heracles

What is the definition of a hero?

A person who has noble qualities, brave, also the one who lives and dies in the pursuit of honor. The hero is also considered a protector, Lightbringer, and did many good deeds, not because of greed or fame. How many great heroes do you know in your life? Spiderman? Ironman? Wonder Woman? And who doesn’t know a hero from Greek called Heracles or Hercules? A demigod hero, the offspring of a mortal woman, and Zeus, the king of the Gods. 

All of his duties in the twelve labor were extremely dangerous. But, he managed to get through it all. Well…maybe some of you still think he is also a fictional character from Greek mythology stories, but the truth is, he existed.

The hero who was born half immortal, protected humans from the Greek Gods’ mischievous acts during that time. He was originally given ten labors under the king’s order, who was also his own cousin. Zeus once said his son, Heracles will be the next king. But thanks to Hera, the real wife of Zeus, she did some tricks. She made his sickly cousin to be born first and became the next king instead of Heracles. 

Heracles was obliged to do ten duties given by his cousin after he killed his family under Hera’s spell. Ten duties then became twelve after two of them were disqualified. The king considered Heracles cheated when he was doing two of the tasks. 

This hero’s story is closely related to Hydra, and we have talked with Hydra in the previous series. If you still haven’t read the series, please read them in part 1, part 2, and part 3 so you will get more ideas on this series. And now, is the time to meet with Heracles, real Heracles. But in his astral form.

This article is the opening of the Heracles and Aquila Series in 3rdParellel.com where we will meet the representative of the Hercules constellation and Aquila constellation. Heracles communicated with us in a  very friendly manner. He often laughed and joked, in contrast with serious Aquila. But both of them were really fun to talk with. We will call them Heracles and Aquila for now, and they will tell us their real name in the last session of this series. So stay tuned and follow this series until the end.

Now, let’s begin…

Heracles   : What do you know about Heracles in mythology? Actually, Heracles and Hydra are closely related. Mainly, Quaydra told you almost half of it. And only left my own story about my life as Heracles during that time and how did I finish all twelve tasks. Originally, ten tasks until my cousin gave me the extra two tasks. Or you want to know how my life as a demigod and Hera’s hostility towards me. Later on, we will talk more about that. Then I will tell you how humans adored and worshipped me as a strong superhero, a great hero in the past. 

3rdP           : Where did Heracles come from? 

Heracles   :Yes, I was going to tell you before you ask me this question. So, better I tell you the story about my birth when I was still Heracles. My mother was a woman with extraordinary beauty named Alcmene. Besides being beautiful, she was also a really wise woman, and it made Olympus shaken, including Zeus, my father. My father disguised himself as my mother’s husband. My mother was a married woman, and she respected her marriage and never accepted any man besides her husband. 

That made my father, the king of Greek Gods curious. As a god, he should get everything and whatever he wished for. Everything. Including his wish to be with my mother. Zeus transformed himself as my mother’s husband and was accepted by her. Then I was born. When my mother was still pregnant, Hera, the wife of Zeus became so jealous and angry. Not only to my mother but also to everyone. She swore to make any woman who slept with Zeus will suffer forever. My mother and I were also cursed by her. And amongst mortal women, my mother was the most loved by Zeus. It made Hera even more furious. When I wasn’t even one year old, she sent two snakes to kill me. 

But I easily handled it because I have power from my father. Hera couldn’t do anything. She found out about my power and it made her do a really evil trick. She chased me even after I grew up as an adult and still wanted to make me suffer the whole of my life. Until one day, she put me under a spell and made me insane. I killed my wife, Megara, and my two sons. I wasn’t conscious on that day.

To make up for my sins, I went to an oracle. Apollo helped me to meet that oracle, and I was told to go to see my cousin, the king, to give me ten tasks. Originally, it was ten tasks. But because I made my nephew, Iolaus help me while killing Hydra, my cousin considered it as cheating. He added more tasks because of it. Any questions?

3rdP           : What was your first duty?

Heracles   : I needed to kill Nemean Lion in my first task, and I wore the lion skin as my armor. So, there were two tasks being disqualified. Yeah, that was actually part of Hera’s trick to make it difficult for me. Because, if I managed to do all ten tasks given to me, all the curses from Hera attached to me will vanish. She cursed me so that I will never be happy with anyone. She disturbed, killed, and made anyone around me suffer. I got married three times, first with Megara, my second wife was a queen of Lydia named Omphale, and the last one named Deianira. Killing Hydra was my second task. 

3rdP           : We are wondering, why didn’t Zeus break all the curses on you from Hera?

Heracles   : He can. But He didn’t want to do it. Zeus is also scared of Hera because she is his most loved wife. You can say, it’s just a game. My game with Zeus and Hera. Like how Quaydra acted as Hydra.

3rdP           : All of you played roles like in a movie.

Heracles   : That’s right. And after the game ends, I will play another game with a different role. 

3rdP           : So, after the story ends, did you laugh with the others just like the actors do?

Heracles   : Yes, you can say that. Because in real life, we are actually friends.

3rdP           : Why did you make stories for humans on Earth?

Heracles   : We made stories and roles for you humans. It was actually a lesson. Whatever happened in the story left lessons, knowledge, and experience for humans. A beautiful lesson in the form of story for humanity.

3rdP           : Are you currently playing any ‘role’ again?

Heracles   : I still can’t tell you. Currently, we are playing some roles. But, this era is so different from the past. Now, the winner is not the strongest, now is the time for technologies, mind, brain, and intelligence. Currently, we are playing with human’s minds. 

3rdP           : Does it mean your role as a demigod and their role as gods already done?

Heracles   : Yes.

3rdP           : That’s the difference between the Greek Gods and Hindu Gods. Because you no longer have worshipers.

Heracles   : Hindu gods still enjoying their roles until now. They never think that their time is over and let humans choose or learn from whatever they left behind. They really like their roles. It makes their ‘story’ still not end until now. Back to Heracles story, actually Heracles’ name meaning is ‘the Glory of Hera’. Not because she glorifies her name for me or I become part of her, not at all. But as if she let me live. Hera had a daughter who was a Goddess of Birth called Eileithyia. Hera sent her daughter to disturb my mother and delay my birth. But still failed. I was born healthily. Then Hera was thinking I was born because of her glory and her mightiness. Isn’t it too funny?

3rdP           : Very funny.

Heracles   : Oracle of Delphi, the one who told me to go to my cousin’s palace and get ten tasks also conspired with my cousin. My cousin called Eurystheus, and he really hated me. He had always wanted me to fail and he had personal grudges against me, then his grudges to me were used by Hera. I made him fail when he was about to disturb a girl.

3rdP           : You guys were really involved in real emotion.

Heracles   : That’s him, I only played my role and duties as Heracles or Hercules. Roman people call me Hercules. My first task was to kill Nemean Lion. That lion was weapon-proof, poison resistant, and couldn’t be killed. But I was able to kill him. The second was to face Quaydra, who played the role of Hydra. And my life as Heracles was so tragic as I have died because of Hydra’s poison while I have defeated him long ago before that.

Deianira, my third wife thought that I was cheating on her. I killed my enemy, a centaur named Nessus using my arrow, and the arrow was stained with the blood of Hydra. Before he died, he took the arrow and told Deianira to give the blood on that arrow to me if she ever feels me cheating on her. He said, his blood will be a love potion. In fact, his blood was mixed with Hydra’s poison from that arrow. Hydra’s poison, Lyurax is a potent poison. It has no antidote nor remedy for it. And it’s a fact.

You should know, my role as Heracles had flaws. You think Heracles is a great hero. Super kind, and extraordinary. But it’s not true. I played the role of a violent tempered figure. Heracles had a dual personality. I could be gentle and also violent at the same time, I could kill and embrace people at the same moment. Do you have any questions?

3rdP           : About worshiping. Is it true that the more people who worship a god, the god will get stronger?

Heracles   : That’s right. Because you humans sent energies and it strengthens whatever deities you worship. Especially if you offer any sacrifices. The energy sent will be super strong.

3rdP           : For the Greeks, what kind of sacrificial dominated during that time?

Heracles   : I played the role of a demigod, so there was no sacrifice intended for me, I don’t have any worshippers, but admirers. The worshippers only to Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, and the others. And worship in ancient Greek not that much. As far as I know, they also involved blood sacrifice or victims but not as much as Aztec, Maya, Inca, Lemuria. Anything else?

3rdP           : Did you all come here (to Earth) with a physical body?

Heracles   : Yes.

3rdP           : Your role was the son of Zeus on Earth. But, are you not the real son of Zeus?

Heracles   : Of course not. We have no family relations. We both came from different places. I have my own race, Aquila also from a different race, Quaydra and Zeus too. We only happened to be in the same story. Ah, there was a festival for me. They held a ceremony but not for my glory and braveness, but to commemorate my death. So pathetic, right? 

Ancient Greek people had the habit of reminiscing about a great figure. I was also the one. So they held a ceremony, a festival called Heracleia to remember my death, how tragic!

3rdP           : Were they seeing you as a bad hero, so they only remember your death?

Heracles   : They didn’t have any bad thoughts or bad ideas about me. Because they thought I was their hero and it’s true. I did a lot of things to defend them. For humans. I protected them from the gods who tried to disturb and harm them. You should know, during that time, the gods really love to disturb humans. Including Hindu gods. They really like to give humans many trials, obstacles, hindrances, and many things even though those gods could actually make it easier for humans. The gods often disturb wives, husbands, children, take them away, and kidnap them. It became normal during that time. And the exact thing happened in Athena’s temple. She didn’t protect that girl (Medusa) and let her be raped by Poseidon. 

I was a demigod, I stood to protect humans. But my temper was really my biggest flaw because I easily angered, especially when I saw something was not right. And Heracles was also a lover of men, including being interested in Iolaus. A long time ago, people in Greek who happened to be homosexual people would come to the tomb of Iolaus to ask for a blessing so that they will be blessed and long-lasting with their partners.

3rdP           : Even in ancient times, there were homosexuals too?

Heracles   : Yes, and Iolaus also had a man as his lover, it happened a long time ago. Including the goddesses and women during that time, they did that too. They were curious and were being playful, but it didn’t affect their role in the story. Do you want to know about my death? I meant how my life ended as Heracles? 

3rdP           : We have read your death story but not in detail.

Heracles   : I will tell you. At that time, I played the role of a romantic but also a bad-tempered figure. I like poems too. It started when I was about to marry a woman named Deianira. Do you know what the meaning of her name is? Deianira means ‘a man destroyer’. And all the men who had been with her died.

She was called the destroyer of her husband or husband’s killer. She was the daughter of a king from Calydon. Her father gave me a condition if I want to marry his daughter. I had to run with her, escaping from a giant, a river god called Achelous. Her father asked me to fight and kill Achelous. Because if he is able to take Deianira, he will surely kill the king and become the ruler of Calydon. On the journey, we had to cross the Eunos river. And a Centaurus happened to be there as the guardian of that river. That Centaurus called Nessus. He should carry us on his back to cross the river as I needed to take Deianira safely but Nessus took her and tried to rape her, I was so angry.

So I shot an arrow at Nessus. That arrow was stained with the blood of Hydra. And there is no antidote for it. I think if Hydra comes to this Earth again, I still not sure if you humans would be able to cure and save someone from his poison. In the critical moment, Nessus told Deianira to keep the arrow stained with his blood. He said, his blood can be used as a love potion for me. You can say, it’s backfired at me.

3rdP           : But we saw In some stories, it was said that your death was because of the blood of a Centaurus.

Heracles   : His blood mixed with Hydra’s poison.

3rdP           : So, the truth is your death was caused by Hydra’s poison contained in the blood of that Centaurus?

Heracles   : My life ended because of Hydra’s poison. Deianira was a woman full of jealousy. She sensed that I became closer to a girl named Iole. The cloak smeared with the blood of Nessus was given to me and she asked me to wear it. I didn’t know the cloak was smeared with blood. Also, his blood was contaminated with Hydra’s poison. I had a physical body when I played my roles as  Heracles, it made my whole body feel burned and it was so painful. I thought, I better die and leave that body rather than feel the pain for the rest of my life. 

I asked my friends to kill me, but none of them came forward to kill me. Maybe they didn’t have the heart to kill me. In the end, they built a fireplace on top of Mount Oeta. They still didn’t light any fire to burn me with the pile of woods. Then, I asked the gods to end my life. 

3rdP           : Why couldn’t you kill yourself?

Heracles   : I forgot to tell you. When I was still a baby, I don’t know how Zeus arranged it. He made me drink Hera’s breastmilk and it made me immortal. Originally as Heracles, I was not born as an immortal, but after I drank milk from Hera, magically, I became immortal. Maybe that was his trick. After my role as Heracles finished, we then made another story with the others. I met Hydra/ Quaydra again with a different story and became good friends there. 

3rdP           : What story is it? Tell us.

Heracles   : I will tell you later, by the way, do you know Lancelot?

3rdP           : Yes.

Heracles   : I will tell you about Lancelot later on.

3rdP           : Wow, so interesting.

Heracles   : of course.

3rdP           : Have you also had a relation with Excalibur?

Heracles   : Yes, and oh the one who helped me to die and brought me to Olympus was Jupiter.

3rdP           : Oh, Jupiter!

Heracles   : Yes, when my mortal body burned, it didn’t leave any ashes and made my followers and admirers realize and think that I’ve ascended to be a god. And you know what, this is the most exciting part. Hera had been always hating me and made me suffer the whole of my life as Heracles. But as soon as I left my mortal body, she said I am her son because I drank her breast milk. So she claimed me as her son. I was her second favorite son after Ares, son of Zeus and her. She even gave her daughter Hebe to be my wife. In other words, after I died as Heracles, I went to a place you call heaven. There, I met other Greek Gods and married Hebe, Hera’s daughter. Because I’ve ascended and became god, all the curses from Hera vanished completely. The game was over. And the story says I became a constellation. But actually, I went back to my origin. Just like Quaydra, they went back to their home after their role was done. 

For humans, it still became a story. Until after several periods, the story of Heracles no longer is heard. No more story. Actually, I went back to my place. The story after Heracles died and became a real god is the story about how I became a gatekeeper between the human world and the gods. So, I was like protecting humans from the gods who were always playing around to harm humans.

3rdP           : Is it no longer included in the story?

Heracles   : The real physical body of Heracles already died. But it doesn’t mean that the story was not continued. The story was still continued when Heracles became a god.

3rdP           : Is there a story when Hera accepted you? She hated you so much.

Heracles   : She said because I drank her breast milk, she called me her most loved son after Ares. 

3rdP           : So, she acknowledged you after you were no longer human?

Heracles   : Yes, and actually my place and her place are friends. Our constellations are close friends. So funny, right?

3rdP           : This is too funny, you guys played games here.  We meant We didn’t know that before Heracles exist, there is a constellation where you came from too. 

Heracles   : Correct.

3rdP           : Are you a figure or a consciousness of your constellation?

Heracles   : Both. We are figures and also a consciousness of our constellations. We will explain to you in the session of civilization.

3rdP           : Does it mean you are different from creatures of this Earth?

Heracles   : Quaydra, when he played the role of water serpent, but his real self is Quaydra.

3rdP           : Right

Heracles   : My true nature is similar to Centaurus. I like to joke around and have fun. While Aquila is similar to Libra. Very serious race.

3rdP           : What about your temperament while you are still being Heracles, is it your true temperament, or just your role as Heracles?

Heracles   : No. It was just my role as Heracles on Earth. For example, my constellation and Centaurus are good friends but while I was still Heracles, I killed two Centaurus. Those two were Nessus and Chiron. Chiron was my teacher, my archery teacher. I respected him so much, but I killed him by accident with my own arrow. Maybe my arrow also contained Hydra’s blood. I think I should blame Quaydra after this. Ah, that’s alright. It was just a game and I’m happy the game was over and leave no grudge. Quaydra and I are also good friends, we are actually good friends in real life. 

Heracles   : And now, I will give Aquila the opportunity to speak. Aquila’s representative also has his own name and if you want to know, I will say, we will tell you later in the civilization session.

3rdP           : Alright, now is the time for Aquila.

To be continued to Heracles & Aquila Series: The Real Story of Aetos Dios, Eagle of Zeus

Channelled by Aveline 

Written and translated by Alona