Hercules

By: Tia Gandy

Period: 6
Hercules
 Overview
• Heracles was born in Thebes, Greece.
• Son of Zeus and Alcmene which makes Hercules a
demigod.
• Heracles was a result of an affair between Zeus and
Alcmene when Zeus disguised himself as Alcmene’s
husband Amphitryon and made love to her.
• Hera hated Herecles because of the affair and delayed
his birth while forcing his cousin, Eurystheus’ birth
prematurely so Heracles wouldn’t become High King.
• Hera sent two serpant snakes to kill Heracles as an
infant but Heracles strangled them both.
 Overview cont.
• Heracles wed four times, killing his first wife and 3
children due to a fit of madness driven by Hera.
• Heracles’ punishment for the murders were the twelve
labors set by his cousin, Eurystheus.
• After completing the twelve labors, Heracles joined the
Argonauts in a quest to find the Golden Fleece.
• Fell in love with Iole of Oechalia, but Hera drove him
mad again and he murdered Iole’s brother.
• Served as Omphale of Lydia’s slave to purify himself.
• He also assisted in conquering Troy.
• Worshipped as a hero or god all over Greece.
 The Twelve Labors of Heracles
1. Kill the Nemean Lion
2. Kill the Lernaean Hydra
3. Capture the Ceryneian Hind
4. Capture the Erymanthian Boar
5. Clean the Augean Stables
6. Kill the Stymphalian Birds
7. Capture the Cretan Bull
8. Get the Man-Eating Mares of King Diomedes
9. Get the Girdle of Hippolyta (Queen of the Amazons)
10. Bring Eurystheus the Oxen of Geryon
11. Fetch the Golden Apples of Hesperides
12. Bring Cerberus from the lower world (Hades)
 Family Tree
Electryon Anaxo

Zeus Alcmene Amphitryon

Megara Hercules Iphicles
Deianira
3 children

Hyllus Macaria Other children

 Works Cited
• Bullfinch, Thomas. Bulfinch’s Mythology. New York:
Barnes & Noble Books, 2006. Print.
• “Heracles.” The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed.
2002. Print.
• "Heracles." New World Encyclopedia. 3 Jan. 2009. Web.
3 May 2010.
• “Hercules.” World Book Encyclopedia. 2001 ed. 2001.
Print.
• “Heracles.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 1 May
2010. Web. 3 May 2010.
• Skidmore, Joel. Mythweb. Fleet Gazelle. 13 Jan. 2010.
Web. 3 May 2010.