Herakles/Hercules

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Where was Herakles born?
Thebes
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Who was Alcmene, and what did Zeus do to trick her?
The mother of Herakles - he arrived looking Alcmene's husband, Amphitryon. This allowed him to sleep with her, and create a child
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What was Hera's attitude towards Herakles? Why?
She hated him. Hera always punished the women who Zeus slept with, as well as the children that came about as a result.
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During Alcmene's pregnancy, who did Hera send to her? Why?
Eileithyia - the goddess of childbirth. To prolong the childbirth so Herakles would not be the firstborn. This was also an attempt to make Herakles a stillborn.
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Which animals did Hera send to Herakles when he was a baby as an assassination attempt? What happened to them?
2 snakes. Herakles strangled them.
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How did Athena become the guardian of Herakles?
Alcmene was frightened by Hera, so Athena took him to Olympus to become a god. He was, however, rejected by Hera and sent back to Earth, so Athena hid him in the woods and became his protector.
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Who did Herakles marry to first? How did the marriage end?
Megara - the daughter of Creon, the king of Thebes. Hera sent Lyssa, the goddess of madness, to drive Herakles mad so that he would kill his family, which was a sin of the highest order.
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Where did Herakles go to find out how to redeem himself?
The oracle of Delphi.
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How did Hera trick him at this point?
She took control of the seer, and told him that he was to serve Eurystheus, his cousin and the current king of Thebes.
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How many tasks did Eurystheus ask of Herakles? Why did he choose these particular tasks?
10. Because he wanted to punish Herakles for his crimes, and thought that the tasks were impossible and would kill him.
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What was the first task? Why was this difficult? How did Herakles overcome this?
Killing the Nemean Lion and bringing back its skin. Its skin was impregnable against weapons, so he wouldn't be able to use a blade to kill or skin it. He strangled it, and Athena told him to use one of the Lion's own claws to skin it.
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What was the second task? Why was this difficult? How did Herakles overcome this?
Killing the Lernaean Hydra. It gave off a smell that killed whoever breathed it in, and if you cut off one head, two more grew in its place. He got help from his cousin, Iolans. When Herakles cut off a head, Iolans cauterized it with a flaming torch.
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What was the third task? Why was this difficult? What was unusual about the creature? What did Herakles do?
Hunting down the Ceryneian hind. It was a massive golden deer that was very fast and sacred to Artemis. He tracked it for a year, then snared and bound it before carrying it back to Mycenae.
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Which god was offended by this and came down to stop Herakles? Why? How did Herakles appease him/her?
Artemis. The hind was sacred to her. Herakles explained that he was being forced to carry out the task, and that he did not intend to kill it, but let it go at the last second.
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What was the fourth task? Why was this difficult? How did Herakles overcome this? How did Eurystheus react?
Bring the Erymanthian boar to Eurystheus. He had to bring it back alive. Herakles tired the boar out by chasing it through the snow, then bound its legs and carried it back. Eurystheus hid in a pithos jar out of fear.
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What was the fifth task? Why was this difficult? How did Herakles overcome this?
Clean out the Augean stables in a day. There were vast amounts of dung, and Herakles only had 1 day. Herakles channelled 2 rivers into the stables, cleaning them out quickly.
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What was the sixth task? What problems had these creatures been causing? Why was this difficult? How did Herakles overcome this?
Kill the Stymphalian Birds. Eating people and ravaging farmlands. Herakles had no idea how to look for them. Athena gave him a rattle made by Hephaistos. When he shook it, the birds flew out of the trees and Herakles shot them with his bow and arrows
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What was the seventh task? What had this creature been doing? Why was this task difficult? How did Herakles carry out the task?
Bring the Cretan Bull to Mycenae alive. Ravaging the farmlands. The bull was huge and had to be brought back alive. Herakles strangled it so that it passed out, then rode it back home.
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What was the eighth task? How were these creatures kept and what did the owner feed them? What happened to the creatures?
Bringing back the Mares of Diomedes. In a bronze manger with iron chains. The limbs of Diomedes's enemies and passing strangers. Upon bringing them back, Herakles set them free next to Olympus, where they were eaten by wild animals.
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What was the ninth task? Who were the people involved? Why was this task easy? Why was it made difficult? What did Herakles do?
Retrieve Hippolyte's belt. The Amazons - a race of warrior women. Hippolyte admired Herakles, and freely offered her belt. Hera spread rumours that Herakles wanted to seduce Hippolyte, so they attacked him. Herakles killed Hippolyte and took the belt
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What was the tenth task? What was significant about its location? What were these creatures famous for? Describe their owner. How did Herakles defeat this person?
Retrieving the Cattle of Geryon. It was outside of the Greek world. Their red hides. Geryon was a shepherd with three heads and six arms. Herakles used his club and bow.
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After the tenth task, where did Herakles pass through on the way back? Who did he encounter? Why is this significant?
Southern Italy. Cacus. It is the reason for the Roman legends of Hercules.
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When Herakles got back, Eurystheus gave him 2 additional tasks. What were his reasons for doing so?
Eurystheus's excuse was that in the task of the Augean Stables Herakles had been promised payment (although he had not been given any), and in the task of the Lernaean Hydra, he had received help from someone else.
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What was the first of the 2 additional tasks? Why did it take Herakles so long to find the task? How did he eventually come across it?
Retrieving the apples of the Hesperides, which were Gaia's wedding gift to Zeus and Hera. He didn't know where the garden was. He found Prometheus and killed the vulture that was tormenting him, so Prometheus told him where the garden was.
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During this task, Who did Herakles meet? How did he persuade him to get the apples? How did this person then try to trick him? How did Herakles then trick that person?
Atlas. Herakles offered to hold up the sky while Atlas got the apples. Atlas then offered to bring the apples to Mycenae for Herakles so he wouldn't have to hold the sky. Herakles asked to get some cushions for his shoulders, then left.
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What was the final task? What did he do to get the gods involved on his side? How did these gods make this task more difficult? How did Herakles overcome this? What happened to the creature involved after the task was complete?
Bringing Cerberus to Mycenae. He was initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries. Hades and Persephone told him he had to subdue Cerberus with his bare hands. Herakles strangled Cerberus. Cerberus went back to Hades.
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What task was Hercules on his way back from when he encountered Cacus?
The Cattle of Geryon
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What was significant about the area where this happened?
It was the future site of Rome. Specifically, the encounter happened on the Aventine Hill.
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How is Cacus described?
Huge, half-human, fire-breathing and murderous.
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What did Cacus do? How did Cacus show cunning while doing this? Why did he not get away with this?
He stole 8 of the cattle. he dragged them towards his cave with the cattle facing backwards, so their hoofprints would point away. One of the cattle mooed and alerted Hercules.
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Once Cacus was in his cave, why did Hercules have trouble pursuing him? How did he get around this?
Hercules couldn't move the boulder blocking the entrance. Instead, he lifted up the top of the mountain and climbed in.
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Why did the locals go on to have cult worship of Hercules?
Because Hercules killed Cacus and freed them all of his tyranny.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Who was Alcmene, and what did Zeus do to trick her?

Back

The mother of Herakles - he arrived looking Alcmene's husband, Amphitryon. This allowed him to sleep with her, and create a child

Card 3

Front

What was Hera's attitude towards Herakles? Why?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

During Alcmene's pregnancy, who did Hera send to her? Why?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Which animals did Hera send to Herakles when he was a baby as an assassination attempt? What happened to them?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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