Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra
Ryan Madison
language
(, Feb. 11, 2013)
Hercules sets out to complete his second task, to slay the 9 headed Lernaean Hydra, but becomes involved with Antigone, a beautiful woman who he thinks has deceived him.The Hydra was a special project developed by Hera. It had a huge dragon-like body with nine heads, eight mortal, and one immortal.Hercules discovered the hydra on a hill beside the springs of the Amymone, where was its den. By pelting it with fiery shafts he forced it to come out, and in the act of doing so he seized and held it fast, but the Hydra wound itself about him. Even smashing its heads with his club achieved nothing except that in the place of one head, two more grew. * The Hydra was bred in the Lernaean Swamp, and would ravage people and livestock in the surrounding plain. * Hercules' cousin Iolaus helped him find the secret to prevent the heads from sprouting. * After killing the Hydra, Hercules dipped his arrows in its blood, as it was a deadly poison.The task would only be considered complete after Hercules returned the Hydra's Immortal Head to Hera, from which she would grow another Hydra.However, the head had been buried in a secret spot so that Hercules would have some leverage against Eurystheus and Hera.