round them all up. Hera then flooded the river so it was impossible for him to get the cattle across without drowning. But, this did not stop the strong man, he made a bridge of stones that made the river shallow. This made it safe to cross the herd and complete his task by delivering the cattle to the court of Eurystheus, where upon their arrival the herd was sacrificed to Hera.
11. Hercules Had to steal the Apples of Hesperides - When Hercules made it to the garden of Hesperides, he tricked Atlas into stealing some of the apples for him. Because Atlas was related to Hesperides it would not seem so unlikely that he took some apples, making this task much easier for the strong man than any other so far.
12. Hercules Had to Capture and Bring Back Cerberus - Not only was this labor his last, but it was the most difficult. To accomplish the task, he would first have to learn how to get in and out of the underworld alive, where Cerberus—the three-headed guardian hound of the underworld—could be found. To do this, he went to Eleusis and learned the Eleusinian Mysteries. Once in the underworld, Hercules located Hades (the god of the underworld) asking if he could have permission to take Cerberus to the surface. Hades agreed to allow this task, but only if Hercules was able to defeat the three-headed beast without using a single weapon. Hercules was able to beat the beast with his powerful muscles, carrying it out of the underworld over one shoulder. When he presented the beast, the cowardly king was so scared that he begged Hercules to take it back to the underworld. Once he had completed this deed the king would release him from his labors. So Hercules took the beast back to its place at the gates of the underworld.
Hercules is Rewarded for Completing His Twelve Labors Once all twelve task were completed, Hercules was freed from his sinful past and given the gift of immortality. His father, the god Zeus, would take Hercules' life bringing him into the heavens. Hera put down her revengeful ways, and forgave the now immortal muscle man. As a sign of her forgiveness, she gave Hercules her daughter as his bride to live with for eternity, and so he did.