The Labors of Hercules
Labor 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
- Why Did Hercules Have to Perform the 12 Labors?
- What Are the 12 Labors of Hercules?
- Quiz on the 12 Labors of Hercules
Madness of Hercules
For most of his life, Hercules (Greek: Herakles/Heracles) was in thrall to his Uncle Eurystheus, the King of Tiryns [see Peloponnese map section Cb, in the Argolis], but it wasn't until Hercules committed unspeakable acts that Eurystheus really got to have some fun at his nephew's expense -- with Hera's help.
Hera, who had been angry with Hercules since even before he was born and had repeatedly tried to destroy him, now drove the hero mad and delusional. In this state, Hercules imagined he saw Eurystheus and Eurystheus' family. In reality, the figures he saw were his own children and his well-loved wife Megara. Hercules slew them all (or most of them) and incinerated 2 of the children of his brother Iphicles, as well. In some accounts, Megara survived. In these, when he came to his senses, Hercules transferred his wife Megara to Iolaus. [To learn more about Hercules' murderous rage, you should read the Hercules Furens tragedies of Seneca and Euripides.]
Hercules Seeks Purification for His Crimes
Madness was not an excuse for the carnage -- not even madness sent by the gods -- so Hercules had to make amends. First, he went to King Thespius on Mt. Helicon [see map of northern Greece, Dd, in Boeotia] for purification, but that wasn't enough.
Hercules' Expiation and Marching Orders
To learn what further course he must take, Hercules consulted the oracle at Delphi where the Pythian priestess told him to expiate his crime by serving King Eurystheus for 12 years. During this 12-year period Hercules had to perform the 10 labors the king would require of him. The Pythian also changed Hercules' name from Alcides (after his grandfather Alcaeus) to what we normally call him, Heracles (in Greek) or Hercules (the Latin form and the one most commonly used today regardless of whether reference is to a Greek or Roman myth). The Pythian also told Hercules to move to Tiryns. Willing to do anything to atone for his murderous rage, Hercules obliged.
The Twelve Labors - Introduction
Eurystheus set before Hercules a series of impossible tasks. If completed, some of them would have served a useful purpose because they removed the world of dangerous, predatory monsters -- or excrement, but others were capricious whims of a king with an inferiority complex: Comparing himself with the hero was bound to make Eurystheus feel inadequate.
Since Hercules was doing these tasks to atone for his crimes, Eurystheus insisted there be no ulterior motive. Because of this restriction, when King Augeas of Elis [see Peloponnese map Bb] promised Hercules a fee for cleaning his stables (Labor 5), Eurystheus denied the feat: Hercules had to do another to fill his quota. That King Augeas reneged and didn't pay Hercules made no difference to Eurystheus. Other tasks the king of Tiryns set his nephew were make-work. For instance, once Hercules retrieved the apples of the Hesperides (Labor 11), but Eurystheus had no use for the apples, so he had Hercules send them back again.
Eurystheus Hides From Hercules
One more important point needs to be made in connection with these tasks. Eurystheus didn't just feel inferior to Hercules; he was also afraid. Anyone who could survive the suicide missions on which King Eurystheus had sent the hero must be very powerful indeed. It is said Eurystheus hid in a jar and insisted -- contrary to the instructions of the Pythian priestess -- that Hercules stay outside the Tiryns city limits.
Next Page Hercules Labors - The Sources
