Hercules and the Nemean Lion - The Labours of Hercules Ep.02 - Greek Mythology

Hercules was commanded to obey his cousin Eurystheus, the king of Mycenae. He feared that, with a greater reputation, the hero Hercules would try to take his throne. So, Eurystheus ordered him a labor that seemed impossible. He would have to exterminate a giant lion that terrified the forests of Argolis. That beast withered the herds in the region and, after devouring a couple of men, it developed a taste for human flesh. People said that the beast was the son of the monstrous Typhon and the malignant Echidna, and for that reason, there were rumors that its pelt was invulnerable to traditional weapons. Hercules, with his bow and arrow and his powerful club, went hunting the creature. The hero spent some time in the forests of Nemea, looking for the lion, until he finally found traces that led up to the cave where the monstrous feline was hidden. Hercules entered the monster's lair, full of animal bones and human skulls. From the bottom of the cave, it was possible to hear the sounds of the giant animal's breath. Hercules spotted the beast on a stone and shot one of his arrows against the animal's head. It rebounded on the animal's pelt. Furious, the gigantic lion unleashed a mighty roar and prepared to attack. Hercules and the lion jumped one against the other. The lion exposed its powerful claws, whereas the hero raised his mace. Hercules hit the creature's head, which, despite the devastating impact, endured the attack with not a single scratch. Realizing that his weapons were useless, Hercules and the lion started a melee. The lion stuck its claws into his opponent, who withstood the excruciating pain of the wounds. Hercules managed to encircle the animal's neck with his arms and initiated a deadly choke. The Nemea lion could not resist the hero's strength and succumbed. Making use of the animal's claws, Hercules managed to rip off its pelt and return to Mycenae. Eurystheus, watching Hercules as he approached, dressed in the animal's skin, fearing for his life, hid inside a metal barrel. And so Hercules completed his first labor.