People in the Life of Hercules (Heracles/Herakles)

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.

Alcmene (Alcmena) - Family of Hercules

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Alcmene was the mother of Hercules. She was the grand-daughter of Perseus and the wife of Amphitryon, but Amphitryon killed her father, Electryon, by accident. The marriage wasn't to be consummated until Amphitryon had avenged the death of Alcmene's brothers. On the night after this was accomplished, Zeus came to Alcmene in the guise of Amphitryon with proofs of the revenge. Later, the real Amphitryon came to his wife, but by this time she was pregnant with her first son, Hercules. Amphitryon fathered Hercules' twin brother, Iphicles. [Apollodorus 2.4.6-8]

Pelops is given as Alcmene's father in Eur. Herc. 210ff.

Rhadamanthys married Alcmene after Amphitryon died. [Apollodorus 2.4.11]

Mother of Hercules

Amazons - Friends and Enemies of Hercules

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In the 9th Labor, Hercules is to fetch the belt of the Amazon queen Hippolyte. The Amazons become suspicious and they attack Hercules' men. Hippolyte is killed.

Antaeus - Enemy of Hercules

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Antaeus of Libya wrestled and killed passing strangers. When Hercules came his way, the pair wrestled. Hercules learned that the earth energized Antaeus, so he held him up, drained his strength, and so killed him. [Apollodorus 2.5.11]

Argonauts - Friends of Hercules

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Hercules and his lover Hylas went with Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. However, when the nymphs on Mysa carried Hylas off, Hercules left the group to search for Hylas.

Cacus - Enemy of Hercules

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Cacus is a Roman enemy of Hercules. Livy says that when Hercules passed through Rome with the cattle he had taken from Geryon, Cacus, a thief who lived in a cave on the Aventine, stole some of them while Hercules was napping. Hercules located the missing cattle when the stolen ones lowed and the ones he still had in possession, replied. Hercules then killed Cacus. In other versions, Cacus is a horrible cannibalistic monster.

Castor - Friend of Hercules

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Castor and his brother Pollux were known as the Dioscuri. Castor taught Hercules to fence, according to Apollodorus. Castor was also a member of the Argonauts. Pollux was fathered by Zeus, but Castor's parents were Leda and her husband Tyndareus.

Deianeira - Family of Hercules

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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.

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