Heracles

Also known as: Alcides / Hercules · Family: heroes · Role: hero · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.3

🌐 Also appears in: The Iliad (as Hercules) · The Odyssey (as Hercules) · The Aeneid (as Hercules) · The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Hercules) · Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans (as Hercules) · Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Heracles) · The Divine Comedy (as Hercules)

Heracles, also known as Alcides and Hercules, was born to Zeus and Alcmena, alongside his brother Iphicles. He learned to drive a chariot from Amphitryon, wrestle from Autolycus, shoot from Eurytus, fence from Castor, and play the lyre from Linus, whom he later slew: “a son Linus, whom Hercules slew”. Hera opposed him from infancy, sending serpents to his bed and later driving him mad after his battle with the Minyans; in that madness he killed the children he had by Megara and two children of Iphicles, condemned himself to exile, and was assigned ten labours serving Eurystheus.

During those labours, Heracles killed the Nemean lion, destroyed the Hydra of Lerna with Iolaus through the plans of Athena, delivered Geryones’ cattle to Eurystheus, captured Cerberus, and released Prometheus from his torment. He fought and killed Alcyoneus, Porphyrion, and Ephialtes among the giants, and later killed Diomedes, Hippolyte, Laomedon, Augeas, Periclymenus, Neleus, and Hippocoon. After being sold by Hermes, he served Omphale for three years; he then captured Ilium, restored Tyndareus to Lacedaemon, and fought alongside Aegimius.

Heracles wrestled Achelous for Deianira and married her, later taking Iole captive after killing Eurytus and his sons. Deianira died by suicide after Heracles was carried wounded to Trachis; at Mount Oeta he was taken to heaven, obtained immortality, and married Hebe, daughter of Hera, by whom he had Alexiares and Anicetus. The accounts also name his children by Deianira, Astyoche, Auge, Omphale, and many other women, including Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus, Onites, Tlepolemus, and Telephus.