Labours of Hercules

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The Labours of Hercules or Labours of Heracles (Ancient Greek: ἆθλοι, âthloi, Latin: Labores) are a series of tasks carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, whose name was later romanised as Hercules. They were accomplished in the service of King Eurystheus. The episodes were later connected by a continuous narrative. The establishment of a fixed cycle of twelve labours (known as the Dodekathlos) was attributed by the Greeks to an epic poem, now lost, written by Peisander (7th to 6th centuries BC). Having tried to kill Heracles ever since he was born, Hera induced a madness in him that made him kill his wife and children. Afterwards, Heracles went to the Oracle of Delphi to atone, where he prayed to the god Apollo for guidance. Heracles was told to serve Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, who sent him to perform a series of difficult feats, called labours.

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