#odyeuss

[mythera]

This labour differs from all of Heracles’ others because it involves the desecration of a sacred place and violation of the laws of nature. As the supreme feat, Eurystheus asked Heracles to bring him the guard-dog of the underworld. Hades gave his consent for Heracles to take Cerberus away with him, on the condition that he could tame the animal without weapons, wearing only his breast-plate and lion-skin. So Heracles wrestled with the dog, clutching him tightly despite the wounds caused by the animal’s lashing tail, until it gave in. When he took the dog back to Mycenae, Eurystheus hid in a storage pot again, out of fear, and since there seemed little else to do with Cerberus, Heracles took him back to Hades where he belonged.

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Deianeira believed him, collected some of the Centaur’s blood, and took it with her. Some time later, Heracles was victorious over Eurytus in the conquest of Oechalia. Wishing to erect an altar to Zeus and sacrifice to him, he sent his comrade Lichas to Trachis, where Deianeira was then living, to fetch him clean new clothes for the ceremony. Deianeria was afraid that the company of Lole, daughter of Eurytus, whom Heracles had taken as his concubine, might drive his lawful wife from his mind, and so she dipped his new tunic in the blood of Nessus. Heracles put it on and began the sacrifice. But the poison in the Centaur’s blood soon burned his skin. Heracles tried to tear off the poisoned tunic, but his flesh came away with it. When Deianeira realised what she had done, she committed suicide. Then Heracles climbed to the top of Mt Oete, where he built a pyre and ordered his friends to set fire to it and him. All were reluctant to obey him, and only Philoctetes had the courage to start the fire. In gratitude, Heracles gave Philoctetes his bow and arrows soaked in the blood of the Lernaean Hydra. When the flames had begun to rise high, thunder was heard, lightning flashed and a cloud descended to take Heracles into the sky. So it came about that he joined the immortals and ascended to Olympus, where he married Hebe, the goddess of eternal youth.

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The name of Heracles is identified with power, heroism and majesty. This demi-god, who became a symbol as his fame reached every corner of the then known world, represents a true superman! There was no “labour” that was beyond the power of Heracles. The problems which appeared in nearly all Greek societies, as well as outside it, could only be solved by one man and that was Heracles. He battled with villains, monsters, armies, gods, natural forces, illness and even death!

[mythera]

The next labour which Eurystheus set for Heracles was to catch the hind with golden horns which lived at Oenoe and bring it alive to Mycenae. The hind, which lived on the Arcadian mountain of Ceryneia, hid even from Artemis herself and it grazed throughout Arcadia and in the mountains sacred to the goddess above Argos. Heracles hunted it for a whole year without ever getting close enough to fire an arrow. In the end, Heracles managed to trap the animal, but on the way back he came upon  Apollo and Artemis, who were angered by his act. Heracles apologised to the goddess and she forgave him once he had taken the beast alive to Mycenae.

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Pan, an elemental figure in Greek nature, was the god of shepherds and herds. Even in earliest times, he is depicted as a kind of demon, halfman, half-goat, with a weather-beaten face, a pointed chin, a beard, horns on his forehead and a hairy body. Agile in his movements and cheerful, Pan embodied the rural life and lived in cool springs and in shady woods.Pan spent his time grazing his flocks and playing pan-pipes, an instrument which he invented and named after himself.

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Although he did all he could to extract from the god Nereus the exact route he should follow, Heracles still had many adventures on the way. One of them involved wrestling with the giant Antaeus. This was far from easy, since as long as the giant had his feet on the ground he could draw strength from the Earth, his mother. Heracles realised this and, with superhuman strength, managed to lift Antaeus on to his shoulders, breaking his contact with the ground. He then squeezed him in his arms in mid-air and throttled him. On this voyage, among other journeys, Heracles freed Prometheus, the benefactor of mankind, whom Zeus had condemned to be chained to the Caucasus Mountains for giving mankind fire and breaking the rule which restricted its use to the gods alone. Heracles killed the eagle that tore at Prometheus with an arrow.

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Cronus, was the only son of Mother Earth to help her in taking revenge on his father Uranus (Sky). Cronus castrated Uranus and took his place and cast out his brothers, the Hundred-Handed Ones and the Cyclopses. Cronus then married his sister Rhea, but tried to ensure none of their children lived, as his parents had told him that he would lose his power to one of his children.

[mythera]

As an adolescent, Heracles was strong, vigorous, disobedient and unusually well-developed. At eighteen, he had already accomplished his first feat, killing the lion of Cithairon which was ravaging the flocks on the mountain. At the same time Heracles came to a fork in the road. One branch was a fine, broad path to start with, but in the distance it could be seen to narrow. At the start of this road stood a beautiful woman in gaudy clothes. The other road was initially narrow and beset with thorns, but further along it broadened and was strewn with flowers. There was another woman of gentle and modest appearance, dressed simply but with nobility. - “Who are you?”. Heracles asked the women. - “come to me”, said the first woman. “I will make you happy. My name is Sin. '' -” No, follow me”, said the second. “You will gain the gratitude, respect and affection of all. My name is Virtue.