Heracles – Mythopedia Heracles, son of Zeus, was a hero famous for his physical strength and for performing the Twelve Labors He was easily recognized by his lion skin, club, and bow
Heracles (Play) – Mythopedia The Heracles is a tragedy by Euripides, usually dated to around 415 BCE In the play, Heracles returns home after completing his Twelve Labors, just in time to save his family from a violent usurper But he is driven mad by the gods and ends up killing the wife and children he has just saved
Shield of Heracles – Mythopedia The Shield of Heracles is a brief epic poem incorrectly attributed to Hesiod, probably composed around the early sixth century BCE It tells of the battle between the hero Heracles and the warrior Cycnus, but it is most famous—as the title suggests—for its long and detailed description of Heracles’ shield
Heraclids – Mythopedia The Heraclids (or Heracleidae) were the numerous descendants of the Greek hero Heracles Hunted by Heracles’ enemies, they eventually banded together and conquered many important Greek cities, including Mycenae, Sparta, and Argos
Nemean Lion – Mythopedia The Nemean Lion was a ferocious beast whose hide was invulnerable to weapons It terrorized Nemea until Heracles finally killed it with his bare hands as the first of his Twelve Labors
Hippolyta – Mythopedia Hippolyta was an Amazon queen and the owner of a famous mythical girdle She fought Heracles when the hero was sent to her kingdom to steal the girdle for his ninth labor
Ceryneian Hind – Mythopedia The Ceryneian Hind was a female deer of extraordinary size who was sacred to Artemis In the most popular tradition, Heracles’ third labor was to capture this fabulous creature alive and bring it to Eurystheus
Stymphalian Birds – Mythopedia The Stymphalian Birds were dangerous creatures who plagued the woods around Lake Stymphalus Heracles chased them away—or, in some traditions, wiped them out entirely—as one of his Twelve Labors
Ladon – Mythopedia Ladon was a formidable serpent or dragon, tasked with guarding the golden apples hidden in the Garden of the Hesperides When Heracles came to steal the apples for his eleventh labor, he first had to find a way around the imposing Ladon
Nessus – Mythopedia Nessus was a Centaur killed by Heracles when he tried to rape the hero’s wife, Deianira But before dying, Nessus was able to trick Deianira into avenging him