Editing Heracles (section)

===Birth and childhood===

[[File:Herakles strangling snakes Louvre G192.jpg|thumb|Heracles strangling [[snake]]s (detail from an Attic red-figured stamnos, c. 480–470 BCE)]]

A major factor in the well-known tragedies surrounding Heracles is the hatred that the [[goddess]] [[Hera]], wife of [[Zeus]], had for him. Heracles was the son of the affair Zeus had with the mortal woman [[Alcmene]]. When Zeus desired Alcmene, he decided to make one night last three by ordering [[Helios]], the god of the sun, not to rise for three days, so he would have more time with Alcmene.<ref>Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Library]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D4%3Asection%3D8 2.4.8]; [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]], ''[[Hercules (Seneca)|Hercules Furens]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0003 24]; ''[[Argonautica Orphica]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/549#113 113]; [[Lucian]], ''[[Dialogues of the Gods]]'' [https://pt.calameo.com/read/000107044fc0f01286992 Hermes and Helios]</ref> Zeus made love to her after disguising himself as her husband, [[Amphitryon]], home early from war (Amphitryon did return later the same night, and Alcmene became pregnant with his son at the same time, a case of heteropaternal [[superfecundation]], where a woman carries twins sired by different fathers).<ref>Compare the two pairs of twins born to [[Leda (mythology)|Leda]] and the "double" parentage of [[Theseus]].</ref> Thus, Heracles's very existence proved at least one of Zeus's many illicit affairs, and Hera often conspired against Zeus's mortal offspring as revenge for her husband's infidelities. His twin mortal brother, son of Amphitryon, was [[Iphicles]], father of Heracles's charioteer [[Iolaus]].

[[File:Jacopo Tintoretto - The Origin of the Milky Way - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|left|''[[The Origin of the Milky Way]]'' by [[Jacopo Tintoretto]]]]

On the night Heracles and Iphicles were to be born, Hera, knowing of her husband Zeus's adultery, persuaded Zeus to swear an oath that the child born that night to a member of the House of [[Perseus]] would become High King. Hera did this knowing that while Heracles was to be born a descendant of Perseus, so too was [[Eurystheus]]. Once the oath was sworn, Hera hurried to Alcmene's dwelling and slowed the birth of Heracles and Iphicles by forcing [[Ilithyia]], goddess of childbirth, to sit cross-legged with her clothing tied in knots, thereby causing the twins to be trapped in the womb. Meanwhile, Hera caused Eurystheus to be born prematurely, making him High King in place of Heracles. She would have permanently delayed Heracles's birth had she not been fooled by [[Galanthis]], Alcmene's servant, who lied to Ilithyia, saying that [[Alcmene]] had already delivered the baby. Upon hearing this, she jumped in surprise, loosing the knots and inadvertently allowing Alcmene to give birth to Heracles and Iphicles.

[[File:Herakles snake Musei Capitolini MC247.jpg|thumb|Heracles as a boy strangling a snake (marble, Roman artwork, 2nd century CE). [[Capitoline Museums]] in [[Rome]], Italy]]

Fear of Hera's revenge led Alcmene to [[Infant exposure|expose]] the infant Heracles, but he was taken up and brought to Hera by his half-sister [[Athena]], who played an important role as protectress of heroes. Hera did not recognize Heracles and [[Milk of Hera|nursed him out of pity]]. Heracles suckled so strongly that he caused Hera pain, and she pushed him away. Her milk sprayed across the heavens and there formed the [[Milky Way (mythology)|Milky Way]]. Athena brought the infant back to his mother, and he was subsequently raised by his parents.<ref>Diodorus Siculus's ''[[Bibliotheca Historica]]'' ([https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4B*.html Book IV, Ch. 9])</ref>

The child was originally given the name Alcides by his parents; it was only later that he became known as Heracles.<ref name="Alcides" /> He and his twin were just eight months old when Hera sent two giant snakes into the children's chamber. Iphicles cried from fear, but his brother grabbed a snake in each hand and strangled them. He was found by his nurse playing with them on his cot as if they were toys. Astonished, Amphitryon sent for the seer [[Tiresias]], who prophesied an unusual future for the boy, saying he would vanquish numerous monsters.