Eurystheus

Greek mythology

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June 26, 2026

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In Greek mythology, Eurystheus was the king who assigned the famous Twelve Labours to the hero Hercules. Traditionally, Hercules was the son of Zeus and a mortal princess, but due to a trick by Zeus's wife, Hera, Eurystheus was born first and became king. Hera, who was vengeful towards Hercules, drove him to madness, causing him to kill his wife and children. To atone, Hercules became Eurystheus's servant. Eurystheus then imposed the twelve challenging tasks upon Hercules, which included slaying the Nemean lion, capturing the Erymanthian boar, and fetching Cerberus from the underworld. Some accounts suggest Eurystheus disqualified certain labours, requiring Hercules to complete additional tasks.12

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Heracles
…wife, Hera—another child, the sickly Eurystheus, was born first and became king. When Heracles grew up, he had to serve Eurystheus and also suffer the vengeful persecution of Hera; his first exploit was the strangling of two serpents that she had sent to kill him in his cradle.
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…wife, Hera—another child, the sickly Eurystheus, was born first and became king. When Heracles grew up, he had to serve Eurystheus and also suffer the vengeful persecution of Hera; his first exploit was the strangling of two serpents that she had sent to kill him in his cradle.
Read More