Hércules

Hércules, known in Greek tradition as Heracles, is one of the central figures of classical mythology. He is celebrated for extraordinary strength and a series of heroic feats. In most accounts he is the son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene, and Hera’s hostility accompanies much of his life. In some versions he acts under a spell of madness and, to atone for the resulting offenses, undertakes a set of labors.

The Twelve Labors are the defining sequence of his adventures. They include slaying the Nemean Lion, the Lernaean Hydra, and the Stymphalian Birds; capturing the Ceryneian Deer and the Erymanthian Boar; cleansing the Augean Stables; capturing the Cretan Bull; obtaining the Mares of Diomedes; securing the girdle of Hippolyta; fetching the cattle of Geryon; obtaining the Apples of the Hesperides; and finally capturing Cerberus from the underworld. These tasks establish Hércules as a model of strength, endurance, and resourcefulness.

In later myth, Hércules is rewarded with immortality and joined the Olympian gods. His death is linked to a poisoned garment given by his wife, Deianira, using the blood of Nessus; he dies on a funeral pyre and ascends to Olympus as a god. In Roman tradition, he is known as Hércules, with myths largely parallel to the Greek Heracles but often treated with different emphasis.

Hércules has had a lasting influence on art, literature, and popular culture, remaining a symbol of physical prowess, resilience, and heroic perseverance across civilizations and eras.