The story of Alcmene is not a happy one. After the death of her brothers, the sons of Pterelaus claimed to share Alcmene’s Father’s Kingdom. But the king refused to listen to them and so the sons of Pterelaus began to plunder the country, stealing cattle, and killing Alcmene’s brothers. This incident caused the Greek myth that the mother of Heracles, Alcmene, was also killed.
Heracles’ mother
According to Greek mythology, Heracles’ mother was from the royal family of the Perseid gods. She was the daughter of Electrion and Perseus and the granddaughter of Pelops. Alcmene had married her cousin Amphitrion, king of Tirynthus in Argolis. Amphitrion was later exiled to Thebes. Zeus visited Alcmene and conceived Heracles during the war.
His popularity was directly related to his power to battle evil. The worship of Heracles was widespread and took hold in many cities.
The children of Heracles are mentioned in numerous ancient texts. The list of children includes: Echmagoras, Tlepolem, Promachus, Phaestus, and Pandaya. Other children of Heracles include the Scythian athlete Theagenes, and the Phasian athlete Theagenes. Various ancient texts also mention the mother of Heracles, as well as her sons.
Iphicles
As part of the mythology, Heracles had a twin brother called Iphicles, who was mortal and weak in comparison to Heracles. Heracles’ mother Alcmene seduced Amphitryon, and they were separated. The twins were identical in age and were born in a hygienic environment. They were both born in a cave in the Mesopotamian mountains.
Heracles’ mother Alcmene is the most important figure in Greek mythology.
Hyginus
In another version, Alcmene bore Heracles eight sons by Hyginus. Hyginus named the sons Therimachus and Ophites, and Creon had given shelter to Alcmene and Amphitryon years before. The story is not quite as simple, though. In one of the legends, Heracles met emissaries of King Erginus of Orchomenus, who were on their way to collect tribute from Thebes.
The legend of Heracles is a popular one. Many myths tell about the mighty hero’s prowess in wrestling, learning the sword, breaking a lyre over the music teacher’s head, and killing a lion in Thespiae. However, the earliest versions of the tales do not mention why Heracles killed the children, but do explain why he had to.
Euripides based his tragedy on the story of Heracles. Heracles was endowed with positive qualities, but his exploits made him a puppet in the hands of the evil gods. Eventually, the gods turned him into a murderer. Euripides’ play, Alcestis, contains many references to Heracles. His mother, Alcmene, is not included in the text, but is described in the Avga and in the Alcestis.
Heracles’ father
Heracles’ father was the Pelasgian god Zeus. Before Heracles was born, Zeus boasted on Olympus that a son of his blood would rule the House of Perseus. Jealous Hera then forced Zeus to swear on his word. The promise of a son born of Zeus’ blood was the cause of Heracles’ birth.
According to one Greek legend, Heracles was the son of Zeus and Eurytus. Heracles married Deianira, the daughter of King Oeneus. Heracles’ rival was the river god Achelous. He won Deianeira’s hand, but the god Achelous had a rival. Heracles broke off Achelous’ horn and killed the cupbearer, which Oeneus’s daughter did not know. Heracles’ brother, Zeus, forgave Heracles and forced him into exile.
Zeus, Heracles’ father, had two sons. Zeus wanted a son to rule the realm, and he wanted a son who would be strong enough to protect Mycenae. The gods had a son who would stand against their enemies, and Zeus had a son who would fight them. Zeus had a son, but Hera was angry at him and ordered his wife to give birth to Eurystheus the next day.
After Zeus had a son, Heracles married five more times. His first wife was Megara, and their children were murdered in a fit of madness. He later gave his daughter to Iolaus, because seeing her was too painful. His second wife was Omphale, the daughter of the Lydian king Creon. Father of Heraclescursed her son with uncontrollable madness, which made him incapable of completing any task.
Heracles’ father, Eurytus, promised Iole to the winner of a contest in archery hewas victorious, but Eurytus refused to give Iole to his sons. This was the reason why Heracles consulted the Delphic Oracle. Pythia told Heracles to sell himself as a slave to the sons of Iphitus for three years.
Amphitryon
Zeus’s first wife, Alcmene, was betrothed to the warrior Amphitryon. Zeus, however, wanted her to marry Amphitryon until he avenged her eight brothers. Amphitryon was unable to marry Alcmene until he had avenged her brothers. Zeus then awoke Alcmene and the twins and conceived Heracles.
After Heracles was born, Alcmene died in the city of Thebes. Heracles’ descendants quarreled over the place to bury Alcmene. After the battle, Heracles’ descendants sought the help of the goddess Delphi and asked her advice. The god Zeus then ordered Hermes to steal Alcmene’s body, and Alcmene became a goddess and became the eternal wife of the judge Rhadamanthys.
Heracles was born into a privileged family, but his father taught him many of the important skills he needed to survive. Despite this, Heracles did not know his own strength, and he was quick to anger. In fact, he killed his music teacher Linus after he didn’t practice enough. Later, Amphitryon sent Heracles to live at his country estate.
Zeus convinced Alcmene
Heracles’ conception was quite unusual. Zeus conceived Heracles by tricking Alcmene into thinking he was the absent-minded husband Amphitryon, while he was away at war. Then, Zeus convinced Alcmene that her husband was home when he didn’t exist. Alcmene’s mother, Amphitryon, died in a battle against the Minyans. The Greek god Zeus then cleansed her of the blood of her husband.
Heracles’ mother, Alcmene, had an animosity toward Hera and her twin brother, Heracles, from the beginning. Hera had interfered with Alcmene’s birth and wanted to kill the twins. Hera also delayed the labors of Heracles and his mother, Alcmene. Hera’s jealousy was evident in the twelve labors that followed Heracles’ birth, and this animosity was present throughout the life of Heracles.
Heracles’ mythological name is Herakles, but his Roman name is Heracles. In Greek mythology, Heracles is a demigod and son of Zeus. His parents were Zeus and Alcmene, a beautiful human princess. The Greeks had a love triangle with these two gods. Zeus’ wife, Alcmene, wanted to kill Heracles and his children, so she took on human form. Hercules wrestled the snakes with his bare hands and strangled them.
