Foundation Stories : The Twelve Labours Flashcards
What did Hera do to Heracles
Still enraged, Hera sent the goddess madness to infect Heracles. This caused him to kill his wife Megara and his children
What did the Oracle of Delphi tell Heracles to do
The oracle told him to serve for his cousin for twelve years - ironically Hera controlled the oracle
What did king Eurystheus tell Heracles to do
He challenged him to ten labours however as he had help for one and received payment for one two more were added
What was the first labour
1) Slay the Nemean Lion
He stunned the lion with his club. Athena told him to use the lion’s claws to skin it’s impenetrable fur to wear as armour.
What was the second labour
2) Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra
Hera had raised the hydra with the sole intention of killed Heracles. Iolaus, his nephew, burnt the decapitated necks after his uncle cut them, Athena’s golden sword killed the immortal head.
Why was the second labour disregarded by king Eurystheus
Because he received help
What was the third labour
3) Capture the Ceryneian Hind
So fast, it outpaced an arrow, Heracles caught the deer, begged forgiveness from Artemis, and promised to release the hind (deliberately letting go when handing it over to Eurystheus).
What was the fourth labour
4) Capture the Erymanthain Boar
Chiron told Heracles to drive the fearsome boar into thick snow. Eurystheus hid in a pithos when Heracles brough the beast to him.
What was the fifth labour
5) Clean the Augean stables in a day
Intended to be humiliating and impossible, the stables had 1000 cattle and had not been cleaned in 30 years. Heracles rerouted two rivers to wash out the filth. Augeas was paid one-tenth of the cattle.
Why was the fifth labour disregard by king Eurystheus
The labour was discounted as the rivers had washed the stables, and Heracles had been paid.
What was the sixth labour
6) Slay the Stymphalian birds
The man-eating birds with bronze beaks and sharp metallic feathers had toxic dung. Athena gave Heracles a rattle to scare the birds into the air for him to shoot.
What was the seventh labour
7) Capture the Cretan Bull
Father of the Minotaur, Heracles throttled the bull into submission then shipped it off to Tiryns. Eurystheus once again hid in his pithos at first sight of the bull.
What was the eighth labour
8) Steal the Mares of Diomedes
The man-eating horses ate the flesh of unsuspecting strangers to the island. Heracles fed the body of Diomedes to the horses and bound their mouths shut.
What was the ninth labour
9) Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons
Hippolyta freely gave her belt, impressed with Heracles and his stories. Hera sowed seeds of distrust which led to Heracles killing the queen.
What was the tenth labour
10) Obtain the cattle of the three-bodied giant, Geryon
Slain by one of Heracles’ poisonous arrows (dipped in the hydra’s blood). It took a year to regroup the cattle after Hera sent a gadfly to annoy and scatter the cows.
