All 12 labours of Heracles, Mosaic of Llíria (Valencia, Spain)

Performed over twelve years under the command of Eurystheus, King of Mycenae — each task designed to be impossible, each conquered through strength, cunning, and will.

I. Slay the Nemean Lion — strangled it bare-handed; wore its indestructible hide as armor View full imageHercules' fight with the Nemean lion, Pieter Paul Rubens. Currently held in National Museum of Art of Romania, Collection roi Carol Ier.

II. Slay the Lernean Hydra — each head cut grew two more; cauterized the stumps with fire

View full imagePollaiuolo's Hercules and the Hydra (c. 1475). Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

III. Capture the Ceryneian Hind — sacred golden-horned deer of Artemis; hunted it for a full year

View full imageHeracles breaking off the golden antler of the Ceryneian Hind, while Athena (left) and Artemis look on (black-figure amphora, ca. 540–30 BC)

IV. Capture the Erymanthian Boar — alive; trapped it in deep snow on the mountain

View full imageImage

V. Clean the Augean Stables — 3,000 cattle, 30 years of filth; diverted two rivers through them in one day VI. Drive away the Stymphalian Birds — man-eating bronze-feathered birds; frightened off with a divine rattle VII. Capture the Cretan Bull — the bull that fathered the Minotaur; brought back alive to Mycenae VIII. Steal the Mares of Diomedes — man-eating horses; fed Diomedes to his own mares to subdue them IX. Obtain the Belt of Hippolyta — Amazon queen's golden belt; Hera stirred the Amazons to war X. Steal the Cattle of Geryon — three-bodied giant at the edge of the western world; slew Geryon at Gibraltar XI. Steal the Apples of the Hesperides — held up the sky for Atlas while Atlas fetched the apples XII. Capture Cerberus — the three-headed hound of Hades; descended alive into the underworld and wrestled the beast into submission