Whom did Hercules save from a sea monster? Hesion, daughter of Laomedon, freed by Hercules from a sea monster

HERCULES SAVES HESION, THE DAUGHTER OF LAOMEDONT On the way back to Tiryns from the land of the Amazons, Hercules arrived on ships with his army to Troy. A difficult sight appeared before the eyes of the heroes when they landed on the shore near Troy. They saw the beautiful daughter of King Laomedon of Troy, Hesione, chained to a rock near the seashore. She was doomed, like Andromeda, to be torn to pieces by a monster emerging from the sea. This monster was sent by Poseidon as punishment to Laomedon for refusing to pay him and Apollo a fee for the construction of the walls of Troy. The proud king, whom, according to the verdict of Zeus, both gods had to serve, even threatened to cut off their ears if they demanded payment. Then, the angry Apollo sent a terrible pestilence to all the possessions of Laomedon, and Poseidon sent a monster that devastated, sparing no one, the environs of Troy. Only by sacrificing the life of his daughter could Laomedon save his country from a terrible disaster. Against his will, he had to chain his daughter Hesione to a rock by the sea. Seeing the unfortunate girl, Hercules volunteered to save her, and for saving Hesione he demanded from Laomedon as a reward those horses that the thunderer Zeus had given to the king of Troy as a ransom for his son Ganymede. He was once kidnapped by the eagle of Zeus and carried away to Olympus. Laomedont agreed to Hercules' demands. The great hero ordered the Trojans to build a rampart on the seashore and hid behind it. As soon as Hercules hid behind the rampart, a monster swam out of the sea and, opening its huge mouth, rushed at Hesione. With a loud cry, Hercules ran out from behind the rampart, rushed at the monster and plunged his double-edged sword. Hercules saved Hesione. When son of Zeus demanded the promised reward from Laomedon, the king felt sorry to part with the wondrous horses, he did not give them to Hercules and even drove him out of Troy with threats. Hercules left the possessions of Laomedont, hiding his anger deep in his heart. Now he could not take revenge on the king who had deceived him, since his army was too small and the hero could not hope to soon capture impregnable Troy. The great son of Zeus could not stay near Troy for a long time - he had to rush to Mycenae with Hippolyta’s belt. COWS OF GERION (TENTH LABOR) Soon after returning from a campaign in the land of the Amazons, Hercules set off on a new feat. Eurystheus instructed him to drive the cows of the great Geryon, the son of Chrysaor and the oceanid Callirhoe, to Mycenae. The path to Geryon was long. Hercules needed to reach himself western edge earth, those places where the radiant sun god Helios descends from the sky at sunset. Hercules set out on a long journey alone. He passed through Africa, through barren deserts Libya, through the countries of wild barbarians and finally reached the ends of the earth. Here he erected two giant stone pillars on both sides of a narrow sea strait as an eternal monument to his feat. *1 ___________ *1 Pillars of Hercules, or Pillars of Hercules. The Greeks believed that Hercules placed the rocks along the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar. After this, Hercules had to wander a lot more until he reached the shores of the gray Ocean. The hero sat down in thought on the shore near the ever-noisy waters of the Ocean. How could he reach the island of Erythea, where Geryon grazed his flocks? The day was already approaching evening. Here the chariot of Helios appeared, descending to the waters of the Ocean. The bright rays of Helios blinded Hercules, and he was engulfed in unbearable, scorching heat. Hercules jumped up in anger and grabbed his formidable bow, but the bright Helios did not get angry, he smiled affably at the hero, he liked the extraordinary courage of the great son of Zeus. Helios himself invited Hercules to cross to Erythea in a golden canoe, in which the sun god sailed every evening with his horses and chariot from the western to the eastern edge of the earth to his golden palace. The delighted hero boldly jumped into the golden boat and quickly reached the shores of Erythea. As soon as he landed on the island, the formidable two-headed dog Orfo sensed it and barked at the hero. Hercules killed him with one blow of his heavy club. Ortho was not the only one who guarded Geryon’s herds. Hercules also had to fight with the shepherd of Geryon, the giant Eurytion. The son of Zeus quickly dealt with the giant and drove the cows of Geryon to the seashore, where the golden boat of Helios stood. Geryon heard the lowing of his cows and went to the herd. Seeing that his dog Ortho and the giant Eurytion had been killed, he chased the herd thief and overtook him on the seashore. Geryon was a monstrous giant: he had three torsos, three heads, six arms and six legs. He covered himself with three shields during the battle, and he threw three huge spears at once at the enemy. Hercules had to fight such and such a giant, but the great warrior Pallas Athena helped him. As soon as Hercules saw him, he immediately fired his deadly arrow at the giant. An arrow pierced the eye of one of Geryon's heads. The first arrow was followed by a second, followed by a third. Hercules waved his all-crushing club menacingly, like lightning, the hero Geryon was struck with it, and the three-body giant fell to the ground as a lifeless corpse. Hercules transported Geryon's cows from Erythea in the golden shuttle of Helios across the stormy Ocean and returned the shuttle to Helios. Half of the feat was over. Much work still lay ahead. It was necessary to drive the bulls to Mycenae. Hercules drove cows across all of Spain, through the Pyrenees Mountains, through Gaul and the Alps, through Italy. In the south of Italy, near the city of Regium, one of the cows escaped from the herd and swam across the strait to Sicily. There King Eryx, son of Poseidon, saw her and took the cow into his herd. Hercules looked for a cow for a long time. Finally, he asked the god Hephaestus to guard the herd, and he himself crossed to Sicily and there he found his cow in the herd of King Eryx. The king did not want to return her to Hercules; Relying on his strength, he challenged Hercules to single combat. The winner was to be rewarded with a cow. Eryx was unable to cope with such an opponent as Hercules. The son of Zeus squeezed the king in his mighty embrace and strangled him. Hercules returned with the cow to his herd and drove it further. On the shores of the Ionian Sea, the goddess Hera sent rabies through the entire herd. Mad cows ran away in all directions. Only with great difficulty did Hercules catch most of the cows already in Thrace and finally drive them to Eurystheus in Mycenae. Eurystheus sacrificed them to the great goddess Hera. KERBERUS*1 (ELEVENTH LABOR) ___________ *1 Otherwise - Cerberus. As soon as Hercules returned to Tiryns, Eurystheus again sent him to the feat. This was already the eleventh labor that Hercules had to perform in the service of Eurystheus. Hercules had to overcome incredible difficulties during this feat. He had to descend into the gloomy, horror-filled underworld of Hades and bring the guardian of the underworld, the terrible hellhound Kerbera. Kerberus had three heads, snakes writhed around his neck, and his tail ended in the head of a dragon with a huge mouth. Hercules went to Laconia and through the gloomy abyss at Taenar*2 descended into the darkness of the underworld. At the very gates of the kingdom of Hades, Hercules saw the heroes Theseus and Perithous, king of Thessaly, rooted to the rock. They were punished this way by the gods because they wanted to kidnap Hades’s wife Persephone. Theseus prayed to Hercules: ___________ *2 Cape, southern tip of the Peloponnese. - ABOUT, great son Zeus, free me! You see my torment! You alone have the power to rid me of them! Hercules extended his hand to Theseus and freed him. When he wanted to free Perithous, the earth trembled, and Hercules realized that the gods did not want his release. Hercules submitted to the will of the gods and went further into the darkness of eternal night. Hercules was introduced into the underground kingdom by the messenger of the gods, Hermes, the guide of the souls of the dead, and the companion of the great hero was the beloved daughter of Zeus herself, Pallas Athena. When Hercules entered the kingdom of Hades, the shadows of the dead scattered in horror. Only the shadow of the hero Meleager did not run away at the sight of Hercules. She turned with a prayer to the great son of Zeus: - Oh, the great Hercules, I ask you one thing in memory of our friendship, take pity on my orphaned sister, the beautiful Deianira! She remained defenseless after my death. Take her as your wife great hero! Be her protector! Hercules promised to fulfill his friend’s request and went further after Hermes. The shadow of the terrible gorgon Medusa rose towards Hercules, she menacingly extended her copper hands and flapped her golden wings, snakes stirred on her head. The fearless hero grabbed the sword, but Hermes stopped him with the words: “Don’t grab the sword, Hercules!” After all, this is just an ethereal shadow! She doesn't threaten you with death! Hercules saw many horrors on his way; Finally, he appeared before the throne of Hades. The ruler of the kingdom of the dead and his wife Persephone looked with delight at the great son of the thunderer Zeus, who fearlessly descended into the kingdom of darkness and sorrow. He, majestic, calm, stood before the throne of Hades, leaning on his huge club, wearing a lion skin thrown over his shoulders, and with a bow over his shoulders. Hades graciously greeted the son of his great brother Zeus and asked what made him leave the light of the sun and descend into the kingdom of darkness. Bowing before Hades, Hercules answered: “Oh, ruler of the souls of the dead, great Hades, do not be angry with me for my request, omnipotent!” You know that I did not come to your kingdom of my own will, and it is not of my own will that I will ask you. Allow me, Lord Hades, to take your three-headed dog Kerberus to Mycenae. Eurystheus, whom I serve at the behest of the bright Olympian gods, told me to do this. Hades answered the hero: “I will fulfill your request, son of Zeus; but you must tame Kerberus without weapons. If you tame him, then I will allow you to take him to Eurystheus. For a long time Hercules searched for Kerberus in the underworld. Finally, he found him on the banks of Acheron. Hercules wrapped his arms, strong as steel, around Kerberus’ neck. The dog Hades howled menacingly; the entire underground kingdom was filled with his howl. He tried to escape from the embrace of Hercules, but the hero’s mighty hands only squeezed Kerberus’s neck tighter. Kerberus wrapped his tail around the hero’s legs, the dragon’s head sank its teeth into his body, but all in vain. The mighty Hercules squeezed his neck harder and harder. Finally, the half-strangled dog Hades fell at the hero’s feet. Hercules tamed him and led him from the kingdom of darkness to Mycenae. Kerber was afraid of daylight; he was covered all over with cold sweat, poisonous foam dripped from his three mouths onto the ground; Everywhere where even a drop of foam dropped, poisonous herbs grew. Hercules led Kerberos to the walls of Mycenae. The cowardly Eurystheus was horrified at one glance at scary dog. Almost on his knees, he begged Hercules to be taken back to the kingdom of Hades Kerberos. Hercules fulfilled his request and returned Hades his terrible guard Kerberus. APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES (TWELFTH LABOR) The most difficult labor of Hercules in the service of Eurystheus was his last, twelfth labor. He had to go to the great titan Atlas, who holds on his shoulders firmament , and get three golden apples from his gardens, which were watched by the daughters of Atlas, the Hesperides. These apples grew on a golden tree, grown by the goddess of the earth Gaia as a gift to the great Hera on the day of her wedding with Zeus. To accomplish this feat, it was necessary first of all to find out the way to the gardens of the Hesperides, guarded by a dragon who never closed his eyes in sleep. No one knew the way to the Hesperides and Atlas. Hercules wandered for a long time through Asia and Europe, he passed through all the countries that he had previously passed on the way to fetch Geryon’s cows; Everywhere Hercules asked about the path, but no one knew it. In his search, he went to the farthest north, to the Eridanus River*1, which eternally rolls its stormy, boundless waters. On the banks of Eridanus, beautiful nymphs greeted the great son of Zeus with honor and gave him advice on how to find the way to the gardens of the Hesperides. Hercules was supposed to attack the sea prophetic old man Nereus by surprise when he came ashore from the depths of the sea, and learn from him the way to the Hesperides; except Nereus, no one knew this path. Hercules searched for Nemeus for a long time. Finally, he managed to find Nereus on the seashore. Hercules attacked the sea god. The fight with the sea god was difficult. To free himself from the iron embrace of Hercules, Nereus took on all sorts of forms, but still the hero did not let him go. Finally, he tied up the tired Nereus, and the sea god had to reveal to Hercules the secret of the way to the gardens of the Hesperides in order to gain freedom. Having learned this secret, the son of Zeus released the sea elder and set off on a long journey. ___________ *1 Mythical river. Again he had to go through Libya. Here he met the giant Antaeus, the son of Poseidon, the god of the seas, and the goddess of the earth Gaia, who gave birth to him, fed him and raised him. Antaeus forced all travelers to fight with him and mercilessly killed everyone whom he defeated in the fight. The giant demanded that Hercules fight him too. No one could defeat Antaeus in single combat without knowing the secret from where the giant received more and more strength during the fight. The secret was this: when Antaeus felt that he was beginning to lose strength, he touched the earth, his mother, and his strength was renewed: he drew it from his mother, the great goddess of the earth. But as soon as Antaeus was torn off the ground and lifted into the air, his strength disappeared. Hercules fought with Antaeus for a long time. several times he knocked him to the ground, but Antaeus’ strength only increased. Suddenly, during the struggle, the mighty Hercules lifted Antaeus high into the air - the strength of the son of Gaia dried up, and Hercules strangled him. Hercules went further and came to Egypt. There, tired from the long journey, he fell asleep in the shade of a small grove on the banks of the Nile. The king of Egypt, the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Epaphus Lysianassa, Busiris, saw the sleeping Hercules, and ordered the sleeping hero to be tied up. He wanted to sacrifice Hercules to his father Zeus. There was a crop failure in Egypt for nine years; The soothsayer Thrasios, who came from Cyprus, predicted that the crop failure would stop only if Busiris annually sacrificed a foreigner to Zeus. Busiris ordered the capture of the soothsayer Thrasius and was the first to sacrifice him. From then on, the cruel king sacrificed to the Thunderer all the foreigners who came to Egypt. They brought Hercules to the altar, but the great hero tore the ropes with which he was bound and killed Busiris himself and his son Amphidamantus at the altar. This is how the cruel king of Egypt was punished. Hercules had to meet many more dangers on his way until he reached the edge of the earth, where the great titan Atlas stood. The hero looked in amazement at the mighty titan, holding the entire vault of heaven on his broad shoulders. - Oh, the great titan Atlas! - Hercules turned to him, - I am the son of Zeus, Hercules. Eurystheus, the king of gold-rich Mycenae, sent me to you. Eurystheus commanded me to get three golden apples from you from the golden tree in the gardens of the Hesperides. “I will give you three apples, son of Zeus,” answered Atlas, “while I go after them, you must stand in my place and hold the vault of heaven on your shoulders.” Hercules agreed. He took the place of Atlas. An incredible weight fell on the shoulders of the son of Zeus. He strained all his strength and held the firmament. The weight pressed terribly on Hercules’ mighty shoulders. He bent under the weight of the sky, his muscles swelled like mountains, sweat covered his entire body from tension, but superhuman strength and the help of the goddess Athena gave him the opportunity to hold the firmament until Atlas returned with the three golds. lot of apples. Returning, Atlas said to the hero: “Here are three apples, Hercules; if you want, I myself will take them to Mycenae, and you hold the firmament until my return; then I will take your place again. - Hercules understood Atlas’s cunning, he realized that the titan wanted to be completely freed from his hard work, and he used cunning against the cunning. - Okay, Atlas, I agree! - Hercules answered. “Just let me make myself a pillow first, I’ll put it on my shoulders so that the vault of heaven doesn’t press them so terribly.” Atlas stood up again in his place and shouldered the weight of the sky. Hercules picked up his bow and quiver of arrows, took his club and golden apples and said: “Farewell, Atlas!” I held the vault of the sky while you went for the apples of the Hesperides, but I don’t want to carry the entire weight of the sky on my shoulders forever. With these words, Hercules left the titan, and again Atlas had to hold the vault of heaven on his mighty shoulders, as before. Hercules returned to Eurystheus and gave him the golden apples. Eurystheus gave them to Hercules, and he gave the apples to his patroness, the great daughter of Zeus, Pallas Athena. Athena returned the apples to the Hesperides so that they would remain in the gardens forever. After his twelfth labor, Hercules was freed from service with Eurystheus. Now he could return to the seven gates of Thebes. But the son of Zeus did not stay there long. New exploits awaited him. He gave his wife Megara as a wife to his friend Iolaus, and he himself went back to Tiryns. But not only victories awaited him; Hercules also faced grave troubles, since the great goddess Hera continued to pursue him. HERCULES AND EURYTUS King Eurytus ruled on the island of Euboea, in the city of Oichalia. The fame of Eurytus as the most skilled archer spread far throughout Greece. The archer Apollo himself was his teacher, even giving him a bow and arrows. Once upon a time, in his youth, Hercules also learned from Eurytus how to shoot a bow. It was this king who announced throughout Greece that he would give his beautiful daughter Iola as a wife to the hero who would defeat him in an archery competition. Hercules, who had just completed his service with Eurystheus, went to Oichalia, where many heroes of Greece had gathered, and took part in the competition. Hercules easily defeated King Eurytus and demanded that he give him his daughter Iola as his wife. Eurytus did not fulfill his promise. Forgetting the sacred custom of hospitality, he began to mock the great hero. He said that he would not give his daughter to the one who was the slave of Eurystheus. Finally, Eurytus and his arrogant sons kicked out Hercules, who was drunk during the feast, from the palace and even from Oichalia. Hercules left Oikhalia. Full of deep sadness, he left Euboea, because the great hero fell in love with the beautiful Iola. Having harbored anger in his heart against Eurytus, who had insulted him, he returned to Tiryns. After some time, the most cunning of the Greeks, Autolycus, the son of Hermes, stole the herd from Eurytus. Eurytus blamed Hercules for this disaster. The king of Oikhalia thought that the hero stole his herds, wanting to take revenge for the insult. Only Iphitus, the eldest son of Eurytus, did not want to believe that the great Hercules could steal his father’s herds. Iphitus even volunteered to find the herds, just to prove the innocence of Hercules, with whom he had the closest friendship. During the search, Iphit came to Tiryns. Hercules warmly received his friend. One day, when the two of them were standing on the high walls of the fortress of Tiryns, built on a high rock, Hercules was suddenly overcome by a furious anger sent to him by the great goddess Hera. Hercules in anger remembered the insult that Eurytus and his sons inflicted on him; no longer able to control himself, he grabbed Ifit and threw him from the wall of the fortress. The unfortunate Ifit fell to his death. With this murder, committed against his will, Hercules angered Zeus, since he violated the sacred custom of hospitality and the sanctity of the bonds of friendship. As punishment, the great thunderer sent a serious illness to his son. Hercules suffered for a long time, and finally, exhausted by illness, he went to Delphi to ask Apollo how to get rid of this punishment of the gods. But the soothsayer Pythia did not give him an answer. She even expelled Hercules from the temple as having defiled himself by murder. Enraged by this, Hercules stole from the temple the tripod from which the Pythia gave divinations. This angered Apollo. The golden-haired god appeared to Hercules and demanded that he return the tripod, but Hercules refused him. A fierce struggle ensued between the sons of Zeus - the immortal god Apollo and the mortal - the greatest of heroes Hercules. Zeus did not want Hercules to die. He threw his brilliant lightning from Olympus between his sons and, separating them, stopped the fight. The brothers were reconciled. Then the Pythia gave the following answer to Hercules: “You will receive healing only when you are sold into slavery for three years.” Give the money received for you to Eurytus as a ransom for his son Iphitus, who you killed. Again Hercules had to lose his freedom. He was given into slavery to Queen Lydia, daughter of Jordan, Omphale. Hermes himself took the money received for Hercules to Euryta. But the proud king of Oichalia did not accept them; he remained as before the enemy of Hercules. HERCULES AND DEIANIRA After Eurytus drove Hercules out of Oichalia, the great hero came to Calydon, the city of Aetolia. Oineus ruled there. Hercules came to Oineus to ask for the hand of his daughter Deianira, since he had promised Meleager in the kingdom of shadows to marry her. In Calydon, Hercules met a formidable opponent. Many heroes sought the hand of the beautiful Deianira, and among them was the river god Ahelous. Finally, Oineus decided that the one who emerges victorious in the struggle would receive Deianira’s hand. All the suitors refused to fight the mighty Achelous. Only Hercules remained. He had to fight with the god of the river. Seeing Hercules’ determination to measure his strength with him, Ahelous said to him: “Are you saying that you were born of Zeus and Alcmene?” You lie that Zeus is your father! And Ahelous began to mock the great son of Zeus and defame his mother Alcmene. Frowning his eyebrows, Hercules looked sternly at Achelous; His eyes flashed with the fire of anger, and he said: “Aheloy, my hands serve me better than my tongue!” Be a winner in words, but I will be a winner in deeds. Hercules approached Achelous with a firm step and grabbed him with his powerful arms. Huge Achelous stood firmly; the great Hercules could not bring him down; all his efforts were in vain. So Aheloy stood, as an unshakable rock stands, and it is not shaken sea ​​waves, hitting it with thunderous noise. Hercules and Ahelous fight chest to chest, like two bulls locked with their crooked horns. Hercules attacked Achelous three times, and on the fourth time, breaking away from Achelous’s hands, the hero grabbed him from behind. Like a heavy mountain, he crushed the river god to the very ground. Achelous could hardly, having gathered all his strength, free his hands, covered with sweat; No matter how hard he strained his strength, Hercules pressed him harder and harder to the ground. Aheloy bowed down with a groan, his knees bent, and his head touched the very ground. In order not to be defeated, Aheloy resorted to cunning; he turned into a snake. As soon as Achelous turned into a snake and slipped out of Hercules’ hands, Hercules exclaimed laughing: “I learned to fight snakes in my cradle!” True, you are superior to other snakes, Ahelous, but you are no match for the Lernaean hydra. Even though she grew two new heads instead of the one she had cut off, I still defeated her. Hercules grabbed the snake’s neck with his hands and squeezed it as if with iron pincers. Aheloy tried to escape from the hero’s hands, but could not. Then he turned into a bull and again attacked Hercules. Hercules grabbed the bull Achelous by the horns and threw him to the ground. With such terrible force Hercules knocked him down and broke one of his horns. He was defeated by Ahelous and gave the Fires to Dejanira as a wife to Hercules. After the wedding, Hercules remained in the palace of Oeneus; but he did not stay with him long. One day, during a feast, Hercules struck the son of Architelos, Eunom, because the boy poured water prepared for washing his feet on his hands. The blow was so strong that the boy fell dead. Hercules was saddened, and although Architelos forgave him for the involuntary murder of his son, the hero still left Calydon and went with his wife Deianeira to Tiryns. During the journey, Hercules came with his wife to the River Even*1. Through this wild river The centaur Nessus transported travelers for a fee on his broad back. Nessus offered to carry Deianira to the other side, and Hercules put her on the back of the centaur. The hero himself threw his club and bow to the other side and swam across the stormy river. Hercules had just come ashore when he suddenly heard Deianira’s loud cry. She called her husband for help. The centaur, captivated by her beauty, wanted to kidnap her. The son of Zeus shouted menacingly to Ness: ___________ *1 River in Aetolia, a region in the west of Central Greece. -Where are you running? Don't you think that your legs will save you? No, you will not be saved! No matter how fast you run, will my arrow still catch you? Hercules pulled his bow, and an arrow flew off the tight bowstring. The deadly arrow overtook Nessus, pierced his back, and its tip came out through the centaur’s chest. The mortally wounded Ness fell to his knees. Blood flows from his wound in a stream, mixed with the poison of the Lernaean hydra. Nessus did not want to die unavenged; he collected his blood and gave it to Deianira, saying: “Oh, daughter of Oeneus, I was the last one to carry you across the stormy waters of Even!” Take my blood and keep it! If Hercules stops loving you, this blood will return his love to you, and no woman will be dearer to him than you, just rub Hercules’ clothes with it. Dejanira took the blood of Nessus and hid it. Nessus died. Hercules and Dejanira arrived in Tiryns and lived there until the involuntary murder of Hercules’ friend Iphitus forced them to leave the glorious city. HERCULES AND OMPHALES For the murder of Iphitus, Hercules was sold into slavery to Queen Lydia Omphale. Never before had Hercules experienced such hardships as in the service of the proud Lydian queen. The greatest of heroes suffered constant humiliation from her. It seemed that Omphale found pleasure in mocking the son of Zeus. Dressing Hercules in women's clothes, she forced him to spin and weave with her maids. The hero who struck the Lernaean hydra with his heavy club, the hero who brought the terrible Cerberus from the kingdom of Hades, who strangled the Nemean lion with his hands and held the weight of the firmament on his shoulders, the hero, at whose very name his enemies trembled, had to sit bent over, at the loom or spinning wool with hands accustomed to wielding a sharp sword, pulling the string of a tight bow and striking down enemies with a heavy club. And Omphale, having put on the lion skin of Hercules, which covered her entirely and dragged behind her along the ground, in his golden shell, girded with his sword and with difficulty hefting the heavy club of the hero onto her shoulder, stood in front of the son of Zeus and mocked over him - his slave. Omphale seemed to set out to extinguish in Hercules all his invincible power. Hercules had to endure everything, because he was in complete slavery to Omphale, and this was supposed to last for three long years. Only occasionally did Omphale release the hero from her palace. One day, after leaving the palace of Omphale, Hercules fell asleep in the shade of a grove in the vicinity of Ephesus*1. During his sleep, the Kerkopi dwarfs crept up to him and wanted to steal his weapons from him, but Hercules woke up just at the time when the Kerkops grabbed his bow and arrows. The hero caught them and tied their hands and feet. Hercules passed a large pole between the cerkopes' bound legs and carried them to Ephesus. But the Kerkopi made Hercules laugh so much with their antics that the great hero let them go. ___________ *1 City on the western coast of Asia Minor. During his slavery to Omphale, Hercules came to Aulis*1, to King Sileus, who forced all the foreigners who came to him to work like slaves in the vineyards. He also forced Hercules to work. The angry hero tore out all the vines from Sileus and killed the king himself, who did not honor the sacred custom of hospitality. During his slavery to Omphale, Hercules took part in the campaign of the Argonauts. But finally, the period of punishment ended, and the great son of Zeus, ___________ *1 City in Boeotia, was free again. HERCULES TAKES TROY As soon as Hercules was freed from slavery to Omphale, he immediately collected large army heroes and set off on eighteen ships to Troy to take revenge on King Laomedon, who had deceived him. Arriving at Troy, he entrusted the guard of the ships to Oicles with a small detachment, while he himself with the entire army moved to the walls of Troy. As soon as Hercules left the ships with his army, Laomedon attacked Oicles, killed Oicles and killed almost his entire detachment. Hearing the noise of the battle near the ships, Hercules returned, put Laomedon to flight and drove him to Troy. The siege of Troy did not last long. The heroes burst into the city, climbing the high walls. The hero Telamon was the first to enter the city. Hercules, the greatest of heroes, could not bear for anyone to surpass him. Drawing his sword, he rushed at Telamon, who had preceded him. Seeing that imminent death threatened him, Telamon quickly bent down and began to collect stones. Hercules was surprised and asked: “What are you doing, Telamon?” - Oh, greatest son of Zeus, I erect an altar to Hercules the victor! - answered the cunning Telamon and with his answer pacified the anger of the son of Zeus. During the capture of the city, Hercules killed Laomedon and all his sons with his arrows; only the youngest of them, Podar, was spared by the hero. Hercules gave the beautiful daughter of Laomedon Hesion as a wife to Telamon, who distinguished himself by his bravery, and allowed her to choose one of the captives and set him free. Hesione chose her brother Podarcus. - He must become a slave before all prisoners! - Hercules exclaimed, - only if you give a ransom for him, will he be released. Hesione took the veil from her head and gave it as a ransom for her brother. Since then, they began to call Gift - Priam (i.e., purchased). Hercules gave him power over Troy, and he himself went with his army to new exploits. When Hercules sailed across the sea with his army, returning from Troy, the goddess Hera, wanting to destroy the hated son of Zeus, sent a great storm. And so that Zeus would not see the danger that threatened his son, Hera begged the god of sleep Hypnos to put the aegis-power Zeus to sleep. The storm brought Hercules to the island of Kos*1. ___________ *1 One of the Sporadic islands off the coast of Asia Minor. The inhabitants of Kos mistook the ship of Hercules for a robber and, throwing stones at it, did not allow it to land on the shore. At night, Hercules landed on the island, defeated the inhabitants of Kos, killed their king, the son of Poseidon Eurypylus, and devastated the entire island. Zeus was terribly angry when he woke up and found out what danger his son Hercules was in danger of. In anger, he shackled Hera in indestructible golden shackles and hung her between earth and sky, tying two heavy anvils to her feet. Each of the Olympians who wanted to come to the aid of Hera was overthrown from high Olympus by the formidable and angry Zeus. For a long time he searched for Hypnos; the ruler of gods and mortals would have overthrown him from Olympus if the goddess Night had not sheltered the god of sleep. HERCULES FIGHTS WITH THE GODS AGAINST THE GIANTS Father Zeus sent his beloved daughter Pallas Athena to Hercules on the island of Kos to call upon the great hero for help in their fight against the giants. The giants were born by the goddess Gaia from drops of the blood of Uranus, overthrown by Cronus. These were monstrous giants with snakes instead of legs, with shaggy long hair on their heads and beards. The giants had terrible power, they were proud of their power and wanted to take away the power over the world from the bright Olympian gods. They entered into battle with the gods on the Phlegrean fields, which lay on the Chalcis peninsula of Pallene. The gods of Olympus were not afraid of them. The mother of the giants, Gaia, gave them a healing remedy that made them invulnerable to the weapons of the gods. Only a mortal could kill the giants; Gaia did not protect them from mortal weapons. Gaia searched all over the world medicinal herb , which was supposed to protect the giants from the weapons of mortals, but Zeus forbade the goddesses to shine - the dawn of Eos and the moon, Selene, and the radiant sun god Helios, and he himself cut off the healing grass. Not fearing death at the hands of the gods, the giants rushed into battle. The battle lasted a long time. The giants threw huge rocks and burning trunks of ancient trees at the gods. The thunder of battle echoed throughout the world. Finally, Hercules appeared with Pallas Athena. The string of the formidable bow of the son of Zeus rang, an arrow filled with the poison of the Lernaean hydra flashed, and pierced the chest of the mightiest of the giants, Alcyoneus. A giant struck the ground. His death on Pallene could not be comprehended, here he was immortal - having fallen to the ground, he rose after some time even more powerful than before. Hercules quickly threw him onto his shoulders and carried him away from Pallena; outside of it a giant died. After the death of Alkyoneus, the giant Porphyrion attacked Hercules and Hera, he tore off Hera’s veil and wanted to grab her, but Zeus threw him to the ground with his lightning, and Hercules took his life with his arrow. Apollo pierced the left eye of the giant Ephialtes with his golden arrow, and Hercules killed him by hitting him in the right eye with an arrow. The giant Eurytus was struck down by Dionysus with his thyrsus, and the giant Clytius by Hephaestus, throwing a whole block of red-hot iron at him. Pallas Athena brought down the entire island of Sicily on the fleeing giant Enceladus. The giant Polybotes, fleeing by sea from the pursuit of the formidable earth-shaker Poseidon, fled to the island of Kos. Poseidon broke off part of the Scythe with his trident and threw it on Polybotes. This is how the island of Nisyros was formed. Hermes defeated the giant Hippolytus, Artemis - Gration, the great Moirai - the giants Agria and Foon, who fought with copper clubs. All the other giants were struck down by the thunderer Zeus with his sparkling lightning, but the great Hercules sent death to them all with his never-missing arrows. THE DEATH OF HERCULES AND HIS ACCEPTANCE INTO THE HOST OF OLYMPIC GODS Based on the tragedy of Sophocles “The Trachinian Women” When Hercules was sold into slavery to Omphale for the murder of Iphitus, Dejanira and her children had to leave Tiryns. The wife of Hercules was given shelter by the king of the Thessalian city of Trakhina Keik. Three years and three months have already passed since Hercules left Deianira. Hercules' wife was worried about the fate of her husband. There was no news from Hercules. Dejanira didn’t even know if her husband was still alive. Deianira was tormented by heavy forebodings. She called her son Gill and said to him: “Oh, my beloved son!” It's a shame you're not looking for your father. It's been fifteen months now that he hasn't let anyone know about himself. “If you can believe the rumors,” Gill answered his mother, “then they say that after my father had been a slave to Omphale for three years, when his period of slavery ended, he went with an army to Euboea to the city of Oichalia to take revenge on the king.” Evryta for insult. - My son! - Gilla's mother interrupted, - your father Hercules never left me before, leaving for great deeds, in such anxiety as in last time . Even when parting, he left me a tablet with an old prediction written on it, given to him in Dodona *1. It is said there that if Hercules stays in a foreign land for three years and three months, then either death befalls him, or, upon returning home, he will lead a joyful and calm life. When Hercules left me, he left me an order that in the event of his death his children should inherit from the lands of his fathers. I'm worried about my husband's fate. After all, he told me about the siege of Oikhalia, that he would either die under the city, or, having taken it, he would live happily. No, my son, go, I pray you, find your father. ___________ *1 A city in Epirus, in western northern Greece, with the famous oracle of Zeus in ancient times. Gill, obedient to the will of his mother, set off on a long journey to Euboea, to Oichalia, to look for his father. Some time later, after Gill left Trakhina, a messenger came running to Dejanira. He tells her that Ambassador Lichas is coming from Hercules. Likhas will bring good news. Hercules is alive. He defeated Eurytus, took and destroyed the city of Oichalia and will soon return to Trakhina in the glory of victory. Following the messenger, Lichas comes to Deianira. He leads the captives, and among them Iola, daughter of Eurytus. Joyfully greets Deianir Lichas. The ambassador of Hercules tells her that Hercules is still powerful and healthy. He plans to celebrate his victory and prepares to make rich sacrifices before he leaves Euboea. Deianira looks at the prisoners; Noticing a beautiful woman among them, Likhas asks: “Tell me, Likhas, who is this woman?” Who are her father and mother? She grieves the most. Isn’t this the daughter of Euryta himself? But Lichas answers Hercules’ wife: “I don’t know, queen, who she is.” This woman probably belongs to a noble Euboean family. She didn’t say a word during the journey. She has been shedding tears of grief ever since she left her hometown. - Unhappy! - exclaimed Dejanira, - I will not add new suffering to this grief! Lead the prisoners, Likhas, to the palace, I will now come after you! Lichas went with the prisoners to the palace. As soon as he left, a servant approached Deianira and said to her: “Wait, queen, listen to me.” Likhas did not tell you the whole truth. He knows who this woman is; This is Euryta's daughter, Iola. Out of love for her, Hercules once competed with Eurytus in archery. The proud king did not give him, the winner, his daughter as a wife, as he had promised - having insulted him, he drove the great hero out of the city. For the sake of Iola, Hercules now took Oichalia and killed King Eurytus. The son of Zeus did not send Iola here as a slave - he wants to take her as his wife. Dejanira was saddened. She reproaches Lichas for hiding the truth from her. Lichas confesses that Hercules, captivated by the beauty of Iola, really wants to marry her. Dejanira is grieving. Hercules forgot her during a long separation. Now he loves someone else. What should she, the private one, do? She loves the great son of Zeus and cannot give him to another. Deianira, heartbroken, remembers the blood that the centaur Nessus once gave her, and what he told her before his death. Dejanira decides to resort to the blood of a centaur. After all, he told her: “Rub Hercules’ clothes with my blood, and he will love you forever, no woman will be dearer to him than you.” Dejanira is afraid to resort to a magical remedy, but her love for Hercules and the fear of losing him finally overcome her fears. She takes out the blood of Nessus, which she had kept in a vessel for so long so that a ray of sun would not fall on it, so that the fire in the hearth would not warm it. Dejanira rubs it on the luxurious cloak that she wove as a gift to Hercules, puts it in a tightly closed box, calls Lichas and tells him: “Hurry, Lichas, to Euboea and take this box to Hercules.” It contains a cloak. Let Hercules wear this cloak when he sacrifices to Zeus. Tell him that no mortal should put on this cloak except him, so that not even a ray of bright Helios touches the cloak before he puts it on. Hurry up, Lichas! Likhas left with a cloak. After his departure, Deianira became uneasy. She went to the palace and, to her horror, saw that the wool with which she rubbed the cloak with the blood of Nessus had decayed. Dejanira threw this wool on the floor. A ray of sun fell on the fur and warmed the blood of the centaur, poisoned by the poison of the Lernaean hydra. Along with the blood, the hydra's poison heated up and turned the wool into ashes, and poisonous foam appeared on the floor where the wool lay. Dejanira was horrified; she is afraid that Hercules will die wearing a poisoned cloak. Hercules' wife is tormented more and more by the premonition of an irreparable misfortune. A little time has passed since Lichas left for Euboea with a poisoned cloak. Gill, who has returned to Trakhina, enters the palace. He is pale, his eyes are full of tears. Looking at his mother, he exclaims: “Oh, how I would like to see one of three things: either that you would not be alive, or that someone else would call you mother, and not me, or that you would have a better mind than Now! Know that you ruined own husband, my father! - Oh grief! - Dejanira exclaimed in horror. - What are you saying, my son? Which person told you this? How can you accuse me of such an atrocity! “I myself saw my father’s suffering, I didn’t learn this from people!” Gill tells his mother what happened on Mount Kaneion, near the city of Oichalia: Hercules, having erected an altar, was already preparing to make sacrifices to the gods and, first of all, to his father Zeus, when Lichas came with a cloak. The son of Zeus put on a cloak - a gift from his wife - and began the sacrifice. First, he sacrificed twelve selected bulls to Zeus, but in total the hero sacrificed one hundred sacrifices to the Olympian gods. The flames on the altars flared up brightly. Hercules stood reverently raising his hands to the sky and called on the gods. The fire that burned hotly on the altars warmed the body of Hercules, and sweat appeared on his body. Suddenly a poisoned cloak stuck to the hero’s body. Convulsions ran through Hercules' body. He felt terrible pain. Suffering terribly, the hero called Lichas and asked him why he had brought this cloak. What could innocent Lichas answer him? He could only say that Dejanira had sent him with the cloak. Hercules, unconscious of the terrible pain, grabbed Lichas by the leg and hit him against a rock, around which the sea waves were rustling. Likhas fell to his death. Hercules fell to the ground. He struggled in unspeakable pain. His cry carried far across Euboea. Hercules cursed his marriage to Deianira. The great hero called his son and with a heavy groan said to him: “Oh, my son, do not leave me in misfortune, even if death threatens you, do not leave me!” Pick me up! Take me away from here! Take me to a place where no mortal could see me. Oh, if you feel compassion for me, don’t let me die here! They lifted Hercules, put him on a stretcher, and carried him to the ship to transport him to Trakhina. This is what Gill told his mother and ended the story with these words: “Now you will all see the great son of Zeus here, maybe still alive, or maybe already dead . Oh, may the harsh Erinyes and the avenger Dike*1 punish you, mother! You have destroyed the best of the people the earth has ever bore! You will never see such a hero! Silently she went to Dejanira's palace, without uttering a single word. There, in the palace, she grabbed a double-edged sword. The old nanny saw Dejanira. She calls Gill rather. Gill hurries to her mother, but she has already pierced her chest with a sword. With a loud cry, the unfortunate son rushed to his mother, he hugs her and covers her cold body with kisses. At this time, the dying Hercules is brought to the palace. He fell asleep during the journey, but when the stretcher was lowered to the ground at the entrance to the palace, Hercules woke up. The great hero was unconscious of the terrible pain. - Oh, great Zeus! - he exclaims, - what country am I in? Oh, where are you, men of Greece? Help me! For your sake, I cleared the earth and sea from monsters and evil, but now none of you wants to save me from severe suffering with fire or a sharp sword! Oh, you, brother of Zeus, great Hades, put me to sleep, put me to sleep, the unfortunate one, put me to sleep with fast-flying death! ___________ *1 Goddess of justice. “Father, listen to me, I beg you,” Gill asks with tears, “the mother unwittingly committed this crime.” Why do you want revenge? Having learned that she herself was the cause of your death, she pierced your heart with the edge of a sword! - Oh, gods, she died, and I could not take revenge on her! It was not by my hand that the treacherous Dejanira died! - Father, it’s not her fault! says Gill. - Seeing Iola, daughter Euryta, in her house, my mother wanted to use a magical means to return your love. She rubbed her cloak with the blood of the centaur Nessus, killed by your arrow, not knowing that this blood was poisoned by the poison of the Lernaean hydra. - Oh, woe, woe! - Hercules exclaims. - So this is how the prediction of my father Zeus came true! He told me that I would not die by the hand of a living man, that I was destined to die from the machinations of Hades, who had descended into the dark kingdom. This is how Nessus, who was struck down by me, destroyed me! So this is the peace the oracle in Dodona promised me - the peace of death! Yes, it’s true, the dead have no worries! Fulfill my last wish, Gill! Take me and my faithful friends to high Oeta*1, build a funeral pyre on its top, place me on the pyre and set it on fire. Do it quickly, stop my suffering! ___________ *1 Mountain in Thessaly near the city of Trakhina. - Oh, have mercy, father, are you really forcing me to be your killer! - Gill begs his father. - No, you will not be a murderer, but a healer of my suffering! I still have a wish, make it come true! - Hercules asks his son. - Take Eurytus’s daughter, Iola, as your wife. But Gill refuses to fulfill his father’s request and says: “No, father, I cannot marry the one who was responsible for the death of my mother!” - Oh, submit to my will, Gill! Don’t cause the subsided suffering in me again! Let me die in peace! - Hercules persistently begs his son. Gill humbled himself and humbly answers his father: “Okay, father.” I will be submissive to your dying will. Hercules hurries his son, asking him to quickly fulfill his last request. - Hurry, my son! Hurry to put me on the fire before this unbearable torment begins again! Carry me! Goodbye Gill! The friends of Hercules and Gill lifted the stretcher and carried Hercules to high Oeta. There they built a huge fire and laid the greatest of the heroes on it. The suffering of Hercules becomes more and more intense, the poison of the Lernaean hydra penetrates deeper into his body. Hercules tears off his poisoned cloak, it sticks tightly to his body; Hercules tears off pieces of skin along with his cloak, and they become even more intolerable. terrible torment. The only salvation from these superhuman torments is death. It is easier to die in the flames of a fire, it is impossible to endure them, but none of the hero’s friends dares to set the fire on fire. Finally, Philoctetes came to Oeta, Hercules persuaded him to set fire to the fire and, as a reward for this, gave him his bow and arrows, poisoned by the poison of the hydra. Philoctetes lit the fire, the flames of the fire flared up brightly, but the lightning of Zeus flashed even brighter. Thunder rolled across the sky. On a golden chariot, Pallas Athena*1 and Hermes were brought to the fire and they carried the greatest of the heroes, Hercules, to the bright Olympus. The great gods met him there. Hercules became the immortal god. Hera herself, forgetting her hatred, gave Hercules her daughter, the eternally young goddess Hebe, as a wife. Since then, Hercules has lived on bright Olympus in the host of the great immortal gods. This was his reward for all his great deeds on earth, for all his great suffering. ___________ *1 According to some versions of the myth, it was not Athena who was on the chariot, but the goddess of victory - Nike.

Will rule over all relatives. Hera, having learned about this, accelerated the birth of Perseid's wife Sthenel, who gave birth to the weak and cowardly Eurystheus. Zeus involuntarily had to agree that Hercules, who was born after this by Alcmena, would obey Eurystheus - but not all his life, but only until he accomplished 12 great feats in his service.

Hercules with early childhood was distinguished by enormous strength. Already in the cradle, he strangled two huge snakes sent by Hera to destroy the baby. Hercules spent his childhood in Thebes, Boeotia. He liberated this city from the power of neighboring Orkhomenes, and in gratitude, the Theban king Creon gave his daughter, Megara, to Hercules. Soon, Hera sent Hercules into a fit of madness, during which he killed his children and the children of his half-brother Iphicles (according to the tragedies of Euripides (“”) and Seneca, Hercules also killed his wife Megara). The Delphic oracle, in atonement for this sin, ordered Hercules to go to Eurystheus and, on his orders, perform the 12 labors that were destined for him by fate.

The first labor of Hercules (summary)

Hercules kills the Nemean lion. Copy from the statue of Lysippos

The second labor of Hercules (summary)

The second labor of Hercules was the fight against the Lernaean Hydra. Painting by A. Pollaiolo, c. 1475

The third labor of Hercules (summary)

Hercules and the Stymphalian Birds. Statue of A. Bourdelle, 1909

The fourth labor of Hercules (summary)

The Fourth Labor of Hercules - Kerenean Hind

The fifth labor of Hercules (summary)

Hercules and the Erymanthian boar. Statue of L. Tuyon, 1904

The sixth labor of Hercules (summary)

King Augeas of Elis, the son of the sun god Helios, received from his father numerous herds of white and red bulls. His huge barnyard had not been cleared for 30 years. Hercules offered Augeas to clear the stall in a day, asking in return for a tenth of his herds. Believing that the hero could not cope with the work in one day, Augeias agreed. Hercules blocked the rivers Alpheus and Peneus with a dam and diverted their water to Augeas's farmyard - all the manure was washed away from it in a day.

The sixth labor - Hercules cleans the stables of Augeas. Roman mosaic from the 3rd century. according to R.H. from Valencia

The seventh labor of Hercules (summary)

Seventh labor - Hercules and the Cretan bull. Roman mosaic from the 3rd century. according to R.H. from Valencia

The Eighth Labor of Hercules (summary)

The Thracian king Diomedes owned horses of wondrous beauty and strength, which could only be kept in a stall with iron chains. Diomedes fed the horses with human meat, killing the foreigners who came to him. Hercules led the horses away by force and defeated Diomedes, who rushed in pursuit, in battle. During this time, the horses tore to pieces Hercules' companion, Abdera, who was guarding them on the ships.

The Ninth Labor of Hercules (summary)

The queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, wore a belt given to her by the god Ares as a sign of her power. Eurystheus's daughter, Admeta, wanted this belt. Hercules with a detachment of heroes sailed to the kingdom of the Amazons, to the shores of the Pontus Euxine (Black Sea). Hippolyta, at the request of Hercules, wanted to give up the belt voluntarily, but other Amazons attacked the hero and killed several of his companions. Hercules defeated seven of the strongest warriors in battle and put their army to flight. Hippolyta gave him the belt as a ransom for the captured Amazon Melanippe.

On the way back from the country of the Amazons, Hercules saved Hesion, the daughter of the Trojan king Laomendont, who, like Andromeda, was doomed to be sacrificed to a sea monster at the walls of Troy. Hercules killed the monster, but Laomedont did not give him the promised reward - the horses of Zeus belonging to the Trojans. For this, Hercules, a few years later, made a campaign against Troy, took it and killed the entire family of Laomedon, leaving only one of his sons, Priam, alive. Priam ruled Troy during the glorious Trojan War.

The tenth labor of Hercules (summary)

On the westernmost edge of the earth, the giant Geryon, who had three bodies, three heads, six arms and six legs, was tending cows. By order of Eurystheus, Hercules went after these cows. Myself long journey to the west was already a feat, and in memory of him Hercules erected two stone (Hercules) pillars on both sides of a narrow strait near the shores of the Ocean (modern Gibraltar). Geryon lived on the island of Erithia. So that Hercules can reach him, solar god Helios gave him his horses and a golden boat, on which he himself sails across the sky every day.

Having killed Geryon's guards - the giant Eurytion and two-headed dog Ortho - Hercules captured the cows and drove them to the sea. But then Geryon himself rushed at him, covering his three bodies with three shields and throwing three spears at once. However, Hercules shot him with a bow and finished him off with a club, and transported the cows on Helios’s shuttle across the Ocean. On the way to Greece, one of the cows ran away from Hercules to Sicily. To free her, the hero had to kill the Sicilian king Eryx in a duel. Then Hera, hostile to Hercules, sent rabies into the herd, and the cows that had fled from the shores of the Ionian Sea were barely caught in Thrace. Eurystheus, having received Geryon's cows, sacrificed them to Hera.

The Eleventh Labor of Hercules (summary)

By order of Eurystheus, Hercules descended through the Tenar abyss into the gloomy kingdom of the god of the dead Hades in order to take away his guard - the three-headed dog Cerberus, whose tail ended with the head of a dragon. At the very gates of the underworld, Hercules freed the Athenian hero Theseus, rooted to the rock, who, together with his friend, Periphoes, was punished by the gods for trying to steal his wife Persephone from Hades. In the kingdom of the dead, Hercules met the shadow of the hero Meleager, to whom he promised to become the protector of his lonely sister Deianira and marry her. The ruler of the underworld, Hades, himself allowed Hercules to take Cerberus away - but only if the hero was able to tame him. Having found Cerberus, Hercules began to fight him. He half-strangled the dog, pulled him out of the ground and brought him to Mycenae. The cowardly Eurystheus, at one glance at the terrible dog, began to beg Hercules to take her back, which he did.

The Eleventh Labor of Hercules - Cerberus

The Twelfth Labor of Hercules (summary)

Hercules had to find the way to the great titan Atlas (Atlas), who holds the firmament on his shoulders at the edge of the earth. Eurystheus ordered Hercules to take three golden apples from the golden tree of the Atlas garden. To find out the way to Atlas, Hercules, on the advice of the nymphs, lay in wait for the sea god Nereus on the seashore, grabbed him and held him until he showed the right road. On the way to Atlas through Libya, Hercules had to fight the cruel giant Antaeus, who received new powers by touching his mother, Earth-Gaea. After a long fight, Hercules lifted Antaeus into the air and strangled him without lowering him to the ground. In Egypt, King Busiris wanted to sacrifice Hercules to the gods, but the angry hero killed Busiris along with his son.

The fight of Hercules with Antaeus. Artist O. Coudet, 1819

Photo - Jastrow

Atlas himself went to his garden for three golden apples, but Hercules at that time needed to hold the vault of heaven for him. Atlas wanted to deceive Hercules: he offered to personally take the apples to Eurystheus, provided that at this time Hercules continued to hold the sky for him. But the hero, realizing that the cunning titan would not return, did not fall into deception. Hercules asked Atlas to replace him under the sky for short rest, and he took the apples and left.

The sequence of the 12 main labors of Hercules varies in different mythological sources. The eleventh and twelfth labors especially often change places: a number of ancient authors consider the descent into Hades for Cerberus to be the last achievement of Hercules, and the journey to the Garden of the Hesperides as the penultimate.

Other labors of Hercules

After completing 12 labors, Hercules, freed from the power of Eurystheus, defeated the best archer in Greece, Eurytus, king of the Euboean Oichalia, in a shooting competition. Eurytus did not give Hercules the promised reward for this - his daughter Iola. Hercules then married Deianira, the sister of Meleager, whom he met in the kingdom of Hades, in the city of Calydon. Seeking the hand of Deianira, Hercules endured a difficult duel with the river god Achelous, who during the fight turned into a snake and a bull.

Hercules and Deianira went to Tiryns. Along the way, Deianira was kidnapped by the centaur Nessus, who offered to transport the couple across the river. Hercules killed Nessus with arrows soaked in the bile of the Lernaean hydra. Before his death, Nessus, secretly from Hercules, advised Deianira to collect his blood poisoned by the hydra poison. The centaur assured that if Dejanira rubbed Hercules’ clothes with her, then no other woman would ever please him.

In Tiryns, during a fit of madness again sent by Hero, Hercules killed his close friend, son of Eurytus, Iphitus. Zeus punished Hercules with a serious illness for this. Trying to find out a cure for it, Hercules went on a rampage in the Delphic temple and fought with the god Apollo. Finally it was revealed to him that he must sell himself into slavery for three years to the Lydian queen Omphale. For three years, Omphale subjected Hercules to terrible humiliation: she forced him to wear women's clothing and spin, while she herself wore the hero's lion skin and club. However, Omphale allowed Hercules to take part in the campaign of the Argonauts.

Freed from slavery to Omphale, Hercules took Troy and took revenge on its king, Laomedon, for his previous deception. He then took part in the battle of the gods with the giants. The mother of the giants, the goddess Gaia, made these children of hers invulnerable to the weapons of the gods. Only a mortal could kill giants. During the battle, the gods threw the giants to the ground with weapons and lightning, and Hercules finished them off with his arrows.

Death of Hercules

Following this, Hercules set out on a campaign against King Eurytus, who had insulted him. Having defeated Eurytus, Hercules captured his daughter, the beautiful Iola, whom he should have received after a previous competition with her father in archery. Having learned that Hercules was going to marry Iola, Dejanira, in an attempt to return her husband’s love, sent him a cloak soaked in the blood of the centaur Nessus, soaked in the poison of the Lernaean Hydra. As soon as Hercules put on this cloak, it stuck to his body. The poison penetrated the hero’s skin and began to cause terrible pain. Dejanira, having learned about her mistake, committed suicide. This myth became the plot of Sophocles’ tragedy “The Trachinian Women”

Realizing that death was near, Hercules ordered his eldest son, Gill, to take him to the Thessalian Mount Eta and build a funeral pyre there. Hercules gave his bow with poisoned arrows to the hero Philoctetes, a future participant in the Trojan War, who agreed to set the flame on fire.

As soon as the fire ignited, the gods Athena and Hermes descended from the sky in thunder and lightning, and carried Hercules to Olympus in a golden chariot. Hercules married the eternally young goddess Hebe there and was accepted into the ranks of the immortals.

After the death of Hercules, the cowardly Eurystheus began to persecute his children (Heraclides). They had to take refuge in Athens, with the son of Theseus, Demophon. Eurystheus's army invaded Athenian soil, but was defeated by an army led by Hercules' eldest son, Gill. The Heraclides became the ancestors of one of the four main branches of the Greek people - the Dorians. Three generations after Gill, the Dorian invasion of the south ended with the conquest of the Peloponnese, which the Heraclides considered the rightful inheritance of their father, treacherously taken from him by the cunning of the goddess Hera. In the news of the captures of the Dorians, legends and myths are already mixed with memories of genuine historical events.

On the way back to Tiryns from the land of the Amazons, Hercules arrived on ships with his army to Troy. A difficult sight appeared before the eyes of the heroes when they landed on the shore near Troy. They saw the beautiful daughter of King Laomedon of Troy, Hesione, chained to a rock near the seashore. She was doomed, like Andromeda, to be torn to pieces by a monster emerging from the sea. This monster was sent by Poseidon as punishment to Laomedon for refusing to pay him and Apollo a fee for the construction of the walls of Troy. The proud king, whom, according to the verdict of Zeus, both gods had to serve, even threatened to cut off their ears if they demanded payment. Then the angry Apollo sent a terrible pestilence to all the possessions of Laomedon, and Poseidon sent a monster that devastated the surroundings of Troy, sparing no one. Only by sacrificing the life of his daughter could Laomedon save his country from a terrible disaster. Against his will, he had to chain his daughter Hesione to a rock by the sea.

Seeing the unfortunate girl, Hercules volunteered to save her, and for saving Hesione he demanded from Laomedon as a reward those horses that the thunderer Zeus had given to the king of Troy as a ransom for his son Ganymede. He was once kidnapped by the eagle of Zeus and carried to Olympus. Laomedont agreed to Hercules' demand. The great hero ordered the Trojans to build a rampart on the seashore and hid behind it. As soon as Hercules hid behind the rampart, a monster swam out of the sea and, opening its huge mouth, rushed at Hesione. With a loud cry, Hercules ran out from behind the rampart, rushed at the monster and plunged his double-edged sword deep into its chest. Hercules saved Hesione.

When the son of Zeus demanded the promised reward from Laomedon, the king felt sorry to part with the wondrous horses; he did not give them to Hercules and even drove him out of Troy with threats. Hercules left the possessions of Laomedont, hiding his anger deep in his heart. Now he could not take revenge on the king who had deceived him, since his army was too small and the hero could not hope to soon capture impregnable Troy. The great son of Zeus could not stay near Troy for a long time - he had to rush to Mycenae with Hippolyta’s belt.

Cows of Geryon (tenth feat)

Soon after returning from a campaign in the land of the Amazons, Hercules set out on a new feat. Eurystheus instructed him to drive the cows of the giant Geryon, the son of Chrysaor and the oceanid Callirhoe, to Mycenae. The path to Geryon was long. Hercules needed to reach the westernmost edge of the earth, those places where the radiant sun god Helios descends from the sky at sunset. Hercules set out on a long journey alone. He passed through Africa, through the barren deserts of Libya, through the countries of savage barbarians and finally reached the ends of the earth. Here he erected two giant stone pillars on both sides of a narrow sea strait as an eternal monument to his feat.

After this, Hercules had to wander a lot more until he reached the shores of the gray Ocean. The hero sat down in thought on the shore, by the ever-noisy waters of the Ocean. How could he reach the island of Erythea, where Geryon grazed his flocks? The day was already approaching evening. Here the chariot of Helios appeared, descending to the waters of the Ocean. The bright rays of Helios blinded Hercules, and he was engulfed in unbearable, scorching heat. Hercules jumped up in anger and grabbed his formidable bow, but the bright Helios did not get angry, he smiled friendly at the hero, he liked the extraordinary courage of the great son of Zeus. Helios himself invited Hercules to cross to Erythea in a golden canoe, in which the sun god sailed every evening with his horses and chariot from the western to the eastern edge of the earth to his golden palace. The delighted hero boldly jumped into the golden boat and quickly reached the shores of Erythea.

As soon as he landed on the island, the formidable two-headed dog Orfo sensed it and barked at the hero. Hercules killed him with one blow of his heavy club. Ortho was not the only one who guarded Geryon's herds. Hercules also had to fight with the shepherd of Geryon, the giant Eurytion. The son of Zeus quickly dealt with the giant and drove the cows of Geryon to the seashore, where the golden boat of Helios stood. Geryon heard the lowing of his cows and went to the herd. Seeing that his dog Ortho and the giant Eurytion had been killed, he chased the herd thief and overtook him on the seashore. Geryon was a monstrous giant: he had three torsos, three heads, six arms and

Hercules fights the three-headed giant Geryon. At the feet of Hercules lies the two-headed dog Ortho, behind Hercules stand the goddess Athena and Iolaus, at their feet lies the murdered giant Eurythioi. (Drawing on the vase.)

six legs. He covered himself with three shields during the battle, and he threw three huge spears at once at the enemy. Hercules had to fight such and such a giant, but the great warrior Pallas Athena helped him. As soon as Hercules saw him, he immediately fired his deadly arrow at the giant. An arrow pierced the eye of one of Geryon's heads. After the first arrow, a second one flew, followed by a third. Hercules waved his all-crushing club menacingly, like lightning, struck the hero Geryon with it, and the three-body giant fell to the ground as a lifeless corpse. Hercules transported Geryon's cows from Erythea in the golden shuttle of Helios across the stormy Ocean and returned the shuttle to Helios. Half of the feat was over.

Much work still lay ahead. It was necessary to drive the bulls to Mycenae. Hercules drove cows across all of Spain, through the Pyrenees Mountains, through Gaul and the Alps, through Italy. In the south of Italy, near the city of Regium, one of the cows escaped from the herd and swam across the strait to Sicily. There King Erice, the son of Poseidon, saw her and took the cow into his herd. Hercules looked for a cow for a long time. Finally, he asked the god Hephaestus to guard the herd, and he himself crossed to Sicily and there he found his cow in the herd of King Eryx. The king did not want to return her to Hercules; Relying on his strength, he challenged Hercules to single combat. The winner was to be rewarded with a cow. Eryx was unable to cope with such an opponent as Hercules. The son of Zeus squeezed the king in his mighty embrace and strangled him. Hercules returned with the cow to his herd and drove it further. On the shores of the Ionian Sea, the goddess Hera sent rabies through the entire herd. Mad cows ran away in all directions. Only with great difficulty did Hercules catch most of the cows already in Thrace and finally drive them to Eurystheus in Mycenae. Eurystheus sacrificed them to the great goddess Hera.

Kerber 1 (eleventh labor)

As soon as Hercules returned to Tiryns, Eurystheus again sent him to the feat. This was already the eleventh labor that Hercules had to perform in the service of Eurystheus. Hercules had to overcome incredible difficulties during this feat. He had to descend into the gloomy, horror-filled underworld of Hades and bring the guardian of the underworld, the terrible hellish dog Kerberus, to Eurystheus. Kerberus had three heads, snakes writhed around his neck, and his tail ended in the head of a dragon with a huge mouth. Hercules went to Laconia and through the gloomy abyss at Tenar 2 descended into the darkness of the underworld. At the very gates of the kingdom of Hades, Hercules saw the heroes Theseus and the king of Thessaly Perithous rooted to the rock. They were punished this way by the gods because they wanted to kidnap his wife Persephone from Hades. Theseus prayed to Hercules:

O great son of Zeus, free me! You see my torment! You alone have the power to rid me of them!

Hercules extended his hand to Theseus and freed him. When he wanted to free Perithous, the earth trembled, and Hercules realized that the gods did not want his release. Hercules submitted to the will of the gods and went further into the darkness of eternal night. Hercules was introduced into the underground kingdom by the messenger of the gods, Hermes, the guide of the souls of the dead, and the companion of the great hero was the beloved daughter of Zeus herself, Pallas Athena. When Hercules entered the kingdom of Hades, the shadows of the dead scattered in horror. Only the shadow of the hero Meleager did not run away at the sight of Hercules. She turned with a prayer to the great son of Zeus:

Oh, great Hercules, I ask you one thing in memory of our friendship: take pity on my orphaned sister, the beautiful Deianira! She remained defenseless after my death! Take her as your wife, great hero! Be her protector!

Hercules promised to fulfill his friend’s request and went further after Hermes. The shadow of the terrible gorgon Medusa rose towards Hercules, she menacingly extended her copper hands and flapped her golden wings, snakes stirred on her head. The fearless hero grabbed his sword, but Hermes stopped him with the words:

Don't grab the sword, Hercules! After all, this is just an ethereal shadow! She doesn't threaten you with death!

Hercules saw many horrors on his way; Finally, he appeared before the throne of Hades. The ruler of the kingdom of the dead and his wife Persephone looked with delight at the great son of the thunderer Zeus, who fearlessly descended into the kingdom of darkness and sorrow. He, majestic, calm, stood before the throne of Hades, leaning on his huge club, wearing a lion skin thrown over his shoulders, and with a bow over his shoulders. Hades graciously greeted his son

his great brother Zeus and asked what made him leave the light of the sun and descend into the kingdom of darkness. Bowing before Hades, Hercules answered:

Oh, ruler of the souls of the dead, great Hades, do not be angry with me for my request, Omnipotent! You know that I did not come to your kingdom of my own will, and it is not of my own will that I will ask you. Allow me, Lord Hades, to take your three-headed dog Kerberus to Mycenae. Eurystheus, whom I serve at the command of the bright Olympian gods, told me to do this.

Hades answered the hero:

I will fulfill, son of Zeus, your request; but you must tame Kerberus without weapons. If you tame him, then I will allow you to take him to Eurystheus.

For a long time Hercules searched for Kerberus in the underworld. Finally, he found him on the banks of Acheron. Hercules wrapped his arms, strong as steel, around Kerberus’ neck. The dog Hades howled menacingly; the entire underground kingdom was filled with his howl. He tried to escape from Hercules’s embrace, but the hero’s mighty hands only squeezed Kerberus’s neck tighter. Kerberus wrapped his tail around the hero’s legs, the dragon’s head sank its teeth into his body, but all in vain. The mighty Hercules squeezed his neck harder and harder. Finally, the half-strangled dog Hades fell at the hero’s feet. Hercules tamed him and led him from the kingdom of darkness to Mycenae. Kerber was afraid of daylight; he was covered all over with cold sweat, poisonous foam dripped from his three mouths onto the ground; Everywhere where even a drop of foam dropped, poisonous herbs grew.

Hercules brought Kerber to the walls of Mycenae. The cowardly Eurystheus was horrified at one glance at the terrible dog. Almost on his knees, he begged Hercules to be taken back to the kingdom of Hades Kerberos. Hercules fulfilled his request and returned Hades his terrible guard Kerberus.

Apples of the Hesperides (twelfth labor)

The most difficult feat of Hercules in the service of Eurystheus was his last, twelfth labor. He had to go to the great titan Atlas, who holds the firmament on his shoulders, and get three golden apples from his gardens, which were watched over by the daughters of Atlas, the Hesperides. These apples grew on a golden tree, grown by the goddess of the earth Gaia as a gift to the great Hera on the day of her wedding with Zeus. To accomplish this feat, it was necessary first of all to find out the way to the gardens of the Hesperides, guarded by a dragon who never closed his eyes to sleep.

No one knew the way to the Hesperides and Atlas. Hercules wandered for a long time through Asia and Europe, he passed through all the countries that he had previously passed on the way to fetch Geryon’s cows; Everywhere Hercules asked about the path, but no one knew it. In his search, he went to the farthest north, to the ever-rolling stormy, boundless

Hercules fights Antaeus. (Drawing on the vase.)

waters of the Eridanus River. On the banks of Eridanus, beautiful nymphs greeted the great son of Zeus with honor and gave him advice on how to find out the way to the gardens of the Hesperides. Hercules was supposed to attack the sea prophetic old man Nereus by surprise when he came ashore from the depths of the sea, and learn from him the way to the Hesperides; except Nereus, no one knew this path. Hercules searched for Nereus for a long time. Finally, he managed to find Nereus on the seashore. Hercules attacked the sea god. The fight with the sea god was difficult. To free himself from the iron embrace of Hercules, Nereus took on all sorts of forms, but still his hero did not let him go. Finally, he tied up the tired Nereus, and the sea god had to reveal to Hercules the secret of the way to the gardens of the Hesperides in order to gain freedom. Having learned this secret, the son of Zeus released the sea elder and set off on a long journey.

Again he had to go through Libya. Here he met the giant Antaeus, the son of Poseidon, the god of the seas, and the goddess of the earth Gaia, who gave birth to him, fed him and raised him. Antaeus forced all travelers to fight with him and mercilessly killed everyone whom he defeated in the fight. The giant demanded that Hercules fight him too. No one could defeat Antaeus in single combat without knowing the secret from where the giant received more and more strength during the fight. The secret was this: when Antaeus felt that he was beginning to lose strength, he touched the earth, his mother, and his strength was renewed: he drew it from his mother, the great goddess of the earth. But as soon as Antaeus was torn off the ground and lifted into the air, his strength disappeared. Hercules fought with Antaeus for a long time; he knocked him to the ground several times, but only

Hercules kills Busiris, king of Egypt. (Drawing on the vase.)

Antaeus' strength increased, and during the struggle, the mighty Hercules lifted Antaeus high into the air; the strength of the son of Gaia dried up, and Hercules strangled him.

Hercules went further and came to Egypt. There, tired from the long journey, he fell asleep in the shade of a small grove on the banks of the Nile. The king of Egypt, the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Epaphus Lysianassa, Busiris, saw the sleeping Hercules, and ordered the sleeping hero to be tied up. He wanted to sacrifice Hercules to his father Zeus. There was a crop failure in Egypt for nine years; The soothsayer Thrasios, who came from Cyprus, predicted that the crop failure would stop only if Busiris annually sacrificed a foreigner to Zeus. Busiris ordered the capture of the soothsayer Thrasius and was the first to sacrifice him. Since then, the cruel king sacrificed to the Thunderer all the foreigners who came to Egypt. They brought Hercules to the altar, but the great hero tore the ropes with which he was bound and killed Busiris himself and his son Amphidamantus at the altar. This is how the cruel king of Egypt was punished.

Hercules had to meet many more dangers on his way until he reached the edge of the earth, where the great titan Atlas stood. The hero looked with amazement at the mighty titan, holding the entire vault of heaven on his broad shoulders.

• - Oh, the great titan Atlas! - Hercules turned to him. - I am the son of Zeus, Hercules. Eurystheus, the king of gold-rich Mycenae, sent me to you. Eurystheus commanded me to get three golden apples from you from the golden tree in the gardens of the Hesperides.
• “I will give you three apples, son of Zeus,” answered Atlas. “You, while I follow them, must take my place and hold the vault of heaven on your shoulders.”

Hercules agreed. He took the place of Atlas. An incredible weight fell on the shoulders of the son of Zeus. He strained all his strength and held the firmament. The weight pressed terribly on Hercules’ mighty shoulders. He bent under the weight of the sky, his muscles bulged like mountains, sweat covered his entire body from tension, but superhuman strength and the help of the goddess Athena gave him the opportunity to hold the firmament until Atlas returned with three golden apples. Returning, Atlas said to the hero:

Atlas brings Hercules apples from the garden of the Hesperides. Athena stands behind Hercules, helping Hercules hold up the firmament. (Bas-relief of the 5th century BC)

Here are three apples, Hercules; if you want, I myself will take them to Mycenae, and you hold the firmament until my return; then I will take your place again.

Hercules understood Atlas’s cunning, he realized that the Titan wanted to be completely freed from his hard work, and he used cunning against the cunning.

Okay, Atlas, I agree! - Hercules answered. “Just let me make myself a pillow first, I’ll put it on my shoulders so that the vault of heaven doesn’t press them so terribly.”

Atlas stood up again in his place and shouldered the weight of the sky. Hercules picked up his bow and quiver of arrows, took his club and golden apples and said:

Goodbye Atlas! I held the vault of the sky while you went for the apples of the Hesperides, but I don’t want to carry the entire weight of the sky on my shoulders forever.

With these words, Hercules left the titan, and Atlas again had to hold the vault of heaven on his mighty shoulders, as before. Hercules returned to Eurystheus and gave him the golden apples. Eurystheus gave them to Hercules, and he gave the apples to his patroness, the great daughter of Zeus, Pallas Athena. Athena returned the apples to the Hesperides so that they would remain in their gardens forever.

After his twelfth labor, Hercules was freed from service with Eurystheus. Now he could return to the seven gates of Thebes. But the son of Zeus did not stay there long. New exploits awaited him. He gave his wife Megara as a wife to his friend Iolaus, and he himself went back to Tiryns.

But not only victories awaited him; Hercules also faced grave troubles, since the great goddess Hera continued to pursue him.

• Pillars of Hercules, or Pillars of Hercules. The Greeks believed that Hercules placed the rocks on the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar.
• 1 Otherwise - Cerberus.
• Cape, southern tip of the Peloponnese.
• Mythical river.

Hesione, daughter of Laomedon, freed by Hercules from a sea monster

Hesion, Greek - daughter of Laomedont and his wife Leucippe.

Hesione became an indirect victim of her father's treachery. When Laomedont strengthened Troy, by order of Zeus, Poseidon also helped him in this. For this, Laomedont promised to royally reward them, but upon completion of the work he refused to pay them and even threatened to cut off their ears if they solicited it. Therefore, Apollo sent a pestilence to Troy, and Poseidon sent a sea monster.

Trojan soothsayers discovered that the monster could only be gotten rid of by sacrificing Hesion to it. Then Laomedont ordered Hesione to be chained to a rock by the sea, but even earlier than the monster, a monster returning from Troy appeared off the coast of Troy. Hercules offered Laomedont to save Hesione if he gave him the horses that Zeus gave to Tros as a ransom for . Laomedont agreed.

When the monster emerged from depths of the sea and approached Hesione, Hercules rushed at him and after a merciless battle killed him. However, Laomedont remained true to himself: he did not give up the promised horses and drove Hercules away, showering him with threats and insults. Hercules did not forget this insult. Freed from his service with Eurystheus, he gathered his friends, sailed to Troy in six ships, took it by storm and killed Laomedon.

Hercules gave the captive Hesione, by right of victory, to his friend Telamon, who married her after the death of his first wife Periboea. Their son Teucer subsequently participated in the Trojan War on the side.

Another Hesione, daughter of the Titan Iapetus, was the wife of Prometheus.

There are four known images of Hesione on antique vases. Modern artists rarely turned to it. The opera Hesione was written by A. Campra (1700).

In the photo: evening dress"Hesione." On the top illustration: “Hercules saving Hesione”, medieval miniature.

And the last fighter against monsters and rescuer of beautiful strangers, who needs no introduction. This is the well-known Hercules ( Latin name hero of ancient Greek mythology Hercules), famous for his twelve labors. It was during the execution of the ninth of them - obtaining the belt of the Amazon queen Hippolyta - that a meeting with Hesion took place. The story of Hesione's salvation, with some discrepancies in names and details, repeats the same myth about Andromeda. In sources with many names of heroes of the same myths, there is often a slight confusion, although it is clear to everyone: we say Jupiter, we mean Zeus, Neptune is Poseidon, and Hercules is, of course, the same Hercules. Next on the list!

Hercules and Hesione

Hercules saves Hesione. Medieval miniature 15th century

So, the myth says that one day Neptune, having conceived a conspiracy against Jupiter, was caught in treason and, as punishment, was expelled from Olympus to earth. Here he was sentenced to build the walls of Troy for the king of that city, Laomedon, who promised to pay him well in return. But the king turned out to be a miser and refused to pay the fee. The arrogant king even threatened to cut off the ears of the sea god (!!!) if he demanded payment for his work.
Then Neptune called from the sea terrible monster, which came ashore and began to devour people and devastate the surrounding area. The ubiquitous oracles suggested to the king and the Trojans the idea of ​​a beautiful girl as a victim for the monster. They reported that this “food” would be enough for the animal for a year. And so they lived, giving away another beauty to the monster once a year. But one day it was the turn of Hesione, the only daughter of the king. According to another version of the myth, the oracles immediately offered to give the monster her daughter so that Neptune-Poseidon would calm down. And, they say, Laomedont personally tied his child to a sea cliff. Immediately Laomedon sent heralds everywhere with orders that he would pay the princess’s savior money and give back the magic horses given to him by Zeus himself.

Southern Netherlands (Flemish) miniature Heracles and Hesione. 1510-20 Aline Dold, private collection

Francois Le Moyne (French, 1688-1737) Heracles delivering Hesione.

Hercules, returning home with the obtained belt of Hippolyta (according to another version - only going after it), made a stop in Troy, heard the speeches of the heralds and decided: to save the girl and earn some money. With one blow of his club, which was always with him, he killed the monster at the moment when it crawled ashore for its next victim. Again, there is a version according to which Hercules climbed inside the monster and cut it into pieces there. True, this version does not fit with the absence of a club. There are also options for presenting this story, in which they write that when Hercules was swallowed by the monster, he went bald, or that the rescue of the girl took place during the famous campaign of the Argonauts, and his friend Telamon helped Hercules kill the monster. Perhaps that is why in several paintings a boatman is depicted next to Hercules.

Charles Le Brun (French, 1619-1690) Hercules rescuing Hesione. 1650-55

Author Unknown after painting of Charles le Brun (French, 1619-1690) Hercules rescuing Hesione (engraving). 1713-1719

Jacob Toorenvliet (Dutch, ca.1640-1719) Hercules and Hesione. 1704

Louis de Silvestre (French, 1675-1760) Hercule délivre la fille de Laomedon.

M. Baron Hercules delivering Hesione. Illustration for The Project Gutenberg EBook of "Heathen Mythology". 2010

In any case, Hesione was saved. It remains to add that Laomedont also deceived Hercules without paying him either. We read in the myth: Hercules came for the promised reward.
“The dead monster lies on the shore,” he said to Laomedon. - Go and look at him if you want. Where are your four immortal horses?”
The Trojan king laughed: “Why do you need horses, Hercules? You have a ship. So sail on it further. Zeus himself gave me these horses, is it really good to give what is given?”
For these words, the greedy king was severely punished. Hercules, having gathered a company of friends, returned to Troy, took the city by storm, killed the king and almost his entire family. Hercules gave Hesiona as a wife to his friend Telamon, and he himself left alive youngest son Laomedon named Gift. “I give life to the last of the line of Trojan kings,” said Hercules, “but first he must be sold as a slave.” Podarka, along with the captured Trojans, was put up for sale. Telamon's bride was given the right to buy one of the captured fellow citizens, and she, of course, chose her younger brother, giving the gilded veil from his head as ransom. Later, the young man received the name Priam (that is, purchased) and became the king of Troy, the last Trojan king...
But that's a completely different story...

Bartolomeo Salvestrini (Italian, 1599-1633) Hercules and Hesione. 1630

Marco Antonio Franceschini (Italian, 1648-1729) Hercules and Hesione 1690

Remi Henri Joseph Delvaux (1750-1823), Emmanuel de Ghendt (1738-1815), Barthélemy Joseph Fulcran Roger (1767-80-1841), Jean Baptiste Simonet (1742-1813) Engraving after Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune (1741- 1814) Hercules and Hesione Illustration from "Demoustier"

Giuseppe Cades (Italian, 1750-1799) Hercules liberating Hesione.

Information from Wikipedia and Mythological Encyclopedias