1. Education
About.com
Ancient / Classical History

Discuss in my forum

People in the Life of Hercules (Heracles/Herakles)

Index of Hercules' Friends, Family, and Enemies

By , About.com Guide

People in Hercules' Life Page 2

Hercules encountered many people in his travels and labors. For convenience, I've listed the following as friend, family, or enemy of Hercules. As usual, such labels are simplistic.

Also see the Apollodorus Concordance for names and places in Apollodorus' account of the Labors of Hercules. This is based on the Loeb edition of the Library of Apollodorus, a 2nd Century B.C. Greek scholar, who wrote a Chronicles and On the Gods. It is thought that the Library (Bibliotheca) was written by someone a few centuries later, but it is still referred to as the Library of Apollodorus or Pseudo-Apollodorus.

Deianeira - Family of Hercules

Hercules Fights AchelousCC dawvon at Flickr.com
Deianeira was Hercules' last mortal wife. She was the daughter of Althaea and Oeneus or Dexamenus, king of Olenus. Hercules defeated the river god Achelous in order to marry Deianeira.

Deianeira thought she was losing Hercules to Iole, so she put what she thought was a love potion on a garment which she sent to Hercules. When he put it on, the potent poison that had been called a love potion took affect. Hercules wanted to die, so he built a pyre and persuaded someone to light it. He then ascended to become one of the gods and married the goddess Hebe.

Eurystheus - Enemy and Family of Hercules

Eurystheus hiding in a jar as Heracles brings him the Erymanthian boar.Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
Eurystheus is Hercules' cousin an king of Mycenae and Tiryns. After Hera had tricked an oath out of Zeus that the boy born that day who was his descendant would become king, she caused Eurystheus to be born early and Hercules, who was due, was held back until Eurystheus was born. It was for Eurystheus that Hercules performed the 12 labors.

Hesione - Friend of Hercules

Hesione was a sister of King Priam of Troy. When their father, Ling Laomedon, ruled Troy, Hesione was exposed to a sea monster. Hercules rescued her and gave her as a concubine to his follower Telamon. Hesione was mother of Telamon's son Teucer, but not Ajax.

Hylas - Friend of Hercules

John William Waterhouse - Hylas and the Nymphs (1896)Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
Hylas was a beautiful young man whom Hercules loved. They joined the Argonauts together, but then Hylas was taken by nymphs.

Iolaus - Friend and Family of Hercules

Hercules and Iolaus - Fountain mosaic from the Anzio NymphaeumPublic Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
Iolaus, son of Iphicles, was a charioteer, companion, and favorite of Hercules. He may have married Hercules' wife Megara after Hercules killed their children in one of his fits of madness. Iolaus helped Hercules in the labor to destroy the Lernaean Hydra by cauterizing the neck after Hercules severed the head.

Iphicles - Family of Hercules

Iphicles was the twin brother of Hercules. He was born of Alcmene and his father was Amphitryon. Iphicles was the father of Hercules' favorite, Iolaus.

Laomedon - Enemy of Hercules

Hercules offered to save King Laomedon's daughter from the sea monster if Laomedon would give him his special horses as reward. Laomedon agreed, Hercules rescued Hesione, but Laomedon reneged on the deal, so Hercules took revenge.

Lapiths - Usually Friends of Hercules

Pediment of Temple of Olympian Zeus Depicting the Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths, with Apollo.CC Flickr User miriam.mollerus
Hercules came to the aid of a grandson of Hellen, King Aegimius of the Dorians, in his boundary conflict with King Coronus of the Lapiths. King Aegimus promised Hercules a third of the land, so Hercules killed the Lapith king and won the conflict for the Dorian king. Keeping his part of the bargain, King Aegimius adopted Hercules son Hyllus as heir.

Don't Stop Here! More People in Hercules' Life on the Next Page =>

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.