The Life of Herakles Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

Eurystheus was king of Tiryns and a Herakles' relative. Some variants of the myth allege that he was Herakles' uncle, while others say that he was his cousin. He was born before time, with Hera's help, in order to be elder than Herakles and win the throne of Tiryns. He was the king that set the twelve labours to Herakles.

Answer: Iolaus

Iolaus was Herakles' nephew. He helped his uncle kill the Lernaean Hydra. With a torch he cauterized all its necks when Herakles cut them. If he hadn't done this, it would be impossible for Herakles to kill the beast, because from every cut neck two new heads sprang up.

Answer: Iphicles

Iphicles was Herakles' half-brother. He was the son of Alcmene, who was Herakles' mother, and Amphitryon, the king of Tiryns. Of course, Herakles' father was not Amphitryon but Zeus. Iphicles' son was Iolaus.

Answer: To capture Cerberus

The final, and maybe the most difficult, labour of Herakles was to capture Cerberus. This was the hound of Hades, which guarded the gate to Underworld. Herakles asked Plouto for permission to capture the hound and he agreed, with the term that the hero would capture it with his bare hands. Herakles fought and managed to subdue it. He showed it to Eurystheus and then, he left it free.

Answer: True

Indeed, Herakles had some divine help in order to perform his labours. Of course, Hera was his fatal enemy, but Athena assisted him when it was necessary. For example, when he had to kill the Stymphalian Birds, she gave him bronze clappers (crotala), which scared the birds into flight.

Answer: Three

Cerberus, the hound of Hades, which Herakles captured, had three heads. It also had a snake for a tail. Generally, it was monstrous and very powerful. Herakles captured it with his bare hands.

Answer: False

Herakles, as a great hero, had many other adventures besides his labours. He joined the Argonauts in the search of the Golden Fleece, laid siege to Troy and captured it. Also, he saved Prometheus who suffered Zeus' punishment for stealing fire and giving it to men, and fought with the Olympians against the giants.

Answer: No

Herakles didn't die normally. According to the myth, when he was travelling to Tiryns with his wife Deianeira, a centaur, Nessus, tried to kidnap her and Herakles killed him. Nessus, in order to get revenge upon the hero, just before his death, poured some of his blood into a shell and told Deianeira that if Herakles ever wanted to abandon her, she had to stain one of his shirts with it and he would love her again.

A few years later, when Herakles took a beautiful woman, Iole, as his slave, Deianeira tried to apply Nessus' advice.

But the blood burnt Herakles' flesh and he decided to commit suicide. He ask his friends to build a fire and, when they refused, he ordered Poeas to do so. Poeas built the fire and Herakles gave him his bow and arrows. Just before his death, Athena and Hermes took Herakles to Olympus.

Answer: Nine

Lernaean Hydra, this dangerous beast, had nine heads. The eight were mortal, but when someone cut one, two others sprang up from the neck. The ninth head was immortal. Herakles faced the beast and defeated it, with Iolaus' help. Together, they cut and cauterized all the mortal heads and buried the immortal under a great rock.

Answer: Linus

Linus was Herakles' teacher and, according to the myth, son of Apollo and Terpsichore. He tried to teach music to the hero, but he was making too many errors. Linus reprimanded him and the hero, angry, killed him by hitting him with his own lyre.