Hercules is the most famous hero of Greek Mythology and well-known for his twelve labors. He was a demigod, son of Zeus and Alcmene. Hera, the wife of Zeus, hated Hercules and wanted to kill him. Driven mad by the goddess, Hercules killed his own sons by his wife Megara. After realizing what he did, he traveled to Delphi and asked Apollo how he could atone for his actions. Pythia, the Oracle of Apollo, told him to go to Tiryns and serve his cousin, King Eurystheus, for twelve years. Eurystheus, loathing his cousin, set him to complete twelve impossible labors. He ordered him to: 1) slay the Nemean Lion, 2) slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra, 3) capture the Golden Hind of Artemis, 4) capture the Erymanthian Boar, 5) clean the Augean stables in a single day, 6) slay the Stymphalian Birds, 7) capture the Cretan Bull, 8) steal the Mares of Diomedes, 9) obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, 10) obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon, 11) steal the golden apples of the Hesperides, and 12) capture and bring back Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Hades. Hercules managed to complete all twelve labors and free himself from the service of Eurystheus, having atoned for the killing of his sons. Many more adventures followed until he found a tragic death from his wife, Megara.
