Heracles

Heracles

Hercules was the son of Zeus and Alcmene.

Mythology

Childhood

Heracles was not a normal child, even as a baby. One day, him and his brother, Iphicles were put to sleep, when two snakes crawled into the room. Awakened from screams that came from the children's room, their mother ran into the room and was shocked to see Iphicles screaming in terror, and Heracles holding a dead snake in each hand, both strangled. Later on in life, Heracles was taught music. But the young demigod had killed his teacher, after he was told he must practice more.

Adulthood

Since birth, Heracles was haunted by Hera's fury. Her revenge came to a climax after Heracles' marriage. One day, Hera made Heracles go into a blind frenzy, inflicting chaos on all those around him. But those people were his wife and children. After recovering from the rage, he was shocked to find his family dead at his feet. The people around could not bear the knowledge of Heracles act and told him. Crying for his loved ones, and calling himself a murderer, Theseus king of Athens came forth from the crowd, offered the demigod his hand and told to come with him to Athens. At first, Heracles refused to touch the hand, since according to the Greek belief, a man who touches the blood of a murdered one is also responsible for the act. After Theseus insisted, Heracles agreed. At Athens, Heracles sought out the oracle, which told Heracles that if he wishes to be pure again, he must punish himself. Heracles agreed, and turned to his uncle, Eurystheus, who was a cruel, insidious man. Eurystheus took the offer and gave Heracles what was later known as The Twelve Labors.

Second Marriage

Hercules was married to Deianeira. Long after their marriage, one day the centaur Nessus offered to ferry them across a wide river that they had to cross. Nessus set off with Deianeira first, but tried to abduct her. When Hercules realized the centaur's real intention, Hercules chased after him and shot him with an arrow which was poisoned with Hydra's blood. Before he died, Nessus told Deianeira to take some of his blood and semen and treasured it, since it was a very powerful medicine and: if she ever thought Hercules was being unfaithful, the centaur told her, the mixture would prevent him from betraying him. Deianeira kept the vial of blood and semen.

Many years after that incident she heard rumors that Hercules had fallen in love with another woman. She smeared some of the mixture on a robe and sent it to Hercules by a servant named Leechas. When doing so, some of the mixture was spilled on the floor and when the sun rays fell on it, it begun to burn. Because of this Deianeira begun to suspect Nessus's advice and decided to send another servant to fetch Leechas back before he could hand over the soaked robe to Hercules. She was too late. Hercules has already put on the robe and when he did so the blood still poisoned from the same arrow used by Hercules, burnt into his flesh. When he jumped into a nearby river in hope of extinguishing the fire, it only made it worse. When he tried to rip off the robe from his body his organs were also ripped off with it.

Furiously, Hercules caught Leechas and tossed him into the sea. After that he told his friend Philoctetis to build him a pyre on the mountain Oata. He was burnt to death on the pyre. Before dying, Hercules offered his bow and arrows as a token of gratitude to Philoctetis. His father Zeus then turned him into a god. Deianeira, after hearing what she had caused, committed suicide.

After his death, Heracles was brought to Mt. Olympus and made a god. At this point Hera finally overcame her jealousy and offered Heracles her daughter Hebe's hand in marriage.

Relatives

Children:

• Acelus (with Malis, a slave of Omphale)
• Aechmagoras (with Philo daughter of Alcimedon)
• Agamedas (with unknown woman)
• Agathyrsus (with the monster Echidna)
• Agelaus (with Omphale Queen of Lydia)
• Agylleus (with an unknown consort)
• Alexiares (with Herakles' third wife Hebe goddess of youth)
• Alopius (with Antiope a daughter of King Thestius)
• Amathes (with unknown woman who is also the mother of Boeus of Bretius, Brettus and)
• Amathous (with an unknown consort)
• Amnestrius (with Bone a daughter of King Thestius)
• Anicetos (with Herakles' third wife Hebe goddess of youth)
• Antiades (with Aglaeia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Antileon (with Procris a daughter of King Thestius)
• Antimachus (with Nicippe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Antiochus (with Anthaeia daughter of King Thestius)
• Antiochus (with Meda daughter of Phylus)
• Antiphus (with Laothoe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Archedicus (with Eurypyle a daughter of King Thestius)
• Archimachus (with Patro a daughter of King Thestius)
• Astromus (with Stratonice a daughter of King Thestius)
• Astyanax (with Epilais a daughter of King Thestius)
• Astymes (with Calametis a daughter of King Thestius)
• Aventinus (with Rhea, an Italian priestess)
• Azon (with an unknown consort)
• Barge (with Bargases)
• Bocolus (with Marse a daughter of King Thestius)
• Boeus (with unknown woman who is also the mother of Bretius, Brettus and Amathes)
• Bretius (with unknown woman, who is also the mother of Bretius, Boeus and Amathes)
• Brettus (with unknown woman, who is also the mother of Brettus, Boeus and Amathes)
• Buleus (with Elachaeia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Cadmillus (with a nymph named Cabeira)
• Capylus (with Hippo a daughter of King Thestius)
• Celeustinor (with Iphis a daughter of Thestius)
• Celtus (with Celtine daughter of Bretannus king of the Celts)
• Chromis (with an unknown consort)
• Cleolaus (with Argele a daughter of King Thestius)
• Cleodaees (with one of Queen Omphale's slave girls)
• Creon (with Argele a daughter of King Thestius)
• Creontiades (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Creon of Thebes)
• Ctesippus (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon)
• Ctesippus (with Astydameia, daughter of Ormenius)
• Cyrnus (with an unknown consort)
• Deicoon (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Creon of Thebes)
• Dexamenus (with an unknown consort)
• Dynastes (with Erato a daughter of King Thestius)
• Echephron (with Psophis a daughter of Xanthus or Eryx)
• Entelades (with Menippe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Erasippus (with Lysippe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Eratus (with Dynaste)
• Euclea-who would become goddess of good repute (with Myrto daughter of Menoeteus)
• Eumedes (with Lyse a daughter of King Thestius)
• Eurycapys (with Clytippe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Euryopes (with Terpsicrate a daughter of King Thestius)
• Eurypyles (with Eubote a daughter of King Thestius)
• Eurythrus (with Exole a daughter of King Thestius)
• Everus (with Parthenope daughter of Stymphalus)
• Glenos (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon)
• Gelon (with Chania, a nymph)
• Gelonus (with The monster Echidna)
• Halocrates (with Olympusa a daughter of King Thestius)
• Hippeus (with Procris a daughter of King Thestius)
• Hippodamus (with Anthippe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Hippozygus (with Hippocrate a daughter of King Thestius)
• Homolippus (with Xanthis a daughter of King Thestius)
• Hyllus (with with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon)
• Hyllus (with Melite an naiad)
• Iobes (with Certhe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Kings of India (with Pandela and Indian Princess)
• Laomedon (with Meline a daughter of King Thestius)
• Laomenes (with Oreia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Latinus (with Palantho of Hyperborea)
• Leucippus (with Eurytelle a daughter of King Thestius)
• Leucites (with an unknown consort)
• Leuconeus (with Aeschreis a daughter of King Thestius)
• Lycurgus (with Toxicrace a daughter of King Thestius)
• Lyncaeus (with Tiphyse a daughter of King Thestius)
• Macareia (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon) - Macareia was Herakles' only mortal daughter
• Maleus (with Omphale Queen of Lydia)
• Manto (with an unknown consort)
• Mentor (with Asopis a daughter of King Thestius)
• Nephus (with Praxitheia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Nicodromus (with Nice a daughter of King Thestius)
• Oneites (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon)
• Oenesippus (with Chryseis)
• Oestrobleus (with Hesichaeia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Olynthus (with Bolbe)
• Olympus (with Euboea a daughter of King Thestius)
• Palaemon (with Iphinoe daughter of Anteus)
• Pallas (with Dyna)
• Pallas (with Lavinia, daughter of Evander)
• Pandaie (with an unknown consort)
• Patroclus (with Pyrippe a daughter of King Thestius)
• Phalius (with Helicones a daughter of King Thestius)
• Polylaus (with Eurybia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Promachus (with Prophis a daughter of Xanthus or Eryx)
• Rhopalus (with unknown woman)
• Scythes(with the monster Echidna)
• Sophax (with Tinge, wife of Antaeus)
• Telephus (with Auge sister of Cepheus of King Tegea)
• Teles (with Lysidice a daughter of King Thestius)
• Teleutagores (with Eurycas a daughter of King Thestius)
• Therimachus (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Creon of Thebes)
• Threpsippus (with Panopeia a daughter of King Thestius)
• Thessalus (with Chalciope)
• Thestalus (with Epicaste the daughter of Augeus)
• Thettalus (with Chalciope daughter of Eurypylus)
• Tigasis (with Phyleis a daughter of King Thestius)
• Tlepolemus (with with either Astyoche daughter of Phylas)
• Unknown son (with Palantia daughter of Evander)
• Unnamed serpent (with Pyrene, daughter of King Bebrycius)