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The 12 Labors of Hercules | Disney Explained - Jon Solo

Jon Solo・26 minutes read

Hercules seeks atonement by completing 10 labors for King Eurystheus, facing challenges like slaying the Nemean lion, defeating the Hydra, and capturing the Corinthian hind. Despite completing tasks, Hercules faces skepticism and challenges along the way in his quest for immortality.

Insights

  • Hercules, in his pursuit of atonement, undertakes 10 labors to serve King Eurystheus, each requiring immense strength, skill, and cunning to complete.
  • The labors not only showcase Hercules' physical prowess but also his compassion, strategic thinking, and determination in overcoming challenges while facing betrayal, deceit, and the wrath of gods and kings along the way.

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Recent questions

  • Who is Hercules and what are his labors?

    Hercules is a mythological hero who, after facing tragedy, seeks atonement by serving King Eurystheus for 10 years and completing 12 labors. These labors include slaying the Nemean lion, facing the Hydra, capturing the Corinthian hind, cleaning the Augean stables, defeating the Stymphalian birds, capturing the Cretan bull, retrieving the flesh-eating horses of King Diomedes, obtaining the girdle of the Amazonian Queen Hippolyta, and retrieving the red cattle of Geryon.

  • How did Hercules defeat the Nemean lion?

    Hercules outsmarted the Nemean lion by entering its cave, where he used the lion's own claw to cut off its impenetrable hide, ultimately slaying the beast.

  • What was the significance of Hercules cleaning the Augean stables?

    Hercules cleaned the Augean stables, which had not been cleaned in 30 years and housed over 1,000 immortal cattle, by rerouting rivers to wash them clean quickly. This labor showcased Hercules' strength and resourcefulness, but also highlighted King Augeas' betrayal when he reneged on their deal.

  • How did Hercules capture the Cretan bull?

    Hercules captured the Cretan bull by wrestling it into submission. However, King Eurystheus set the bull free, leading to its eventual death by Theseus.

  • What obstacles did Hercules face in retrieving the red cattle of Geryon?

    In retrieving the red cattle of Geryon, Hercules faced challenges such as fighting Orthrus and Eurytion, as well as overcoming obstacles set by Hera. Despite these challenges, Hercules successfully returned the cattle to King Eurystheus as part of his labors.

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Summary

00:00

Hercules' 12 Labors: A Journey to Immortality

  • John Solo introduces the concept of exploring the 12 labors of Hercules in detail, which were briefly mentioned in a previous episode.
  • Hercules, after marrying Megara and having a family, faces tragedy when his human mother, Alcmene II, causes him to unknowingly kill his children due to her hatred towards him.
  • Seeking atonement, Hercules consults the Oracle of Delphi, who reveals that he must serve King Eurystheus for 10 years and complete 10 labors.
  • Hercules reluctantly agrees to the servitude, knowing that once completed, he would gain immortality.
  • The first labor involves Hercules slaying the Nemean lion, known for its impenetrable hide, which he achieves by outsmarting the lion in its cave and using its own claw to cut off its hide.
  • King Eurystheus, terrified by the lion's body, forbids Hercules from entering the city and requires him to display his trophies outside the city gates.
  • The second labor sees Hercules facing the Hydra, a many-headed serpent raised to kill him, which he defeats by cauterizing the wounds to prevent heads from regrowing.
  • Despite completing the task, King Eurystheus dismisses it, claiming Hercules had help, setting the precedent for further challenges.
  • The third labor involves capturing the Corinthian hind alive, a sacred animal of the goddess Artemis, which Hercules accomplishes by tracking and catching it after a year-long pursuit.
  • Hercules saves the hind from being killed by Eurystheus, returning it to Artemis unharmed, showcasing his compassion and skill in completing the labor.

12:19

Hercules' Labors: Cleans Stables, Battles Beasts

  • King Augeas had stables with over 1,000 immortal and healthy cattle that hadn't been cleaned in 30 years.
  • Hercules made a deal with King Augeas to clean the stables in a day for 1/10 of the cattle, rerouting rivers to wash them clean quickly.
  • King Augeas reneged on the deal, leading to Hercules killing him and giving the kingdom to Augeas' son Phileas.
  • Hercules founded the Olympic Games after this labor, but King Eurystheus refused to acknowledge it, claiming the rivers did the work.
  • Hercules faced the Stymphalian birds, predatory creatures with toxic feces, using a bronze rattle from Athena to scare and kill them.
  • Hercules captured the Cretan bull, wrestling it into submission, but King Eurystheus set it free, leading to its eventual death by Theseus.
  • Hercules retrieved the flesh-eating horses of King Diomedes, taming them by feeding Diomedes to them and founding the city of Abdera.
  • Hercules had to retrieve the girdle of the Amazonian Queen Hippolyta, leading to a battle where Hercules killed Hippolyta and took the belt.
  • Hercules retrieved the red cattle of Geryon, fighting Orthrus and Eurytion, and overcoming Hera's obstacles to return the cattle to Eurystheus.
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