Hera suckling the baby Heracles at her breast, surrounded by Aphrodite and Eros (not visible here), Athena (on the left), Iris (on the right) and a woman, perhaps Alkmene (not visible here). Detail from an Apulian red-figure squat lekythos, ca. 360-350 BC. From Anzi. © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons

The Hero’s Crucible

/ Journey to Eleusis, Mary's Musings / By

In the myths of Heracles (or Hercules, if you prefer the Roman name), Hera is often portrayed as the villain, out to get Heracles, or at least make him suffer. I see her more as the crucible that made him the hero he was.

Hera suckling the baby Heracles at her breast, surrounded by Aphrodite and Eros (not visible here), Athena (on the left), Iris (on the right) and a woman, perhaps Alkmene (not visible here). Detail from an Apulian red-figure squat lekythos, ca. 360-350 BC. From Anzi. © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons
Hera suckling the baby Heracles at her breast, surrounded by Aphrodite and Eros (not visible here), Athena (on the left), Iris (on the right) and a woman, perhaps Alkmene (not visible here). Detail from an Apulian red-figure squat lekythos, ca. 360-350 BC. From Anzi.
© Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons

It all started with Zeus’s efforts to make a king of kings – the greatest leader of men. He chose the daughter of one of his own sons (Perseus), and disguised himself as her husband in order to beget this new king, who would be more than half divine.

Now, before you go saying that this was cause enough for Hera to hate Heracles, Hera knew all about Zeus’s plans. She is the air*, there is nothing that escapes her. And truly, would she have nursed the baby Heracles if she hated him so much?

It is true, Hera put many obstacles and challenges before Heracles, whose name means “Glory of Hera”. However, if his life had been easy, he would not have been half as great as he became because of her. He would not have known the limits of his strength and abilities had he not completed the impossible tasks she gave him, through his cousin, Eurystheus.

She was the fire that tempered his blade, and made him stronger than he was before. She was the crucible that tested him. And after all the tests, when he came to die and was lifted up to immortal Olympus, Hera gave her blessing to the marriage of Heracles and her daughter, Hebe, and embraced him as her son.

*Orphic Hymn to Hera
You are ensconced in darksome hollows, and airy is your form, O Hera,
Queen of all and blessed consort of Zeus.
You send soft breezes to mortals such as nourish the soul,
And, O mother of rains, you nurture the winds and give birth to all.
Without you there is neither life nor growth;
And, mixed as you are in the air we venerate, you partake of all,
And of all you are queen and mistress.
You toss and turn with the rushing wind.
May you, O blessed goddess and many-named queen of all,
Come with kindness and joy on your lovely face.

The Orphic Hymns, Translated by Aposolos N. Athanassakis, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013

Hail Hera, Queen of Heaven!

Blessings,
Mary