Hercules, Heracles, the hero of the 12 labors, is a bit like our “chou-chou” god. We all know him, he’s close to us. Why does Hercules evoke strength and courage? What was his life like, his famous twelve labours? Heracles(or Herakles), his Greek name, like a superman, through his myths, shows us the path to dignity, the surpassing of oneself, so dear to the ancient Greeks. And why these two names: Hercules or Heracles (Héraklès)?
Hercules or Heracles?
The Romans took over all Greek mythology and their gods. In this way, they passed on the Greek world to us, but adapted it to their own culture. Heracles becomes Hercules… In fact, Heracles means “to the glory of Hera”. But the latter is the wife of the god of gods, Zeus. And you’ll understand why…quite a story! Now you’ll understand why tragedy was born in Greece!
It all starts with the ancient city of Thebes on a green plain. Surrounded by an enormous enclosure with 7 gates, Thebes was the birthplace of Hercules. But from whom?
The birth of Hercules
Zeus can do anything…even take someone else’s wife…he’s the god of gods…and he sets his sights on the queen of Thebes, Alcmene. Hercules’ father is Zeus, and his mother is a Theban, Alcmene. She’s a beautiful baby but, and there’s a big BUT… Hera the most beautiful of the goddesses, the wife of Zeus, is mad with jealousy, mad with rage! She then slips snakes into the cradle of the robust Hercules, who, without even realizing it, crushes them with his hands with disconcerting ease. Hercules’ birth was marked by Hera’s vengeance. This will be his destiny, a long series of trials to atone for his father’s sin.
The fate of the demigod Hercules
As he grew, he became a veritable colossus. It’s a force of nature. The king of Thebes needs his strength to fight his enemies, the Minyans. In return, Hercules “receives” the king’s splendid daughter, the beautiful Megara. They are happy and have many children. Yes, but Hera can’t leave him happy, so she casts a spell on him. In a fit of madness, Hercules, no longer in control of himself, kills his wife and children. When he regained consciousness, Zeus placed him in the service of King Eurystheus, King of Argolida, for 12 years.
Hercules and Eurystheus are enemies, so the king of Argolida does him no favors. He entrusted him with impossible missions, but Hercules’ temerity won him over. Hercules commands respect with his 12 labors. As they say: he did it!
The 12 labors of Hercules – Heracles (Héraklès)
Well, just as an aside, the number 12 is a symbol, the months of the year among others…
So, if you look at these 12 jobs, they’re anything but jobs. These are tremendous feats. Hercules didn’t just use his physical strength, he also demonstrated great mental strength, human compassion, cunning and, above all, the ability to overcome his fear. These qualities embody the Greek hero in all his splendour. He has so much of the hero that he becomes a god…and it’s his first great feat that will mark his attributes as a hero, a demigod, the lion’s skin on his back and his club :
The 12 labors of Hercules
- Killing the Lion of Nemea; this is a lion that is rampant in the Nemea region. Its skin is so tough that you can’t hurt it. Hercules uses cunning, and it’s by taking the lion’s own claw that he’s able to pierce it.
- Killing the Lernaean Hydra
- Capturing the Erymanth boar
- Defeat the Cerynian Hind (the “hind with feet of bronze”) in a race.
- Culling birds on Lake Stymphale
- Capturing the Cretan bull of Minos
- Taming Diomede’s mares
- Bringing back the golden belt of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons
- Cleaning out Augias’ stables
- Stealing Geryon’s oxen
- Stealing golden apples from the Hesperides
- Chain Cerberus
Not content with these 12 labors, he went on to accomplish many other feats. Hercules travels the world, the Mediterranean…like Ulysses, he becomes a Greek hero by traveling and exploring. Hera pursues him with her vindictiveness all his life, she pursues him with her hatred. Hercules accepts his trials, surpasses himself and earns the admiration of the other gods (especially Athena), but above all of the human race. Finally, he is admitted to Olympus, among the 12 Olympian gods. This hero, this demigod, this god, inspires us with his Herculean strength, because his strength is anything but muscular!
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Céline P.
