Hera's Revenge

Soon after the war with the Minyans, Hercules' fame grew until he had become the beloved hero of all Thebans. Everyone admired his divine strength and Creon, the King of Thebes, admiring his courage offered his daughter Megara to be his wife. From this marriage several children where born and Hercules lived happily in the royal palace. About this time Lycus, son of Poseidon and descendant of 

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Lycus from Dirphys in Euboea, killed Creon and seized power in Thebes.

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He was planning to kill Megara too. Hercules found him first and killed him. Goddess Hera who had sworn death to the hero had a new plan. She decided to drive him mad. One morning Hercules woke up different. He was blinded by hate. He had lost his senses and the hero was out of control. In a frenzy he killed his wife Megara and his children. Soon the news had spread all over the land - Hercules was mad.

When he recovered his reason and realized what he has done, Hercules cried bitterly. Nobody was to know that it was Hera's doing. He decided to go into exile. Arriving at Delphi he went to the oracle of Apollo to ask for help and to find out what he must do. The Pythian priestess sitting on her throne told him:

  -  What happened in Thebes was not your fault. The goddess Hera hates you and took your senses, but all Gods and all men will blaming you for it.
  -  What must I do to find peace and serenity within myself?
  -  Go no back to Thebes. Dwell in Tiryns. Serve Eurystheus for twelve years and perform the ten  dangerous labors that he will ask of you (which became twelve because he did not acknowledge Augeas' Stables nor the Hydra labors). Only after completing these will you find the peace and serenity that you seek.
  -  And after I do these labors will I be able to return to Thebes?
  -  You will need much time to complete these tasks, and then you will belong not to Thebes, but to Greece.

Hercules marched for Tiryns, a city near Argus where Eurystheus was King and he feared that Hercules might claim the throne for himself. Eurystheus, driven by fear that Hera implanted, ordered Hercules to his labors. He was sure that the hero would have not come back alive.

Hera, with the help of Eurystheus, would get her revenge this way. Danger and death was to follow the hero's steps for many years to come.