What Were the 12 Labors of Hercules in Order? It is important to note that because different Ancient Greek poets gave their own accounts of Hercules's labors, some details may vary, but the following Herculean tasks are generally agreed upon by scholars. But Hercules was unaware, and for twelve years, he traveled all over the ancient world to complete these incredible tasks.

However, Hera influenced the Oracle’s decree, choosing the most difficult tasks for the hero. He asked the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi how he could atone and was told to travel to Tiryns and do the tasks asked of him by King Eurystheus (who was his cousin through his mortal mother, Alcmene). In a fit of madness spurred by Hera, Hercules killed his wife Megara and his children. They began with Hera, the queen of the gods and Olympus, who was continuously jealous of her godly husband Zeus, his dalliances, and his illegitimate offspring - such as Hercules. The most famous of all Hercules’ myths are the Twelve Labors. Many of the great families of Greece and Rome traced their ancestry back to Heracles and set up temples to the hero.

Unlike most demigods, Heracles was eventually elevated to be a Greek god, and later, a Roman deity. He is one of the most famous demigods of legend, as his father was a god and his mother was a mortal woman known for her beauty, and his feats were virtually unbeatable from a young age. Heracles, (also Herakles, or Hercules to the Romans) appears in countless myths in Greek mythology.

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