Hercules’s Lesson to the Ancient Greeks free essay sample

Additionally, in labors 4, 5, and 6, mental strength is valuable when Hercules kills his enemies from a distance, using his brain as a weapon. These actions Hercules completed taught the ancient Greeks what traits were necessary to succeed in their world. Physical strength is exploited in labor 1 when Hercules must kill the Nemean Lion. This beast cannot be defeated by stone, bronze, or even iron. Therefore Hercules is entailed to use his hard-hitting hands to conquer this battle. First, as the frightful lion charges Hercules, he lifts his olive wood club and slams the lion’s head into pain and shock. Next, he â€Å"grabbed the lion from behind, encircled his neck with his arms, and squeezed the life out of it. † Hercules’s well-built muscles and his courageous attitude enable him to complete this daunting task. He then skins the lion and wears his hide, showing the ancient Greeks what physical strength can achieve. We will write a custom essay sample on Hercules’s Lesson to the Ancient Greeks or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Physical strength also comes into play in labor 7, when Hercules must capture the Cretan Bull. Hercules caught the bull, tied it up, and returned to Tiryns with it upon his shoulders. † Carrying the massive bull, especially upon one’s shoulders, showcases the idea of possessing physical strength as being glorious and bold. Lastly, Hercules employs physical strength when he is ordered to capture Cerberus, the three headed guard dog of the Underworld. Hades had informed him that he could not use weapons to obtain Cerberus; therefore, he â€Å"grabbed the monster with his powerful arms (and) †¦maintained his deathly grip. Hercules corporeal potency was essential to complete this labor. This labor taught the ancient Greeks that physical strength was essential in their world, as well. Mental strength is another necessity and lesson that is placed upon the ancient Greeks. To complete labor 4, Hercules must capture the Erymanthian Boar. Hercules realizes â€Å"that he c ould never catch the amazingly fleet animal upon its native terrain. † Therefore, Heracles chases the boar into the snowy, upper regions where it eventually collapses in exhaustion. Without clever thinking, Hercules most likely would have chosen a less successful strategy, like chasing the swift boar around the boar’s native terrain. While choosing that plan, Hercules would collapse in exhaustion, instead of the boar, resulting in failure. This labor shows that the key to success is a high mental capability. Additionally, Hercules uses mental strength while completing labor 5, where he must clean the Augean stables. Instead of using physical strength to clear out the years of animal droppings, he makes two rivers bend so that they flow into the stables, sweeping out the filth. By the end of the day, the stables were fresh and clean. † If Hercules used his brawn instead of his brains, cleaning the mess most likely would have taken much longer. Though when Hercules uses his wits and common-sense for this task, it shows the ancient Greeks that mental strength is sometimes more effective than physical strength. Lastly, for labor 6, Hercules must kill th e Stymphalian birds. These birds â€Å"shot their feathers as if they were arrows, killing humans and then eating their flesh. † They were so numerous and hidden that Heracles could not have defended himself. Using physical strength was not an option, so Hercules scared them out of their nests with a rattle and then killed them with arrows. Using his intellect, Hercules was able to complete his labor in an efficient way. This made Hercules’s labor look almost easy, showing the ancient Greeks that achieving a goal can be simple, trouble-free, and painless, if common sense is utilized. The hero, Hercules, taught the ancient Greeks to make use of physical and mental strength when completing the â€Å"labors† of everyday life. When Hercules defeated his enemies with brute force, like the Nemean lion or the Cerebus, ancient Greeks came to the realization that physical force is required to accomplish responsibilities. Inversely, mental strength is also taught to be a necessity for ancient Greeks when Hercules uses his brain to capture the Erymanthian Boar, clean the Augeian stables, or kill the Stymphalian birds. Overall, achieving different responsibilities required different traits that the ancient Greeks were supposed to acquire. These traits were strongly apparent in the hero, Hercules.