Heracles was the greatest of Greek hero's. After living a life that ranged from suffering, to victory, then to defeat, he was brought to Olympus and was turned into a god. Heracles is the son of Alcmena and Zeus. He had a twin brother Iphicles. Iphicles father was Amphitryon. When Hera learned that Zeus was the father to the twin Heracles she was very angry. She attempted to kill the baby by having two serpents sent to the cradle. Heracles right from the start showed a remarkable strength. He immediately strangled both of the serpents as soon as they were placed next to him.
             Even though Heracles possessed these amazing strengths he was never destined to become king. Quite the opposite was the outcome of Heracles life. He became slave to his cousin Eurystheus. The way this ended up happening was that Heracles killed his wife Megara and their three sons'. The main cause of Heracles going mad was believed to be Hera. After dong this horrible deed he went to the oracle at Delphi. The oracle told him to leave Thebes and travel to Tiryns, his parents home, where he is to serve his cousin Eurystheus. This is where the twelve labors come in.
             At the command of Eurystheus, Heracles was ordered to do twelve labors. They were the Nemean lion, the Learnaean Hydra, the Cerneian Deer, the Erymanthian Boar, the Augean Stables, the Stymphalian Birds, the Cretan Bull, the Horses of Diomedes, the Girdle of Hippolyta, the Cattle of Geryon, the Apples of Hesperides, and lastly Cerberus.
             The first labor was the Nemean Lion. Eurystheus ordered Heracles to kill the beast. The lion was located in Nemea. First Heracles tried to kill the lion with a bow and arrow. He soon learned that the skin was impenetrable. At this point he realized his weapons were useless against the lion. So Heracles had to use brut force to kill the lion. He backed the lion into its lair where he wrestled it to the ground and with his amazing...