You're halfway done with your Labors! Tomorrow is the last day of our scavenger hunt. Remember, there will be three items hidden in the library every day, so keep your eyes peeled!
The Cretan Bull
The seventh labor took Hercules across the sea to the island of Crete, home to the famous King Minos. Mighty Poseidon, god of the sea and shaker of the earth, had given Minos a huge bull, which he assumed the king would sacrifice to him. King Minos decided to keep the bull for himself instead, and Poseidon punished him by driving the creature insane. Fueled by his madness, the bull rampaged across the island of Crete and destroyed many farms and homes. Hercules captured the bull and carried it on his back all the way across the sea, delivering it to wicked King Eurystheus’ door.The Mares of Diomedes
Hercules’ eighth labor was one of his most dangerous endeavors by far. Eurystheus sent him to capture the infamous mares of Diomedes, the king of Thrace. However, the mares of Diomedes were no ordinary horses; they were terrible beasts who feasted on human flesh. Nor was Diomedes an ordinary king; he was a giant, and the son of Ares, the much-feared god of war. Hercules, with his great strength, was able to capture the mares and defeat Diomedes and his soldiers in battle. To add insult to injury, Hercules fed King Diomedes to his horses before bringing them back to Eurystheus.
The Girdle of Hippolyta
The ninth labor of Hercules started off as a walk in the park! Eurystheus sent him to go fetch a girdle, or extravagant belt, from Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. The Amazons were a race of tall warrior women famed and feared throughout the ancient world for their ferocity and skill in battle. Hippolyta, as their queen, wore the girdle which had been given to them by Ares, god of war (whose son Hercules had just killed in the last labor!). Oddly, Hippolyta was willing to give the girdle to Hercules to help him complete his penance. However, the all-seeing Hera, queen of the gods and implacable foe of Hercules, could not allow things to go so easily for him. She took the form of an Amazon woman, and spread a rumor that Hercules planned to kidnap the queen. The Amazons rose up to attack Hercules, not willing to let their queen be taken away by a man. After a pitched battle, Hercules stood triumphant and took the girdle back to Eurystheus. Hera returned to Olympus, determined to find another way to punish her husband’s mortal son.
