Huan Wei Li

Heracles and his Twelve Labors Heracles, the greatest divine hero in Greek Mythology, was ingenious, courageous and a physical achiever. His myths had been retold over the century, even to this day. Particularly, his Twelve Labors gave an inside look on how the Greek viewed the world around them. Before going into Heracles Twelve Labors, I should introduce Heracles here. The mother of Heracles, Alcmena, had lain with Zeus and Amphitryon in the same night. Thus, she bore a twin, Iphicles, son of Amphitryon, and Heracles, son of Zeus.1 This made Heracles a demigod, half mortal and half immortal. In addition, this connected to one of our class discussion that women were just a carrier and nourishing-shelter for the embryo; the child came only from the mens sperms. The Greek view of procreation explained why Heracles and Iphicles could be nourished in the same womb at the same time but came from different father. On one occasion, Heracles tried to play the guitar and he was unable to play the right tune; he stroked the guitar and it killed his music teacher, Linus.2 In general, he was unable to control his body because he was immortal inside a mortal body. This was similar to the Thsesus myth, in which his madness drove him to kill several of his closest relatives. However, Hera, queen of gods and wife of Zeus, was furious at her husbands unfaithful acts. Even though Zeus had many children with mortal women, Hera felt specially threaten by Heracles. We could interpret this from the way Heracles killed the snakes. Hera delayed Heracles birth, and then she sent two snakes to infant Heracles because she could not prevent his birth.3 Pindar retold the story, But Heracles lifted up his head and for the first time made trial of battle; with his two hands, from which there was no escape, he seized by their necks the two serpents, and his grip squeezed the life of the huge monsters, strangling them.(Nemean Odes 1. 33-47)4 Imagine a just born child, weak and innocent, could kill two deadly snakes alone. This gave us an idea of how extraordinary and powerful Heracles was. Remember, Heracles was a demigod and he possessed immortal power.

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The origin of the Twelve Labors began with Hera who sent madness to Heracles in which he killed his wife and Children.5 As a custom, Heracles consulted with the Oracle of Delphi to find out what had happened. To purify his sin, he was told to go to Tiryns and serve Eurystheus for twelve years. He said I was a son of Zeus, but infinite was my suffering (Odyssey 11. 620632) Heracles was afraid of disobey his father, Zeus, so he obeyed the oracle and served Eurystheus for twelve years. In addition, he felt that he must do something to redeem what he had done. This was the beginning of Heracles Twelve Labors. The first labor for Heracles was to bring the Nemea Lion skin to Eurystheus. The most difficult about this labor was that the lions golden fur was impenetrable.6 Not knowing that, Heracles shot arrows at the beast and then he used his sword against it. However, it did no harm to the beast and he had to change his strategy. Next, Heracles wrestled the lion with his brutal strength and used its claws to skin it. This connected to one of our class discussion about human vs. animal. Heracles symbolized that human was more superior to animal. In addition, the lion represented male dominant7, which was impenetrable unless by itself. An example would be overthrowing a kingship though warfare. Heracles second labor was to slaughter the Lernaean Hydra. The hydra had nine heads; eight heads were mortals and the ninth was immortal. Each time Heracles cut the hydras head, two more grew out. Knowing that brutal strength was no match to the hydra, he burned the wounded skin immediately after the hydras head was cut off this ceased the growth of the heads. Subsequently, he dipped his arrow to the hydras poison blood to shoot the last immortal head.8 This showed the creative and ingenuity side of Heracles and that he didnt only use his physical strength to approach problems. Hesiod retold the story, *hydra+ died by the unfeeling bronze swore of Herakles. (Theogony, 316) By putting aside all his emotions, Heracles incorporated a logical approach to the hydra. Thus, the hydra symbolized the human lust for

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pleasure because cutting the hydras heads gave Heracles an instance pleasure for victory; however, the pleasure did not last for very long because hydras heads kept regenerating. This showed that emotions could block or interfere with our logical and rational senses. This labor was similar to the Odysseus myth as Odysseus showed a cunning approach toward the Cyclops. The third and fourth labors required Heracles to capture the Cerynean Hind and Erymanthian Boar. The key feature about this hind was that it could run faster than an arrow. Heracles had chased the hind for one year to find it. His strategy was to capture the hind while it was asleep and with a net. Next, Heracles had to capture the Erymanthian Boar. Relentlessly, he used his strategy in capturing the hind on the boar. Again, he showed his creative and ingenious side in capturing the two creatures and that human was more superior to animal. In addition, this labor connected to theme of trickery, which Heracles used trick to make the two creatures into submission. Also, a similar myth to this labor would be Iphigenia who tricked King Thoas to help her brother to escape. In both myths, the characters used tricks to give themselves an advantage over the others. The fifth labor was different from all other labors, because it required Heracles to clean the Augean stables in a single day. The stable had not been clean for a year and it was impossible to clean it in one single day. Heracles took advantage of the stables geographical location the stable was located between two rivers, the Alpheus River and the Peneus River.9 He diverted the two rivers to let the water flow through the stable and clean it. Once again Heracles combined his ingenuity and physical strength to accomplish this impossible task in one single day. Moreover, this labor was similar Jason who sent a dove to fly through the moving rock and the rocks were fixed forever. Both Jason and Heracles showed a crafty and clever approach to their labors. Furthermore, the stable symbolized the flaw side of human because Heracles had to performed manual labor for the creatures.

Huan Wei Li

The sixth labor required Heracles to slay the Stymphalian Birds, which were man-eating birds with bronze beaks. When Heracles arrived at Stymphalus, the birds were hiding underneath the tall tree. Moreover, the birds would attack Heracles whenever Heracles feet sink deep into the mud, which could not support his weight.10 Thus, the birds symbolized humans unreachable goal, because Heracles was unable to attack the bird; on the other hand, he was attacked by the birds, which meant that he was hindered by an unreachable goal. Later, Athena gave Heracles a pair of bronze castanets11. When he shook the castanet, it produced sounds that terrified the birds and it flew in all directions. He took advantage of this and shot the birds one by one. This was similar to Jasons myth and Odysseus myth because they were helped different goddesses. Let pause for a moment and recap on Heracles labors. So far most of Heracles labors were about killing beast in the countryside, which made a safer place for human to live and promote civilization. Also, Heracles labors were paralleled to Theseus labors, which were slaying beasts in the countryside. Furthermore, Heracles labors gave us a depth inside on the Greek view of nature and the theme of human vs. nature. The Greeks did not have a romantic view on nature, which was mysterious and filled with monstrous beasts. They believed that ordinary human could not out win nature; it was only a demigod like Heracles and Theseus could over power nature. Moreover, these labors connected to the theme of manliness a man had to kill a wild animal to prove his manliness. In addition, there were many different versions of Heracles Twelve Labors and they wont be discussed here because the main focus was the meanings of the labors. Heracles seventh labor was to capture the Cretan Bull. When Heracles went to Crete, King Minos warmly welcomed Heracles and offered him assistance to accomplish his labor. Heracles refused because his own pride.12 This connects to the theme of reputation. Moreover,

Huan Wei Li

this labor was equivalent to other myths such as Odysseus who claimed to be the killer of Polyphemus and Agamemnon who sacrificed his daughter to maintain his reputation. Next, Heracles attacked the bull from behind and then tied it up, and brought it back to Eurystheus. In this labor, Heracles was being arrogance and egotistic; perhaps, he was overwhelmed by his success in the previous labors. Similar to our human thinking, we thought that everything would go smoothly because we had not face any real obstacle previously; however, its hard to predict what the future might hold. The eight labor required Heracles to capture the savage mares, own by king Diomedes of Thracian. One special thing about these Mares was that they fed on human fleshes. What Heracles did was that he fed the mares with Diomedes flesh, and then he brought the mares back to Eurystheus. 13 Even though Diomedes did not create the mares, he was responsible for the innocent people that the mares ate because he raised the mares and knew that the mares fed on humans flesh. Thus, the meaning of this labor was that the evil you create will ultimately destroy you. In the ninth labor, Heracles was to obtain a girdle from Hippolyta, queen of Amazons. When Heracles arrived, Hippolyta felt in love with his physique and offered to give the girdle to him as a love gift. However, Hera interfered and prevented Heracles from getting the girdle. 14At the end, Heracles killed Hippolyta and took the girdle. Furthermore, this labor related to the theme of seduction; it was Heras interference that Heracles awaked from the seduction and killed Hippolyta. This showed that seduction could cause men to be oblivious. This labor was similar to the Odysseus return, which Odysseus journey was delayed by Poseidon and he got seduced by Circe. Heracles tenth labor was to obtain the cattle, Geryon, in Erytheia. On the way there, he came a cross desert and became frustrated at the enormous heat. He shot an arrow at the sun

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and Helius, the sun god, was awaked by Heracles arrow. Helius admired Heracles courage and give him a golden cup, which could sail through the River Of Ocean.15 This labor was similar to Jasons myth; however, Jason helped Hera to cross a river to gain her favor and Heracles got help by luck. This indicated that luck could arise from anywhere and give a surprising result. When Heracles arrived at Erythesia, he killed Orthus and Eurytion who guarded the cattle. With no obstacle ahead, Heracles wrestled the beast into submission and brought it back to Eurystheus. Similarly, this labor connected to the previous theme: man vs. animals. The second to last labor required Heracles to steal the apples in Hesperides, which were guarded by nine-headed dragon. Also, the apple was a gift to Zeus and Heras wedding. The problem with this labor was that Heracles could not go to Hesperides because he was a mortal. He went to Atlas for help and offered to carry on the world while Atlas went to retreat the apple.16 When Atlas came back with the apple, he told Heracles that he did not want to hold the earth anymore and he would bring the apple to Eurystheus. With his ingenuity, Heracles tricked Atlas to take back the world. This labor connected to the theme of trickery, which we had visited in Heracles third and forth labor. The last labor required Heracles to go to the underworld, which no mortal could come in and out before, and bring Cerberus to Eurystheus. After Heracles consulted with Hades, Hades agreed to let Heracles to bring Cerberus up to earth on one condition: Heracles must overpower Cerberus.17 Heracles wrestled with the beast for a long time; the beast was no match to Heracles immortal strength and it finally gave in. This labor was similar to the previous labors and theme: human vs. animal. Moreover, Heracles went to the underworld and return signified he broke the natural cycle of life and death. Lastly, Heracles was granted immortality because he had suffered enough. This paralleled to the myth of Alcestis and Admetus, both were mortal and cheated death with the help from different gods.

Huan Wei Li

In conclusion, Heracles Twelve Labors gave us a deeper inside on how Greek viewed about nature, peoples inner mind, and cycle of life and death. This proved that myths were fictional framework of reality, as the Greek called it the highest form of reality18. An example would be Heracles first six labors, which gave hope to live in harmony with nature because Heracles had clear out all the dangers for us. Moreover, myths were not just an explanation of how things worked; it gave us guidelines and hopes on how to live in this mysterious and dangerous world.

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Classical Mythology (9 Edition)p.563 Classical Mythology p.565 3 Classical Mythology p.564 4 From Classical Mythology p.564 5 Classical Mythology p. 565 6 Nemean lion. Wikipedia. 2011 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemean_lion> Wikimedia Foundation Aug 5, 2011 7 The 12 Labors of Heracles. AndTheWordWasGod. Sep. 2008 <http://andthewordwasgod.wordpress.co m/2008/09/16/the-12-labors-of-heracles/> WordPress Aug 5, 2011 8 Classical Mythology p.567 9 Classical Mythology p.568 10 The 12 Labors of Heracles. AndTheWordWasGod. Sep. 2008 <http://andthewordwasgod.Wordp ress.com/2008/09/16/the-12-labors-of-heracles/> WordPress Aug 5, 2011 11 The 12 Labors of Heracles. AndTheWordWasGod. Sep. 2008 <http://andthewordwasgod.wordpr ess.com/2008/09/16/the-12-labors-of-heracles/> WordPress Aug 5, 2011 12 Creten Bull. Wikipedia. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretan_Bull>Wikimedia Foundation Aug 5, 2011 13 Classical Mythology p.568 14 The 12 Labors of Heracles. AndTheWordWasGod. Sep. 2008 <http://andthewordwasgod.wordpre ss.com/2008/09/16/the-12-labors-of-heracles/> WordPress Aug 5, 2011 15 Geryon. Wikipedia. 2011 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geryon> Wikimedia Foundation Aug 5, 2011 16 Classical Mythology p.572 17 Classical Mythology p.573 18 Classical Mythology p.5

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