The myth of Hercules begins with his unusual birth. The thunder god Zeus had a penchant for earthly women. He liked the beautiful Alcmene, the wife of the king of Mycenae. Zeus, with gentle speeches, tried to convince her to cheat on her husband. But Alcmene was adamant. Then the Thunderer decided to cheat. He drove all the animals of Hellas into the forest where the king of Mycenae was hunting. Carried away by hunting, he did not return home to spend the night. And Zeus in the form of a husband appeared to Alcmene.
On the day when Hercules was to be born, the Thunderer swore in the presence of the gods that the boy would become the ruler of Mycenae. But Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus, realized that we were talking about an illegitimate child. She pushed back Alcmene's birth by a day. At the hour appointed by Zeus, Eurystheus was born. It was he who became the ruler of Mycenae, in whose service Hercules accomplished famous feats.
Myths about Hercules: 12 labors
Hera, having learned about the birth of the future hero, vowed to kill him. She sent two poisonous snakes into the cradle. But Hercules showed strength and agility from birth. He strangled the reptiles with his hands.
The myth of Hercules tells that Hera later sent madness to the hero. The man's mind became confused as he played with his sons. He mistook the children for monsters. When the attack of madness passed, Hercules was horrified by his own action. Full of remorse, he decided to go to overseas countries.
Hercules sailed with the Argonauts on a ship to distant Colchis for the Golden Fleece. But his journey did not last long - the god Hermes appeared to the hero near the very shores of Greece. He conveyed the will of the gods: let Hercules humble himself and go into the service of the Mycenaean king Eurystheus.
Jealous Hera, in a desire to get rid of the illegitimate son of Zeus, entered into an agreement with Eurystheus. She advised the ruler of Mycenae to choose the most difficult and dangerous tasks for the hero. The myths about the exploits of Hercules, one might say, appeared thanks to Hera. She herself, unwittingly, contributed to the hero’s centuries-long glory.
First feat
Eurystheus gave the first task to Hercules - to destroy the Nemean lion. The monster was born from the giant Typhon and Echidna, a huge snake. The lion amazed with its size and bloodthirstiness. Its durable skin withstood the blows of swords, and arrows dulled on it.
A lion lived in the vicinity of the city of Nemea, destroying all living things in its path. For a whole month Hercules searched for his lair. Finally he discovered a cave that served as a refuge for the Nemean Lion. Hercules blocked the exit from the lair with a huge boulder, and he himself prepared to wait at the entrance. Finally there was a loud roar and a monster appeared.
The myth of Hercules tells that the hero's arrows bounced off the skin of a lion. The sharp sword did not harm him. Then Hercules grabbed the monster by the throat with his bare hands and strangled him.
The hero returned victoriously to Mycenae. When Eurystheus saw the defeated lion, he was afraid of the incredible strength of Hercules.
Second feat
Let's try to retell the second myth about Hercules briefly. Hera came up with a new deadly task for the hero. A terrible monster was lurking in the poisonous swamp - the Lernaean Hydra. She had the body of a snake and nine heads.
The Lernaean hydra lived near the entrance to the world of the dead. She crawled out of her lair and devastated the surrounding area. Being the sister of the Nemean Lion, she had a huge advantage - one of her nine heads was immortal. Therefore, it was impossible to kill the Lernaean Hydra.
Iolaus offered his help to Hercules - he took the hero to the poisonous swamp on his chariot. The hero fought the hydra for a long time. But, having struck down one head of the monster, Hercules saw two new ones appear in its place.
Assistant Iolaus set fire to a nearby grove and began to cauterize the severed heads of the hydra. When Hercules cut off the last, immortal head, he buried it deep in the ground. He laid a huge rock on top so that the monster could never appear on earth again.
Hercules soaked the arrowheads with the poisonous blood of the hydra. And then he returned to Mycenae, where Eurystheus’ new task awaited him.
Third feat
Myths about the exploits of Hercules indicate his strength, agility, and speed. For more than a year the hero chased the Kerynean doe in order to catch it - this was a new task for the ruler of Mycenae.
A beautiful fallow deer appeared in the vicinity of the Kerenean Mountains. Her horns sparkled with gold, and her hooves shone with copper. The animal's skin sparkled in the sun. The Kerynean fallow deer was created by the goddess of the hunt, Artemis. She did this as a reproach to people who exterminated flora and fauna.
The doe ran faster than the wind - she rushed, running away from Hercules, through Attica, Thesprotia, Boeotia. For a whole year the hero tried to catch up with the beautiful fugitive. In desperation, Hercules took out his bow and shot the animal in the leg. Throwing a net over the prey, he carried it to Mycenae.
Artemis appeared in front of him in anger. Ancient myths about Hercules say that the hero bowed to her. He explained how the will of the gods forced him to serve Eurystheus. That he was not chasing the beautiful doe for himself. Artemis had mercy and allowed Hercules to take the animal to Mycenae.
Fourth feat
And Eurystheus has already prepared a new task for the hero. Which one? The fourth myth about Hercules will tell us about this. Its brief content allows us to find out that a wild boar appeared in Arcadia. The Erymanthian boar used its huge tusks to destroy livestock, forest animals, and travelers...
On the way, Hercules visited his acquaintance, the centaur Pholus. They opened the wine, had fun, sang songs. Other centaurs, attracted by the aroma of the wine, armed themselves with stones and stakes and declared that the wine was a gift to the entire community. A fight ensued. Hercules put the centaurs to flight with his poisonous arrows.
Continuing his journey, the hero soon saw the Erymanthian boar. But the blows of the sword did not frighten the animal. Then Hercules raised his shield high. When the sun was reflected in it, the hero directed the beam directly into the eyes of the beast. Then he began to hit the shield with his sword. Blinded, the animal was frightened by the loud noise. He rushed high into the mountains, where he got stuck in deep snow. Then Hercules tied the boar, put it on his shoulders and brought it to Mycenae.
The inhabitants rejoiced at their deliverance from the formidable monster. Eurystheus, seeing the size of the boar, was so frightened that he hid in a bronze pithos.
Fifth feat
King Augeas was famous for his herds and stables. He surrounded the barnyard with a high fence, because he was in fear around the clock that the bulls and horses might be kidnapped. All day long Augeias tried to count the number of horses in the stables. But the herd was in motion, the horses moved, and the count had to start over.
The accumulated sewage from the horses filled all the stables. The smell from them permeated the whole of Arcadia, says the 5th myth. Hercules sent Eurystheus to clear the Augean stables of manure. The king thought that a strong and brave hero would disdain such a task.
Hercules realized that it was necessary to make a hole in the fence. He broke the fence surrounding the stables on both sides. The water flow of the mountain river immediately washed away all the impurities.
The myth of Hercules briefly reports that after this feat, the hero made a sacrifice to the river god for the unpleasant work. Then he restored the fence and returned to Mycenae for a new assignment.
The sixth feat
One day, two huge birds appeared near the city of Stymphalus, the myths about Hercules are told. They had copper beaks and bronze feathers. The Stymphalian birds multiplied over time and formed a flock. They destroyed seedlings in the fields. They dropped their bronze feathers like arrows on everyone who came near them.
Hercules, before entering into battle, studied the habits of the creatures for a long time. He realized that, having shed their feathers, birds become defenseless until new ones grow. The warrior goddess Athena appeared to Hercules and presented him with copper rattles as a gift. Hercules was delighted with the help and made a loud noise with the instrument.
The Stymphalian birds flew up in fear and began to shed their sharp feathers. Hercules took refuge under a shield from their onslaught. After the birds dropped all their feathers, the hero shot them with a bow. And those that I didn’t manage to hit flew away from these places.
Seventh feat
What does the seventh myth about Hercules tell about? The summary indicates that there are no more monstrous animals and birds left in Arcadia. But Eurystheus came up with an idea where to send Hercules - to the island of Crete.
The sea god Poseidon gave King Minos a wonderful bull so that the ruler would sacrifice it to the gods. But the king liked the Cretan bull so much that he hid it in his herd. Poseidon found out about the king's deception. In anger, he struck the bull with madness. The monster ran around for a long time, killing people in a frenzy and scattering herds.
Eurystheus, at the behest of Hera, wished to see the Cretan bull alive. Hercules realized that only force can pacify the animal. He went out to fight, grabbed the bull by the horns, and bent his head to the ground. The animal sensed that the enemy was stronger. The Cretan bull stopped resisting. Then Hercules saddled him and drove him into the sea. So, riding on an animal, the hero returned to Arcadia.
The bull did not even try to throw Hercules off, he calmly entered the stall of King Eurystheus. When the hero, tired after a new feat, went to bed, the ruler was afraid to keep a maddened bull and in fear released him into the wild.
So the bull wandered around the outskirts of Arcadia until he was defeated by another hero of Hellas, Theseus.
Eighth feat
The myths about Hercules also tell about the demonic horses of Diomedes. These carnivorous monsters devoured lost travelers. Shipwrecked sailors were killed. When Hercules and his assistant arrived in the country, he immediately went in search of carnivorous horses. By neighing, he realized where the stables of King Diomedes were.
With a blow to the head, he subdued the first horse and threw a bridle around its neck. When the entire herd was bridled, Hercules and his assistant drove him to the ship. And then King Diomedes and his army stood in the way. Hercules defeated everyone, and when he returned to the shore, he saw that the horses had torn his assistant to pieces and fled.
The hero fed the body of King Diomedes to his own horses, drove them onto a ship and took them to Mycenae. The cowardly Eurystheus, at the sight of the carnivorous horses, in horror, ordered them to be released into the forest. There wild animals dealt with them.
Ninth feat
The 12 myths about Hercules are extremely interesting. They all talk about the strength and courage of the son of Zeus, about the amazing adventures that befell him. The ninth tells about Hippolyta's belt. Eurystheus's daughter Admeta wanted to get it. She heard that the belt was given to the queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, by Ares himself, the god of war.
Hercules went on a journey with his companions. The Amazons greeted them friendly and asked about the purpose of the trip. Hercules honestly told Queen Hippolyta about how Eurystheus’s daughter wanted to receive her belt as a gift.
Hippolyta agreed to give the jewelry to Hercules. But the goddess Hera interfered. She didn’t like the peaceful solution to the issue - after all, she wanted to destroy the hero. Hera, transforming into one of the Amazons, spread the rumor that Hercules wanted to sell them into slavery.
The militant women believed the evil slander, and a battle ensued. Hercules and his companions defeated the Amazons. The son of Zeus completed this task with a heavy heart. Hercules, the hero of myth, did not want to fight with women, even if they were warriors.
Tenth feat
Our story continues with the tenth myth about Hercules. King Eurystheus thought for a long time before giving the hero a new task. He wanted to send his hated half-brother to a distant country, so distant that it would take a month or more to sail there.
Hercules traveled a long way. He defeated the son of the god Vulcan - the monster Kakus. Later, the city of Rome was founded on the site of their battle.
On the green meadows of Erythia, the cows of Geryon, a giant with three bodies, three heads and three pairs of arms and legs, grazed. They were guarded by a two-headed dog. At the sight of Hercules, he growled and rushed at him. The hero quickly defeated the dog, but then the giant shepherd woke up. The goddess Athena doubled the strength of Hercules, and he knocked the giant down with several blows of his club. The hero won another victory.
Having sailed by ship to Iberia, Hercules lay down to rest, letting the herd go to graze. At first light, he decided to drive the herd overland. Cows traveled through Iberia, Gaul, and Italy. Near the sea, one of them rushed to the water and swam. She ended up on the island of Sicily. The local ruler Eryx did not want to give the cow to Hercules. I had to defeat him too.
The hero returned with the fugitive to the herd and led it to King Eurystheus. The latter sacrificed cows to Hera, hoping to get rid of Hercules.
Eleventh feat
And again a long road awaited the hero. Eurystheus sent Hercules to fetch the golden apples of the Hesperides. They gave immortality and eternal youth. In the garden of the Hesperides, only nymphs guarded the apples. And the garden itself was located at the edge of the earth, where Atlas held the firmament on his shoulders.
On the way to the end of the world, Hercules freed Prometheus in the Caucasus Mountains. He fought with the son of the land of Gaia - Antaeus. Only by tearing the giant off the ground could the hero defeat him. Having reached Atlas, Hercules told him about the purpose of his journey. They agreed that the hero would hold the heavens on his shoulders, and Atlas would ask the nymphs for apples.
Hercules was already exhausted under the weight of the arch, and Atlas returned. The giant really didn’t want to take on an exorbitant burden on his shoulders again. The cunning man invited Hercules to hold the sky for a while until he himself reached Mycenae and gave the apples to the king. But our hero is not so stupid. He agreed, but on the condition that the giant would hold up the heavens, and in the meantime Hercules would make himself a grass pillow - the burden was too heavy. Atlas believed and took his place, and the hero took the apples and returned home.
Twelfth labor
The last task of Eurystheus was the most difficult, says the 12th myth. The Labors of Hercules (a brief summary of them is presented in this article) takes the reader into the amazing world of the mythology of Ancient Greece, a world full of amazing adventures, powerful and treacherous gods and strong, brave heroes. But we digress. So, 12 labors. Hercules had to descend into the kingdom of the dead and kidnap the dog Cerberus. Three heads, a tail in the shape of a snake - at the sight of this fiend of hell, the blood froze in my veins.
Hercules went down to Hades and fought with Cerberus. Having defeated the dog, the hero brought him to Mycenae. The king did not allow the gates to be opened and shouted for Hercules to release the terrible monster back.
But the myths about Hercules do not end there. The 12 feats that the hero performed in the service of Eurystheus glorified him for centuries. Later, he distinguished himself in military campaigns and arranged his personal life.
The Thirteenth Labor and Death of Hercules
Legends of Hellas say that there is also a 13th labor of Hercules. The myth has brought to this day the story of King Thespia. Hercules stayed in his house while hunting the Lion of Cithaeron. Thespius was worried that his daughters would choose unsightly grooms and give birth to ugly grandchildren. The king invited Hercules to impregnate his 50 daughters. So the hero hunted a lion during the day, and spent the night with the king’s daughters.
Many years later, Hercules married Deianira. They had many children. One day the couple were crossing a fast river. Dejanira was transported by the centaur Nessus. He was seduced by the beauty of the woman and wanted to take possession of her. Hercules struck him with a poisonous arrow. Experiencing terrible torment, Ness decided to take revenge on the hero. He persuaded Deianira to draw his blood. If Hercules stops loving her, all he has to do is soak his clothes in the blood of the centaur, and then the husband will not look at any woman again.
Dejanira kept the bottle with Nessus' gift. Returning from a military campaign, Hercules brought a young captive princess to the house. In a fit of jealousy, Dejanira soaked her husband's clothes in blood. The poison quickly took effect and began to cause Hercules severe pain, and there was no way to remove his clothes. The eldest son carried his father in his arms to Mount Etu, where he made a funeral pyre. When the flame flared up, a huge cloud covered Hercules. So the gods decided to accept the hero to Olympus and grant him immortal life.
Next, Hercules participates in the Gigantomachy, when Gaia gives birth to giants against the Olympians. Wild chthonic forces break out, which Hercules pacifies. And the most interesting thing for us associated with Hercules is, of course, his death. The story of the death of Hercules begins with the fact that he was once again expelled, and given the “soft”, “flexible”, “delicate” character of Hercules, it is not at all surprising that somewhere they did not want to tolerate him as a neighbor and were regularly expelled. And so, he is once again expelled, he goes with his wife to look for a new refuge. They drive up to the river, where the carrier is located - the centaur Nessus, who offers to carry Deianira, the wife of Hercules, on his back. Hercules agrees, Nessus puts Deianira on his back and, instead of transferring her, tries to kidnap her. Hercules grabs his bow with poisoned arrows, shoots at Nessus, killing him. But Nessus, wanting to take revenge on Hercules for his death, advises Deianira to collect his blood in a special vessel, and when Hercules decides to cheat on Deianira, she can rub Hercules’ clothes with his blood in order to bewitch Hercules to herself again. Which is what Deianira does. Some years pass, Hercules wants to marry someone else - a captive captured in battle, and at the same time a princess. Dejanira remembers the advice of Nessus, takes this vessel, rubs the blood of Nessus, mixed with the poison of the Lernaean Hydra, into the clothes of Hercules, and sends him a poisoned tunic. Under the rays of the sun, blood and poison foam, everything begins to stick to Hercules’ body. He tears off this tunic along with pieces of skin, the poison ulcerates his body. Poor dying Hercules orders his living self to build a funeral pyre, and ascends to it while still alive, suffering from this poison. In the fire of the fire he goes to Olympus and is accepted by Zeus as one of the gods. In the future, Hercules one way or another becomes a god. In Ancient Greece, not yet, but in Rome the cult of Hercules was extremely widespread. And there he was closely connected with various rural gods - gods who were worshiped in villages and estates. But we are not interested in the cult of Hercules now. We are now interested in the mass of logical inconsistencies (allegedly inconsistencies) in this legend. Oldie is also quite ironic about this. Did Deianira, wearing cowhide gloves, rub this same blood into her tunic? Hercules dies from wearing a chiton rubbed with blood. But first, Deianira herself rubbed her clothes with this blood, that is, she touched this blood. Meanwhile, she is not in danger of death, nothing happens to her. Upon learning that she had unwittingly killed her husband, she committed suicide. But that's just her. Why didn't Deianira die? This is the first question. Second question. A very beautiful surrounding picture. Hercules orders a funeral pyre to be built for himself while still alive, and ascends to it. Isn’t it easier or faster to throw yourself on a sword? Why does the bonfire motif arise? Why does the image of Hercules burning alive appear? Two questions. If we approach the Greek myths the way the Greeks approached them (they are all people, and everything must be explained according to the laws of human psychology), then these two questions remain unanswered, and these two episodes turn out to be absurd. If we approach this according to the laws of mythological thinking, then there will be no stretches here and everything will turn out to be strictly logical. Who does the poison of the Lernaean Hydra kill? First he threatened Helios, then Apollo. This is a poison that can kill immortals. In Hercules, as we know, two-thirds of the blood is divine, and accordingly, the poison in the Lernaean Hydra kills the divine component in Hercules. But since Hercules is not a god, but a man, this poison cannot completely kill him. In Hercules there is also mortal flesh, which is not subject to this poison. And so poor Hercules suffers, suffers from this poison, but cannot die. Further on the circumstances of the burning alive. Despite all the formal illogicality, the motive of self-immolation is internally, emotionally extremely convincing. And as an artistic image it raises absolutely no objections. Why? Because the concepts of Hercules and rage are absolutely inseparable concepts. We said that for mythological thinking there are no abstract concepts, there are only concrete ideas. Therefore, rage must be concretely materialized. And indeed, this materialization is found in a huge number of legends. In all the archaic epic tales of any people known to us (and even partly this “slips into” the classics), rage is fire. In the Irish legend, in the tales of the peoples of Siberia, at a moment of rage, the body is engulfed in fire, and sometimes more than one: the head is surrounded by a scarlet flame, tongues of blue flame fly off, from somewhere white, and so on. Not a hero, but a walking firework. All jokes aside, the spectacle is quite impressive. In the Buddhist iconography of Tibet, the body of wrathful deities is engulfed in flames. Since Hercules is rage incarnate, his death, like other extreme manifestations of rage (he burned children alive and the palace), death through flames is not just a logical death, but the only possible death. Why does he order a funeral pyre to be built for himself? Why doesn't he do it himself? Apparently, because, although, as we have already said, for a heroic hero death is directly or indirectly suicide, but, apparently, the human in Hercules must be killed, just as the divine in him is killed, and must be killed precisely by people. That’s why the fire is built for him. On such a powerful chord, on such a vivid image, the biography of Hercules ends.
Hercules lived for many years in Trakhina with his wife and children, but he could not lag behind his former way of life and constantly wandered through various countries: either he would go to punish someone, or he would go to help someone out, save someone from death. So he finally went with his army on a campaign against Eurytus, who had once expelled him from his home in disgrace. A year and another five months passed since the departure of Hercules, and Deianira had no news of him and did not know where he was or what had become of him. In the past, when the hero went on some enterprise, he left home cheerful and cheerful, in the firm belief that he would soon return victorious, and Deianira parted with him without any care or sadness; this time, from the very departure of her husband, she was constantly tormented and tormented by fear about his fate. And the hero himself was embarrassed by a sad premonition of something evil. He left his wife a tablet on which was inscribed the prediction of the Dodonian oracle, who once predicted: if Hercules ever stays in a foreign land, away from his home, for more than a year and three months, he will either suffer death, or - if it does not happen to him in this is a time of no misfortune - he, returning under the roof of his home, will spend the rest of his life peacefully and carefree, among people close to him. Believing the oracle's prediction, Hercules divided in advance among his children the land that was the property of their ancestors, and determined what part of his property Dejanira should inherit.
Tormented by melancholy, Dejanira conveyed all her fears to her eldest son Gill and inspired him with the idea of going in search of his father himself. While Gill was ready to set off, one of his slaves hurriedly approached the house of Hercules and told Deianira that her husband was alive and would soon return home, crowned with victory. The slave heard this outside the city from the lips of Lichas, sent by Hercules to tell Deianira the good news of his return. The fact that the messenger has not yet appeared before Deianira is due to the joy and curiosity of the people, who surrounded him in close crowds and demanded from him the most accurate and detailed information about all the adventures that happened to Hercules.
Hercules kills Eurytus and his sons. Painting on an antique vase
Finally, Likhas himself comes with good news. Hercules destroyed enemy strongholds and put to death the arrogant king and all his children; This is how the hero Eurytus punished him for the insult he once inflicted on his guest. Hercules sent with Lichas Dejanira the best of the captives taken in the last war; he himself remained on the shore of Euboea, near Mount Ceney - here he intended to make, by vow, a solemn sacrifice to Zeus in gratitude for the victory granted. With sadness and compassion, Dejanira looks at the captives, at these unfortunate virgins who no longer have either family or homeland, doomed to eternal slavery in a foreign land. Of the entire crowd of captives, one especially attracts the attention of Deianira with her marvelous beauty and regal appearance. “Unhappy one,” Dejanira said, turning to her, “how sorry I am for you, how hard is your bitter fate! Tell me, who are you and who are your parents? Your appearance shows that you come from a noble family. Who is she, Lichas? Tell me me; the unfortunate woman can only cry, and I don’t want to stir up the sorrows of her heart with questions. She is not from the blood of Eurytus?” “How should I know,” answered Likhas with a sly look, “I don’t know her name or origin; she must be from some famous family.” Deianira asked no more questions and ordered the captives to be taken to the house and treated with humanity.
As soon as Lichas had time to leave with the captives he had brought, the slave who first brought her the news of the arrival of a messenger from Hercules approached Dejanira and began to speak the following: “Do not believe the messenger sent to you from your husband: he is hiding the truth from you. I myself , from his own lips, in the presence of many witnesses, I heard that your husband went to war against Eurytus because of this maiden, because of her he killed him and destroyed his city. This captive is Iola, the daughter of Eurytus; Hercules was once looking for her hands and to this day has love for her. He did not send her here to make her a slave: she will be your husband’s concubine." The slave’s speeches amazed Deianira: it took her a long time to come to her senses. She called Lichas, who was already preparing to return to Euboea, and began to question him again. “You lied to me when I asked you about the origin and fate of the captive you brought; tell me now the whole truth, without concealment. I know - this is Iola, Hercules loves her. I conjure you by the great Zeus, do not hide the truth from me. Or do you think , that I can be angry with my husband because love, which has power over all living things, has conquered his heart too? Or do you consider me capable of hating this unfortunate maiden, who has never done anything bad to me? I looked at her with sadness and compassion; beauty her happiness ruined her and plunged her homeland into slavery!” Lichas finally revealed the truth and added that until now he had not told the truth because he was afraid of embarrassing the queen. Outwardly calm, Dejanira sent Lichas away and told him to delay leaving for Euboea: in gratitude for the captives sent to her, she wanted to send Hercules a gift of her work.
Deianira's heart was crushed by severe grief. From that time on, she no longer possessed the undivided love of Hercules, she was no longer the complete mistress of his house; she had a rival - a young, blooming beauty, and Deianira was already close to the time when beauty begins to fade and fade: how could she not fear that she would soon have to be the wife of Hercules in name only, but his love would turn to another ? Dejanira could not bear this. And then she remembered the talisman that Ness had once given her, and she joyfully took up this remedy, which, as she believed, would return her husband’s love to her forever. She takes out the magic ointment, which she had kept secret for so long, away from fire and daylight, and rubs it with this ointment on the magnificent clothes she has given as a gift to her husband. Carefully folding the clothes, she put them in a drawer and gave them to Lichas. “Take this clothing to my husband - this is my gift to him, I worked it myself. So that no mortal touches it, so that neither the ray of the sun nor the shine of fire touches it - until Hercules, clothed in it, will solemnly approach, in front of all the people, the altar of the gods and will not offer his sacrifice on it. This is what I made a vow - to make him a magnificent robe by the time he, upon returning from the war, appears before the altar of the gods to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. And that This gift is from my hands - let this seal, with which I will seal the sent casket, convince him of that.” Lichas promised to exactly fulfill the orders of his mistress and hurried to Euboea; carefree and full of joyful hopes, Deianira began to wait for her husband’s return.
Only Deianira’s calm did not last long, and her joy soon gave way to great grief. When Dejanira accidentally entered the room where she was preparing clothes for her husband, she did not find the woolen cotton with which she rubbed the fabric with magic ointment; She threw this cotton, as if it was no longer needed, on the floor: the wool, warmed by the rays of the sun, decayed and disintegrated into dust; in the place where the cotton lay, some poisonous and foamy moisture swelled and hissed. Doubt and fear took possession of Deianira’s soul: what misfortune would not have happened to Hercules from her gift! And could a centaur give her good advice - the same centaur who was put to death by her husband because of her? In confusion, with longing in her heart, she waited for news about her husband.
Suddenly Gill appears, who, not being able to wait at home for his father’s arrival, went to him in Euboea; Gill brought terrible news to the embarrassed Deianira.
“Oh, mother!” he exclaimed, full of anger and horror. “It would be better for you not to be born, it would be better for you not to be my mother! You took my father away from me, you killed your husband!” “What did you say, my son!” exclaimed Dejanira. “Who inspired you that I am the culprit of the misfortune?” “I didn’t hear from others, I saw it myself, with my own eyes,” the young man continued. “I arrived to my father at a time when he, having erected many altars to Zeus at the foot of Keneon, was preparing to begin the solemn sacrifice. At the same time I arrived to Euboea and Lichas with your gift, with deadly clothing. The father rejoiced at the expensive gift and, at your request, put on the clothes sent to him and in it began to make a sacrifice. But at that moment, as he, full of the proud rapture of the victory, calmly raised his hands to heaven, his body suddenly became covered with terrible sweat, all his bones shook: as if he had been struck by the sting of a poisonous viper. poison clothes? The messenger could not say anything in response except that he received these clothes from you, and he barely had time to imagine the answer when Hercules, tormented by unbearable pain and convulsions, grabbed the unfortunate, innocent slave by the leg and wild mad rage hit him against a coastal rock; the waves swallowed the mutilated corpse of the unfortunate man. Everyone present at this terrible event let out a cry of condolences about the fate of the dead slave, and no one dared to approach the raging Hercules. He was either bent to the ground or thrown high up, and he uttered terrible screams and groans: and these groans were echoed by the echo of the mountains. When, finally, exhausted from pain, he fell and, rolling on the ground, began to loudly curse his marriage with you, the marriage that brought him premature death, his gaze accidentally fell on me: shedding bitter tears, I stood not far from him. "Come to me, my son!" - he told me, - do not leave me in difficult times; take me away from this country, don’t let me die in a foreign land!” Then we carried him onto a ship and sailed with him to the shores of Hellas; the path was difficult for the sufferer: tormented by terrible torment, he trembled and continuously uttered groans and screams. The ship will arrive soon and, perhaps, you will see the unfortunate man still alive; but most likely he has already given up the ghost. Mother! This is your business; may the vengeful Erinyes punish you: the best of the men of Hellas died an inglorious death from you."
Deianira did not say a word in response to her son’s reproaches. Struck by grief and despair, she silently withdrew into the inner chambers and wandered for a long time like a shadow through the empty house, finally, sobbing, she threw herself on the bed, unfastened the gold buckles on her clothes, untied her belt and exposed her chest. One of the maids, who followed Deianira into the interior of the house and observed her actions, seeing what her mistress was up to, was horrified and rushed to call her son to her. When Gill and the maid entered Dejanira’s bedchamber, they found her already lifeless, floating in blood: she struck herself in the chest with a double-edged sword and plunged that sword to her very heart. Shedding bitter tears, the son threw himself on his mother’s corpse and bitterly grieved that he had so thoughtlessly accused her of a terrible crime; It was late that he learned from his household about how Dejanira had been deceived by the treacherous centaur and how she had become the unwitting cause of Hercules’ death.
Gill was still covering his mother’s corpse with kisses when the footsteps of some strangers were heard in the yard. These were the people who brought Hercules on the bed. Gill's lamentations awakened him from his slumber, and he again began to be tormented by unbearable torment. “Where are you, my son?” Hercules exclaimed. “Have pity on me, take a sword and plunge it into my chest; deliver me from torment! Oh, ungrateful children of Hellas! Will none of you put an end to my torment with sword or fire? And how much I suffered, how many deeds I accomplished, how much labor I endured for the good of Hellas! Look, these are the hands with which I overpowered the Nemean lion and the Lernaean hydra, with which I fought with the giants and the dog of Hades; where is my former invincible power? Powerless now my muscles, the blood dried up in my veins and the marrow dried up in my bones! And it was not the spear of an armed enemy that struck me, not the army of giants, not the monster of the desert - it was the hand of a woman that destroyed me. Oh, bring her, my son! I will strike her with a terrible execution !"
Death of Hercules on the funeral pyre. Painting by G. Reni, 1617-1619
Then Gill told his father what he himself had recently learned from his household: Dejanira’s guilt was involuntary; she was seduced by a centaur, who, before his death, gave her an imaginary talisman - blood from his wound mixed with the poison of the Lernaean hydra; She rubbed the clothes sent to her husband with this magical, bewitching ointment, believing that with this remedy she would again attract his love. The son’s story softened the hero’s anger, and he saw that his end was near: the oracle once predicted that no one alive would ever take Hercules’ life - only a dead man could kill him. It was only then that the hero realized this fortune-telling. Hastily betrothing his son Gill to Iola, he ordered to be carried to the top of Eta: he wanted to die on this mountain, and not in another place. Here, on his orders, a huge fire was erected; Hercules lay down on the fire and asked his son and everyone around him to light the fire. No one, however, dared to fulfill the requests. Then Philoctetes, a friend of Hercules, ruler of the neighboring region, approached the fire; Philoctetes, convinced of the hero, agreed to light the fire and as a reward for this received the deadly, never-missing arrows of Hercules. When the fire began to burn, its flame was intensified by the lightning that struck it; A thick cloud descended from the sky, and Hercules, overshadowed by the cloud, amid the peals of thunder, was taken to the top of Olympus: the flame devoured the mortal, mortal nature of the hero, and he, deified and already immortal, ascended to the dwelling of the gods. On Olympus, Pallas Athena received the transformed hero and led him to his father Zeus and Hera, who had pursued Hercules throughout his difficult earthly life, but had now reconciled with him. Zeus and Hera united the deified Hercules with their daughter Hebe, eternally young and eternally beautiful, and Hebe gave birth to Hercules two divine sons: Anicetus and Alexiad, “invincible” and “abverter of troubles.”
Alcmene. To woo Alcmene, Zeus took the form of her husband. Zeus' wife Hera made her husband promise that the one who would be born at a certain time would become a great king. Despite the fact that it was Hercules who was supposed to be at the appointed hour, Hera intervened in the process, as a result of which Hercules’ cousin named Eurystheus was born earlier. Nevertheless, Zeus agreed with Hera that Hercules would not obey his cousin forever, but would carry out only twelve of his orders. It was these acts that later became the famous 12 labors of Hercules.
Ancient Greek myths attribute many deeds to Hercules: from a campaign with the Argonauts to the construction of the city of Gytion together with the god Apollo.
Hera could not forgive Zeus for betraying him, but she took out her anger on Hercules. For example, she sent madness to him, and Hercules, in a fit, killed his own, born to the daughter of the king of Thebes, Megara. The prophetess from the temple of Apollo in Delphi said that in order to atone for his terrible act, Hercules must carry out the instructions of Eurystheus, who was jealous of Hercules’ strength and came up with very difficult tests.
The painful death of a hero
In twelve years, Hercules completed all of his cousin’s tasks, gaining freedom. The further life of the hero was also full of exploits, the content and number of which depend on the authors of specific myths, since there are quite a lot of ancient Greek monuments.
Most authors agree that, having defeated the river god Achelous, Hercules won the hand of Deianira, the daughter of Dionysus. One day, Dejanira was kidnapped by the centaur Nessus, who admired her beauty. Nessus carried travelers across a stormy river on his back, and when Hercules and Deianira approached the river, the hero put his wife on the centaur, and he himself went swimming.
Nessus tried to escape with Dejanira on his back, but Hercules wounded him with an arrow poisoned with the most powerful poison in the world - the bile of the Lernaean hydra, which he killed while carrying out the second order of Eurystheus. Nessus, dying, advised Dejanira to collect his blood, lying that it could be used as a love potion.
Earlier, Hercules mortally wounded his teacher and friend the centaur Chiron with an arrow poisoned by hydra bile.
After some time, Deianira learned that Hercules wanted to marry one of his captives. Having soaked the cloak in Nessus's blood, she sent it as a gift to her husband to return his love. As soon as Hercules put on his cloak, the poison entered his body, causing terrible torment.
To get rid of suffering, Hercules uproots trees, builds a huge fire from them, and lies down on the firewood. According to legend, the hero’s best friend Philoctetes agreed to set the funeral pyre on fire, for which Hercules promised him his bow and poisoned arrows.
It is believed that Hercules died at the age of fifty, after his death he was accepted among the immortals and ascended to Olympus, where he finally reconciled with Hera and even married her daughter.
1. Hercules and Deianira
Hercules lived in Arcadian Pheneus for four years. He would have stayed here longer, but news came that the king of Aetolia Oeneus () was giving his daughter Deianira in marriage. “This is by the way! - Hercules said to himself. - It's time to start a family and children! I won’t be a bachelor forever!” And he went to Calydon. The city was buzzing like an agitated beehive. Grooms came here from all over Greece. After all, Dejanira was a beautiful girl, and her dowry came with a considerable amount! But how to choose the most worthy from many applicants? The king announced that he would give his daughter to the prince who would defeat all his rivals in the fight. He alone could make her happy! Upon learning of Oineus' decision, the suitors were confused. And not for nothing! The most powerful and huge among them was the river god Aheloy. His muscles bulged under his skin, and if he wanted, he could tie a bronze poker with a double knot. Try challenging this guy to a duel! True, Deianira did not like him at all. “I don’t want to marry Aheloy! - she repeated to her father. “His beard is green, like mud, and it always drips like wet laundry.” - “Nonsense! - answered Oineus. “But he is a god and knows how to turn into a large spotted snake.” And not just the snake! He can turn into a bull, if you just want to. Well, where will you find another husband like that?” But his arguments did not make any impression on the princess. She sat locked in her chambers and did not want to show herself to her betrothed.
Such things were happening in Calydon when Hercules came there. “I will fight Achelous! – he proclaimed. - I may not be a god myself, but through me you can become related to Zeus himself. Everyone knows that I am his son!” “Ho-ho,” answered Aheloy, “it has long been known: the more insignificant the rogue, the greater the kinship he boasts! How do you know who your father is? From your mom? So she could come up with something else!” Hercules frowned. “I see you are a master of wagging your tongue, Aheloy,” he said sternly. “As for me, I’m used to relying more on my hands!” The hero rushed at his opponent and wanted to put him on the ground. But that was not the case! The huge Aheloy stood unshakable like a rock. Hercules unsuccessfully attacked him three times, and finally managed to grab the enemy from behind. Then it was Aheloy’s turn to sound the alarm. Finding himself in the mighty embrace of the son of Zeus, he could not even move a finger. Hercules pressed him lower and lower to the ground, and in order not to be defeated, Ahelous turned into a huge snake. This cunning trick could confuse anyone, but not Hercules! “Bravo, Aheloy! - he shouted. – You couldn’t think of a better gift for me! Even in the cradle I learned to fight snakes!” He grabbed the enemy by the throat and squeezed him as if with pincers. Achelous realized that he had not found the best way out, and immediately turned into a powerful, cool bull. However, even in this guise he did not frighten Hercules at all. We remember that among his past exploits was the victory over the Cretan bull (), and this meant a lot! The hero bent his opponent to the ground with such force that he broke one of his horns. The hapless god had to admit defeat. Oeneus was not very pleased with the outcome of the duel, but Deianira liked the new groom much more than the old one. She willingly agreed to marry him, and a few days later a cheerful wedding was celebrated.
Having married Deianira, Hercules lived in peace in Calydon. It seemed that long journeys and dangerous adventures were a thing of the past forever. Hercules dreamed of children, grandchildren and a calm old age, but everything turned out differently. Once during the feast, the boy serving at the table poured water on his hands, in which other guests had previously washed their feet. “Open your eyes, bungler! – the hero shouted to him. “Don’t you see, it’s slop!” He slapped the boy in the face and, without calculating his strength, killed him. Because of this involuntary crime, he again had to go into exile.
Dejanira did not want to leave her husband and followed him to a foreign land. Together they reached the Even River. It was spring. Because of the melt waters, the river overflowed its banks and spread widely across the plain. What to do here? Looking around, Hercules noticed a centaur nearby, wiping his wet sides with a lion skin. The name of this centaur was Nessus, and he transported travelers across the river for a fee. “It’s you that I need! – the son of Zeus rejoiced. - Take my wife to the other side. If you deliver it without getting your feet wet, I’ll pay you double!” The centaur agreed. Hercules sat Dejanira on his back, then threw his club, bow and arrows across the river and jumped into the cold water. Although he was very strong, the crossing was not easy for him. However, no one else could cope with such a stormy current! As soon as the hero stepped onto land, he heard the loud screams of his wife. What's happened? Looking around, Hercules saw Nessus, who, having embraced Deianira, was rapidly moving away from the shore. “So that's it! – the son of Zeus exclaimed angrily. “No other way, this half-horse wants to rob me!” And he was not wrong! The insidious centaur fell in love with the beautiful Dejanira at first sight and decided to kidnap her. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t realize who he was dealing with, and it cost him dearly. Without hesitating for a moment, Hercules pulled his bow and shot a deadly arrow after the thief. And although there was a considerable distance between them, it hit the target - it pierced Ness between the shoulder blades and, passing through his body, came out of his chest! The centaur felt that he was dying, let go of Deianira and fell to the ground in front of her. "Gorgeous! - he said. - Let's forget the grudges! I acted badly, but your husband has already gotten even with me! You were the last one I brought across the river, and I want to do you a favor. Collect my blood and save it! If Hercules ever stops loving you, soak his clothes with this blood, and you will regain his feeling again.” With these words, Nessus breathed his last. Dejanira took a travel jug from her bag, filled it with blood flowing from the wound, sealed it and hid it among her things.
2. Hercules and Aegimius
Hercules and his wife found shelter in Trakhina, Thessaly, with King Keik. Here, one after another, their children were born: four sons - Gill, Ctesippus, Glen, Onit - and a daughter, Macarius. Now Hercules became much more homely, and was not as willing as before to embark on adventures. But still he had to participate in several military campaigns.
One day, the king of the Dorians, Aegimius (), turned to the son of Zeus for help. Aegimius's kingdom was very tiny, and things were going very badly, because two warlike sovereigns took up arms against him at once - the king of the Lapiths, Coron, and the king of the Dryops, Leogor. A war with such powerful rivals did not bode well. Aegimius could only hope for a miracle, so he went to Trakhina to see Hercules. “I don’t know what you expect from me,” Hercules coldly answered the Dorian king. “It’s not easy to defeat the Lapiths, and there’s no reason for me to get involved in this risky business.” - "I don't think so! - Egimiy objected. “Firstly, by supporting the weak and unjustly offended, you will commit a godly act, and secondly, this matter concerns you much closer than you think” - “Why is this?” - asked Hercules. “You know that I have no heirs,” the king explained, “so I am ready even now to adopt any of your sons. Let him inherit the throne after my death!”
Hercules thought deeply. "Well! - he said finally. - This changes things. I will be your ally! And he really provided Egimius with the most active support. Having recruited a small army in Arcadia and united with the Dorians, Hercules first fought with the Lapiths and defeated them in a stubborn battle. King Coron and many of his subjects fell on the battlefield. Then the son of Zeus suddenly attacked Leogorus and killed him along with his sons while he was feasting in the temple of Apollo. Aegimius returned his possessions, and from that time on the Dorian people began to quickly increase their power.
3. The death of a hero
“There is one insult that I cannot forget!” – Hercules once admitted to his eldest son Gill. “Are any of your enemies still alive?” - he asked. “Yes, I swear by Olympus! - exclaimed the hero. - Eurytus, king of Oichalia, smokes the sky to this day! Two decades ago I defeated him in a fair competition. He should have called me his son-in-law, but instead he expelled me from the palace like the last rogue!()” “I had to hear about this vile act,” said Gill. “And since you and I remember, that means others remember him too,” said Hercules. “I cannot go to my grave without washing away this shame!”
The hero sent messengers to his friends among the Arcadians and Locrians, urging them to go on a campaign to Euboea. Nobody refused him. Gathering troops, Hercules approached Oichalia and, after a short siege, took possession of it. Eurytus, his sons, minions and advisers were all killed. After all, if the son of Zeus started a war, he never fought at half strength! Well, what about Iola? The unfortunate woman knew that the bitter fate of a slave awaited her and threw herself down from the high city wall. However, she did not crash and remained alive thanks to her skirts, which swollen from the wind and softened the blow. “Take the princess to Trakhina and keep your eyes on her! - Hercules ordered. – But don’t do her any harm! I know how to arrange her future fate!”
The prisoners were taken to Trakhina. Hercules sent the messenger Lichas with them. “Tell my wife that I am making sacrifices to the gods at Cape Keney,” he said. “Let him send a festive shirt and cloak there!” Lichas came to Deianira and informed her about her husband’s command. But she had her own thoughts on her mind. “What is the name of that beautiful woman who was brought to my house along with other captives? – Dejanira asked. “She’s not a slave, is she?” - “Of course not! - answered Likhas. - This is Iola, daughter of Eurytus! Hercules was looking for her hand shortly before he wooed you! It was because of her that he started this war! Now the poor thing is hurting and crying, but she will soon be comforted! I myself heard how Hercules promised to arrange her fate!”
Thus the talkative Lichas chattered and with his speeches aroused an alarming suspicion in Deianira’s soul. And any other woman in her place would feel uneasy! “Hercules was in love with Iola! - thought the daughter of Oineas. - Only Eurytus interfered with their marriage then! But now that all obstacles have been removed, my husband will certainly marry her!” These thoughts made Deianira feel bitter and offended. But she did not give in to despair for long, because she remembered the jug with the blood of the centaur Nessus, which she had carefully preserved all these years. “This is what will help me! - thought the daughter of Oineas. “Nessus said: if I smear my husband’s clothes with this potion, it will return his love to me.” It's time to find out if he told the truth." Poor Dejanira! No one explained to her how dangerous it is to trust treacherous centaurs, especially when they are obsessed with revenge! The blood of Nessus, mixed with the bile of the Lernaean hydra, had long ago turned into a terrible poison and, of course, brought with it nothing but painful death. Without realizing it, Dejanira soaked a piece of wool in a jug, and then rubbed the blood on her husband’s shirt and cloak. Having packed the things into a luxurious casket, she handed it to Lichas with the words: “Hurry to Euboea and give this box to Hercules. Everything he asked for is here!” Likhas immediately set off on the return journey. When he left, Oeneus’s daughter accidentally glanced at the corner of the paved courtyard where she had previously dropped a used piece of wool. “Gods highest, what is this?” - she cried. There was something to be horrified about! Under the influence of the sun's heat, the wool decayed and turned to ashes, as if burned by fire, and poisonous foam appeared between the stones! Alarmed, Deianira rose to her chambers, but could not take up anything - all her affairs were falling out of her hands. With every minute her heart beat stronger and more anxiously. Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore, called Gill and with tears confessed to him what she had done. "Son! - exclaimed Dejanira. - Take the fastest horses and ride after Lichas! The shirt and cloak are fraught with danger to life! Father shouldn’t wear them!” Gill did not force the request to be repeated twice. Jumping onto his chariot, he rushed at full speed to the seashore. His horses flew like arrows, urged on by the whip and a loud cry, but, alas, even though they were racing twice as fast, they were not able to make it in time!
Meanwhile, at Cape Keney, preparations were underway for a grand sacrifice. Hercules built twelve huge altars from stones - according to the number of the main Olympian gods. On each of them stood a pile of brushwood. The bulls and other animals selected for the sacrifice stood right there. It was just a matter of a festive cloak and shirt. But then Likhas appeared and handed the master the casket sent by his wife. Dressed in sacred clothes, Hercules lit the fires and slaughtered twelve mighty bulls one after another. Then he began to slaughter and burn smaller cattle, poured expensive wine on the altars and threw incense into the fire. It has been a long time since such abundant sacrifices have been made to the gods! Heated by work and the heat of the fires, Hercules kept wiping the sweat from his face and suddenly felt a burning sensation throughout his body - it was the hydra poison that had penetrated his skin!
Now nothing could save the hero! The pain grew with every moment and finally became unbearable. Cramps and terrible convulsions began. Having fallen to the ground, Hercules rolled between the altars screaming. He tore his clothes, but they did not come off, as if they had grown to him. Along with the fabric, the son of Zeus tore off his skin in rags, and this made his suffering completely unbearable. “Lichas! - Hercules shouted, “where did you get this cloak?” The unlucky messenger wanted to explain what was what, but the hero, without listening to the end, grabbed him by the leg and slammed him onto the ground so hard that he immediately came to an end. And it cannot be said that his death was completely undeserved! If Lichas had chatted less, you see, no trouble would have happened. No one dared to approach the unfortunate man after that. Finally Gill galloped up and hugged his groaning father. “I'm dying, son! - Hercules exclaimed. “Your mother poisoned me!” “No, father,” the young man answered with tears, “she is only to blame for trusting the villain!” And he told about Nessus’s insidious trick. “So that's it! – Hercules sighed. “Now I understand the meaning of an old prophecy. One day the Pythia predicted that I would die from the machinations of a dead enemy. It turns out that this enemy is Nessus! That’s when his revenge got to me.”
Gill ordered his father to be put on a cart and taken to the foot of Mount Eta near Trakhina. At this place, Hercules wished to give up his life. However, no matter how slow they were in driving their horses, the news of the hero’s fatal illness reached the city earlier. Pale as death, Dejanira silently listened to the messenger, went up to the bedroom and pierced her chest with a sword. Gill and Hercules learned of her death as they approached the city. The young man could not hold back his mournful sobs, and the dying hero sadly said: “Poor Dejanira! She judged herself too harshly. But let everyone know that I don’t blame her for my death.”
They soon reached Eta. Hercules ordered a huge fire to be built on its top. His torment was so terrible that death by fire seemed like a sweet deliverance. "Son! - he said. “Promise me that you will marry Iola.” - “How can you ask me for this, father? - Gill exclaimed. “This woman is to blame for all our misfortunes!” - “Don’t argue with me, my boy! - Hercules asked. - You yourself know that she is not to blame for anything. And with your refusal you only increase my suffering.” Gill agreed to fulfill his father's last wishes. Hercules climbed onto a pile of brushwood, spread a lion's skin over the logs, put a club under his head and ordered his son to set fire to the wood. “To do what you ask is to become your killer! - the young man objected. “Don’t ask me to do something that I can never do!” The hero began to ask others for this service, but no one dared to bring the deadly fire to his fire. “Gods Almighty! - Hercules then cried out. – Explain to these stubborn people that I am begging them for help! After so many years of hard work, exploits and battles, have I really not deserved what every mortal has - a peaceful death! But no! These people who call themselves my friends will calmly watch as the poison torments my insides! None of them will even lift a finger to save me from my torment!” At this time, a prince from Melibea named Philoctetes happened to be on the top of Eta. Hercules turned to him with the same prayer. And so that he would not hesitate, he promised a bow as a reward and, in addition, his famous poisoned arrows. Philoctetes, seduced by the reward, threw a lit torch into a pile of brushwood. Dry wood caught fire. Flames engulfed the hero's body from all sides and, after a short time, turned him to ashes...
Heroic era
