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Means of atonement
- The Oracle, aware of Hera’s desire to kill Heracles, assigned him the twelve labors as a means of atonement. The Oracle commanded Hercules to serve King Eurystheus of Mycenae, who tasked Hercules with a series of seemingly impossible labors, often referred as the “twelve impossible tasks,” as penance.
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Feb 7, 2019 · Hercules' Expiation and Marching Orders. To learn what further course he must take, Hercules consulted the oracle at Delphi where the Pythian priestess told him to expiate his crime by serving King Eurystheus for 12 years. During this 12-year period, Hercules had to perform the 10 labors the king would require of him.
Apr 11, 2024 · Labours of Hercules, the 12 labours, or tasks, assigned to the Greco-Roman legendary hero Hercules (Heracles) by King Eurystheus. Traditionally, Hercules was the son of Zeus, the chief deity among the Greek gods, and Alcmene, a mortal princess whom Zeus tricked into sleeping with him.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Oracle commanded Hercules to serve King Eurystheus of Mycenae, who tasked Hercules with a series of seemingly impossible labors, often referred as the “twelve impossible tasks,” as penance. Initially, Hercules had to complete ten labours. However, king Eurystheus later disqualified two of them, extending Hercules’ redemption journey ...
He prayed to the god Apollo for guidance, and the god's oracle told him he would have to serve Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns and Mycenae, for twelve years, in punishment for the murders. As part of his sentence, Hercules had to perform twelve Labors, feats so difficult that they seemed impossible.
- slaying the Nemean Lion. The Nemean lion was a terrible monster that roamed in the region of Nemea, capturing women as hostages and luring brave men to save them.
- slaying the Lernaean Hydra. The Lernaean Hydra was a fearsome monster that lived in the swamp of the lake Lerna. It had been specifically raised by Hera to kill Heracles.
- capturing the Ceryneian Hind. In their effort to mark an end to Heracles' successes, Eurystheus and Hera decided that the next task Heracles should do would be to capture the Ceryneian Hind.
- capturing the Erymanthian Boar. The Erymanthian Boar was a giant animal living on Mount Erymanthos, which was dedicated to the goddess Artemis as well.
After completing the twelve labours, one tradition says that Heracles joined Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. However, Herodorus (c. 400 BC) disputed this and denied that Heracles ever sailed with the Argonauts.
Dec 12, 2021 · Let’s take a closer look at all of Hercules’ twelve labours, and explore their meaning and significance within Greek myth, subjecting them to analysis. Twelve Labours of Hercules: summary Hercules was given twelve years to complete his twelve labours.
