A three-and-a-half-hour explainer covering the entire arc of Greek mythology in chronological order — from primordial Chaos through the Olympian gods, the age of heroes, the Trojan War and the Odyssey. Sourced from Edith Hamilton, Stephen Fry, Robert Graves and Apollodorus.
Transcript
Over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece, a blind poet known as Homer, along with the most famous authors, playwrights and historians of their day would record the tales known to us as “Greek Mythology”. They would speak of the great heroes of the land, the mighty gods of Olympus and the mortal men and women who were unfortunate enough to get in their way. But who was Zeus and why did he wage a war against his own father, and send a great flood to wipe out humanity? How was mankind created by Prometheus and why were the horrors of the world unleashed from Pandora’s box? What awaited the souls of the dead in the realm of Hades and how were monsters such as the Hydra, the Cyclops and Medusa slain by famous heroes? From the 12 labours of Hercules to the Trojan War, this is the Entire Story of Greek Mythology. In the beginning, there was only chaos, a great void of emptiness. But from the chaos sprung Gaia, Earth, as well as Eros, Love. They were then joined by Night and Day, who would put an end to the reign of Erebus, Darkness, with the eternal cycle of dusk and dawn emerging. Lastly would come Tartarus, the deepest depths of the world, where condemned souls would be sent for punishment. But these would not be the only primordial beings to emerge, for Gaia would birth one more. Uranus, the Sky. The two would then unite and produce 12 children; 6 sons and 6 daughters. These children would be known as the Titans. Among them was Oceanus, a great river that encircled the world. He would be joined by his brother Hyperion, the Sun, who would ride his great chariot across the sky, shining light down upon the Earth. But when day became night, his daughter Selene, the Moon, would emerge, shining her light into the darkness. But Uranus was a cruel father to the Titans, locking his children deep within the Earth. To escape, they would look to their mother Gaia, who fashioned an indestructible sickle that she gifted to her youngest and strongest son Cronus. Cronus would patiently wait, and when Uranus next came to lie with his mother, he would jump out and slice off his father’s genitals which fell into the sea. From them would spawn Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty and the first of a new generation. Having defeated his father Uranus with the sickle, Cronus would take his place as ruler of the world, but his reign was not to last as Cronus would have 3 sons and 3 daughters with his sister Rhea, with these children becoming known as the Gods. Cronus, however, was just as cruel as his own father and having recently been informed that one of his children was prophesied to overthrow him, would swallow each of them whole as they were born. Only one would escape this horrible fate, with Zeus, the youngest of his children, being saved by his mother Rhea. Not wanting to lose her last child, Rhea would hide Zeus on Mount Ida in Crete and instead feed her husband a rock dressed in infant’s clothing, with the Titan consuming it none the wiser. Zeus would be raised by his Grandmother Gaia on the island, being hidden away until he reached manhood and was strong enough to challenge his father. When the time came Zeus would return, striking down Cronus and releasing his siblings from his father’s stomach. With his brothers and sisters now at his side, Zeus would wage war for 10 long years against the Titans, releasing from the depths of the earth the hundred-handed giants, as well as the Cyclops, legendary craftsmen who would forge Zeus a mighty thunderbolt, Poseidon a trident and Hades a hat of Invisibility, turning the tide of the war. With the Titans defeated, Zeus would imprison them in Tartarus, deep within the earth, where they would remain in torment for eternity. Having led the Titans in battle, a special punishment was reserved for Atlas, who was cursed to hold the sky on his shoulders forever. Only a few Titans would escape punishment, with Themis, the Titan of law and order, and her son Prometheus, who had allied with Zeus at the start of the conflict, being pardoned and allowed to live their lives amongst the Gods. With the world now free of the Titan’s rule, the three brothers Zeus, Poseidon and Hades would decide what realm each would claim, with Zeus receiving the sky, Poseidon the sea and Hades the Underworld where the spirits of the dead would reside. Taking up home on Mount Olympus, Zeus and his fellow gods would become known as the 12 Olympians, ruling over mortals and monsters alike. While the Gods now ruled Earth, Prometheus, one of the only titans spared, was not satisfied with its inhabitants, he saw only beasts, mindless creatures that were barely worthy of attention. And so Prometheus would fashion man from clay, sculpting his new creation in the image of the Gods. But Prometheus was not content with his new creation as man dwelled in the caves just like other beasts. And so he gave them fire, a great primordial flame, that would allow them to emerge from the cave, to fashion tools and rise from the darkness. Man would soon come to rule over all other creatures, but Zeus was not happy. He wanted them to show gratitude to the gods and so demanded that an animal sacrifice be made at each meal, but left it to Prometheus to decide what part of the animal would be offered. But Prometheus’ loyalty lay with man rather than the Gods. Wanting to give them an advantage, he would kill a bull and divide it into two parts, presenting both to Zeus. On one side lay the tender and juicy meat, hidden under the unappealing stomach of the beast. On the other side, lay the bare bones of the animal, concealed by a thick layer of delicious fat. Zeus would choose the parcel covered in fat to be offered to the gods, but when he stripped away the top layer to discover that only the bones remained, he would become enraged and so decided to punish man by taking away the fire Prometheus had gifted them. But without fire, man went back to darkness, retreating into the caves. Wanting to save his creation, Prometheus would scale Mount Olympus to steal the fire of the gods. With his great torch in hand, he would return to earth, gifting his creation fire and allowing civilisation to start once again. When Zeus looked down to see fire on earth yet again, he was furious, taking Prometheus and chaining him to the side of a mountain. Each day Prometheus would lay in torment, as Zeus sent an eagle to feast on his liver. But as Prometheus was immortal, each night, the liver would grow back, only to be consumed once again the following day. On and on the punishment would go with his suffering continuing for millennia. But Zeus was not done and wished to punish humanity further, asking Hephaestus to craft a being capable of inflicting great suffering upon man. And so taking up clay from the earth, Hephaestus would shape the first woman. From Aphrodite she gained her emotions and beauty and from Zeus an insatiable curiosity. Hermes would give her the gift of speech but also grant her her name, Pandora, meaning ‘all gifts’, as she had received an offering from each of the gods. Pandora was then given a final gift by the gods, a sealed box that she was told contained special gifts, but was forbidden from ever opening. Zeus would then instruct Hermes to deliver Pandora to Earth, where she would soon marry the Titan Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus. Prometheus had advised his brother not to take anything from the gods, but he was so struck by Pandora's beauty that he accepted her without thought. For a time the two would live happily together, exploring nature and having a daughter named Pyrrha who brought them great joy, but in all her curiosity, Pandora’s mind would always wander back to the box. As days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, her curiosity turned into a burning desire. Finally, she could resist no more, peeking into the box to see what was inside. But the moment she did, a great cloud filled the air. Out sprung all the evils Prometheus had kept away from man, with greed and envy, as well as old age and disease, all escaping into the world. By the time Pandora managed to close the lid, there was only one thing remaining inside, hope. It was to be Zeus’ greatest punishment, for with hope, men would cling on to their lives through all adversity, ensuring they endured the hardships that now burdened them for the rest of time. And so ended the Golden Age of Man, a perfect time, where humanity lived without care or worry. Never growing old, they would live off the wild fruits of the land, enjoying all that nature had to offer. But with old age escaping from Pandora's box, their time on earth had come to an end. Next would come the Age of Silver and then the Age of Bronze, where man would become arrogant, failing to worship the gods and forging weapons to wage war on each other. Vicious and cruel, man would draw the anger of Zeus, who was so appalled by man’s lust for war, would decide that humanity deserved nothing more than to be completely wiped from the earth. The only feasible option he saw to do this was to unleash a great flood upon the world. And so he asked his brother Poseidon to gather all his strength and strike his trident upon the deepest depths of the ocean. The wave created was so powerful that it would eclipse the tallest mountains, crashing down upon the cities of man below. Rains would pour from the heavens and winds would strike the water until it consumed all the eye could see. Those who survived would soon succumb to starvation, until finally, all dry land had disappeared. There would be only two survivors, Pyrrha, the daughter of Pandora, and Deucalion, the son of Prometheus. They had been forewarned by Prometheus that a great flood was coming and so had built a ship to survive the coming destruction. Their little boat would survive the ravages of Poseidon’s great storm, drifting alone in the vast oceans, while they mourned for their fallen kin. They would soon drift towards Mount Parnassus, the peak of which remained the only place the oceans had not consumed. Believing his job was done Zeus would command the rains to cease, and for the waters to recede, with the Earth becoming calm once again. But although the earth was now still, it was devoid of human life. Deucalion and Pyrrha would ask the gods how they could rebuild humanity, with the Titan Themis being sent to answer their prayers. To bring back their fellow man, Themis instructed that they each travel along the mountain, throwing stones behind their backs as they went. Day after day and night after night they would each throw stones behind them, with those thrown by Deucalion growing into men and those by Pyrrha into women. And so it was that humanity was born once again. With the crimes of their ancestors washed away, they were granted a second chance, able to choose a path of their own making. Only time would tell if they would be as brutal and destructive as those that had preceded them. But this time humanity would be protected, for on Mount Parnassus, Deucalion had found a gift, a tool so secure that not even the Gods of Olympus could breach it, something that would keep humanity safe for the rest of time: Nord’s Ultimate Security Package. 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It helps support the channel and is completely risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee! Zeus, the king of the Gods ruled from his throne on Mount Olympus, with his symbols of the thunderbolt and eagle becoming omens to humanity. Zeus was responsible f --- gold and before long all that remained was a statue of a little girl, reaching out to comfort her father. Mourning for his lost child, Midas would return to Dionysus, begging him to revoke his gift. Pitying the man, Dionysus instructed him to bathe in the river Pactolus, with his golden touch being washed away in the water. Becoming a normal man once again, the story of King Midas would serve as a warning for those who would prioritise wealth above all else. One of the 12 Olympians and the sister of Zeus, Demeter was the goddess of farming, ensuring that the harvest was rich and the land remained fertile. Under her watch, the fields knew no decay, with the earth consumed in an endless spring. But there was one thing she prized above all else, her daughter, Persephone. However, Persephone had another admirer, with Hades taking a keen interest in her. One day while she was strolling through a meadow, a beautiful flower would bloom before her, a Narcissus, something she had never seen before. But when Persephone reached down to pluck it, the earth would break open and swallow her, with Hades dragging Persephone down to the Underworld, where she would be forced to marry him. Distraught at her daughter’s disappearance, Demeter would search for nine days and nights until the sun god Helios revealed her captor's identity. Demeter would lock herself away for an entire year, refusing to return until Persephone was released. But without the goddess of farming, the world entered into a great famine, with the fields turning barren. It was only now, with humanity on the brink of starvation, that Zeus was forced to intervene, ordering Hades to return Persephone to her mother. Although Hades would agree, before she left he fed Persephone the food of the dead, a single pomegranate seed, binding her to the Underworld for eternity. In order to save humanity, Zeus was forced to make a compromise. For nine months of each year, Persephone would return to live with her mother on Olympus, with Demeter’s joy causing nature to bloom across the earth. However, for the final three months, Persephone would return to Hades in the Underworld, a period we now call winter, with Demeter’s grief at the absence of her daughter causing the plants to die and the world to freeze over. And so it was that the seasons began. Of all the Gods of Ancient Greece, there were few feared more than Hades. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades was lord of the Underworld, an isolated place where the souls of the dead would reside. But although he ruled the kingdom of the dead along with his wife Persephone, Hades would not command death itself, instead, that power lay with Thanatos, who would claim the souls of mortals when they died, with Hermes the messenger god, then guiding the souls to the shores of the Underworld. Waiting at the shore would be the eternal ferryman, Charon, who was the only one able to guide the deceased across the deadly River Styx, a giant waterway that separated the Earth from the Underworld. Only those who had coins placed under their tongue when buried were able to pay Charon's fee, with those who could not afford the journey, destined to wander the shores of the River Styx for 100 years before they were allowed to cross. Having travelled along the River Styx, the souls would pass the white rock, before arriving at the giant adamantine gates of the Underworld, where Cerberus, the three-headed dog, stood guard, ready to devour intruders or those trying to escape. Resuming their journey and coming ashore, the souls would be directed towards the court of the Underworld, where three judges would decide their fate. The judges would examine each soul, looking through every action they had made while alive. For those who had not angered the gods, a tranquil place lay before them, but for those who had, an eternity of misery and suffering awaited. After a judgement was reached, the souls would be directed along one of three paths, either to the Fields of Asphodel, the eternal paradise of Elysium or to the deepest depths of Hades’ realm: Tartarus, a place of scalding fire. The Fields of Asphodel were a peaceful place for those who did not achieve anything notable in life, good or evil. It would be here that most souls were sent and after 1,000 years had passed and their time had finally come to an end, each person would drink from the River Lethe, whose waters would wipe away their memory. Born anew, each soul having forgotten their previous life would be reincarnated and returned to the earth, starting the eternal cycle once more. The second path however would lead to Elysium, a paradise of eternal bliss where the souls of heroes, demi-gods and especially good mortals would reside. Those sent here were loved by the gods and could experience all of life’s pleasures, with parties, feasts and hunting consuming much of their time. Each soul was given the option to return to earth, but most would choose to stay and not have to endure once again the hardships of life. Within Elysium but across the shore lay the Isle of the Blessed, reserved only for the greatest of heroes, with Helen of Troy, Achilles and Odysseus all residing there for eternity. The third and last path would lead to Tartarus, the deepest depths of the Underworld, reserved only for the worst of criminals and those who had offended the gods. It would be here that Cronus and the other Titans would reside, looking on for eternity as new souls entered the realm of the damned. This would be the only place Hades would become involved, with the God himself designing and overseeing each soul’s punishment based on their previous crimes. For the Danaides, 49 sisters who had each killed their husbands, Hades forced them to fill a tub with water to cleanse them of their crimes. But as the tub would always leak, they would spend an eternity trying to fill it. Ixion, the first man to murder a family member and who had grown lustful for Zeus's wife, would be bound to a wheel of fire that would spin for the rest of time. Whereas, Tantalus, a man who had killed his son and stolen from Zeus, was cursed to eternal hunger and thirst. He would stand in a pool of water, with the branches of a fruit tree hanging above him. However, as he went to quench his thirst the water would recede and as he went to eat, the branches would rise out of reach, forever leaving him in a state of agony. But of all the punishments, the most famous would be given to Sisyphus. Having cheated death multiple times Sisyphus would pay the ultimate price for tricking the gods. Every day he was to roll a boulder up a steep hill, only to have it slip from his grasp as he neared the peak. Having to start over again and again, Sisyphus would suffer his punishment for the rest of time. Although Hades would have complete control over the underworld, his realm was so vast that he had to enlist the help of the Furies to carry out his punishments. But they would not only be confined to the realm of the dead. The murder of a family member was considered so terrible in Greek society that even those still alive could not escape Hades’ wrath. They would be hunted down and tormented by the Furies, three sisters from the Underworld, who would not stop until they had avenged the dead and driven their target insane. It would be the Underworld they called home, resting here before their everlasting torment of the human soul began once again. Travelling across the underworld would also lay the Fields of Mourning, a resting place for those who had spent their life pursuing love only to be rejected. The anguish they felt would condemn them to this dark and haunting forest, where they would forever mourn the love they never had. In the far corner of the underworld lay the land of dreams, an island accessible only to the gods of Olympus. Ruling over the island would be Morpheus, the god of dreams, who each night when all were asleep, would alongside his two brothers, control the dreams of not only mortals, but the gods too, either granting them pleasant visions of the future or haunting them with the worst of nightmares. So powerful was Morpheus over the unconscious mind, that he would be used to name the drug Morphine, a pain medication renowned for sending its users to sleep. The true seat of power however did not rest in the land of dreams, for the underworld had only one ruler, the mighty Hades who lived in a grand palace deep within the earth. Hidden away on an island engulfed by fire, those who searched for his home without an invitation would become lost in the dark and winding halls of the dead. But while the Underworld was filled with punishments, Hades and Persephone were not cruel rulers and would take pity on mortals who found their way to their kingdom. Orpheus, a famed musician and poet, had fallen in love with the beautiful Eurydice. But on their wedding day, Eurydice would be killed by a snake bite, with Orpheus left alone in despair. Grieving and desperate to see his wife once again, he would decide to travel to the underworld to retrieve her. Arriving at the river Styx, he would take out his lyre and play a beautiful song for Charon, who was so moved that he ferried Orpheus across the water for free. Upon reaching the other side, he would be confronted by Cerberus, with the tune he played so sweet, that the three-headed dog would be lulled into a deep sleep. Finally, he would reach the palace of Hades and Persephone, playing for them a song about his lost love Eurydice. With tears welling in his eyes, Hades would take pity on Orpheus, and agreed to release her soul, but only on the condition that Orpheus refrain from laying his eyes upon her until they were both out of the Underworld. Overjoyed, Orpheus would agree and began to lead his bride through the dark and winding halls of the dead, but as he neared the surface and the daylight shone upon his face, he would be overcome by excitement, turning around to look at his wife. But Orpheus had not yet completed the journey, and so, as his eyes fell upon her, Eurydice would be dragged back down into the realm of death, never to return. It was a lesson to all Greeks in the virtues of patience and restraint, for if Orpheus had resisted temptation when his goal was so close, Eurydice, the love of his life, would have been with him once again. With the gods having established control over the world and the realm of the dead, The Heroic Age would soon begin, with warriors from across the land embarking on great adventures that would become legend. The first in this generation of Heroes would be Cadmus. The brother of Europa, Cadmus would spend many months searching the land for his sister, but as she had been abducted by Zeus, her location would be impossible to find. Desperate for information, Cadmus would make his way to the Oracle of Delphi, but she would inform him that his sister was lost forever, and not to dwell on her absence. Instead, she would tell Cadmus the gods had special plans for him, and that he was to follow a sacred cow and found a city upon the place where it came to rest. Following the Oracle’s instructions, Cadmus would find the cow nearby, following it for days into the region of Boeotia, where it would finally lay down to rest. Upon that very spot he would found the city of Thebes, which would become one of the greatest cities of Ancient Greece, rivalling the likes of Athens and Sparta for power and influence. To sanctify the city and receive blessings from the gods, Cadmus intended to sacrifice the sacred cow to Athena, a ceremony that required water from a nearby spring. But when Cadmus sent his companions to collect the water, they would find the spring guarded by a ferocious dragon, who slew them as they tried desperately to escape. Hearing screams, Cadmus would run to the spring, only to find the dragon devouring his friends. Taking a spear, he would lunge forward and impale the beast, with the dragon unleashing a terrible scream as it took its last and final breath. Little did Cadmus know that the dragon was sacred to Ares, and that by killing it, he had committed a crime against the God of War. Ares would spare his life, but would force Cadmus to serve him as a slave for eight years before his actions could be forgiven. But for Ares, his troubles would not only be confined to earth, for on Mount Olympus, Hephaestus, the god of smithing, had discovered one of Ares's deepest secrets. Hephaestus was married to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, but Aphrodite had not been faithful, having an affair with Ares. The romance had lasted many years, with Aphrodite secretly bearing Ares a child called Harmonia. When she came of age and Cadmus had finished his many years of service, Ares was so impressed by his devotion that he would offer his daughter Harmonia to Cadmus as a bride. Hosting a great wedding celebration in Thebes, the two would wed, with all the Gods of Olympus happy for their marriage bar one. For Hephaestus, having just found out his wife had had an illegitimate child, would present Harmonia with a cursed wedding gift, a beautiful necklace that would bring misfortune to any family who possesse --- he bull for himself, thinking it too beautiful to kill. In revenge, Poseidon made the King’s wife fall in love with the bull, with this union eventually leading to the birth of the half-man, half-bull creature known as the Minotaur, a creature that King Minos kept in a Labyrinth beneath his palace. After the bull impregnated the King’s wife, Poseidon turned it mad, with the bull running around Crete, destroying everything in its path. While Heracles was not destined to kill the minotaur beneath the palace, that was a task destined for the hero Theseus, King Minos did want Heracles to capture the mad bull that was causing havoc in his kingdom. Accepting the challenge, Heracles went to confront the bull, and when the beast charged at him, Heracles would grab it by the horns and wrestle its head into the ground. After many hours had passed, the exhausted bull would finally submit, with Heracles then jumping upon its back. As the bull was a child of Poseidon, it could walk on water, and so Heracles would ride it across the seas to Mycenae, to show Eurystheus proof of his achievement. With his task complete and not wanting to kill an animal sacred to Poseidon, Heracles released the bull outside of the palace, where it went on to rampage the Greek mainland until it was finally, many years later, caught and killed by the hero Theseus. For his eighth labour, Heracles was tasked with bringing Eurystheus the Mares of the Thracian King Diomedes. These horses were fearsome creatures, known to breathe fire, with their aggression made worse by Diomedes feeding them the flesh of unsuspecting guests and strangers to his kingdom. As Heracles made his way to Thrace, he would be accompanied by his friend and lover Abderus, the son of Hermes. As they arrived, the pair made their way to the palace of Diomedes, where they witnessed the fire-breathing horses Heracles was tasked with collecting. The Mares were bound to the palace wall with cast iron chains, put on display for all to see, thrashing around and foaming at the mouth. But as he entered the palace to meet with king Diomedes, a foul-looking man with a nauseous stench, Heracles would hear a terrible scream behind him. Rushing out to see what had happened, Heracles would watch in horror, as the horses ripped into the corpse of his young lover Abderus, who had gotten too close to them in his curiosity. Filled with rage, Heracles charged back into the palace, killing the guards and grabbing Diomedes by the hair, dragging him outside. Giving the king a taste of his own medicine, Heracles threw Diomedes to the monsters, who began to devour their master. The flesh of Diomedes was so foul however, that the horses stopped eating him halfway through, forever put off the taste of human flesh. With the horses now docile, Heracles grabbed their chains and brought them back to Eurystheus, his task now complete. For his 9th labour, Heracles was tasked to retrieve the Girdle of Hippolyta, a gold and leather belt that ensured victory in battle. It belonged to Hippolyta, daughter of the War God Ares and Queen of the Amazons, a race of warrior women, who could fight better than almost any man, with them routinely raiding local tribes to assert their dominance. So Heracles set off east, bringing with him a small band of warriors in case he had to fight the Amazons. However, on arrival, Heracles was surprised by the Amazons’ hospitality, with Hippolyta herself taking a keen interest in him. Having heard of his famous labours and overcome by lust, Hippolyta would give him her girdle as a sign of her interest. But Hera, watching from Mount Olympus, could not believe her eyes. The task was going too well, and so to make this labour more difficult, she decided to intervene. Disguising herself as an Amazon, she made her way into the camp, walking amongst the women and sowing the seeds of distrust. Slowly convincing the entire tribe that Heracles had come to enslave them, the Amazons became outraged, mounting their horses and charging towards the men they had let into their camp. Heracles heard the commotion and rushed outside, where he saw the Amazons slaughtering his friends. He turned around in rage, thinking that Hippolyta had tricked him, keeping him away from his men so they could be slaughtered. Before the Queen could explain, Heracles lifted his club and struck her dead, her girdle not protecting her, as she had already gifted it to him. Heracles then ran outside, striking down any Amazon who challenged him. He managed to save a small handful of his companions and the group hastily left the camp heading home to Mycenae. Eurystheus had grown tired of Heracles beating any task laid before him, and so decided to send him to the farthest place he could think of, the island of Erytheia. For his 10th labour, Heracles was sent to Erytheia, to steal the cattle of a three headed giant known as Geryon. Heading south west, he travelled along the African coastline, but It did not take long for Heracles, unused to the intense and scorching heat of the continent, to become annoyed with the Sun itself. Halfway across the Libyan desert he took out his bow and threatened to shoot the Sun with one of his poisoned arrows if it continued to torment him. Quite distressed at this, the Sun came down in its human form, as the god Helios, begging Heracles not to shoot him. He promised to shine less intensely while Heracles was on his journey, also offering to give the hero his great golden ‘Cup’, a vessel shaped like a water lily, that Helios used to sail around the ocean at night. Finally reaching the island of Erytheia, Heracles was quick to see the herd of cattle he had to steal, along with Geryon, their giant three-headed owner. But wanting to be done with his task quickly, Heracles didn’t even bother to fight the giant, instead shooting Geryon with a poisoned arrow, killing him within seconds. Heracles then herded the cattle into Helios’ Cup and sailed home to Mycenae, where he delivered them to Eurystheus. For his eleventh labour, Heracles was tasked with travelling to the garden of the Hesperides, the daughters of the night, and collecting the golden apples that grew on a tree there, which granted immortality to anyone who ate them. Not only was the location of the garden unknown, but Hera had sent a hundred-headed dragon called Ladon, to guard the tree from which the apples grew. As Heracles set off to find the mythical garden, he first visited the titan Prometheus, who he thought would know of its location. Prometheus, the creator of mankind, had been chained to the side of a mountain after stealing the fire of the gods to give to humanity, and by the time Heracles found him, this cycle of punishment had been going on for centuries. Taking pity on Prometheus, Heracles broke his chains and set the titan free, finally bringing an end to the torment, with Prometheus then happily sharing the Garden’s location. However, he also warned Heracles that no mortal could pick the golden apples from the tree. Instead, he suggested that Heracles seek help from the titan Atlas, as he lived near the garden. Following Prometheus’ advice, Heracles would seek out Atlas, who was not difficult to find due to the Titan’s immense size. Atlas had fought against the Olympians in the war between the gods and the titans, but as he was defeated, Zeus forced him to hold up the sky for eternity as punishment. Approaching the titan, Heracles explained his situation and offered to make a trade: he would temporarily hold up the sky and give Atlas a much-needed break, and in exchange, Atlas would collect the golden apples. Thankful to be free of his burden, even for a short time, Atlas accepted the deal and went to collect the apples, transferring the weight of the heavens onto the shoulders of Heracles. Though he had achieved the impossible before, even Heracles struggled to bear the immense weight he now had to hold. As time went on, his muscles began to cramp, his body began to shake and he contemplated whether this would be the task that would finally break him. As the sun began to set, Atlas finally returned with a basket full of golden apples. With a grunt of relief, Heracles thanked the titan, moving to give him back the sky. Not wanting to take it back, Atlas offered to take the apples to Eurystheus himself, promising he would return and bear the weight of the sky once more. But Heracles would not be fooled. He thanked the Titan for his generous offer to deliver the apples, and offered to hold the sky for a little longer, but asked if Atlas would take the sky back, just for a moment, so he could put on his pelt to cushion his shoulders and head. Knowing the pelt would make a great difference and none the wiser, Atlas placed the apples on the ground and took back the sky from Heracles. As soon as he was free, Heracles picked up the apples and bid Atlas farewell, quickly returning them to Eurystheus to complete his labour. Atlas was enraged, cursing at the hero as he left, with his roars shaking the ground for miles around. As decades passed and then centuries, Atlas would become a part of the world itself, being transformed into stone, with his giant remains becoming known as the Atlas mountain range of North Africa. For his twelfth and final labour, Heracles was tasked with capturing Cerberus, the three headed dog that guarded the gates of the underworld. Descending to the Underworld and approaching Hades and Persephone, Heracles would explain that he had been tasked with collecting Cerberus as his final labour. Knowing that helping Heracles would infuriate Hera, who had always looked down on him, Hades allowed Cerberus to be taken, but two conditions had to be met. First, Heracles must use no weapons to capture Cerberus, and second, once his task was complete, Cerberus must be returned. Agreeing to the terms, Heracles set out to face the beast. Just as he had done with the Nemean Lion and the Cretan Bull before, Heracles grappled with the dog, wrestling it for hours until the beast was utterly exhausted. With his club in one hand and Cerberus in the other, he dragged the dog by its chains and made his way back to the realm of the living. Heracles then delivered Cerberus to King Eurystheus, who once again chose to cower in his jar, a now permanent installation next to his throne. The king poked his head out of the top of the jar, and while shaking in fear, agreed to release Heracles from his servitude, granting him pardon for his past crimes. Heracles was filled with joy, he had finally atoned for his crimes and was to be a free man. But before embarking on his next journey, he fulfilled his promise and returned Cerberus to the land of the dead. Heracles took some time to celebrate when he returned, enjoying all the pleasures of a free life. He was now a well-renowned hero and had admirers wherever he went. He would go on several more adventures, even joining the hero Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the golden fleece. Heracles soon found another lover, taking the beautiful Deianira as his wife. However, as the newlywed couple were making their way to their home in the city of Tiryns, they came across a rapid river that they had to pass. On the other bank stood a centaur, who made his way over and offered to carry Deianira across on his back. Heracles accepted the offer, not recognising the centaur as Nessus, the sole survivor of the massacre Heracles had committed against the centaur tribe on the way to his fourth labour. Nessus had been plotting his revenge against Heracles for over a decade, with him now seeing the perfect opportunity to execute his plan. As soon as Nessus reached the other side of the river, he threw Deianira to the floor and attempted to violate her. Seeing this from the other bank, Heracles pulled out his bow and shot Nessus through the chest with a poisoned arrow, sending the centaur to the ground in agonising pain. In his last breaths, Nessus apologised to Deianira, and offered her a gift as a means of apology. He claimed that his blood had magic love properties, telling Deianira to discreetly collect it up in a vial, in case Heracles ever fell in love with another woman. As Nessus finally died, Deianira collected up his blood, keeping it hidden in case she ever needed to win Heracles back. Little did she know that she had just begun the chain of events that would lead to the death of her husband. The couple lived happily in Tiryns for a time and had several children. However, after a few years Heracles became tired of such a peaceful life and craved some of the action of his youth. Seeking some adventure, he left his family behind and set out to the kingdom of Oechalia, where his old archery tutor, Eurytus, ruled as king. Once he arrived, it only took a few days for Heracles to fall in love with the daughter of King Eurytus, a woman named Iole. Winning her affections, Heracles would take Iole home to the city of Tiryns, where his children and wife Deianira, were living. While Deianira was initially happy to see her husband return, she became worried when she saw him arrive with another woman, suspecting that he had been unfaithful. In he --- way, then death would follow. Thanking the prophet, Odysseus would leave in his ship, determined that when the time came, no man would touch the sun god's cattle. But soon after setting sail, Odysseus and his men would begin to hear a beautiful melody. For just like Jason and the Argonauts had many years ago, his ship was passing the home of the Sirens, irresistible creatures that enticed sailors to their death with their bewitching songs. However, this time Odysseus had come prepared. Remembering the advice that Circe had given him, he would instruct the crew to plug their ears with beeswax, so they could not be seduced by the Siren's call. But Odysseus, wanting to be the first man to hear the song and survive, would not plug his ears with wax, instead asking his crew to bind him to the ship's mast. And so, as the ship passed the sirens home and their songs grew louder and louder, Odysseus would begin to struggle. Drawn to the sound with every fibre of his being, he would plead with his men to let him go, but no one would answer his call, as the wax continued to block their ears. Eventually making it through safely, Odysseus would be set free, having been the first man to survive the siren’s call. But unknown to him, the sirens were fated to die if a mortal ever heard their enchanting song and survived, with each of them taking their own life as his ship sailed into the horizon. As the next day dawned, Odysseus had a difficult decision to make. For Circe, using her magic had warned him of the dangers that lay ahead when he came across a narrow pass. On each side would lay incredible danger, with the right home to Scylla, a giant six-headed sea monster, and the left home to Charybdis, a whirlpool that consumed anything that came near. Heeding Circe’s advice yet again, Odysseus would head towards Scylla, for while the monster would take six of his men, it was a price he was willing to pay, as Charybdis would take his entire ship. And so, with a heavy heart, he would direct his men towards the cliff face where Scylla lay in wait. As the ship passed, six heads would swoop down from above, each taking a sailor, who screamed as they were consumed by the beast. But with a great storm on the horizon, they had no time to mourn their companions, with them soon stopping on the island of Thrinacia. Thrinacia was home to the cattle of the sun god Helios, cattle that Odysseus had been warned not to consume by the prophet Terisias in the underworld. But despite Odysseus instructing his men not to touch the cattle, it would not be easy for them to follow his orders, as the storm had kept them stranded on the island for nearly a month. With their food supplies all but gone, the crew, on the brink of starvation, would wait for Odysseus to fall asleep, killing all the cattle and roasting the meat to enjoy amongst themselves. When Odysseus awoke the next morning, he would fall to his knees in despair, shaking his head in disbelief at the foolishness of his crew. However, although the crew had ignored his orders, the storm had now calmed, with them setting off to sea once again. But their crime had not gone unnoticed, with the sun god Helios complaining to Zeus about the slaughter of his cattle. Furious, Zeus would strike Odysseus’ ship with a great thunderbolt, tearing it in half, with all the crew drowning bar one. For as fate predicted, Poseidon’s curse had come to pass, with only Odysseus having survived the carnage, with him clinging to the broken remains of his ship. For 9 days and nights he would drift across the vast ocean, but on the tenth day, he would wash up on the island of the goddess Calypso. Upon rescuing Odysseus from the shore, Calypso, the daughter of the titan Atlas, would fall in love with him, asking if he’d stay on the island with her forever, even offering to make him immortal. But Odysseus, longing to see his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, would reject her advances, insisting that he wanted to leave. However, Calypso, insulted by his rejection, would keep Odysseus captive on the island for the next seven years. Being forced to lie with the goddess, Odysseus would spend every night crying on the shore, wishing to see his wife and son once again. But high on Mount Olympus, the goddess Athena, having supported Odysseus since the Trojan War, would look down upon him with sadness in her eyes, until one day she could not stand by any longer. Begging Zeus to finally allow Odysseus to return home, Athena would make her case, with Zeus ordering Calypso to set him free. Reluctantly, Calypso would agree, helping Odysseus to build a raft to sail home. But as he was nearing his homeland, Poseidon would hear of Odysseus’ escape, conjuring a storm to destroy his raft. Barely surviving, Odysseus would manage to swim to the island of Scheria, where he would stumble onto the shore completely naked before falling asleep. The island of Scheria was home to the Phaeacians, ruled by King Alcinous and Queen Arete. The day after Odysseus’ arrival, their daughter, Nausicaa, would go down to the sea with her maids to wash their clothes, only to come across Odysseus, standing naked on the shore. Shocked by the sight of a naked man, her maids would run away screaming in terror, but Nausicaa, given courage and being prompted by Athena, would stand her ground. Giving Odysseus some clothes, Nausicaa would take him back to her palace, where she would introduce him to her parents. Inviting the stranger inside, the King and Queen would ask Odysseus to dine with them, before enjoying entertainment provided by Demodocus the poet, who was known for his songs inspired by the gods. As the night unfolded, the King would ask Odysseus to reveal his name and story, but Odysseus, reluctant to give his name after it had led to Poseidon’s curse, would try to avoid the question, instead talking of the great sights he had seen on his travels. After a great feast, Demodocus would soon begin to play his beautiful tunes, singing of the Gods of Olympus. But soon, the poet's attention would turn to the tale of Troy. He would sing of its many heroes, of Achilles and Agamemnon, and of the famous Odysseus, the maker of the wooden horse, and the most cunning of the Greeks. Awed by the tale of the Trojan Horse, of how a man so intelligent had managed to outwit the Trojans, the crowd would begin to cheer, but Odysseus, thinking only of the many friends he had lost, would grab his robe and begin to weep, wiping the tears from his eyes. However, the King, hearing Odysseus sobbing, would become suspicious, asking for the man's identity. Overwhelmed that his tale was being told across the land and mesmerised by the poet’s beautiful singing, he would reveal that his name was Odysseus, the famous hero of the Trojan War. But rather than returning home after the conflict, Odysseus would explain that he had been wandering the ocean for 10 long years, with every attempt to reach his homeland having ended in tragedy. Amazed by the story and honoured to have such a great hero in their midst, the king and queen would do everything they could to help him. The next morning, Odysseus would awake to find a ship in the harbour, loaded with gold and silver and a crew ready to help him return home. Setting sail, Odysseus would thank the king and queen, with his eyes now set firmly upon his homeland. 20 years after leaving home, Odysseus would finally set foot on Ithaca, ready to see his wife and son once again. But Athena, knowing that his homeland was not as he left it, would warn Odysseus of the dangers that waited in his palace. Transforming him into an old beggar, Athena made sure that Odysseus would enter his home in disguise. For his wife Penelope, having been alone for twenty years, was expected to remarry, with suitors from far and wide coming to win her hand. Over 100 of them now infested Odysseus’ palace, eating his food and wearing his clothes, although throughout it all Penelope had remained faithful, never giving up hope that her husband would return. Devising a cunning plan to avoid marriage, Penelope had stalled her many suitors for years, weaving a burial garment for Odysseus’ father, promising that she would choose a new husband when it was finished. But every night, as the garment neared completion, she would secretly undo all her work, with the deception lasting for three years before it was uncovered, with her now being forced to choose a suitor. But unknown to Penelope, Odysseus would soon be by her side. Making his way to the palace, he would first stop at the house of his most loyal servant, Eumaeus. Happy to see his king once again, Eumaeus would offer Odysseus food and wine, while pledging to help him reclaim his home. It would not be long before another would join them. For Odysseus’ son Telemachus, had just arrived home from his travels after searching for his father for many months. Making his way up to the palace, Telemachus would see Eumaeus dining with a stranger, and hungry after his long voyage, would ask his friend if he could join for dinner. But Eumaeus, knowing the beggar’s true identity, would seek to give the two some time together, leaving to let Penelope know her son had returned. With Eumaeus now gone, Athena would use her magic to transform the old beggar back into Odysseus in all his glory. Telemachus could not believe his eyes and would begin to weep, having been reunited with his father after all this time. Dropping to his knees, Telemachus would embrace his father with open arms. But the reunion would have to wait, as for now Odysseus would have to deal with the suitors. Disguising himself as a beggar once again, he would enter the palace, only to discover that Penelope had set up a competition to choose her next husband. She had declared that she would marry the man who could shoot an arrow through a row of 12 axe heads, with every suitor in the land having joined the competition. But there would be one condition, that each suitor must use Odysseus’ great bow, that had been left behind at the palace. It was another of Penelope’s cunning tricks, as one after another, every suitor would take their turn, each unable to even string the bow. After every man had failed, Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, would ask for an attempt, with the whole palace howling with laughter. But they would soon fall quiet, for Odysseus would string the bow with ease, taking aim and shooting an arrow that sailed through all twelve axes with perfect precision. But having seen the damage done to his home, Odysseus could not forgive the suitors. Turning the bow upon them, Odysseus would begin to fire, striking them down one by one. Panicked, the suitors would go to grab their weapons, but no matter how hard they looked they could not be found, as Telemachus had hid the weapons while the competition was underway. With Eumaeus then joining Telemachus and Odysseus, they would begin to attack the suitors, not stopping until they had all been killed. With the bodies of the suitors now laying dead at his feet, Odysseus had completed his final task. The only thing left to do was to reunite with his wife, with his undying love for her being the only thing that had fuelled his journey home. Recognising her husband and overwhelmed with emotion, Penelope would embrace Odysseus, a moment she had spent 20 long and faithful years waiting for. Letting out a sigh of relief, Odysseus was finally at peace, but his wife would have one question for him… asking where he had been after all this time. With a smile on his face and tears in his eyes, he would reply with one simple line: ‘Where do I begin?’ As Odysseus’ story came to a close, so too would the Age of Heroes. Zeus’ plan to separate the realms of gods and men had been successful, and no longer would mythical beasts roam the land, nor would demi-gods walk among mortals. The tales of these great heroes would now pass into myth and legend, their stories preserved by great poets such as Homer, stories that would be told again and again by each generation that came to pass. Zeus, having tried and failed to populate the world with humans of gold, silver and then bronze, as well as his own descendants, would now create a final race of men, this time of Iron, the current age of man. Unlike those that came before them, this race of Iron would be exposed to all the hardships of the world. They would know old age and poverty, starvation and war, with hard work needed to survive the many dangers that faced them. But as much as they would struggle, with the gods having retreated from the world, these men of iron would now be truly in charge of their own destiny, free to shape the land in any way they saw fit. They would found cities, learn to write and would explore the world around them, with philosophy, art and music expressing their creativity. They would invent the printing press, discover gravity, harness the power of steam and create light from the energy that now fuelled their civilisation. And one day, this race of Iron will use their great talents to travel to the heavens themselves, where, just for a moment, they could see the place of their home from the perspective of the gods.