The Fifth Labour: Clean The Augean Stables
Heracles fifth labour was to clean the Augean stable in a single day which was home to over a thousand cattle. What made this task even harder is that the stables had not been cleaned out in thirty years.Heracles had to reroute two rivers Alpheus and Peneus to wash away the filth
Sources: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882073.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augeas
The Sixth Labour: Kill the Stymphalian Birds
Heracles sixth labour was to kill the Stymphalian birds, These monsterous creatures had claws and beaks as strong and sharp as metal and feathers like darts which they could launch at their victims. They dwelt around Lake Stymphalos, When Heracles arrived there he had to use a rattle to scare the birds into flight because he could not go too far into the swamp where the birds lived otherwise he would sink. Once in the air Heracles used arrows dipped in the poisonous Hydra blood to shoot down the birds after many had been killed what was left flew away never to be seen near that area again
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stymphalian_birds and http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882073.html
The Seventh Labour: Capturing The Cretan Bull
Heracles seventh labour was to capture the Cretan bull. He sailed to Crete, once there King Minos of Crete gave him permission to take the bull away and offered him assistance. Heracles turned down the king's offer due to Pride. To capture the bull Heracles had to sneak up behind it and use his hands to strangle it. Once captured the bull was shipped off to Athens.
Sources: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882073.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretan_Bull
The Eighth Labour: To Steal The Mares of Diomedes
Heracles eighth labour was to steal the Mares of Diomedes aka the Mares of Thrace. These four horses were infamously mad, this was caused by their diet of human flesh. some versions say Heracles took a group of youths with him to ride the horses and they were chased by Diomedes and his men. Heracles was not aware upon arriving at the stable that the four horses were kept tied to a bronze manger, In some versions he left his favoured companion Abderus to watch the horses while he fought Diomedes. When Heracles returned he found his companion had been eaten, so as punishment he fed Diomedes to his own horses. The Horses were called Podagros (The Fast), Lampon (The Shining), Xanthos (The Blonde or Golden Haired) and Deinos (The Terrible)
Sources: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882073.html
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mares_of_Diomedes and
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Xanthos
The Ninth Labour: Obtaining Girdle of Hippolyta
Heracles Ninth labour was to Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Upon landing Hippolyta recieved Heracles warmly, she went to his ship to greet him and upon hearing his request she agreed to help Heracles by giving him her girdle. Hera did not like this so she changed herself into an amazon and ran through the land crying out that Heracles planned to kidnap Hippolyta. When the amazons heard this they ran out to the beach. When Heracles saw the amazon warriors approaching he believed Hippolyta had betrayed him so he gave her a kiss before killing her and ripping the girdle from her dead body, once the girdle was obtained Heracles sailed off again.
Sources: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882073.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolyta
The Tenth Labour: Capturing The Cattle of Geryon
Heracles Tenth labour was to travel to Erytheia and capture the cattle of Geryon. Geryon was a winged monster with three human bodies. Upon reaching Erytheia Heracles was confronted by the two headed dog Orthrus, with one blow from Heracles club the dog was defeated, Geryon heard the commotion and sprang into action equipting it self with three spears, three shields and three helmets. The monster then proceeded to chase Heracles, but feel victim to arrows dipped in the Hydra's poisonous blood, One of the arrows pierced one of the creature's Helmets, causing its neck to bend over to one side, once the creature was defeated Heracles herded the cattle back. Hera tryed to stop Heracles by sending a gadfly to bite the cattle which caused them to scatter, but Heracles chased them for a year and finally rounded them all up. Hera also sent a flood which caused the river levels to raise so Heracles couldn't cross with the cattle, but Heracles piled stones into the river to make it shallow and then crossed with the cattle.
Sources: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882073.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geryon
The Eleventh Labour: Stealing The Apples of The Hesperides
Heracles eleventh labour was to steal the apples of the Hesperides. To begin with Heracles captured the Old Man of the Sea, the shape-shifting sea god to find out the location of the garden of the Hesperides. Upon arriving at the garden Heracles tricked the Titan Atlas into picking the apples for him ( Because Atlas was related to the Hesperides in some way). Heracles offered to hold up the heavens for a little bit if Atlas retrieved the apples for him. But upon returning Atlas did not want to take the heaven back, instead he offered to deliver the apples himself. Heracles had to trick Atlas again by agreeing to hold the heavens up for Atlas if he could take the heavens for a moment so Heracles could make his cloak more comfortable. Atlas happily accepted, but instead of adjusting his cloak Heracles just walked away with the apples.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperides
The Twelfth Labour: Capturing Cerberus
Heracles twelfth labour was to capture the multi-headed hound Cerberus who guarded the gates of the underworld, stopping anyone who had passed over from escaping. To make his task even harder Heracles couldn't use any weapons when capturing the hound. Heracles visited Eleusis to be initiated into cult of Demeter and Persephone, so that he could learn how to enter and exit the underworld alive. Upon arriving at the entrance to the underworld (which was located in Tanaerum) Athena and Hermes helped Heracles enter the underworld. Once he was in the underworld he spoke to Hades telling him of his situtation and Hades agreed to help him by letting him take Cerberus to the service for a while, on one condition, that Heracles overpowered Cerberus. Heracles overpowered the hound and flung it over his shoulder, Taking the beast to the service so that he could complete his final labour.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleusinian_Mysteries
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