The Adventures of Hercules

Hercules was the strongest man on earth. And very brave. When Zues fought the Titans on Mount Olypmpus, Hercules helped his father because he was a faithful son. Like his cousin, Theseus, Hercules did not rule people. Hercules spent his whole life trying to learn to rule himself.

Hercules mother was Alcmena. Hera, his stepmother, was very jealous of Hercules and wanted to kill him. When he was a baby, Hera sent snakes to his crib but Hercules strangled them. Hera also sent him periodic fits of rage to Hercules. These demons were not so easily conquered.

Hercules' temper tantrums almost destroyed him. Whom the gods would destroy they first make angry. Once Hercules threatened to shoot an arrow at the Sun because it was too hot. Another time when the riddle-loving Sphinx did not answer Hercules' question, he grabbed it by the legs and threatened to throw it in the river. When he was a boy, he threw his lyre at his music teacher Linus accidently killing him. Hercules was always genuinely sorry for his fits of anger. And he accepted his punishments because he felt so guilty. Sometimes Hercules felt so guilty he punished himself for things he did not do--but only thought about doing. Hercules' sorrow for his anger made him a great man. A man able to repent. Through repentance, Hercules was able to conquer himself.

As a young man, Hercules was visited by two women. One was named Vice and the other Virtue. Each offered to be his guide throughout his life. Vice promised him ease and riches. Virtue promised him hardship, poverty and constant work against evil. Hercules followed Virtue and did all she asked: fight evil, defend the weak, help the poor, feed the hungry, right wrongs, praise god and thank friends. As a reward for his virtue he was given a wife and three children whom he loved dearly. Upon his death he was taken to Mount Olympus and made a god because he conquered fame, the greatest obstacle of all, with humility and his sins with sorrow.

Before his death, jealous Hera eventually drove Hercules crazy with anger and he committed a terrible sin against his family. He left his wife and children. As punishment, the gods made him a slave to Eurystheus of Argos--a mean and cowardly taskmaster--who assigned him twelve impossible jobs. To earn forgiveness, Hercules would have to do each.