Heracles/Hercules

It would be impossible to list all of Hercules adventures. He was that incredible! He was the son of Zeus and a mortal, so he was half man/half god. Hera, Zeus' wife, was very jealous of Hercules. She tried all kinds of ways to kill him, including sending a couple of really big snakes into his crib. He was just a baby, but Hercules crushed those snakes and barely noticed.  

Zeus admired strength. But he figured sooner or later, Hera might actually kill his infant son. To keep Hercules safe from attack, Zeus sent him to live with a mortal family on earth. Hercules grew up loved and noble. But he didn't fit in on earth. He was too big and too strong. One day, his earth father told him he was a god, well, part god anyway. The rest of the story of Hercules is a series of stories, tasks, and adventures, as Hercules earned his way into the heavens, to take his place with the gods.  

According to legend ..... Eurystheus was the cousin of Hercules. When Eurystheus was crowned Thebian king, he sent Hercules on 12 missions. Supposedly, when Hercules had completed the 12 missions, he would have earned his immortality. That's what the Oracle at Delphi had said. Actually, she told Hercules, "If you complete 12 Labors, immorality will be yours." Of course, being an oracle, she never explained what she meant by "immortality" - would he live forever in legend or for real? Hercules never asked. (She would not have told him anyway.)

The truth was that Eurystheus was afraid of Hercules. Hera helped Eurystheus create the tasks. The two of them plotted together, both sure that Hercules would never live through the tasks they gave him. But Hercules surprised them. He not only lived, he enjoyed great adventures, discovered true friends, and rid the world of some really nasty critters.   

Here is a story about Hercules, Hades, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus: 

One of the Labors of Hercules was to bring the dog Cerberus back from the Underworld. Hercules was not supposed to harm the dog, just borrow him. Still, Hades was a bit worried. He really loved that three-headed dog. But he liked Hercules, so he let him borrow Cerberus, just long enough to complete the "labor" (the task). Hades was a true friend. 

Heracles (Hercules)

Hercules (read and hear) 

The 12 Labors of Hercules

Hercules