Category: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Henry Lion Oldie

A Hero Must Be Alone [Герой должен быть один (Geroi dolzhen byt' odin)]

This is a heroic fantasy fiction based on the myth of Hercules, aimed at young adults, in novel format. The plot of the original myth is thoroughly transformed in order to emphasize topics and motives relevant to contemporary youth culture. At the beginning of the book, we learn that Zeus has a special plan for his newly-conceived child from Alcmene and that this plan is a matter of serious disagreement in the family of gods (or “the Family”, as it is called throughout whole Ach(...)

literary

YEAR: 1996

COUNTRY: Russia

TAGS: Alcmene Amphitryon Antaeus / Antaios Chiron / Cheiron Cronus / Kronos Deianeira Eurystheus Eurytos Galanthis Giants Gigantomachia Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hestia Hydra Iolaus Iole Iphicles Iphitos of Oechalia Medusa Megara Nessus Perseus Poseidon Salmoneus Thebes Theseus Tiresias Zeus

Rocco Negri, Ian Serraillier

Heracles the Strong

Heracles, the son of a mortal woman and the god, Zeus, was hated by Hera. She inflicted him with madness and he committed a terrible crime. As penance, he served King Eurystheus and was set twelve difficult and dangerous labours to perform.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1970

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Achelous Admetus Alcestis Alcmene Alpheus Amazons Amphitryon Apollo Ares Argonauts Artemis' Hind Athena Athens Atlas Augean Stables Centaur(s) Cerberus Charon Chiron / Cheiron Cithaeron (Mount) Creon Deianeira Delphic Oracle Elysian Fields / Elysium Erymanthus Eurystheus Eurytos Garden of Hesperides Geryon Golden Fleece Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hippolyta's Belt Hydra Hyllus Iolaus Iole Iphicles Ladon Lerna Megara Minos Minyans Mycenae Nemean Lion Nereus Nessus Nymphs Orthrus Persephone Pholus Phyleus Pillars of Hercules Poseidon Prometheus Pygmies Stymphalian Birds Stymphalian Lake Styx Tantalus Thebes Theseus Tiresias Titans Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Bernard Evslin

Hercules

This is a retelling of the myth of Hercules, aimed at young adults in novel format. The book starts with a list of characters of humans/ non humans and a short explanation of each.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1984

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Alcmene Amphitryon Atlas Augean Stables Chiron / Cheiron Deianeira Echidna Eurystheus Geryon Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hestia Hydra Iole Iphicles Nemean Lion Nereus Nessus Thebes Tiresias Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon Zeus

Robert Burleigh , Raul Colón

Hercules

This is a picture book retelling of the myth of Hercules’ descent into Hades and capture of Cerberus, aimed at children. The book starts with a list of characters, both humans and non-humans, and a short explanation of each. The book concentrates on the last and most dangerous labor of Hercules, namely his descent into Hades and abduction of Cerberus, but the author uses the opportunity to retell the rest of Hercules’ labours for his young readers as well. The overall framework (...)

literary

YEAR: 1999

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Athena Cerberus Charon Hades Hera Hercules Iphicles Persephone Sisyphus

Shannon Eric Denton

Hercules

This is a retelling of the myth of Hercules’ 12 labours, aimed at children learning to read. The book is one of six books that form Short Tales Greek Myths series, which is aimed for children reading. The series is described in the editor’s website as “easy-to-read books to children in the hopes that they will acquire a love of reading that will last a lifetime”. So, the main purpose of the book is the educational one: to help small children in learning to read. This(...)

literary

YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Atlas Augean Stables Echidna Eurystheus Geryon Hades Hera Hercules Hydra Iphicles Nemean Lion Nereus Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S02E01–24)

The second season of Hercules: the Legendary Journeys utilizes the same basic structure as the first season (see relevant entry) but builds upon the momentum of the franchises’ popularity to expand the number of episodes to almost double that of the first season (13 and 22, respectively). Each episode is self-contained and depicts Hercules and his companion, Iolaus, embarking upon a quest to defeat a villain/bad-guy and/or to resolve an issue of injustice that plagues a town/village. (...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1995

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Admetus Alcestis Alcmene Aphrodite Barbarians Centaur(s) Demeter Echidna Giants Gods Golden Fleece Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hero(es) Iolaus Iphicles Jason Judgement of Paris Medea Midas Orestes Persephone Prophecy Salmoneus Sisyphus Sparta Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon

Jeanne Bloch

The Labors of Hercules [Les travaux d'Hercule]

Les Travaux d’Hercule is an adaptation for children published as no. 50 of Les livres roses pour le jeunesse (Pink Books for Youth) Collection Stead of Librairie Larousse. The Collection Stead is a series fascicles, prepared especially for children, and includes fables, myths, legends, fairytales and various stories, also based on literature for grownups (e.g. Shakespeare’s The Tempest and As You Like It or Scott’s Ivanhoe). The collection was published in English, then in Fren(...)

literary

YEAR: 1911

COUNTRY: France

TAGS: Alcmene Amazons Amphitryon Atlas Augeas Cacus Centaur(s) Cerberus Delphic Oracle Eurystheus Geryon Helios Heracles Hercules Hippolyta Iolaus Iphicles Pluto / Plouton Pythia

Robert (Bob) Blaisdell, Althea (Thea) Kliros

The Story of Hercules (in Easy-to-Read Type)

Hercules narrates his story, beginning with his birth as the mortal son of a god. He talks of how he was a child prodigy in warfare but failed at learning music. After killing the teacher that belittles him about failing at music, Hercules goes out into the world to learn what he can. After Hera challenges Zeus to prove Hercules is worthy of being immortal, Hercules jumps at the opportunity and completes twelve labours. (...)

literary

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Achelous Achilles Admetus Aegean Sea Aeolia Aeolus Aeson Alcestis Alcmene Alcyonian Lake Althaea / Althea Amazons Amphitryon Antaeus / Antaios Aphrodite Apollo Apples of the Hesperides Arcadia Ares Argo Argolid Argonauts Athena Atlas Augeas Autolycos Automedusa Black Sea / Pontus Euxinus Calydon Castor Centaur(s) Cerberus Ceryneian Hind Chiron / Cheiron Cretan Bull Crete Cronus / Kronos Deianeira Diomedes (of Thrace) Diomedes’ Mares Echidna Elerion Enceladus Erymanthian Boar Erymanthus Eurystheus Eurytos Gaia / Gaea Geryon Giants Golden Fleece Greece Hades Hephaestus Hera Heracles Hercules Hesione Hippolyta's Belt Hydra Hylas Immortality Iolaus Iole Iphicles Ithaca Jason Linus Minos Minotaur Mycenae Nemean Lion Nephele Nessus Nymphs Odysseus / Ulysses Olympus Orpheus Pallene Pasiphae Peloponnese Perseus Pholus Pillars of Hercules Poseidon Rhea Stymphalian Birds Telamon Thebes Theiodamas (King) Themiscyra / Themyscira Thespis Tiryns Titans Troy Twelve Labours of Heracles Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon Zeus

Robert Newman

The Twelve Labors of Hercules

This is a retelling of the myth of Hercules, aimed at teenage children, in novel format. At the end of the book there is an alphabetic list of characters of humans/non-humans and a short explanation of each.The story begins with Hercules’ birth and Hera tricking Zeus to bless Eurystheus instead of Hercules with the reign over Mycenae. Having realized that he was trapped, Zeus promises that nevertheless “Hercules will perform deeds so glorious that his name will be remembered forever.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Alcmene Amphitryon Antaeus / Antaios Atlas Augean Stables Chiron / Cheiron Copreus Deianeira Delphi Dodona Eleusinian Mysteries Eurystheus Fate Geryon Gorgon(s) Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hermes Hestia Hydra Iole Iphicles Medusa Megara Meleager Nemean Lion Nereus Nessus Omphale Oracles Prophecy Pythia Thebes Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon Underworld Zeus