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Students to the Greek myth of Hercules and his twelve labors. Through reading and activities, students will learn new vocabulary, explore language effects, and write their own mythical descriptions. the story of Hercules, tasks for students, and discussion questions.
Typology: Schemes and Mind Maps
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Hercules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIIjhAuC76g Hercules, son of Zeus and champion of humankind, gazed in horror as he realized he had just committed the most unspeakable crime imaginable. The goddess Hera, who hated Hercules for being born of her husband’s adultery, had stricken him with a temporary curse of madness. And his own family were the casualties when he murdered them all while he was mad. Consumed by grief, Hercules sought out the Oracle of Delphi, who told him the path to atonement lay with his cousin, King Eurystheus of Tiryns, a favourite of Hera’s. Eurystheus hoped to humiliate Hercules with ten impossible tasks that pitted him against invincible monsters and unfathomable forces. Instead, the king set the stage for an epic series of adventures that would come to be known as the Labours of Hercules. The first labour was to slay the Nemean Lion, who kidnapped women and devoured warriors. Its golden fur was impervious to arrows, but Hercules cornered the lion in its dark cave, stunned it with a club, and strangled it with his bare hands. He found no tool sharp enough to skin the beast, until the goddess Athena suggested using one of its own claws. Hercules returned to Tiryns wearing the lion’s hide, frightening King Eurystheus so much that he hid in a wine jar. From then on, Hercules was ordered to present his trophies at a safe distance. The second target was the Lernaean Hydra, a giant serpent with many heads. Hercules fought fiercely, but every time he cut one head off, two more grew in its place. The battle was hopeless until his nephew Lolaus thought to cauterize the necks with fire, keeping the heads from regrowing. The dead serpent’s remains became the Hydra constellation. Instead of slaying a beast, Hercules next had to catch one, alive. The Ceryneian Hind was a female deer so fast it could outrun an arrow. Hercules tracked it for a year, finally trapping it in the northern land of Hyperborea. The animal turned out to be sacred to Artemis, goddess of the hunt, and Hercules swore to return it. When Eurystheus saw the hind, he demanded to keep it instead, but as soon as Hercules let go, the animal ran to its mistress. Thus, Hercules completed his task without breaking his promise. The fourth mission was to capture the Erymanthian boar, which had ravaged many fields. Advised by the wise centaur Chiron, Hercules trapped it by chasing it into thick snow. For the fifth task, there were no animals, just their leftovers. The stables where King Augeas kept his hundreds of divine cattle had not been maintained in ages. Hercules promised to clean them in one day if he could keep one-tenth of the livestock. Augeas expected the hero to fail. Instead, Hercules dug massive trenches , rerouting two nearby rivers to flow through the stables until they were spotless. Next came three more beastly foes , each requiring a clever strategy to defeat. The carnivorous Stymphalian birds nested in an impenetrable swamp, but Hercules used Athena’s special rattle to frighten them into the air, at which point he shot them down. No mortal could stand before the Cretan bull’s mad rampage , but a chokehold from behind did the trick. And the mad King Diomedes, who had trained his horses to devour his guests, got a taste of his own medicine when Hercules wrestled him into his own stables. The ensuing feast calmed the beasts enough for Hercules to bind their mouths.
In order to gain forgiveness for his sins, Hercules had to complete 12 labours. Re-read the story to complete this grid showing WHO Hercules defeated and HOW he did it. LABOUR WHO WAS DEFEATED? HOW DID HERCULES DO IT? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Effects of language:
Eurystheus hoped to humiliate Hercules A herd of magical red cattle With teeth as sharp as blades
Eurystheus hoped to humiliate Hercules The writer uses alliteration to emphasise how much Eurystheus wants to embarrass Hercules. The fact that he “hoped” to “humiliate” him shows that Eurystheus was not a good friend or cousin and wanted the worst outcome for Hercules. This might make readers even more determined to support Hercules’ battles and feel happy when he finally overcomes all the labours. Eurystheus’ plan to humiliate Hercules backfires because Hercules ends as a hero. A herd of magical red cattle With teeth as sharp as blades
Optional Extra tasks:
Cupid and Psyche: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjj_-CPxjCM&t=2s Orpheus and Eurydice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhaepLsP5eg&t=7s Icarus and Daedalus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s2QPQnuaGk Arachne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvUHcsZOhJ8&t=37s You may also feel inspired to do some creative writing: Based on Hercules: