2.2 Birth and Early Life of Heracles

The Deceptive Conception

The story of Heracles begins with divine deception. Zeus, king of the gods, desired the mortal woman Alcmene, renowned for her beauty and virtue. She was already married to Amphitryon, a Theban general who was away at war.

Zeus's approach was typically cunning. Rather than appear in his divine form or as an animal (his usual methods), he took the form of Amphitryon himself. He visited Alcmene whilst her husband was away, and she, believing him to be her husband returned from war, welcomed him to her bed. To extend his time with Alcmene, Zeus made the night last three times its normal length by commanding Helios (the sun) not to rise.

When the real Amphitryon returned the next day and found his wife less enthusiastic about his homecoming than expected, he was confused. After consulting the prophet Tiresias, he learned of Zeus's deception. Remarkably, rather than being angry, Amphitryon was relieved and even honoured that Zeus had chosen his wife. That same night, Amphitryon slept with Alcmene, resulting in her carrying two children - one divine, one mortal.

Hera's Jealousy and the Name "Heracles"

Hera, Zeus's wife and queen of the gods, was notorious for her jealousy regarding Zeus's affairs. However, her hatred of Heracles was particularly intense, lasting throughout his entire life and even beyond.

The Failed Prevention

When Hera learned of Alcmene's pregnancy, she attempted to prevent Heracles' birth entirely. She sent Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, to sit outside Alcmene's room with her legs crossed and hands clasped - a magical gesture that prevented delivery. Alcmene laboured for seven days and nights until a clever servant girl named Galanthis tricked Eileithyia by announcing that the baby had already been born. The goddess leapt up in surprise, breaking the spell, and Heracles was finally born.

The Ironic Name

Originally named Alcides (after his grandfather Alcaeus), the child was renamed Heracles, meaning "Glory of Hera" - a desperately ironic attempt by his parents to appease the goddess. The name was meant to honour Hera and perhaps soften her anger, but it only served as a constant reminder of Zeus's infidelity.

The Serpent Attack

When Heracles was just eight months old (or in some versions, newly born), Hera sent two enormous serpents to kill him in his cradle. The snakes slithered into the nursery where Heracles lay with his mortal twin brother Iphicles.

The reaction of the two infants revealed their different natures immediately. Iphicles screamed in terror and tried to flee the cradle. But baby Heracles grabbed a serpent in each chubby fist and strangled them with his bare hands, gurgling with laughter as if playing with toys. When Amphitryon and Alcmene rushed in, alerted by Iphicles' cries, they found Heracles holding the dead serpents triumphantly.

This incident had profound consequences. It proved beyond doubt that Heracles was no ordinary child but possessed divine strength. The prophet Tiresias was summoned and prophesied that Heracles would become the greatest of heroes, performing mighty labours and eventually achieving immortality.

The Education of a Hero

Following the serpent incident, Amphitryon ensured that Heracles received the finest education available, training with the greatest masters in every field. This comprehensive education was designed to channel his incredible strength and prepare him for his heroic destiny.

The First Sign of Uncontrolled Rage

Despite his comprehensive education, Heracles showed early signs of the uncontrolled temper that would plague him throughout his life. The most significant incident occurred during his music lessons with Linus, brother of Orpheus and son of Apollo.

Linus was a strict teacher who insisted on proper technique and discipline. When he corrected Heracles harshly for playing the lyre incorrectly, the young hero flew into a rage. In his fury, he struck Linus with the lyre, killing him instantly. This was the first time Heracles had killed someone in anger, foreshadowing the greater tragedy to come.

Though Heracles was acquitted of murder (he claimed self-defence), Amphitryon was concerned enough to send him away to tend cattle on Mount Cithaeron, hoping the pastoral life would calm his adoptive son's violent temperament.

Early Adulthood and Marriage

By age eighteen, Heracles had grown to extraordinary size and strength. Ancient sources describe him as four cubits tall (about six feet) with eyes that flashed fire when angry. His strength was already legendary - he could bend bronze with his bare hands and lift boulders that twenty men couldn't move.

The Lion of Cithaeron

Whilst tending cattle on Mount Cithaeron, Heracles killed his first monster - a lion that was ravaging the herds. He hunted it for fifty days, and upon killing it, wore its skin as a cloak. This prefigured his first labour, where he would gain his iconic lion skin from the Nemean Lion.

Service to Thebes and First Marriage

Heracles freed Thebes from paying tribute to the neighbouring city of Orchomenus by defeating their army single-handedly. In gratitude, King Creon of Thebes gave Heracles his daughter Megara in marriage. The couple had three sons (the number varies in different sources from two to eight) and for a time, Heracles lived happily as a prince of Thebes.

The Madness of Heracles

Just when Heracles seemed to have achieved happiness and stability, Hera struck with her cruellest blow yet. She sent Lyssa, the goddess of madness and rabid frenzy, to possess Heracles.

The Tragic Consequences

In his madness, Heracles believed his own children were the sons of his enemy Eurystheus. He saw his wife Megara as an enemy as well. With the same strength that had protected Thebes, he now turned on his own family. Using his bow - the weapon given to him by Apollo - he shot his children. In some versions, he also killed Megara; in others, she survived but could never forgive him.

When the madness lifted and Heracles saw what he had done, his grief and guilt were overwhelming. He contemplated suicide, but his friend Theseus convinced him that taking his own life would be cowardice. Instead, Heracles needed to find a way to atone for his crime.

Seeking Purification

Heracles went to the Oracle at Delphi to seek purification and learn how he could atone for killing his family. The Pythia (priestess of Apollo) told him that he must serve his cousin King Eurystheus of Tiryns for twelve years and perform whatever labours were demanded of him. Only through this service could he be purified of his blood guilt and eventually achieve immortality.

This divine pronouncement set in motion the famous Twelve Labours of Heracles. What seemed like punishment would become the path to his greatest glory. Through his suffering and service, Heracles would transform from a man guilty of the worst crime imaginable into the greatest hero of the ancient world.

From Tragedy to Redemption

The early life of Heracles establishes all the key themes of his myth:

• Divine birth and mortal suffering: Born of Zeus's deception, Heracles inherited incredible strength but also attracted Hera's eternal hatred
• Exceptional nature from infancy: The serpent incident proved his divine heritage and heroic destiny
• The burden of strength: His power was both gift and curse - it could protect or destroy
• Uncontrolled rage: From killing Linus to murdering his family, anger was Heracles' fatal flaw
• Redemption through suffering: The labours would transform personal tragedy into universal benefit

The murder of his family was both Heracles' greatest crime and the catalyst for his greatest achievements. Without this tragedy, he would never have undertaken the labours that made him the supreme hero of Greek mythology. His story shows that even the worst suffering can lead to redemption, and that true heroism comes not from avoiding failure but from how one responds to it.

In the next section, we will explore the Twelve Labours themselves - the seemingly impossible tasks that transformed a broken man into a god.