The+Life+Story+Of+Heracles

=The Life Story of Heracles =

By Keoni

Heracles, the famous Demigod, made history with his many feats throughout his life. He was also living proof of Zeus’s affaire with mortal women while married to Hera. Heracles was very famous for all of his quests and feats. Heracles is the original Demi God(half mortal half god) that was the son of Zeus. The modern world adopted the Latin name Hercules. However, the story of Heracles contains facts that are not told in every book or on every webpage. When Heracles was a baby in his crib, he strangled two snakes with his bare hands. In addition his original name was Alcaeus, the son of Zeus and Alcmene. Alcaeus’s name was soon changed to Heracles (meaning the glory of Hera). The world now knows Heracles as Hercules, the Latin version of him that has been adopted universally. Heracles step mom was Hera, hence the name Heracles meaning the glory of Hera. Hera was furious at Zeus for having affaires with other women and not only that but with mortal women. And now every time that Hera saw another Demi-God she was even more mad at Zeus because it was living proof of Zeus’s affair with other women. Hera especially hated Heracles for the fame he has received at a very young age too. Hera had heard news that Heracles had become even more famous so with that she inflicted madness on Heracles and made him murder his three children. When Heracles became sane again he was extremely depressed. He then went to see a oracle and get and see if he can fix his sins. He was to see his cousin and complete 10 tasks, later 12, to repay for the murder of his children. In the end Heracles did complete all twelve labors and was free from servitude. Heracles was then struck with more unfortunate luck by getting infected by a disease he then went to a doctor/oracle for advice and Xenocleia (the oracle) denied him. Heracles then became very upset and left. Heracles told Xenocleia that he would set up his own oracle. Heracles then went to find another however Apollo interfered and was about fight with Heracles except Zeus stopped them with a thunderbolt. Heracles had a very bad disease that can be deadly and he then set off to find help after being rejected by Xenocleia. Heracles and Apollo meet and Apollo was trying to get into a fight with Heracles but Zeus stopped them with a thunderbolt, so now Apollo realizes that Heracles was only trying to find information and so helped him by finding a oracle that told him to sell himself as a slave then he would have paid for murdering his children and cure his disease. Heracles was sold as a slave and worked for three years under the command of a queen. Heracles was then released and then he set off to capture two dwarfish monkey like men named Passalus and Acmon. The creatures were warned by their mother to watch out for "Blackbottom." Heracles had captured them and tied them to a pole that he had slung over his back. From the angle that the creatures were hanging from the could see that Heracles was the one who was called Blackbottom because of his “hairy bottoms”. They thought this was a funny joke, Heracles was not offended at all and delivered them to Zeus who would later turn the creatures into stone for attempting to trick a god. After Heracles turned in the two creatures to his father, Zeus, he then set off to help in Troy,(with Achilles a hero like Heracles) then the Battle of Giants. He then returned to Oechalia and went to war with Eurytus whom refused his daughter in marriage after Heracles had won fairly in a archery contest against him. After the battle was over Heracles had won and he finally was able to take the daughters hand in marriage for her father died in the battle. Heracles old wife(Which I did not mention is story) soon realized that she had lost his heart and that now he is in love with Lole the daughter of Eurytus. Heracles girlfriend smeared the Nessus which is the supposed love charm on Heracles new tunic and the poison of the Hydra. He then ripped it off and died. Heracles former wife soon heard what happened and killed herself. He then was set on fire and a thunderbolt picked up his remains and Heracles was brought to Mount Olympus and his mortal soul was sent to the underworld. Heracles was a famous Demi-God that had a life story that was so amazing that people in this day and age know the story of Heracles very well. Heracles has also has been considered a hero for all of his many accomplishments throughout his life.

Works Cited: Zaq Arbal June 15, 2008 Attic Amphora Heracles Erymanthian Boar (Rycroft Painter MAN) 01 14 Dec. 2009 http://www.flickr.com/photos/zaqarbal/2580450634/

Sebastian Dario December 11 2007 The Sixth Labor of Hercules : The Stymphalian Birds Heracles Arquero o Herakles the Archer de Emile Antoine Bourdelle 14 Dec. 2009 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sebastian-silva/2103058829/

First Created (Contact): 24/06/2006 Jimmy Joe 9. Dec 2009 http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/heracles.html

Encyclopedia Mythica: http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek_people/articles.html

Herakles (lat. Hercules): http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Heracles.html