Mythology is a big part of the culture of many nations and countries. It contains much wisdom and knowledge about the past, even though it is hundred percent fictional. Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies share many similarities but are not entirely the same. However, they both tell the story of the son of Zeus, the famous hero Hercules, or Heracles, as he was called in Ancient Greece. Many factors show that these are not two separate characters but one person, mainly because Roman myths and legends were borrowed from the Greek older brothers. This work will focus on the tale of the twelve labors of Hercules.
According to the myth, Hera, who appeared to be Zeus’s wife, cast a spell that made Hercules crazy for a moment, and he murdered his wife and their children. That is the reason why Apollo ordered him to complete twelve labors. This folktale is a myth because it relates to gods that managed every natural process as people believed in ancient times and demonstrates powers that were impossible in the real world. The Hercules story is about deception, guilt, mistrust, and evil itself.
The twelve labors myth has many supernatural elements to notice and analyze. Even though there is an opinion among historians that this character was inspired by a real man, this story is full of fantastic moments. One of these episodes is a fifth task where Hercules needed to clean all the manure out of Argeas’ stables in one day. He managed to do it by diverting two rivers nearby and flooding the stables. As stated, “he uprooted a huge tree that grew beside the river and dropped it across the stream so that it formed a dam” (Newman 49). This is one of the examples of Hercules’ supernatural strength that helped him do impossible things.
This specific myth does not have cosmological elements about the universe’s origin. However, according to Greek mythology, there was only chaos in the beginning. Then gradually, Erebus, Night, and Love appeared, which created Light, Day, and Gaea, the earth. The Night also produced Sleep, Dreams, Fate, Doom, Death, and Nemesis. These creatures were at the origins of the world, creating new ones in different ways.
The first binary present in the Twelve labors of Hercules myth is the opposition of Hera and Hercules that lasts for the whole story. This confrontation started at the birth of Hercules, and the reason for that was his mother, with whom Zeus cheated on Hera. Even though Hercules did not die after twelve labors, Hera did get what she wanted because Hercules died from the poisoned blood of the centaur Nessus. According to the story, “Hera, who was more jealous of Hercules than ever because of this fame, was determined to prevent his marriage” (Newman 18). Their discord and rivalry continued until the end of Hercules’ life. The second binary present in this myth is the centaur that wanted to steal his second wife, Deianira. Before dying, Nessus said to Deianira that “from the time Hercules puts the tunic on, he will never love another” (Newman 18). That tunic started killing Hercules and causing pain, making him dig his grave and burn himself.
To conclude, the myth about the twelve labors of Hercules is about the evil shown in many manifestations, like mistrust and deception. Even though Hercules was powerful to complete twelve feats, he was not strong enough to save his love and his own life. This myth is a storehouse of knowledge for everyone who understands this story’s symbolism and deeper meaning.
Works Cited
Newman, R. The twelve labors of Hercules. Open Road Media, 2014.