The twelve labors of Heracles

According to Diodorus Siculus (Bibliotheca historica, Book IV), before Heracles was born, Zeus “persuaded Hera to agree that Eurystheus should be king as he had promised, but that Heracles should serve Eurystheus and perform twelve Labours, these to be whatever Eursytheus should prescribe, and that after he had done so he should receive the gift of immortality” (9.5).

Years later King Creon admired the achievements of Heracles and married him to his daughter Megara, then “entrusted him with the affairs of the city as though he were his lawful son”. “Eursytheus, who was ruler of Argolis, viewing with suspicion the growing power of Heracles, summoned him to his side and commanded him to perform Labours” (10.6).

Heracles ignored Zeus who wanted put his son at the service of Eurystheus. Heracles traveled to Delphi and there he learned that “the gods had decided that he should perform twelve Labours at the command of Eurystheus and that upon their conclusion he should receive the gift of immortality” (10.7).

After learning about the will of the gods, Heracles fell in despair because, considering his achievements, he felt he did not deserve to serve a man inferior to himself. While considering the circumstances and realizing that it “would be hurtful to himself and impossible not to obey Zeus” “Hera sent upon him a frenzy, and in his vexation of soul he fell into a madness” until “he lost his mind and tried to slay Iolaüs”. “When Iolaüs made his escape but his own children by Megara were near by, he shot his bow and killed them under the impression that they were enemies” (11.1).

Heracles eventually “recovered from his madness and recognized the mistake he had made”, then “plunged in grief over the magnitude of the calamity”. Although neighbors extended their sympathy and joined in sorrow, he stayed at home for a long time and avoided meeting people. Eventually, time lessened his grief and he “made his appearance at the court of Eurystheus” (11.2).

According to Diodorus Siculus (Bibliotheca historica, Book IV 11.3 to 26-4) Eurystheus ordered Hercules to perform twelve labours in this order:

1. Slay the Nemean lion 2. Slay the one hundred-headed Lernaean hydra 3. Capture the Erymanthian boar 4. Capture the Cerynithian hind 5. Drive the birds away from the Stymphalian lake 6. Cleanse the stables of Augeas 7. Capture the Cretan bull 8. Capture the horses of Diomedes 9. Obtain the girdle of Hippolytê 10. Capture the cattle of Geryones 11. Capture and bring back Cerberus 12. Bring back the golden apples of the Hesperides

Diodorus Siculus presents the stories behind the twelve labours in sequence but interposes some additional stories between some of them.

According to Diodorus Siculus (Bibliotheca historica, Book IV) between the third and the fourth labours Heracles fought the Centaurs to defend his friend Pholus, a Centaur himself (Pholus opened a jar of wine to welcome Heracles and the Centaurs, smelling the wine from afar, became attracted and turned violent) (12.3-8).

Between the seventh and the eight labours Heracles founded the Olympic Games. He won all of them unopposed because nobody dared to compete with him. The gods visited him, bringing gifts of all kinds (14.1-4).

Heracles fought the Titans alongside with Zeus (15.1).

Prometheus gave the fire to men and Zeus chained him, then sent an eagle to devour his liver. Heracles witness the suffering of the Titan and, considering the benefit he gave to men, “killed the eagle with an arrow” and then persuaded Zeus “to cease from his anger” (15.2).

After the completion of the eight labour, Heracles “sailed forth with Jason as a member of the expedition to the Colchi to get the golden fleece” (15.4).

Interestingly, at the end of the ninth labour, Hercules did not obtain the girdle of Hippolytê (16.1) but the one of her sister Melanippê (16.4).

According to Hyginus (Fabulae, 32) Juno (Hera) drove Hercules mad and which lead him to kill his first wife Megara and his sons Therimachus and Ophites. When he returned to his senses “he sought an oracle from Apollo” to learn how to “cleanse himself of his crime”. “Apollo did not wish to give him an oracle, so Hercules grew angry and stole Apollo’s tripod from the temple. Jupiter (Zeus) ordered him to return it and told Apollo to deliver a response even though he did not wish to do so”. Hercules eventually learned from Mercury (Hermes) that he was to serve as a slave to Queen Omphale (she would later become Hercule’s second wife).

According to Hyginus (Fabulae, 30) Eurystheus ordered Hercules to perform twelve labors in this order:

1. Slay the Nemean Lion 2. Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra 3. Capture the Erymanthian Boar 4. Capture the wild stage with golden horns 5. Slay the Stymphalian Birds 6. Clean the Augean stables in a single day 7. Capture the bull of Pasiphae 8. Kill Diomedes and his four horses 9. Kill Hippolyta and obtain her belt 10. Kill the three-bodied monster Geryon 11. Kill the guardian serpent of the golden apples of the Hesperides and fetch the apples 12. Capture and bring back Cerberus

According to Pseudo-Apollodorus (Bibliotheca, 2.4.12), driven mad by Hera, Heracles threw his children by his first wife Megara and two sons of Iphicles into the fire. Hercules regretted his actions and self-exiled. He was then purified by Thespius and traveled to Delphi to inquire how he could atone for his actions. The Pythian priestess called him Heracles for the first time (previously, he was known as Alcides). She then advised him to go to Tiryns and serve Eurystheus for twelve years, performing whatever labors he might assign to him. In return, he would be rewarded with immortality.

According to Pseudo-Apollodorus (Bibliotheca, 2.5.1 to 2.5.12) Eurystheus originally ordered Hercules to perform ten labors in this order:

1. Slay the Nemean Lion 2. Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra 3. Capture the Cerynitian Hind of Artemis 4. Capture the Erymanthian Boar 5. Clean the Augean stables in a single day 6. Slay the Stymphalian Birds 7. Capture the Cretan Bull 8. Steal the Mares of Diomedes 9. Obtain the belt of Hippolyte 10. Obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon

The first ten labors were completed in eight years and one month.

Hercules accomplished these tasks but Eurystheus refused to recognize two: the slaying of the Lernaean Hydra (since Hercules' nephew and charioteer Iolaus had helped him) and the cleansing of the Augean stables (because Hercules accepted payment for the labor).

Hence, Eurystheus set two more tasks:

11. Fetch the Golden Apples of the Hesperides 12. Capture and bring back Cerberus

Hercules performed all tasks, bringing their total number to twelve.