Heracles

Heracles, or as he is more often portayed in contemporary media, Hercules, was a Greek demigod, son of Zeus. Because he was a demigod, he had incredible strength (which he used to perform his twelve labors). He was married to Megara, the daughter of the king of Thebes. They had anywhere between three and eight children, but in a fit of madness sent by Hera (who often didn't like the children of Zeus as they were living proof of his infidelity to her, the Goddess of marriage) Heracles Killed Megara and their children. When he regained his sanity, he consulted the oracle at Delphi searching for a way of atoning for his sins, and was told he was to become a servant of the king Eurystheus. It was he who assigned the famous twelve labors upon Heracles. These tasks were as follows:

1. Slaying the Nemean Lion
2. Slaying the nine headed Hydra of Lerna
3. The capture of the hind (or stag) of Arcadia
4. Capturing the wild boar of Mount Erymanthus
5. Cleaning the cattle stables of King Augeas of Elis (performed in one day)
6. Shooting the man-eating birds of the Stymphalian marshes
7. The capture of the Cretan Bull
8. The capture of the man-eating horses of King Diomedes of the Bistones
9. Taking Hippolyte's (Queen of the Amazons) girdle
10. Stealing the cattle from the three-bodiead Giant, Geryon
11. Bringing back the golden apples kept at the world’s end by the Hesperides
12. Fetching Cerberus, Hades three-headed gaurd dog that stood at the gates of the underworld.

See also Who were the Gods

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