In the course of his many adventures, Hercules encountered many people and groups of people.
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. Apollodorus, a 2nd Century B.C. Greek scholar, wrote a Chronicles and On the Gods. It is thought that the Library (Bibliotheca) was written by someone a few centuries later, but the work is still referred to as the Library of Apollodorus or Pseudo-Apollodorus.
Hylas
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Hylas was a beautiful young man whom Hercules loved. They joined the Argonauts together, but then Hylas was taken by nymphs.
Iolaus
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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
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.Lapiths
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.Linus
Linus was the brother of Orpheus and taught Hercules writing and music, but when he struck Hercules, Hercules retaliated and killed him. Hercules was excused, by Rhadamanthys, for the murder because he was retaliating against an act of aggression. Nonetheless Amphitryon sent him away to a cattle farm. [Apollodorus 2.4.9]Megara
For saving the Thebans from the tribute to the Minyans, Hercules was awarded Megara, daughter of King Creon for wife. They had three children. [Apollodorus 2.4.11] In Apollodorus 2.4.12 Hercules was driven mad after defeating the Minyans. He threw his children and two of Iphicles' children into a fire. Other stories put the madness after Hercules' return from Hades. Hercules may have married his wife to a surviving nephew, Iolaus.Minyans
The Minyans were collecting a tribute from the Thebans under King Creon for 20 years. One year when they sent out their tribute collectors, Hercules apprehended them and cut off their ears and noses and sent them back to their king, Erginus. The Minyans retaliated, and attacked Thebes, but Hercules defeated them. His step-father Amphitryon may have been killed in this battle.Omphale
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Lydian Queen Omphale bought Hercules as a slave. They traded clothing and had a son. Omphale also sent Hercules off to do services for the people in the area.
Theseus
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Theseus was a friend of Hercules who had helped another friend of his, Pirithous,, on the absurd attempt to abduct Persephone. While in the Underworld, the pair was chained. When Hercules was in the Underworld, he rescued Theseus. [Apollodoru 2.5.12]
Thespius and His Daughters
Hercules went hunting with King Thespius for 50 days and each night he slept with one of the king's 50 daughters becaue the king wanted to have grandchildren that were fathered by the hero. Hercules didn't realize it was a different woman each night. [Apollodorus 2.4.10] He impregnated all or all but one of them and their offspring, sons, under leadership of their uncle Iolaus, colonized Sardinia.Tiresias
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The transgendered seer Tiresias of Thebes told Amphitryon about Zeus' encounter with Alcmene [Apollodorus 2.4.8] and prophesied what would become of his infant child Hercules.
