Hercules

Hercules

Hercules, the Roman name of the Greek hero Heracles, is one of the best-known heroes of classical mythology, celebrated for his strength, endurance and perseverance. In myth he is the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene, and the goddess Hera's hostility follows him from infancy. As an act of penance, he served King Eurystheus and performed the Twelve Labors, among them overcoming the Nemean lion, the many-headed Hydra and Cerberus, the guardian dog of the underworld, and cleaning the vast stables of King Augeas in a single day by diverting two rivers. He also sailed with Jason and the Argonauts. At the end of his earthly life, according to myth, he was taken up to Mount Olympus and granted immortality among the gods. Hercules stands for strength placed in the service of others, and his Labors remain a favorite subject of art and literature.

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Heroes of Greek Myth and Epic

In Greek mythology, Perseus overcame the Gorgon Medusa, and his descendant Hercules completed twelve legendary labors. Achilles, the foremost Greek warrior of the Trojan War, is the hero of Homer's Iliad, a founding work of Western literature. Centuries later, Alexander the Great, who traced his ancestry to both Hercules and Achilles, is said to have kept a copy of the Iliad with him on campaign.

  1. Perseus

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  2. Achilles

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  3. Homer

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  4. Alexander the Great

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