who was heracles

As the name Hercules indicate, the Greeks deemed him thebest of men. The son of Zeus and Alcmene, he was famed for his astonishing strength and bravery, immortalized largely by his famous twelve labours that were gifted in penance for killing wife and children while driven mad by Hera. Hercules, as the Romans dubbed him, is the son of Zeus and Alcmene. From killing the Nemean lion to taking Charon for vengeance, Heracles' fabulous activities are both a well-spring of inspiring deeds and the stuff that great literature is made on.

If you're well-acquainted with Greek mythology, Heracles' name would ring a bell. In fact, he's the most famous of all Greek heroes, celebrated for his extraordinary strength, courage and ingenuity. Born to Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene, Heracles' life was one of struggle and adventure, with his twelve labours being the epitome of epic heroics. These tasks, which included slaying hideous beasts and performing nearly impossible feats, were assigned to him as penance for murdering his wife and children during a bout of madness bestowed upon him by Hera, Zeus' jealous wife. Even after his death, Heracles managed to secure a place in Olympus as a god, a clear testament to his greatness and influence.

Based on Zeus' infidelity, Heracles spent a great part of his life performing twelve near impossible tasks which became known as 'the Labours of Heracles'.These included slaying the Nemean Lion,capturing the Golden Hind, and obtaining the girdle of Hippolyta, among others. Legends of Heracles have shown that the hero was not only very intelligent and very courageous, but had perseverance to spare!Above all, though, these legends serve to remind us of his nearly superhuman physical strength.