The 12 Labours of Hercules Explained | Best Hercules Documentary

The 12 Labours of Hercules/Heracles are some of the most impressive tales in Greek Mythology. The son of Zeus and a descendant of Perseus, Heracles was destined to be a great Hero. He was favoured by many gods of Olympus, including Athena, Apollo and Hermes. However, one Olympian, the goddess Hera, hated him before he was even born and strived to make his life as difficult as possible. Using her magic, she made Heracles kill his family, forcing him to visit the Oracle of Delphi to seek redemption. The Oracle informed him that he would have to carry out 12 Labours in penance, under the service of King Eurystheus of Mycenae. His labours were the ultimate test of strength and skill. He would fight and kill savage beasts, from the Nemean Lion and Lernaean Hydra to the Stymphalian Birds and the three-headed giant Geryon. But his labours would also require him to travel to distant lands, to capture animals that King Eurystheus wanted to observe. From Artemis’ Ceryneian Hind and King Minos’ Cretan Bull (the