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People in the Life of Hercules (Heracles/Herakles)

Index of People Whom Hercules Encountered

By N.S. Gill, About.com

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.

Alcmene (Alcmena)

Birth of Heracles, by Jean Jacques Francois Le Barbier (1738-1826)Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
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]

Amazons

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.

Amphitryon

Amphitryon, a grandson of Perseus and son of King Alcaeus of Tiryns, was the step-father of Hercules and father of his twin brother Iphicles. He accidentally killed his uncle and father-in-law, Electryon, and was driven out by another uncle, Sthenelus. Amphitryon took his family to Thebes where King Creon purified him. [Apollodorus 2.4.6]

Antaeus

Heracles wrestling with the libyan giant Antaeus. 515–510 B.C. Euphronios (painter).Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
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

Heracles and the gathering of the ArgonautsPublic Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
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.

Augeas

King Augeas of Elis offered to pay Hercules for cleaning out his stables in a day. Hercules diverted the Alpheus and Peneus riversto clean the years' worth of filth, but the king refused to pay. Augeas' son Phyleus testified on behalf od Hercules when his father denied he had promised to pay. Hercules later returned and got revenge. He also rewarded Phyleus by installing him on the throne. [Apollodorus 2.5.5]

Autolycus

Autolycus was the son of Hermes and Chione. He was the ancient prince of thieves who taught wrestling to Hercules.

Castor

Castor. From Heracles and the Gathering of the Argonauts.  Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
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

Heracles, Deianira and Nessus. Attic black-figured hydria, ca. 575–550 BC.Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia
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

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.
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