HERCULES MYTH: STORYBOARD

Hercules is bornHercules is the son of Zeus and Alcmena. Zeus assumed the body of Alcmena’s husband and tricked her into sleeping with him. Hera was furious and never forgave Hercules for this.

Hera sends serpentsIn an effort to kills Hercules, Hera sends two serpents to his crib in the nighttime. Alcmena is awakened and finds that Hercules has strangled the serpents.

Hercules kills the Thespian lion

After killing the Thespian lion, Hercules wore the skin as a cloak and the head as a hood.

Hercules conquers the Minyans

Hercules marries Princess Megara and has three children

Hercules’ reward for beating the Minyans and freeing the Thebans was to marry Princess Megara. They had three children together.

Hercules goes mad and kills his family

After the madness left, he had no knowledge of committing those crimes.

Hercules travels to the Oracle of Delphi

The Oracle told him to travel to his cousin Eurystheus, King of Mycenae, and do whatever he said to do.

Eurystheus tells him to perform the 12 Labors

These labors are now know as the Twelve Labors of Hercules.

1. Hercules kills the Lion of Nemea

Because no weapons could wound this lion, he choked it to death and carried it back to Eurytheus.

2. Hercules kills the Hydra of Lerna

Each time Hercules cut off one of the Hydra’s 9 heads, it grew two in its place. He finally got help from a friend and burned the necks as he cut off the head, preventing new ones from growing back. He then buried the immortal head under a great rock.

3. Hercules captures the stag with golden horns

This stag was sacred to Artemis. He could have easily killed it but because he needed to take it alive, it took him a year of hunting before he finally captured it.

4. Hercules captures Erymanthian boar

Hercules chased the boar until it became tired. Then, he drove it deep into the snow and trapped it.

5. Hercules cleans the Augean stables

Hercules had to clean these stables in one day, so he diverted the path of two rivers. They flowed through the stables and flushed out all filth.

6. Hercules drives away the Stymphalian birds

These birds were terrible because there were so many of them. With the help of Athena, Hercules drove them out of their hiding places and he shot them.

7. Hercules fetches the savage bull from Crete

This bull was given to King Minos by Poseidon. Hercules captured it and brought it by boat to Eurytheus.

8. Hercules drives off the man-eating mares

After killing King Diomedes, Hercules easily drove away the horses.

9. Hercules obtains Hippolyta’s belt/girdle

The Amazons thought Hercules was going to kill their queen, Hipployta, so they attacked his ship. Thinking Hippolyta planned the attack, he killed her.

10. Hercules brings back the cattle of Geryon

Geryon was a monster with three bodies. Hercules easily obtained the cattle from him.

11. Hercules brings back the Golden Apples

Hercules had Atlas go get the apples for him. Atlas attempted to leave Hercules holding up the world, but Hercules tricked him into taking it back.

12. Hercules captures Cerberus

This 3-headed dog was found in the Underworld with Hades. He brought Cerberus to Eurytheus, who then asked Hercules to return it.

Admetus makes a deal with the three Fates

The deal was to find someone else to die in his place. His wife, Alcestis, agreed to go in his place.

Hercules rescues Alcestis from the Underworld

Hercules answered, “It is your wife. I fought Death for her and I made him give her back.”

Hercules saves Deianira from the Centaur Nessus

The Centaur Nessus acted as a ferryman, carrying travelers over the water. He took Deianira and insulted her. Hercules shot and killed him.

Hercules diesHercules ordered people to build a pyre (wood heaped in a pile for burning a dead body, used in funeral rites). He lay down and asked his follower Philoctetes to set the wood on fire.