The twelve labors Hercules included tasks that included killing Hydra, the monster with nine venomous heads. It was around this time that Hercules was no longer known as Alcaeus, but as Herakles (Hercules) meaning “Glory of Hera,” as he had become well-known through his trouble with her. His cousin gave him twelve labours to atone for his sins. Hercules then went to the Oracle at Delphi and she told him to go to his cousin Eurystheus, King of Tiryns and Mycenae. When it was over and he realized what he had done, he wanted to kill himself, but his cousin Theseus stopped him. The result was Hercules killing his three sons. Hera could still not tolerate him and sent him into a madness. Hercules would get married, have three sons, and be a successful hero. Hercules was fascinating to the Greek people as he was like other mortals and could make mistakes and suffer, but he also had powers like no other mortal did. Unknowingly, Hera helped to give Hercules with more strength and power by nursing him. She pushed him away quickly and her milked spilled across the night sky to create the Milky Way.

Hera took young Hercules and nursed him until her bit her. Goddess Athena found him and took him to Hera as an orphan who needed nourishment. One version of the myth says that Alcmene left Hercules in the woods to protect him from Hera. When Hercules was a baby, Hera sent serpents to kill him, but Hercules strangled them.

Hera sent witches to prevent the birth from happening, but Alcmene’s servants sent them to a different room. Her first attempt to get rid of him was at his own birth. She resented him so much that she would go to great lengths to destroy him. Zeus’ wife Hera knew about his illegitimate son and would make the life of Hercules very difficult. Hercules was given the name Alcaeus when he was born. Hercules was born a demigod who had amazing strength and stamina. Hercules was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene.

Was achilles a demigod