Hercules, or known in Latin as Heracles, was the greatest of the Greek heroes, a paragon of masculinity. In art Hercules was depicted as a powerful, muscular man, dressed in a lion's skin and armed with a huge club. He has also been described as a macho buffoon, very impulsive. Hercules' home and birthplace are located in Thebes, Greece. Thebes is a city in central Greece. It plays as an important setting in many Greek myths, such as the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus, and many other important roles in Greek mythology. The demigod Hercules has an interesting origin, he is most famous for his 12 labors and leaves a legacy in words and expressions. Hercules has an interesting origin. Hercules was conceived by the divine Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene. One night Zeus appeared to her disguised as her husband Amphitryon. Amphitryon then appeared to her "again" making her have two sons, one of divinity and the other of morality, their names were Hercules and Iphicles. Hera, not too happy with her husband's deceitful ways, made Zeus swear that the next descendant of Perseus to be born would be the high king. Zeus agrees with this thinking that the next born will be Hercules, but Hera has many tricks up her sleeve. The goddess determined to deprive Hercules of his birthright asks for the help of Lithia, goddess of childbirth. Lythia accelerates the birth of Eurystheus and slows the birth of Hercules and Iphicles. Hercules and Iphicles would probably never have been born if it were not for Galanthis, a close friend and servant of Alcmene, who deceived Lithia by telling the goddess that Hercules had already been born. This conundrum confused Lithia long enough for baby Hercules to be born. Unfortunately, Eurystheus already had... middle of paper... against him with armor and weapons. He quickly drew his sword and killed Hippolyta and removed the belt from her cold, dying body. This led to the great battle between Hercules the Greek and the Amazonians. Once the enemy had been driven away, Hercules brought the belt to King Eurystheus thus completing his mission. Works Cited Bulfinch, Thomas. The Mythology of Bulfinch. 1855. Evinity Publishing 2011. 17 February 2014. www.sacred-texts.com Ellingson, Leiff. "Hercules." Encyclopedia Mythica.16 May 1999. 17 February 2014. www.pantheon.orgHarding, Caroline Hirst, and Samuel Bannister Harding. Stories of Greek Gods, Heroes, and Men.Chicago: Scott Foresman and Company, 1897.Sabin, Frances. Classic myths that live today. Morristown, New Jersey; Silver Burdett Company,1958.Tatlock M Jessie. Greek and Roman mythology. New York: The Century Company, 1917.