Without a doubt, most of you will know the character of Hercules that he was one of the most famous characters of both Greek and Roman mythology. His father was Zeus, the supreme god, and his mother a mortal named Alcmene. The adventures of this hero have been represented countless times throughout history and in this article We will tell you some myths about Hercules that maybe you did not know .
Famous for his works, Hercules was the strongest of all men and some of his gods. Force that made him leave always victorious, supplying the lack of intelligence for which it was characterized in some occasions. Thanks to the help of the gods and the participation of many friends, he achieved success in most of his companies. All this you can see in the myths of Hercules that we will relate below. Uncover them!
6 myths of Hercules that maybe you did not know
1. The Cretan bull
It was one of his most epic adventures, in addition to one of the impossible jobs commissioned by Euristeo at the behest of Hera. His rival in this story was an indomitable bull that caused havoc in that Greek city. The bull was created by the very Poseidon as a tribute to King Minos, when he did not fulfill the word given to the god, the queen fell in love with the bull and had the famous Minotaur . Hercules managed to tame the bull with his bare hands and take him by sea to Mycenae, once there instead of sacrificing him they left him free until another hero named Theseus managed to end his life.
2. Gerion's cattle
It was also part of his twelve works, this was one of the most difficult because he had to steal Gerion's cattle that was a monstrous being with three heads, three bodies and their respective limbs. The hero managed to steal the cattle with a lot of effort, but soon discovered how Gerión was looking for his revenge and tried to fight with Hercules. In the end the semi god he managed to kill this monstrous creature thanks to the poisoned arrows of the Hydra .
3. Deer of Cerinea
Another of the mythological beings that Hercules had to capture and bring alive before Euristeo. This wonderful animal had bronze legs and golden horns, belonged to the goddess Artemis. So fast was it that not even the hero's arrows managed to capture it and after a year of persecution, Hercules managed to catch it while the doe drank water making a knot in the legs with an arrow. He managed to take the doe without spilling a drop of his blood , so he did not suffer the wrath of the gods.
4. Birds of Estínfalo
With spikes, claws and wings of bronze, these wonderful birds were practically invincible. His arrows could not get through the flesh of animals and for the first time his brute strength was not worth it at all. Thanks to the goddess Athena, who appeared to help the hero, he defeated the powerful beasts. Hercules used some jingle bells that the deity gave him and the birds fled in terror . It is said that many years later, the Argonauts also had a run-in with them.
5. Hipolita belt
It was a great amazon, daughter of the god of war Ares. The Amazon had a wonderful belt with magical powers, which the hero had to steal. Some divergences arise in this myth of Hercules, some versions claim that Hipolita voluntarily gave him the belt for love , while others suggest that Hercules abducted one of his beloved sisters and asked for the belt as a ransom to return her safe and sound.
6. Wild boar of Erimanto
Another of the myths of Hercules that perhaps you did not know, in this work Hercules had to capture a huge boar that ate men and ravaged the area of Erimanto. After chasing him for several hours, Hercules managed to surround him in a snowy area where he rushed at the animal and he tied it with iron chains . The feat was huge, but it did not stop there since Hercules transported the heavy animal on his own shoulders to Mycenae.
As you can see, these myths of Hercules demonstrate the superhuman strength and perseverance of this popular Greek hero. Thanks to his abilities and the inestimable help of some gods in the opportune moments, he managed to complete all the works that were entrusted to him successfully.
Now we would like to know your opinion about this great classic hero. Which of these myths of Hercules has you found most striking? Did you know all of them? What do you think that this semi-god will be forced to perform twelve impossible jobs? Your contribution is tremendously important to us, so we are looking forward to reading all your comments to see what you think about this exciting topic. Do not hesitate to write us!