hercules labours

• Nemean Lion


  A lion that Heracles strangled and used its claws to kill
• Heracles

  • Often continues to wear the skin of the Nemean Lion in the future
• Lernaean Hydra


  A many-headed serpent monster in Lerna
• Heracles dealing with the Lernaean Hydra


  1. Removed the heads of the Hydra

  2. His cousin 'Iolaus' sealed the neck wounds with a flaming torch

  3. Crushed a crab sent by Hera

  4. Buried the Hydra's immortal head

  5. Took poison for his arrows
• The lernaean hydra labour doesn't count as Heracles received help
• Golden Hind


  A large golden deer sacred to Artemis
• Heracles capturing the Golden Hind


  1. Chased it for a whole year

  2. Snared it and bound its legs

  3. Returned it to Eurystheus
• Artemis was angry but she allowed Heracles to complete the task when he said he was only borrowing it
• Erymanthian Boar


  A large boar, terrifying the countryside (in Erymanthos)
• Heracles dealing with the Erymanthian Boar

  1. Chased and bound its legs when the boar was tired

  2. Carried it back to Mycenae
• Eurystheus hid in a pithos out of fear of Heracles
• Augean Stables


  The stables of Augeas, King of Elis, were full of dung from immortal cattle
• Heracles cleaning the Augean Stables


  1. Diverted two rivers and cleaned the stables

  2. Defeated Augeas in battle after he refused to pay Heracles
• This stables labour also doesn't count as payment was asked/offered
• Stymphalian Birds


  Birds that had been ravaging the farmlands and even killing some
• Heracles dealing with the Stymphalian Birds


  1. Used a rattle given by Athena to get the birds to fly into the sky

  2. Shot them with arrows or a slingshot
• Cretan Bull


  A bull that had been destroying homes and farmland on the island of Crete
• Heracles capturing the Cretan Bull

  1. Strangled the bull

  2. Rode it back across the sea
• Eurystheus hid in his jar again, and Heracles let the bull go free
• Mares of Diomedes


  Horses that fed on enemies/passing strangers, owned by King Diomedes in Thrace
• Heracles dealing with the Mares of Diomedes


  1. Killed the stablemaster

  2. Took the horses

  3. Fed Diomedes to his own horses after defeating them
• Belt of Hippolyte


  A belt given to the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyte, by her father Ares
• Heracles obtaining the Belt of Hippolyte


  1. Took an army to get the belt from Hippolyte

  2. Hippolyte was willing to give him the belt out of admiration

  3. Hera rumoured that Heracles was there to kidnap Hippolyte so the Amazons attacked Heracles and his men

  4. Heracles killed Hippolyte and took the belt
• Cattle of Geryon


  Red cattle that Heracles had to fetch
• Heracles obtaining the Cattle of Geryon

  1. Defeated the herdsman Eurytion and his dog Orthrus with a club

  2. Defeated Geryon who had 3 heads, 3 sets of arms, and 3 sets of legs
• Apples of the Hesperides


  Golden apples guarded by the nymphs called the Hesperides
• Heracles obtaining the Apples of the Hesperides


  1. Helped Prometheus who told him how to get the apples

  2. Held up the sky while Titan Atlas got the golden apples

  3. Tricked Atlas into taking the sky again

  4. The apples were returned by Athena after delivering them to Eurystheus
• Cerberus


  The three-headed guard dog of Hades
• Heracles obtaining Cerberus


  1. Went to the underworld to fetch Cerberus

  2. Was initiated into the Eleusynian Mysteries to get Persephone's favour

  3. Hades agreed to let Heracles take Cerberus if he defeated the dog without weapons

  4. Used his stranglehold and returned Cerberus to Eurystheus

  5. Cerberus was later returned to the underworld