HERACLES

Heracles and the Nemean Lion

The First Labour

After being forced in labor-bondage by King Eurystheus, Heracles was instructed to bring the King the skull of a lion that was causing havoc around the land of Nemea. The lion, a son of Typhon and Echidna, was both twice the size of a normal lion and had inpenetrable skin. Though Heracles could not pierce the lion's skin with arrows, Heracles is clever. He uses a boulder to trap the Nemean Lion in a cave, bashes it with a club to stun it, and strangles the lion to death. Using the lion's claws as a carving knife, Heracles turns the lion's skin into useful armor. 

The Gigantomachy

The War of Giants and Gods

When Zeus defeated Cronus, Gaea was not pleased. Seeking revenge, she created the Giants. The Giants were a race, as strong as Titans, who had a thousand heads. They were sent as soldiers to fight off the gods. Zeus and the gods were sent to defeat them, but a prophecy was foretold that a giant could only be killed by a human and a god. Athena sent for Heracles to help defend Olympus, and using his arrows, Heracles killed all of the giants with the gods. For instance, Heracles killed Porphyrion after Zeus also injured Porphrion with his thunderbolt. Apollo shot Ephialtes in his left eye and Heracles shot him in the right eye. After Triton called Satyrs to defend Olympus, their braying and noises scared the Giants. When the Giants fled, Heracles killed the leftover Giants. Olympus was saved!

Hercules and Cerberus

The Twelfth Labour

Heracles's final labour was to go down into the Underworld and capture Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades. Cerberus was another child of Typhon and Echidna, like the Nemean Lion that Heracles had already killed. After receiving a blessing by the priests of Eleusis, Heracles went to Taenarum and descended down into the Underworld. After fighting through monsters and spirits, Heracles encountered Hades and asked to bring back Cerberus. Impressed, Hades allowed it on one condition - that Heracles overpower Cerberus with his brute strength. Without mercy, Heracles threw a chokehold around the three-headed dog. Cerberus' tail, with the head of a dragon, bit Heracles - but without effect. Heracles drug the dog all the way to King Eurystheus, who quickly ended the Labour system after seeing just how strong Heracles really was. Heracles was free at last!