The Last 6 Trials of Hercules

Hercules' seventh task was to capture the Cretan Bull. Hercules taunted the beast which chased him into the river. Hercules swam with the Bull to the river's edge then sent for Eurystheus. Upon seeing Hercules holding the Bull in water, Eurystheus was dumbfounded. Hercules had won again. But surely Hercules would not survive his next task: tame the man-eating horses owned by the evil Diomedes. Hercules captured Diomedes himself and fed him to his own mares thereby taming the steeds. He led them safely home to Eurystheus.

Hercules was immediately sent to the Black Sea for his ninth assignment. There he was to fetch the girdle of the Amazon Queen. Eurystheus' daughter wanted the girdle so that she could join the race of giant women known for their beauty, brains and strength. Upon his arrival, Queen Hippolyta gave him the article gladly. She liked Hercules.

Fearful that Hercules might actually finish his twelve labors, Hera intervened. She provoked war between the Amazons and Hercules' friends who had gone with him on his journey. Many were killed on both sides. Sadly, Hercules--thinking he had been betrayed by the Queen--killed Hippolyta.

Determined to make Hercules fail, Eurystheus sent him far from the known world to perform his last three tasks: (1) capture the cattle of Geryon; (2) bring back the dog Cerberus who guards the jaws of Hell; and (3) steal the golden apples guarded by the Hesperides, the daughters of Atlas, which give the gods their eternal youth. Hercules set sail to capture the cattle of Geryon.

Geryon was a three-headed warrior protected by a double-headed, snake-tailed dog named Orthos (the brother Cerberus). With five heads to watch them, the fine red cattle never left their sight. Using nothing but his brute strength, his club, sling, bow and poisonous arrows, Hercules conquered the warrior and his dog.

Immediately he went off to Hades to fetch Ceberus, the hound of Hell. Using his gift for language, the silver-tongued Hercules asked Hades to release Ceberus to his custody. Hades agreed to let the three-headed fiend go with Hercules only because he was sure Cerberus would return with Hercules' soul after Hercules' final labor. Hercules went on to complete his final labor. Fetch the oranges of youth. The Golden Apples (oranges) of the Hesperides were a wedding gift from the goddess Gaea (Earth) to Zues and Hera. They gave the gods their eternal youth. On his way to find the apples, Hercules found Prometheus in the Caucasian Mountains. He unchained him thereby restoring foresight to the world. In gratitude, Prometheus sent Hercules to his brother Atlas for help. It was Atlas' daughter who guarded the Golden Apples. In exchange for holding up the earth for awhile and the opportunity to see his daughter, Atlas went to the place the Golden Apples are kept, got them from his children, and gave them to Hercules. Thus, Hercules prevailed in his final labor because of his good works and good will.