![]() ![]() Athena, the patroness of heroes, eventually returned Alcides to his parents. Hera’s nurturing gave the child supernatural powers. Out of pity for the abandoned child, she breastfed the very baby she had tried to prevent from being born. He was found by Athena and given to Hera, who did not recognize him. Fearing the revenge that Hera might bring upon her, she left the baby to die of exposure. One was the child of Zeus while the other was the son of her mortal husband, but no one could be certain which was which.Īlcmene believed the larger twin, who she had named Alcides, was Zeus’s son. Eurystheus became a powerful king, and the enmity between Hera and Hercules began in earnest.Īlcmene gave birth to twin sons. She intervened so that Eurystheus, another grandson of Perseus, would be born two months prematurely while Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, delayed Alcmene’s labor. Hera, angered by her husband’s repeated infidelities and the honors that were given to his sons, sought to prevent Alcmene’s baby from fulfilling that prophecy. It was also soon revealed that Alcmene was pregnant.Īs Alcmene went into labor, Zeus announced to the gods on Olympus that a grandson of Perseus was about to be born that would one day rule over everyone around him. The blind seer Tiresias revealed the truth. He was surprised to hear that his wife believed he had already been home for more than three days. Convinced he was her husband returning from battle, she spent three nights with Zeus without discovering his deception.Īfterward, the real Amphitryon returned. While Amphitryon was away on a military campaign, Zeus visited Alcmene in disguise as her husband. Knowing she would never betray her husband, the king of the gods devised a scheme to make the mortal woman his lover by deception. One of these women was Alcmene, the human princess of Tiryns and Mycenae and the granddaughter of Perseus.Īlcmene was married to Amphitryon, but her exceptional beauty attracted Zeus’s attention. ![]() While Zeus was married to Hera, he was notorious for his many affairs with both goddesses and human women. Hercules was one of many Greek heroes who was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods. Is it any wonder the hero was so revered that he came to be worshiped as a god? The Birth and Childhood of Hercules The stories of Hercules are filled with adventure, danger, romance, and cleverness. Throughout his life Hera would seek to utterly destroy her stepson in any way she could. He was one of the many sons of Zeus who rose to prominence in Greek legends. The Greeks knew him as Heracles, a name that paid honor to his stepmother, Hera. The Greeks held just as much love for him, though. Hercules was so popular in ancient Rome that their name for the Greek hero is still the one used most often today. Roman emperors compared themselves to Hercules, hoping to emulate his position in the minds of their people. Hercules, however, is the Roman name for this great Greek hero. His famous twelve labors and the many other adventures he went on made him the epitome of strength and courage. When you think of heroes from the ancient world, Hercules is almost certainly one of the first names that comes to mind.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |