A complete collection of Greek mythological stories

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Eurystheus has not been able to get rid of his hated rivals, but has helped him win even greater honors. Many people www.biquge.info grateful to Hercules for relieving people of many sufferings. Now, the cunning king has come up with one last adventure that no heroic god can perform, which is to fight the vicious dogs of hell and bring back Cerberus, the watchdog of Hades.

The dog had three heads, a mouth dripping with poisonous saliva, a dragon tail on the lower body, and the hair on its head and back was full of coiled poisonous snakes.

In preparation for this terrifying adventure, Hercules traveled to the city of Eleusis in Attica, where priests were well-versed in the secret ways of the yin and yang world. He first washed away the sins of killing the Kentauros in this sacred place, and then was taught the secret path by the priest Oyu Morperth.

Hercules gained mystical powers and no longer feared the horrors of hell. In the city of Thenaron, at the southern tip of the Peloponnese, legend has it that there was an entrance to hell. He came here, led by Hermes, the god of undead guidance, and descended into the abyss to the king of Pulutong, the capital of Hades.

There were many mournful ghosts wandering around the gates, and at the sight of flesh and blood they were immediately frightened and fled in all directions. Only the souls of the Gorgon, the monsters, Medusa and Melagaros, dared to face the living. Just as Hercules swung his sword to slash Gorgon, Hermes hurriedly grabbed him by the arm and told him that the soul of a dead man is an empty shadow that cannot be cut by a sword. Hermes also had a friendly conversation with the spirit of Melagros, and promised to send a cordial greeting to his sister Daeanira when he returned to the sun.

As he approached the gates of Hades, Hercules saw his friends Theseus and Pelitos. Peritous accompanied Theseus to the underworld to woo Persephone. Because of this arrogant thought, the two of them were chained to the stone where they sat down to rest.

When the two saw their old friend Hercules passing by, they reached out to him to help. They hope to return to the yang world through the power of Hercules. Hercules grabbed Theseus' hand and freed him from his shackles. When he tried to free Peritous again, he failed, because the earth began to shake violently under his feet. Further on, Hercules recognized Scalafus again.

He had slandered Persephone for stealing Hades' pomegranates, and was turned into an owl by Persephone's mother, Demeter. Demeter, angry with his daughter for her injury, pressed a large stone against Ascarafus. Hercules moved the stone for him. In order to make the thirsty ghost drink a sip of ox blood, Hercules killed one of the cattle of Pluthon, but this offended the cattle herd Menotios.

He challenged Hercules to wrestle with him. Hercules grabbed him and broke his ribs. Persephone hurried out to intercede, and he let go of Menotios.

Standing at the gate of the Dead City, Pluton stopped Hercules and prevented him from entering. Hercules shot an arrow and struck the Immortal in the shoulder, and he screamed in pain like a mortal. After he tasted the bitterness, so when Hercules asked him to hand over Cerberus, the evil dog of hell, he did not refuse, but only made one condition:

Weapons cannot be used. Hercules agreed. He wore only a cuirass and a lion's skin, and went to catch vicious dogs. At the mouth of the River Styx, he saw the three-headed dog. It raised its three heads and barked wildly, echoing like thunder. He caught the three dog's heads between his legs and threw his arms around the dog's neck to prevent it from escaping, but the dog's tail, which was completely a living dragon, tried in vain to whip him and bite him. Hercules still tightly wrapped his grip on the dog's neck, and finally subdued the vicious dog.

He lifted the dog and left Hades with it, returning to the Sun through another exit near Trützern in Argolis. When the hellish dog Cerberus saw the sun, he was so frightened that he vomited poisonous saliva and dripped it to the ground, so that the ground grew a highly poisonous aconitum grass. Hercules chained Cerberus and brought it to Tirens and gave it to Eurystheus. Eurystheus was so surprised that he could barely believe his eyes.

Now he believed that it was impossible for him to get rid of this son of Zeus. He had no choice but to leave it to his fate, and instructed Hercules to send the hellhound back to the underworld and hand it over to its master.

After all kinds of hard work and efforts, Hercules overcame countless difficulties and obstacles, completed the task assigned by King Eurystheus, and finally no longer had to be enslaved by him, and returned to Thebes. He was unable to live with his wife again because he killed several of the children he had with his wife, Megara, in his madness.

Later, when his beloved nephew Iolaus offered to marry Megara, Hercules nodded and agreed. He himself began to seek a bride. He transferred his love to the pretty Iol. She was the daughter of Eurytos, king of Okaria on the island of Eubaa. Hercules learned archery with Eurythos as a child.

One day, the king announced that if anyone surpassed him and his son in archery, he could marry his daughter. When Hercules heard the news, he hurried to Okaria and mingled among the competitors. In the competition, he proved himself worthy of being a pupil of Eurytos, because he was superior not only to the king's son, but also to King Eurytos.

The king received him with great pomp, but he was worried about his daughter. Therefore, the king said that he needed to have plenty of time to think about the marriage. Eurytos' eldest son, Iphitos, was exactly the same age as Hercules, and he praised Hercules' archery without jealousy, and became the hero's friend. He advised his father to accept this highly skilled guest. Eurytus was stubborn, and Hercules was so devastated that he left the palace and wandered for a long time.

One day, the servant came to King Eurythos and reported that a robber had stolen the king's herd. The thief was the treacherous and cunning Ottolykos, known for his stealing skills. But Eurytus did not believe it, and said angrily: "It could not be someone else, it must have Hercules who did it." He is the executioner who kills his own children!

I didn't promise to marry my daughter to him, and he did such a despicable revenge! “

Iphitos vigorously defended his friend, tactfully persuaded his father, and offered to go with Hercules in search of the stolen cow.

Hercules was very happy to see Iphitos coming to him. He warmly entertained the prince and promised to go with him in search of the stolen cattle. However, they found nothing and had to go back. When they climbed the walls of Tirens to inspect the lost cattle from above, Hercules' madness flared up, and Hera, in anger, made him lose his mind, and saw his loyal friend Iphitos as his father's accomplice, and violently pushed Iphitos down from the high walls.

Hercules left the royal palace of Okaria in sorrow and wandered from place to place, when a strange thing happened. In the city of Frei, Thessaly, lived the noble king Admetus, whose wife Alcetis was young, beautiful, and devoted to her husband, and his husband was more than anything else. On one occasion, Zeus used lightning to hack the divine physician Asclepius to death, because Zeus feared that he would be able to revive even the dead.

Asclepius was the son of Apollo. In his grief, Apollo killed the cyclops who had forged a lightning rod for the Lord God Zeus. Fearing Zeus' anger and revenge, he hurried out of the sacred mountain of Olympus in search of refuge on earth. At that time, Ademmetus, the son of Pheres, received him kindly and asked Apollo to guard the herd for him. Later, Zeus pardoned him, and he became the protector of Admetus. Ademmetus was old and frail, and his life was coming to an end, and because Apollo was a god, he knew it in advance, so he persuaded the goddess of fate to save Ademmetus from hell.

The goddess of fate promised that if someone was willing to die on his behalf, to Hades on his behalf, he would be allowed to escape death. Apollo left the sacred mountain of Olympus and came to Frey, telling his old friend that he was running out, but revealing to him how to save him from death. Admetus was a man of integrity, but he was attached to life. His family and servants were taken aback when they heard that their king's life was coming to an end.

Admetus wanted to find someone willing to die in his place, but no one agreed. Although they will lose a virtuous king like Admetus, no one wants to fulfill such an obligation. Even the king's elderly father, Pharys, and his elderly mother, knew that death was beckoning to them and that they would leave at any moment, but they were still unwilling to give up a little bit of their lives to save their son. Only his wife, Alcetis, a woman in the prime of her youth, was willing to die in her husband's place. As soon as she had said this, Tanatos, the god of death, came to the palace and prepared to take her to the underworld. Seeing death coming, Apollo hurried out of the king's palace lest it defile his holiness. The faithful Alcetis then bathed and changed, dressed in festive garments, put on jewelry, and prayed to the goddess of the underworld at the altar of her home, willing to be a sacrifice to the god of death.

After saying that, she hugged the child and her husband one by one, and then, walking into the small room, ready to meet the messenger of the underworld.

"I would tell you frankly," she said to her husband, "that your life is more precious than mine, and therefore I am willing to die for you." I wouldn't want to live without you. But your father and mother have betrayed you, and they should have sacrificed for you. That way, you won't have to live alone and raise children who have lost their mothers. But since the gods have made such arrangements, I must beg thee, do not forget what I have done for thee, and thou shalt promise me not to give the children we like to a stepmother, for she will mistreat them. “

With tears in his eyes, Admetus swore to his wife that she was his wife in life and that after her death, she would remain his wife. Alcetis handed over the weeping child to Admetus, and he fainted.

While the palace was preparing for the funeral, Hercules arrived in Frey and came to the palace. Admetus endured his grief and warmly welcomed his friend from afar. Hercules, seeing him in mourning clothes, asked what was going on in the palace. In order not to upset his friend, Admetus deliberately flickered his words and did not answer directly, so Hercules thought that an insignificant distant woman had died in the palace, and did not show a sad appearance.

He asked a servant to accompany him to the dining-room and gave him fine wine. When he saw that the servant was very sad, he rebuked him and said, "Why are you staring at me so seriously? A servant must be friendly to the guests! You've just got a woman from a foreign country dead here, so what's the big deal. Death is the common fate of mortals. Sorrow can only ruin the body. Go ahead and have a drink with me on a flower crown on your head like me. A full glass of wine will erase the wrinkles from your forehead. The servant turned his face away sadly. We have suffered misfortune," he said, "and we have all lost our joy." “

When Hercules heard this, he felt that something was wrong, and it was only after his repeated questioning that he found out the truth. "Is this true?" He cried out, "How can he be generous to guests when he has lost a glorious wife?" I still wear a flower crown on my head at the funeral, laugh loudly, and raise a glass to drink, is this still like words? Tell me, where is this faithful wife buried? “

"If you're going to look for it, then go straight down the direction that leads to Nasa." The servant replied, "You will see a tombstone erected for her." When the servant had finished speaking, he walked away sadly.

Hercules immediately made a decision. "I must rescue this dead woman," he said to himself, "and bring her back to her husband, or I will not be worthy of the love of Admetus." I went to look for the tombstone and waited there for the Grim Reaper Tanatos. He will surely suck the blood of the sacrifice. Then I jumped out from behind him, grabbed him, and pinched him with both hands, and I did not let him go until he promised to return the ghost of the deceased. With such determination, he left the palace quietly.

When Admetus returned to his room and saw the child who had lost his mother, he was very sad in his heart, and no amount of comfort from the servant could alleviate his pain. Suddenly, he saw Hercules walk through the door, followed by a veiled woman. "You won't even tell me about your wife's death," he said, "and that shouldn't be." You received me and let me live in the palace, as if you had just encountered a trivial matter, as if you were doing a funeral for someone else's family. In the same way, because I didn't know the truth, I did many things that violated etiquette, and I drank and had fun in the house of the dead housewife. But I don't want you to continue to suffer. Listen, I'm back here for one reason: I won a young woman in a joust, and I'll give her to you to be a maid. I'm about to have a new competition, and you have to be more concerned about her life before you come back. “

Admetus was taken aback by what he said, and he hurriedly explained: "It's not that I despise or dislike friends. I didn't tell you about my wife's death because I didn't want to see you move in with another friend. Now I beg you to give this woman to any one in the city of Frei, not to me. How can I look at her in my house every day without tears? Shall I vacate my deceased wife's room for her? Also, I was worried about the gossip of the Fry and the reproach of my deceased wife! “

Still, Admetus couldn't suppress his curiosity and glanced at the veiled woman again. "Whoever you are," he said to her, "you resemble my wife, Alcetis, in figure and form. Gods, Hercules, take this woman away, and torment me no more, for I see her as I see my wife, with an indescribable sorrow in my heart. “

Hercules continued to hide his true feelings, and said sadly: "Alas, how good it would be if Zeus gave me the divine power to bring your faithful wife back from the underworld! “

"I know if you had the skills, you would." Admetus said, "But have you ever heard of a dead man who can return from the underworld?" "Yes," said Hercules, cheerfully, "for it is impossible, let time ease your pain." The deceased wife can't be summoned back. Maybe after a while you will marry another wife, and maybe she will bring you joy in life. Let me send this noble girl into your room, and you can at least give it a try. If it turns out that she can't make your life easy and enjoyable, she'll leave you! “

Unwilling to disappoint his friend's kindness, Admetus reluctantly ordered the servant to take the girl to the inner room, but Hercules disagreed, saying, "Your Majesty, please do not hand over this priceless lord to the servant!" You should take her over personally. “

"No," said Admetus, "I won't touch her, or I'll break my promise to my dead wife." She can go into the inner room, but I can't send her there. “

Hercules still insisted that Admetus deliver it himself, and he had no choice but to hold out a hand to the veiled woman. "Ah," said Hercules, cheerfully, "you will take her in!" Take a closer look at this young girl and see if she resembles your wife. “

As he spoke, he reached out and lifted the veil from the woman's head. The king was stunned, and when he saw his wife, he threw himself into her arms with joy. She was silent, unable to answer her husband's affectionate cries. "In three days," Hercules said to him, "when the sacrifice to her is over, you will be able to hear her voice." You can safely take her back to your room. She's back to you, and that's to repay you for your hospitality to the strangers! “

A complete collection of Greek myths and stories

Even though Hercules pushed Iphitos off the walls in his madness, he still felt the heavy burden of this sin in his heart. He went to various places to plead with the king to wash away his sins, but he was refused. Later, he approached Amikle's king, Deifus, and the king agreed to clear him for his sins. But the gods punished him and made him seriously ill.

The hero, who had always been full of strength, could not endure the torture of a serious illness, and he came to Delphi with his sick body, hoping to find a cure in the esoteric oracle. The priestesses there ignored him because he was a murderer and did not explain the oracle to him. In a fit of rage, Hercules took the three-legged sacred furnace in front of the temple and released it into the wilderness, where he made his own oracle. Apollo was annoyed by his hubris. He appeared in front of Hercules and challenged him.

Zeus did not want to see his two sons kill each other, so he threw a bolt of lightning between them, blocking both sides of the battle and quelling their duel. It was only then that Hercules received an oracle: he could only remove his sins by selling himself into slavery for three years and giving the money to the deceased's father. Hercules had to do so in accordance with this demanding demand. He led a few friends to Asia by boat and sold himself into slavery to Onphal. Onfal was the daughter of Ildanus and the queen of Mayonion.

The Heraclestons gave Eurythos the money from the sale. Eurytus refused to accept it, and later had to give the money to the son of Iphetos. It was only then that Hercules regained his strength and was cured of his illness. Although he served as a slave for Onfal here, he still performed heroic deeds for the benefit of mankind, subduing all the robbers who endangered and disturbed the place, and kept the mistress and the surrounding neighbors safe. The Kelkuppers, who lived in Ephesus at the time, plundered and plundered and did all kinds of bad things. Hercules defeated them completely. He bound the captives with ropes and brought them to Onfal.

Siloyus, the king of Oris, was the son of Poseidon. He captured passing travelers and forced them to work in the king's vineyards. Hercules hated his tyranny, beat him to death with a shovel, and dug up all his vines.

Onfal was often harassed by the Itona people. Hercules fought back. He completely conquered the Itonans and turned them into slaves in the service of Onfal.

In Lidia there was a man named Rithieses, the son of Midas. He did many evils and harmed the village. He was a man of great wealth, and he warmly invited his guests home as if they were honored guests, and after the dinner he forced them to plow the land for him, and in the later hours of the night, he killed them. Hercules killed the bully and threw his body in the River Miand.

Hercules came to the island of Doulich on an expedition. He saw a corpse lying on the beach, which turned out to be the body of the unfortunate Icarus. He escaped from the Cretan labyrinth with the wings his father had made for him. But he forgot the advice and flew so close to the sun that the wings melted and fell off, and he fell into the sea and died. Hercules buried his body with infinite sympathy. In honor of this friend, he called the island Ikalini. Icarus' father, the architect and sculptor Daedalus, built a monument to Hercules in Pisa in Elise in gratitude for his merits. One day, Hercules came to Pisa, and because it was dark at night, he took the carving in front of the monument as if it was a living person, and thought that he was looking for him, so he grabbed the stone and smashed the statue to pieces.

Hercules also took part in the hunting of Calydonian boars during his service to Onfale.

Onfal admired the bravery of her servant, and she guessed that he must have been a famous hero. When she heard that he was Hercules, the son of Zeus, she immediately set him free and took him as her husband. From then on, Hercules lived a luxurious life in the Orient, and he gradually forgot the teachings of the goddess of virtue to her in his youth, and indulged in pleasure and did not want to make progress, and even his wife Onfal began to look down on him. She herself put on his lion's skin, and clothed him with women's garments, to humiliate him. Hercules was so infatuated with her love that he was willing to sit at his wife's feet and spin wool for her. He wore a gold necklace around his neck, which could barely reach the sky, jade bracelets on his two strong arms, a woman's hair ornament on his head, and a woman's ornate robe on his body. He sat with the maids, with a spinning wheel in front of him, and his slender fingers spinning the thick yarn, and he worked hard, fearing that if he did not complete the task, he would be ridiculed and scolded by the mistress. Sometimes, when Onfal was happy, she asked her husband, who was dressed in a woman's robe, to tell her and the maids about the heroic deeds of his youth: how he had pinched the serpent to death in the cradle, and how he had brought back the hellish dog Cerberus from Hades. The women loved to hear his stories as if they were fairy tales.

Hercules' term of service to Onfal was nearing the end of his time, and he suddenly came to his senses. He was ashamed to take off the woman's robe he was wearing, and returned to his true form as the son of Zeus, full of strength. He is willing to make the most of his regained freedom and take revenge on his former enemies. (To be continued.) )