Heralded by some as the greatest fighter of the Trojan War, Hector is remembered not only as being one of the distinguished members of the noble Nine Worthies, but also as one of the most courageous warriors of Greek Mythology. Hector was a pivotal character in Homer’s Iliad.

Mythology

Hector was the son of Priam, and Hecuba, the King and Queen of Troy during the Trojan War. Being the noble man that he was, Hector did not approve of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans. After an inconclusive duel (that would have ended the war) between his brother Paris and the king of Ancient Sparta, Menelaus, an archer named Pandarus wounded Menelaus with a surprise arrow attack, causing the Trojan War to carry on.

After a heavy Greek attack and despite his wife Andromache’s pleads, Hector decided to launch a counter-attack. Although Hector knew that Troy and the house of Priam would inevitably be conquered, he was also informed by his divinely inspired brother Helenus that he was not yet fated to die. After emerging from the gates, he challenged any one of the Greek warriors to single combat. After much hesitation, Ajax accepted the challenge and the two battled for the entire day with neither ever becoming victorious. They ended up commending each other’s valor and Hector even gave Ajax his sword, while Ajax in turn gave Hector his girdle.

The bloody battles ensued once again in the days following, and then Patroclus, the closest companion of the infamous Achilles, disguised himself in the armor of Achilles and headed into battle, where he was eventually killed by Hector. Hector then took the armor for himself. Shortly after, a fierce battle for the body of Patroclus began, which the Greeks ended up winning. Upon discovering the body of his comrade, Achilles became enraged, and vowed to avenge his death.

Achilles went on a rampage killing several Trojans on his quest to find Hector. Once Hector realized that Achilles was near, he became overwhelmed with fear and fled, and Achilles chased him throughout the city of Troy. Eventually, Hector overcame his fear and confronted Achilles, and asked that his body be returned to Priam for a proper burial, to which Achilles refused. After a couple missed spear attacks by Achilles, Hector drew his sword. Achilles then realized that Hector was wearing his own armor, which he had taken from Patroclus, and then plunged his spear into the weak spot at the throat, creating the wound that slowly killed Hector. As Hector died, he begged Achilles to not desecrate his body, but Achilles responded by instead divulging in detail exactly what he would do to his body. Once he was dead, Achilles cut slits in each of Hector’s heels and removed Hector’s girdle, which he received from Ajax, and slid it through the slits he made. He then fastened it to his chariot and drug Hector’s body through the dust all the way back to Danaan camp. When king Priam appeared in person to request the body of his son be returned, Achilles obliged out of respect. Hector is remembered in the last lines of the Iliad, and is referred to as “the tamer of horses”.

Hector in Popular Culture:

• The character of Hector was played by Eric Bana in the 2004 blockbuster, Troy, and also by Harry Andrews in the 1956 film, Helen of Troy.

• The Jack of Diamonds bears the likeness of Hector in French playing cards.

• Heavy Metal band Manowar has a song about the death of Hector on their album The Triumph of Steel.

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Achilles has been described as the most handsome warrior to fight in the Trojan War. He established an impressive war record and captured 23 Trojan villages. He was seen as a great hero and is the main character in the Iliad, whose central theme is the wrath of Achilles, in deference to his explosive and murderous temper.

Many stories surround the sexual exploits of Achilles, with both men and women. There was great speculation regarding Achilles’ close relationship with Patroclus, who was killed during the Trojan War. Achilles pursued a prince of Troy, Troilus, who hid from Achilles in Apollo’s temple. Achilles desecrated the temple by beheading the boy inside, earning him the rage of Apollo. It is said that Apollo guided the arrow that struck Achilles in the heel, the only mortal spot on Achilles’ body, which has led to the reference of the “Achilles heel” as a weakness.

Mythology

Achilles was born in Farsala to the king of the Myrmidons, Peleus, and his immortal wife Thetis, a sea nymph. He was sent to Mt. Pelion where he was raised by a centaur named Chiron.

An ancient story by Statius claims that Thetis dipped Achilles in the river Styx, trying to make him immortal. The story goes on to tell that she forgot to dip the heel she had been holding him by, making it the only spot on his body vulnerable to attack. Another version of the story relates that Thetis covered the child in the godly ambrosia and placed him in the fire to let the flames destroy his mortal aspects, but was interrupted by Peleus, who was enraged and removed him from the fire, leaving a mortal spot on Achilles’ heel.

While Achilles was young, Calchas foretold that Troy could not be defeated without the help of Achilles. Thetis, however, knew her son was doomed to an early death if he fought in the war, so she hid him in the court of Lycomedes, disguised as a girl. His son Pyrrhus was born of Achilles’ affair with Lycomedes’ daughter, Deidameia. Achilles identity was eventually discovered, and he went to Troy and led many of the Myrmidons in battle.

In one of the Trojan towns captured by Achilles, Lyrnessus, he took the woman Briseis as a war prize. The leader of the Greek forces, Agamemnon, took the lady Chryseis as his war prize, but an oracle of Apollo forced him to surrender his prize. He took Briseis away from Achilles to console himself, enraging Achilles and causing him to withdraw from the war. This confrontation with Agamemnon begins Homer’s epic poem iliad.

With Achilles withdrawl from battle, the Trojans began gaining ground against the Greek forces. The Greek commander was blamed for making Achilles mad, which in turn was causing the Achaeans to lose ground to the Trojans. He sent Odysseus to try to bribe Achilles with gifts in exchange for his return to battle. Achilles refused and urged them to return to Greece. The Greeks offered their most ferocious warrior many gifts to try to encourage him to return to battle.

Achilles finally relented and agreed to help the Achaean forces, but still refused to personally appear in battle. He prayed to his mother that the Trojans could be defeated, although by this time the Greeks were teetering on the edge of destruction at the hands of the Trojans. Achilles gave Patroclus his armor and allowed the boy to lead the Greek troops in battle against the Trojan forces. Patroclus and his men were able to push back the Trojans, but the Trojan leader Hector mistook Patroclus for Achilles and killed him, stripping him of the armor.

In a rage, Achilles returned to battle and became a killing machine, seeking to exact revenge upon Hector. He was bolstered by a magnificent new set of armor his mother had obtained from Hephaestus.

At one point Zeus had to have Achilles restrained to prevent him from taking on the city of Troy singlehandedly. Achilles finally found Hector, who had to be persuaded by Athena to fight Achilles rather than run from him. Achilles killed Hector, then mutilated the body by dragging it behind a chariot for nine days. The Iliad closes with Hector’s funeral, which takes place shortly before the fall of Troy.

Despite his prowess as a warrior, Achilles’ affinity for young boys is perhaps what finally led to his demise. He had made many advances toward a Trojan boy named Troilus, and became aggressive in his pursuits of the boy. Troilus ran to the temple of Apollo and hid inside, trying to escape Achilles’ advances. Achilles was furious about being spurned by Troilus and beheaded him inside the temple.

Troilus was killed just prior to his twentieth birthday, and myths told that should Troilus have lived past his twentieth birthday, Troy would have been invincible. Apollo was enraged by the desecration of his temple, and swore revenge against Achilles.

Achilles was finally killed by an arrow, which struck his heel, the only vulnerable place on Achilles’ body. Paris was the one who loosed the arrow, but many believe it was guided to its fatal mark by Apollo.

Following his death, Odysseus and Ajax competed for Achilles’ armor by telling why they were the bravest warriors, and therefore the most deserving of it. When Odysseus won the competition, Ajax lost his mind and went mad. After killing many sheep, believing them to be Greek soldiers, he killed himself.

Achilles in Pop Culture

• Achilles has been portrayed on stage in the production of Paris, a musical based upon the Trojan War, and in William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida.

• Many actors have portrayed Achilles in film, most recently by Brad Pitt in Troy. Joe Montana played Achilles in the made-for-television movie Helen of Troy.

• Other films featuring Achilles include: 1955’s Ulysses, Helen of Troy starring Stanley Baker, Something About Zeus, and Fury of Achilles released in 1962.

• The character Archie in the animated series Class of the Titans is a descendent of Achilles who has inherited the hero’s weak heel.

• In 1976, Led Zeppelin sang Achilles Last Stand.

• Other songs about Achilles include: Achilles Revenge by Warlord, Jag Panzer’s Achilles, Sean O’Loughlin’s piece Achilles’ Wrath, and Manowar’s Achilles, Agony & Ecstasy in Eight Parts.

• Reference is made to Achilles in many other modern songs, including: Ghost by the Indigo Girls, Placebo’s Special K, and Bob Dylan’s Temporary Like Achilles.

• A cruiser with the Royal New Zealand Navy in World War II was named the HMNZS Achilles.

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Theseus was a founder of many of the original Greek myths, as were Heracles and Perseus, and was the King of Athens. He was known as the unifying king, and is believed responsible for creating many of the traditions of Athens.

Mythology

Aethra is Perseus’mother, and his fathers were Aegeus and Poseidon. It is said that Aethra and Aegeus were married, and on her wedding night Aethra waded across the sea to Sphairia, to lay with Poseidon. This gave Theseus attributes of both mortal and god.

Upon learning of Aethra’s pregnancy, Aegeus buried his sandals and sword beneath a huge rock. He told Aethra, if she had a son who was brave enough, at the appropriate age the son should retrieve the items as evidence of his royal blood and set out for Athens.

When he came of age, Theseus was told of his lineage by his mother. He retrieved the sandals and sword and set out for Athens. Choosing the inland route, which was the more dangerous way to Athens, Theseus passed by six entrances to the underworld, each one guarded by chthonic monsters disguised as bandits and thieves. He defeated each of the monsters and made it safely to Athens.

Upon reaching Athens, Theseus chose anonymity. He was welcomed by his father, Aegeus, who was suspicious of him and did not recognize him. Aegeus’ wife Medea knew who Theseus was and worried that he would be chosen as king rather than her own son Medus. Medea asked Theseus to capture the Marathonian Bull, a symbol of power on Crete. Theseus was successful, and upon his return to Athens, Medea gave him a glass of poisonous wine. Aegeus recognized the sandals and sword just in time to knock the glass from Theseus’ hand. The two men became close, and Medea was sent into exile.

Following an unsuccessful battle with Crete, King Minos demanded that seven Athenian boys and seven girls would be sent to Crete every nine years, for the Minotaur to devour. Theseus volunteered to kill the Minotaur, and sailed for Crete disguised as one of the children. He left flying a black sail on his ship, and told his father he would return with a white sail if he was successful.

The daughter of King Minos, Ariadne, was in love at first sight with Theseus. Subsequently, she presented him with a ball of string to use, which would help him navigate out of the Labyrinth - where the Minotaur lived. The one condition was that Theseus take Ariadne with him when he returned to Athens. Theseus defeated the Minotaur and left Crete with Ariadne, but abandoned her on the island of Naxos. She cursed him and prayed to the gods that he would forget to change his sail. Theseus sailed into Athens flying the black sail on his ship. Upon seeing it, Aegeus leaped into the sea and killed himself.

Theseus became friends with Zeus’ son Pirithous, and they made an agreement with each other that they would marry daughters of Zeus. Theseus and Pirithous kidnapped Zeus’ daughter Helen, and left her with Theseus’ mother Aethra until Theseus could return to marry her. Pirithous chose Persephone to be his bride, and together they descended into the underworld to kidnap her. They were welcomed by Persephone’s husband, Hades, who was not fooled by them. As the two men sat down to a feast, snakes coiled around their wrists and ankles, binding them to a bench. Heracles managed to rescue Theseus, but Pirithous was doomed to remain in the underworld for eternity. By the time Theseus returned to his mother’s house, Helen and Aethra had been taken to Sparta.

Theseus fathered a son, Acamus, with his first wife, Phaedra. Acamus was inside the horse that was presented to the Trojans as a gift. Eventually, Theseus met his doom after losing popularity in Athens. He was thrown to his death off of a cliff by Lycomedes.

Theseus in Popular Culture

• Many books tell the various adventures of Theseus, including Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun, Mary Renault’s The King Must Die, and its sequel The Bull From the Sea.

• Theseus figures prominently in the William Shakespeare works A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Two Noble Kinsmen.

• Alternative views of Theseus are offered in The Cretan Chronicles and in the short story La Casa de Asterion.

• Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield is a fictional tale of Theseus’ marriage to Antiope.

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The victories of Perseus against mythic monsters provided the foundation for the stories of the Twelve Olympians. This founder of Mycenae and the Perseid dynasty was most famous for being the slayer of Medusa.

Mythology

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. Danae’s father, King Acrisius of Argos, had locked Danae in an underground bronze vault after learning from the Oracle at Delphi that Danae’s son would one day kill the King. Zeus came to Danae’s prison disguised as a shower of gold and impregnated her, which resulted in the birth of Perseus.

Unwilling to draw down the wrath of Zeus by killing his offspring, King Acrisius placed Perseus and Danae into a wooden box and set them out to sea. They landed on the shores of Seriphos, and a fisherman named Dictus raised Perseus there. The king of the island, Polydectes, was Dictus’ brother.

Polydectes fell in love with Danae, but was unable to pursue her due to Perseus’ protectiveness for her. In an attempt to send Perseus away in shame, Polydectes held a banquet requiring each guest to bring a horse as a gift. Perseus did not have a horse, and so promised an alternative gift. Polydectes sent Perseus to bring back the head of the Gorgon Medusa, whose gaze could turn people into stone.

Perseus knew he would need help to slay Medusa, and eventually received a bronze shield from Athena, winged sandals, a purse, and a sword from Hermes, and a cap from Hades that would make the wearer invisible. Perseus was able to persuade the Graeae, sisters to the Gorgons, to help him in his quest by stealing the one eye and one tooth they shared among themselves.

Wearing the invisibility cap, Perseus was able to sneak up on Medusa and behead her.

On his journey home, Perseus visited Ethiopia, which was ruled by King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia. The queen had earned the wrath of Poseidon, who unleashed a sea monster named Ceto upon their lands. The Oracle of Ammon predicted there would be no relief from the vicious monster until the King’s daughter Andromeda was exposed to it. Andromeda was bound to a rock on the shore and left to die.

Perseus, using the winged sandals, rescued Andromeda and married her. At the wedding, an argument ensued between Perseus and Phineus, to whom Andromeda had already been promised. Perseus used Medusa’s head to turn Phineus to stone. Andromeda traveled to Argos with her husband where they had a son, Perses.

Meanwhile, Perseus’ mother had been forced to hide from the onslaught of Polydectes. Perseus returned to Seriphos and used Medusa’s head to kill Polydectes. He then made Dictys King of Seriphos.
The gifts Perseus borrowed were returned to their owners, and Medusa’s head was given to Athena to adorn her shield. The prophecy of the Oracle was fulfilled when Perseus was demonstrating the discus and Acrisius walked into the path of one, and was accidentally killed.

Perseus in Popular Culture

• References were made to Perseus as the first whaleman in the novel Moby Dick.

• Perseus’ legend was the basis for Clash of the Titans, which premiered in 1981.

• In the video game The God of War II, actor Harry Hamlin gives Perseus his voice.

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Odysseus was a legendary Greek King of Ithaca, an island in the Ionian sea along Greece’s northwestern coast. He figured prominently in Homer’s epic poem Iliad, and was the hero of Homer’s The Odyssey. He was beloved by the Greeks for his cunning and resourcefulness, and became one of the most trusted advisors during the Trojan War. He is perhaps best know, though, for his ten-year journey home to Ithaca following the end of the Trojan War.

Mythology

Odysseus was the son of an Argonaut, Laertes, and his wife Anticleia.

Prior to the Trojan War, and Oracular prophecy told Odysseus that he would be delayed greatly in getting home if he chose to participate in the Trojan War. After the war’s inception, Odysseus tried to feign madness in order to escape going. In an attempt to convince others he was crazy, he harnessed an ox and an donkey to his plow and covered his fields in salt. Palamedes saw through Odysseus’ charade and placed Odysseus’ son in front of the plow. Odysseus veered the plow away from his son and was thus sent off to war. He never forgave Palamedes, and eventually had Palamedes framed as a traitor. As a result, the Greeks stoned Palamedes to death.

Odysseus was a tireless champion of the Greek cause throughout the Trojan War, and was instrumental in convincing Achilles to return to the battle. After Achilles was killed in battle, Odysseus and Telamonian Ajax recovered Achilles’ body and battle armor in the midst of heavy fighting. Achilles’ arms were offered to the bravest Greek, and only Odysseus and Telamonian Ajax dared lay claim to them. After much dispute, Odysseus was rewarded with Achilles’ arms. Humiliated, Ajax committed suicide.

Many other important advances in the war were the work of Odysseus, including persuading Achilles’ son Pyrrhus to fight, and retrieving the poisonous arrows of Heracles. He and Diomedes conspired to steal the Palladium from the city of Troy after learning from Helenus the prophet, who Odysseus had captured, that Troy could not be defeated unless the Palladium had been captured.

As a punishment for his crimes during the Trojan War, Odysseus was cursed to endure a belaboring ten years before he could return home to Ithaca. After departing Troy, Odysseus’ ships stopped in Ismara, where they raided and looted the city. Even though Odysseus urged his men to return to the ships quickly, they did not listen and fell asleep on the beach. They were attacked the next morning by kinsmen of the Ismara, the Ciconians. Odysseus’ men made a hasty retreat but left many men behind.

Odysseus and his men stopped in the land of the Lotus-Eaters, where some of his men went ashore to eat and drink with the inhabitants. The men ceased to care about even going home, and had to be dragged back to the ship against their will by Odysseus.

A scouting party in the territory of the Cyclops revealed a large cave filled with livestock. Odysseus and his men proceed to eat the sheep and cattle, unaware the Cyclops shared the cave. The Cyclops trapped Odysseus and his men inside the cave by blocking the door with a giant boulder. Odysseus gave the Cyclops a bowl of strong wine and introduced himself as “Nobody.” The Cyclops became very sleepy, allowing Odysseus and his men to fashion a spear out of a tree, which they used to blind the Cyclops. In the morning, the men escaped by tying themselves to the bottoms of sheep, which the Cyclops let out of the cave to graze. Only upon sailing away did Odysseus reveal his true identity to the Cyclops, which lay a curse that he should only return home alone and without his ship.

Among Odysseus’ many other adventures on his journey home was his stop in Circe. Her magical potion had put his crew members to sleep, allowing Circe to turn them into pigs. Odysseus had been warned by Hermes, though, about her potions, and had advised Odysseus to take the herb moly to counteract its effects. When Circe could not put Odysseus to sleep, she fell in love with him. Odysseus stayed with her for a year, and they had a son together, named Telegonus. Odysseus also managed to convince Circe to return his men.

After surviving the underworld, the Sirens, and having his ships and his men destroyed by Zeus after they ate Helios’ sacred cattle, Odysseus finally arrived back in Ithaca. He found that his wife Penelope had been faithful to him during his entire absence, and had managed to ward off the suitors who demanded she remarry. While dressed like a beggar, Penelope concocted a contest to win her hand in marriage that only Odysseus could win. After he had won, Athena lifted Odysseus’ disguise and he was reunited with his wife. Odysseus, his son Telemachus, and Eumaeus, together killed the would-be suitors and those who had supported them. Eventually the families of the slain suitors and Odysseus made peace with each other.

Odysseus in Popular Culture

• Odysseus is paralleled in novels bearing the name Ulysses, written by both Lord Tennyson and James Joyce.

• The song Tale of Brave Ulysses by Cream alludes to Odysseus’ experience with the Sirens.

• The hero in the book The Weird Wanderer travels back in time and discovers he is the reincarnation of Odysseus.

• A Japanese-French anime series, Ulysses 31, is a futuristic version of the adventures of Odysseus.

• The Odyssey was recreated by The Simpsons, with Homer Simpson playing the part of Odysseus.

• Many songs make reference to Odysseus, including The Police’s song King of Pain, Suzanne Vega’s song Calypso, Symphony X’s The Odyssey, and composer Cecil Armstrong Gibbs’ second symphony.

• Actors such as Armand Assante and Sean Bean have portrayed Odysseus in the movies The Odyssey and Troy, respectively.

• The video game Age of Mythology features Odysseus as a playable character.

• George Clooney plays Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother Where Art Thou?, which was based on the Odyssey.

• The character Odie on the cartoon Class of Titans is a descendant of Odysseus, and Desmond Hume’s character on Lost is believed to be partially based on Odysseus.

• A Reenactment of Odysseus’ journey across the Aegean Sea is documented in the German film Unterwegs met Odysseus.

• Lindsay Clarke tells of Odysseus and his journeys in The War at Troy and in The Return from Troy.

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Heracles is described as the greatest of Greek heroes, the embodiment of great strength and champion fighter against the chthonic monsters. He was the patron god and protector of palaestrae and gymnasia, a responsibility he shared with Hermes. His symbols were the club and the lion skin.

In addition to enormous strength, Heracles was known for his courage, sexual liaisons with both men and women, and creativity. As ferocious as Heracles was, he would still play with children and relax by engaging in games. He was deeply emotional and passionate, and could exact horrible vengeance just as easily as he could display friendship.

Heracles was known in Rome, and later in the western world, as Hercules. Many of the Roman emperors would identify themselves with Hercules.

Mythology

Heracles is more of a demi-god, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. He was originally names Alcides, but took the name Heracles, “glory of Hera,” to appease Zeus’ jealous and scorned wife.

On the night Heracles was born, Alcides also gave birth to the child of her husband Amphitryon. Knowing Alcedes had been pregnant with twins, Hera made Zeus promise that the child born to the House of Perseus would be named as High King. Zeus agreed.

Hera bade the goddess of childbirth, Ilithyia, to tie her clothing in knots and sit cross-legged, preventing Heracles from being born. Hera then caused the premature delivery of Eurystheus, Heracles’ brother, which allowed him to be named High King instead of Heracles.

Upon the delivery of Eurystheus, Alcedes’ servant lied to Ilithyia and told her the Heracles had already been born. Ilithyia untied the knots in her clothing and stood up, allowing Heracles to be born.

Not to be discouraged, Hera later sent two serpents to Heracles’ crib to kill him. Imagine the surprise of his nurse when she found him in the crib, playing with the two throttled snakes as if they were toys.

While Heracles was still young he killed his music teacher with a lyre. His foster father Amphitryon sent him to tend cattle, where the nymphs virtue and pleasure came to visit him. They offered him a choice between an easy life or a difficult one that would earn him much glory. Heracles chose the difficult path and was challenged by King Thespius to kill the Lion of Cithaeron. The reward for Heracles’ success would be the opportunity to impregnate all 50 of the King’s daughters. Heracles accomplished the task in one night.
Heracles met and married Megara in Thebes, and produced children with her. Hera, still offended by Heracles’ existence, drove him into a frenzy where he killed his entire family. When he regained his senses he fled, consulting the Oracle of Delphi. Unfortunately the Oracle, which was controlled by Hera, sentenced him to serve King Eurystheus and perform any task he requested for a period of 12 years. These tasks became known as the Labors of Heracles.

Heracles was originally given ten tasks, but King Eurystheus did not believe he had performed two of the tasks entirely on his own, so he added two more tasks to the list. Those tasks were:

1. To kill the Nemean Lion, which he strangled.
2. To destroy the Lernaean Hydra, which had nine heads, one of which was immortal. Heracles burned eight of the heads and buried the immortal head under a rock.
3. To capture the Ceryneian Hind, which he trapped after chasing it for months.
4. To capture the Erymanthian Boar, which Heracles killed.
5. To clean the Augean Stables, which Heracles accomplished by diverting a nearby river through the stables.
6. To kill the carnivorous Stymphalian Birds.
7. To capture the wild Cretan Bull.
8. To collect the Mares of Diomedes, which were man-eaters.
9. To steal the girdle of the Amazon Queen, Hippolyte.
10. To round up the Cattle of Geryon.
11. To collect the Apples of Hesperides. He tricked Atlas into helping him.
12. To capture the three-headed dog of Hades, Cerebus, and bring him out of the underworld.

After his servitude to King Eurystheus had ended, Heracles joined the Argonauts, with whom he fought the Gigantes and defeated Troy.Heracles fell in love with Iole, daughter of King Eurytus of Oechalia, who had promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who could beat his sons in archery. When Heracles won, King Eurytus revoked his promise. Heracles was shunned by everyone in the King’s family except the King’s son Iphitus. Heracles kidnapped Iole after killing the King and his family, save for Iphitus. Iphitus was Heracles’ best friend until Hera interfered and caused him to leap to his death over the city walls.

As atonement for Iphitus’ death, Heracles began three years of service to Queen Omphale of Lydia. After forcing Heracles to degrade himself by dressing and working as a woman, she freed him and married him.

Heracles was involved in many more daring adventures that demonstrated his great courage, including the rescue of Prometheus, before being killed by Deianeira. Following his death he was resurrected to Mount Olympus by Zeus and given immortality.

Heracles in Popular Culture

• Kevin Sorbo became famous playing Hercules in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Young Hercules, and in guest appearances on Xena: Warrior Princess. A video game, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, was based upon the television series.

• A 1963 animated series produced by Adventure Cartoon Productions in cooperation with Trans-Lux Television was called The Mighty Hercules.

• Hallmark Entertainment aired the mini-series Hercules.

• Hercules: The Animated Series was a spin-off of the 1997 Disney movie. Disney entertainment produced several games featuring Hercules including Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.

• The Playstation 2 games Heracles: Battle with the Gods and God of War II feature Heracles.

• Several computer games feature Heracles including The Return of Hercules and the video novel game Fate/Stay Night.

• Steve Reeves and Reg Park starred in a series of Hercules movies in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

• In 1961, the Three Stooges spoofed Hercules in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules.

• Future Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger played Hercules in a 1970 movie, Hercules in New York.

• Walt Disney produced an animated Hercules movie in 1997.

Marvel, DC, and Dell comics have all featured Hercules in their comic books.

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