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עמוד:8
The story of Hercules is a typical Greek myth . Hercules ' s problems and difficulties symbolize the struggle of ordinary people 85 they go through life . In this way , Hercules was both a hero and an ordinary man . Read the myth and find out more about Hercules and how he became a hero . The Adventures of Hercules 1 Zeus was the ruler of the Olympian gods and the most powerful of all the gods . One day , a prophet * told Zeus that he would have a human son who would have extraordinary strengths . Zeus chose Alcmene to be the mother of this special human son . When Hercules was born , Hera , who was a goddess and Zeus ' s wife , was jealous of Alcmene and her son . She wanted Hercules to die , so she put two dangerous snakes into his bed . When Alcmene found Hercules laughing and holding two dead snakes in his bed , Alcmene understood that her son was an extraordinary child . She knew his destiny * was to do great things and to perform many heroic deeds . l One story tells of a great lion in Cithaeron { sith -a-ron ) , which was attacking people all over the countryside . One day it approached * Hercules ' s flock of sheep . Hercules easily killed the lion that had frightened so many people . Another story tells how Hercules helped to save the city of Thebes from a horrible monster . In return , the Theban king allowed Hercules to marry his daughter Megara . Although Hercules was a hero , Hera was still angry . She wanted to make trouble for Hercules so she struck him with a fit of madness . During this fit of madness , he killed his wife and three children . As punishment , he was ordered to live as the slave of King Eurystheus ( u-riss ' -ihee-us ) and perform twelve Labors . 4 The first nine Labors took place on earth . For example , Hercules had to kill the terrible Nemean lion . The lion ' s skin was so strong that it was impossible to kill it from a safe distance . However , Hercules managed to catch the lion and kill it . Hercules is often shown wearing the lion ' s skin . In another Labor , Hercules had to clean the great stables * of King Augeus ' s cows . He did this by moving two rivers to flow through the stables . Other Labors included killing two-headed monsters and fighting horrible demons * . The last three Labors took Hercules on journeys beyond the human world to the world of the gods . 5 By using both muscle and brain , Hercules completed the Labors . He was given his freedom for successfully accomplishing these tasks and he started a new life . However , tragedy followed when his second wife accidentally poisoned him . After his death , he joined the gods in the Afterworld * , where Hera finally asked his forgiveness . * prophet —a person , usually religious , who explains how people should behave ; someone who presents visions about the future . * destiny — fate , future . * approached — came close to . * stables — buildings where horses or cows live . * demons — evil spirits , monsters , devils . * Afterworld — the Greek name for heaven .
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