The legendary ancient Greek hero Hercules became famous for twelve feats performed in the service of the Argolid king Eurystheus. As the son of the king of the gods Zeus and the mortal woman Alkmena, Heracles aroused the hatred of the goddess Hera, who sent madness upon him. In a fit of insanity, Hercules killed his own children. Deeply repenting of his deed, the hero turned to the Delphic oracle with a request to assign him punishment. This punishment was the service at Eurystheus: Hercules was obliged to fulfill all his orders for 12 years.
Strangulation of the Nemean Lion
The first feat of Hercules was the killing of a monstrous lion with a very hard skin, which was impossible to damage with any weapons. Leo lived in the vicinity of the city of Nemea and terrified the entire area, killing people and abducting livestock. Hercules tracked down the Nemean lion and strangled him. The hero made himself a cloak from the skin of a lion.
The assassination of the Lernean hydra
The second task that Eurystheus gave Hercules was the destruction of the seven-headed serpentine monster living in the Lernean marshes. Hydra devoured people and pets for a long time. To stop her robberies, Hercules cut off one of the heads of Hydra, but seven new ones immediately grew up instead. Then the hero began to chop off every head of the monster in turn, and his friend Iolaus burned the stumps. Killing the hydra, Hercules dipped the tips of his arrows in her poison, making them a deadly weapon.
Stimphalia extermination
The third feat of the demigod was the killing of birds of prey with copper beaks, claws and wings, living near the city of Stimphal. These birds ate the crop, and also attacked people. To deal with a predatory flock, Hercules used arrows with the poison of the Lernean hydra.
Catching the Cerinean Doe
The fourth feat performed by the son of Zeus was the captivity of the fatigue of the Kerinoe fallow deer with golden horns and copper hooves. To catch a wonderful doe, Hercules had to chase the animal for a very long time.
Taming the Erimanf Boar
The fifth order of Eurystheus, which Hercules successfully dealt with, was the capture of a giant wild boar that lived on Mount Erimanf and terrorized the surroundings of the arcadian city of Psophids. Returning back, Hercules was forced to fend off the centaurs. In the heat of battle, the hero accidentally wounded his teacher Chiron, who was trying to stop the battle. Despite the attempts of Hercules to save him, Chiron died.
Cleaning Augean Stables
The sixth feat of Hercules was the cleansing of the barnyard of the Elisian king Avgius. According to ancient Greek myths, the stables, in which a huge number of animals lived, were not cleaned for many years and ended up being filled with manure to the very roof. Hercules blocked the nearby river Alpheus and directed the water to the stables, washing them so white.
Taming the Cretan Bull
The seventh feat accomplished by the hero was the capture of a rabid bull. This bull was presented to the Cretan king Minos Poseidon. Minos was supposed to sacrifice the bull to the god of the seas, but the king out of greed left the animal to himself. Poseidon became angry and sent rabies to the bull. After that, the bull began to rush along Crete and destroy everything that he came across in the way. Hercules caught the bull and delivered it to Eurystheus.
The abduction of horses of King Diomedes
The eighth task that Eurystheus gave to Hercules was the abduction of the wonderful horses that belonged to Tsar Diomedes. These horses possessed incredible beauty and ate humanity. Hercules killed Diomedes, who fed innocent animals to animals, took possession of horses and delivered them to Eurystheus.
The abduction of the belt of the Amazonian queen Hippolyta
The ninth command of Eurystheus was the order to obtain the belt of the Queen of the Amazons of the Amazons Hippolyta, presented to her by the god of war Ares. Hercules came to the lands of the Amazons and turned to the queen with a request to give him a belt. Hippolyta was condescending to the hero and promised to think. But Hera brought confusion into the ranks of the Amazons, forcing them to pounce on Hercules. The hero killed Hippolyta and took her belt.
The abduction of cows of Gerion
The tenth feat of Hercules was the abduction of divine cows belonging to the three-headed giant Gerion. Hercules captured the cows, killing the shepherd Eurytion and the dog Orff, who guarded the flocks of Herion. Then Hercules shot from a bow and Gerion himself.
Extraction of golden apples from the Hesperides garden
The eleventh task of the son of Zeus was the order of Eurystheus to kidnap golden apples. These apples were donated to the wedding of Hera by the goddess of the land of Gaia. Hera planted apples in the garden of the Hesperides - daughters of the titan Atlanta. When the girls played in the garden, they were kidnapped by robbers. Hercules killed the robbers and freed the Hesperides. In gratitude, Atlas presented Heracles with apples.
