Ancient Greece is one of the richest sources of myths about the gods, ordinary people And
mortal heroes who protected them. Over the centuries, these stories have been created
poets, historians and simply “eyewitnesses” of the legendary exploits of intrepid heroes,
having the powers of demigods.

1

Hercules, the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, was especially honored among heroes.
Alcmene. The most famous myths of all can be considered a cycle of 12 labors,
which the son of Zeus performed alone while in the service of King Eurystheus. Even
in the celestial constellation you can see the constellation Hercules.

2

Achilles is one of the bravest greek heroes who launched a campaign against
Troy under the leadership of Agamemnon. Stories about him are always full of courage and
courage. It is not for nothing that he is one of the key figures in the writings of the Iliad, where he
given more honor than any other warrior.

3

He was described not only as an intelligent and brave king, but also as
a great speaker. He was the main key figure in the story "The Odyssey".
His adventures and return to his wife Penelope found an echo in the hearts of
many people.

4

Perseus appeared no less key figure V ancient Greek mythology. He
described as the conqueror of the monster gorgon Medusa, and the savior of the beautiful
Princess Andromeda.

5

Theseus can be called the most famous character all of Greek mythology. He
most often appears not only in the Iliad but also in the Odyssey.

6

Jason is the leader of the Argonauts who went to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece.
This task was given to him by his father's brother Pelias in order to destroy him, but it
brought him eternal glory.

7

Hector in ancient Greek mythology appears to us not only as a prince
Troy, but also a great commander who died at the hands of Achilles. He is placed on par with
many heroes of that time.

8

Ergin is the son of Poseidon, and one of the Argonauts who went for the Golden Fleece.

9

Talai is another of the Argonauts. Honest, fair, smart and reliable -
This is how Homer described him in his Odyssey.

10

Orpheus was not so much a hero as a singer and musician. However, his
the image can be “found” in many paintings of that time.

A hero is the son or descendant of a deity and a mortal man. In Homer, a hero is usually called a brave warrior (in the Iliad) or noble man having glorious ancestors(in "Odyssey") For the first time, Hesiod calls the “kind of heroes” created by Zeus “demigods” (h m i q e o i, Orr. 158-160). In the dictionary of Hesychius of Alexandria (VI century) the concept hero explained as “powerful, strong, noble, significant” (Hesych. v. h r o z). Modern etymologists give different interpretations this word, highlighting, however, the function of protection, patronage (root ser-, variant swer-, wer-, cf. Lat servare, “protect”, “save”), and also bringing it closer to the name of the goddess Hera - H r a).

The history of the heroes belongs to the so-called classical or Olympian period of Greek mythology (2nd millennium BC, flourishing in the 2nd millennium BC), associated with the strengthening of patriarchy and the rise of Mycenaean Greece. The Olympian gods, who overthrew the Titans, in the fight against the pre-Olympic world of monstrous creatures of mother earth - Gaia, create generations of heroes by marrying into the mortal race. There are so-called catalogs of heroes indicating their parents and place of birth (Hes. Theog. 240-1022; frg. 1-153; Apoll. Rhod. I 23-233). Sometimes the hero does not know his father, is raised by his mother and goes on a quest, performing feats along the way.

The hero is called upon to carry out the will of the Olympians on earth among people, ordering life and introducing justice, measure, and laws into it, despite the ancient spontaneity and disharmony. Usually the hero is endowed with exorbitant strength and superhuman capabilities, but he is deprived of immortality, which remains the privilege of a deity. Hence the inconsistency and contradiction between disabilities a mortal being and the desire of the heroes to establish themselves in immortality. There are known myths about the attempts of the gods to make heroes immortal; Thus, Thetis tempers Achilles in fire, burning out everything mortal in him and anointing him with ambrosia (Apollod. III 13, 6), or Demeter, patronizing the Athenian kings, tempers their son Demophon (Hymn. Hom. V 239-262). In both cases, the goddesses are hindered by unreasonable mortal parents (Peleus is the father of Achilles, Metanira is the mother of Demophon).

The desire to disrupt the original balance of the forces of death and the immortal world is fundamentally unsuccessful and is punished by Zeus. Thus, Asclepius, the son of Apollo and the mortal nymph Coronis, who tried to resurrect people, that is, to grant them immortality, was struck by the lightning of Zeus (Apollod. III 10, 3-4). Hercules stole the apples of the Hesperides, which gave eternal youth, but then Athena returned them to their place (Apollod. II 5, 11). Orpheus's attempt to bring Eurydice back to life is unsuccessful (Apollod. I 3, 2).

The impossibility of personal immortality is compensated in the heroic world by exploits and glory (immortality) among descendants. Personality of the heroes for the most part has a dramatic character, since the life of one hero is not enough to realize the plans of the gods. Therefore, myths reinforce the idea of ​​the suffering of a heroic person and the endless overcoming of trials and difficulties. Heroes are often persecuted by a hostile deity (for example, Hercules is pursued by Hera, Apollod II 4, 8) and depends on the weak, insignificant person, through whom a hostile deity acts (for example, Hercules is subordinate to Eurystheus).

It takes more than one generation to create a great hero. Zeus marries mortal women three times (Io, Danae and Alcmene), so that after thirty generations (Aeschylus “Chained Prometheus”, 770 next) Hercules is born, among whose ancestors were Danaus, Perseus and other sons and descendants of Zeus. Thus, there is an increase in heroic power, reaching its apotheosis in the myths about pan-Greek heroes, such as Hercules.

Early heroism - the exploits of heroes destroying monsters: the fight of Perseus with the gorgon, Bellerophon with the chimera, a series of labors of Hercules, the pinnacle of which is the fight with Hades (Apollod. II 7, 3). Late heroism is associated with the intellectualization of heroes, their cultural functions (the skilled craftsman Daedalus or the builders of the Theban walls Zet and Amphion). Among the heroes are singers and musicians who have mastered the magic of words and rhythm, tamers of the elements (Orpheus), soothsayers (Tiresias, Kalkhant, Trophonius), riddle solvers (Oedipus), cunning and inquisitive (Odysseus), legislators (Theseus). Regardless of the nature of heroism, the exploits of heroes are always accompanied by the help of a divine parent (Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon) or a god whose functions are close to the character of a particular hero (wise Athena helps smart Odysseus). Often, the rivalry of the gods and their fundamental difference from each other affects the fate of the hero (the death of Hippolytus as a result of a dispute between Aphrodite and Artemis; violent Poseidon pursues Odysseus in defiance of the wise Athena; Hera, the patroness of monogamy, hates Hercules, the son of Zeus and Alcmene).

Often heroes experience a painful death (self-immolation of Hercules), die at the hands of a treacherous villain (Theseus), or at the will of a hostile deity (Hyakinthos, Orpheus, Hippolytus). At the same time, the exploits and sufferings of the heroes are considered as a kind of test, the reward for which comes after death. Hercules gains immortality on Olympus, having received the goddess Hebe as his wife (Hes. Theog. 950-955). However, according to another version, Hercules himself is on Olympus, and his shadow wanders in Hades (Hom. Od. XI 601-604), which indicates the duality and instability of the deification of heroes. Achilles, killed near Troy, then ends up on the island of Levka (analogous to the islands of the blessed), where he marries Helen (Paus. III 19, 11-13) or with Medea in the Champs Elysees (Apoll. Rhod. IV 811-814), Menelaus ( son-in-law of Zeus), without experiencing death, is transferred to the Elysian Fields (Hom. Od. IV 561 -568). Hesiod considers it obligatory for most heroes to move to the islands of the blessed (Orr. 167-173). The son of Apollo, Asclepius, killed by the lightning of Zeus, is thought of as a hypostasis of Apollo, acquires the divine functions of a healer, and his cult even supplants the cult of his father Apollo in Epidaurus. The only hero is the demigod Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Semele, who becomes a deity during his lifetime; but this transformation of him into a god is prepared by the birth, death and resurrection of Zagreus - the archaic hypostasis of Dionysus, the son of Zeus of Crete and the goddess Persephone (Nonn. Dion. VI 155-388). In the song of the Elean women, the god Dionysus is addressed as Dionysus the Hero. (Anthologia lyrica graeca, ed. Diehl, Lips., 1925, II p. 206, frg. 46). Thus, Hercules was the model for the concept of the hero-god (Pind. Nem. III 22), and Dionysus was considered a hero among the gods.

The development of heroism and independence of heroes leads to their opposition to the gods, to their insolence and even crimes, which accumulate over generations of heroic dynasties, leading to the death of heroes. There are known myths about family curse, which is experienced by the heroes of the end of the classical Olympic period, corresponding to the time of the decline of Mycenaean rule. These are the myths about the curses weighing down on the family of Atrides (or Tantalids) (Tantalus, Pelops, Atreus, Thyestes, Agamemnon, Aegisthus, Orestes), Cadmids (children and grandchildren of Cadmus - Ino, Agave, Pentheus, Actaeon), Labdacids (Oedipus and his sons), Alcmaeonids. Myths are also created about the death of the entire family of heroes (myths about the war of seven against Thebes and the Trojan War). Hesiod views them as wars in which the heroes destroyed each other (Orr. 156-165).

At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. The cult of deceased heroes, completely unfamiliar to Homeric poems, but known from the Mycenaean royal burials, became widespread. The cult of heroes reflected the idea of ​​divine reward after death, the belief in the continuation of the intercession of heroes and the patronage of their people. Sacrifices were made at the graves of heroes (cf. sacrifices to Agamemnon in Aeschylus’s “Choephori”), they were given sacred sites(for example, Oedipus in Colonus), singing competitions were held near their burials (in honor of Amphidamantus in Chalkis with the participation of Hesiod, Orr. 654-657). Laments (or phren) for heroes, glorifying their exploits, served as one of the sources of epic songs (cf. “glorious deeds of men” sung by Achilles, Homer “Iliad”, IX 189). The pan-Greek hero Hercules was considered the founder of the Nemean Games (Pind. Nem. I). Sacrifices were made to him in different temples: in some as an immortal Olympian, in others as a hero (Herodot. II 44). Some heroes were perceived as hypostases of god, for example Zeus (cf. Zeus - Agamemnon, Zeus - Amphiaraus, Zeus - Trophonius), Poseidon (cf. Poseidon - Erechtheus).

Where the activities of heroes were glorified, temples were built (the temple of Asclepius in Epidaurus), and an oracle was consulted at the site of his disappearance (the cave and oracle of Trophonius, Paus. IX 39, 5). In the VII-VI centuries. BC. with the development of the cult of Dionysus, the cult of some ancient heroes - eponyms of cities - lost its significance (for example, in Sikyon, under the tyrant Cleisthenes, the veneration of Adrastus was replaced by the veneration of Dionysus, Herodot. V 67). Religious and cult heroism, sanctified by the polis system, played an important political role in Greece. Heroes were thought of as defenders of the polis, a mediator between gods and people, and a representative for people before God. After graduation Greco-Persian War(as Plutarch reports) at the behest of the Pythia, the remains of Theseus were transferred from the island of Skyros to Athens. At the same time, sacrifices were made to heroes who died in battles, for example at Plataea (Plut. Arist. 21). Hence the deification after death and the inclusion of famous heroes among the heroes historical figures(Sophocles after his death became a hero named Dexion). Outstanding commanders received the honorary title of hero after their death (for example, Brasidas after the Battle of Amphipolis, Thuc. V 11, 1). The cult of these heroes was influenced by ancient veneration mythological characters, who began to be perceived as ancestors - patrons of the family, clan and polis.

The hero, as a universal category of characters that is found in any mythology, can rarely be defined terminologically as clearly as in Greek mythology. In archaic mythologies, heroes are very often classified together with great ancestors, and in more developed ones they turn out to be legendary ancient kings or military leaders, including those bearing historical names. Some researchers (S. Autran, F. Raglan, etc.) directly trace the genesis of mythological heroes to the phenomenon of the sorcerer king (priest), described by J. Fraser in The Golden Bough, and even see in the heroes a ritual hypostasis of a deity (Raglan). However, such a view is not applicable to the most archaic systems, which are characterized by the idea of ​​a hero as an ancestor participating in creation, inventing a “kitchen” fire, cultivated plants, introducing social and religious institutions and so on, that is, acting as a cultural hero and demiurge.

Unlike gods (spirits), who can create cosmic and cultural sites purely magically, by naming them verbally, to “extract” them one way or another from themselves, the heroes for the most part find and obtain these objects ready-made, but in remote places, other worlds, while overcoming various difficulties, taking or abducting them (as cultural heroes) from the original guardians, or heroes make these objects like potters, blacksmiths (like demiurges). Typically, the creation myth schema includes, as a minimum set of “roles,” the subject, the object, and the source (the material from which the object is extracted/made). If the role of the subject of creation instead of the deity is played by a hero-provider, this usually leads to the appearance of an additional role of an antagonist.

Spatial mobility and numerous contacts of heroes, especially hostile ones, contribute to the narrative development of the myth (up to its transformation into a fairy tale or heroic epic). In more developed mythologies, heroes explicitly represent the forces of the cosmos in the struggle against the forces of chaos - chthonic monsters or other demonic creatures that interfere with the peaceful life of gods and people. Only in the process of the beginning “historicization” of myth in epic texts do heroes acquire the appearance of quasi-historical characters, and their demonic opponents can appear as heterodox foreign “invaders”. Accordingly, in fairy tale texts mythical heroes are replaced by conventional figures of knights, princes and even peasant sons (including younger sons and other heroes, “not promising”), defeating fairy-tale monsters by force, or cunning, or magic.

Mythical heroes appear on behalf of the human (ethnic) community before gods and spirits, and often act as intermediaries (mediators) between different mythical worlds. In many cases, their role is vaguely comparable to that of shamans.

Heroes sometimes act on the initiative of the gods or with their help, but they, as a rule, are much more active than the gods, and this activity constitutes, in a certain sense, their specificity.

The activity of heroes in developed examples of myth and epic contributes to the formation of a special heroic character - brave, frantic, prone to overestimating their own strengths (cf. Gilgamesh, Achilles, heroes of the German epic, etc.). But even within the class of gods, active characters can sometimes be identified who perform the function of mediation between parts of the cosmos, defeating demonic opponents in the struggle. Such hero gods are, for example, Thor in Scandinavian mythology, Marduk in Babylonian mythology. On the other hand, heroes even of divine origin and endowed with “divine” power can sometimes quite clearly and even sharply confront the gods. Gilgamesh, characterized in the Akkadian poem "Enuma Elish" as a being two-thirds divine and superior to the gods in many qualities, still cannot be compared with the gods, and his attempt to achieve immortality ends in failure.

In some cases, the frantic nature of the heroes or the consciousness of internal superiority over the gods lead to fighting against God (cf. the Greek Prometheus and similar heroes of the mythology of the Caucasian-Iberian peoples of Amirani, Abrskil, Artavazd, and also Batradz). Heroes need to accomplish feats in supernatural power, which is only partly inherent in them from birth, usually due to divine origin. They need the help of gods or spirits (later this need of the heroes decreases in the heroic epic and increases even more in the fairy tale, where miraculous helpers often act for them), and this help is mostly acquired through a certain skill and tests such as initiation tests, that is initiation practiced in archaic societies. Apparently, the reflection of initiation rites is obligatory in the heroic myth: the departure or expulsion of the hero from his society, temporary isolation and wanderings in other countries, in heaven or in the lower world, where contacts with spirits take place, the acquisition of helping spirits, the fight against some demonic opponents. Specific symbolic motif, associated with initiation - the swallowing of the young hero by a monster and subsequent release from his womb. In many cases (and this precisely indicates a connection with initiation), the initiator of the tests is the divine father (or uncle) of the hero or the leader of the tribe, who gives the young man “difficult tasks” or expels him from the tribe.

Exile (difficult tasks) is sometimes motivated by the hero's misdeed (breaking a taboo) or the danger he poses to the father (chief). Young hero often violates various prohibitions and even often commits incest, which at the same time signals his heroic exclusivity and achieved maturity (and perhaps also the decrepitness of his father-leader). Trials in myth can take the form of persecution, attempts at extermination by god (father, king) or demonic creatures (evil spirits), the hero can turn into a mystery victim passing through temporary death (departure/return - death/resurrection). In one form or another, trials are an essential element of heroic mythology.

A story about the miraculous (at least unusual) birth of a hero, his amazing abilities and early attainment of maturity, about his training and especially preliminary tests, various vicissitudes heroic childhood form an important part of the heroic myth and precede the description of the most important feats that have general meaning for society.

The biographical “beginning” in the heroic myth is, in principle, similar to the cosmic “beginning” in the cosmogonic or etiological myth. Only here the ordering of chaos is related not to the world as a whole, but to the formation of an individual who turns into a hero who serves his society and is able to further support cosmic order. In practice, however, the preliminary trials of the hero in the process of his social education and the main actions are often so intertwined in the plot that it is difficult to clearly separate them. A heroic biography sometimes also includes the story of the hero’s marriage (with corresponding competitions and trials on the part of the wonderful bride or her father; these motifs receive especially rich development in the fairy tale), and sometimes the story of his death, interpreted in many cases as a temporary departure to another life. peace while maintaining the prospect of return/resurrection.

Heroic biography correlates quite clearly with the cycle of “transitional” rites that accompany birth, initiation, marriage and death. But at the same time, the heroic myth itself, due to the paradigmatic function of the myth, should serve as a model for the performance of transitional rites (especially initiation) in the course of social education of full members of the tribe, religious or social group, as well as during the execution of everything life cycle and normal generational change Heroic myth- the most important source of formation as heroic epic, and fairy tales.

Myths and legends of the peoples of the world. Ancient Greece / A.I. Nemirovsky.- M.: Literature, World of Books, 2004

Before talking about the Heroes of Greece, it is necessary to decide who they are and how they differ from Genghis Khan, Napoleon and other heroes known in various historical eras. In addition to strength, resourcefulness, and intelligence, one of the differences between ancient Greek heroes is the duality of their birth. One of the parents was a deity, and the other was a mortal.

Famous heroes of the myths of Ancient Greece

The description of the Heroes of Ancient Greece should begin with Hercules (Hercules), who was born from the love affair of the mortal Alcmene and the main god of the ancient Greek pantheon, Zeus. According to myths that have come down from the depths of centuries, for completing a dozen labors, Hercules was elevated by the goddess Athena - Pallas to Olympus, where his father, Zeus, granted his son immortality. The exploits of Hercules are widely known and many have become part of fairy tales and sayings. This hero cleared the stables of Augeas from manure, defeated the Nemean lion, and killed the hydra. In ancient times, the Strait of Gibraltar was named in honor of Zeus - the Pillars of Hercules. According to one legend, Hercules was too lazy to overcome the Atlas Mountains, and he made a passage through them that connected the waters Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic.
Another illegitimate one is Perseus. Perseus's mother is Princess Danae, daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. The exploits of Perseus would have been impossible without the victory over the Gorgon Medusa. This mythical monster turned all living things into stone with its gaze. Having killed the Gorgon, Perseus attached her head to his shield. Wanting to win the favor of Andromeda, the Ethiopian princess, daughter of Cassiopeia and King Kepheus, this hero killed her fiancé and rescued her from the clutches of a sea monster that was going to satisfy Andromeda’s hunger.
Theseus, famous for killing the Minotaur and finding a way out of the Cretan labyrinth, was born from the god of the seas, Poseidon. In mythology he is revered as the founder of Athens.
The ancient Greek heroes Odysseus and Jason cannot boast of their divine origins. King Odysseus of Ithaca is famous for inventing the Trojan horse, thanks to which the Greeks destroyed. Returning to his homeland, he deprived the cyclops Polyphemus of his only eye, navigated his ship between the rocks where the monsters Scylla and Charybdis lived, and did not succumb to the magical charm of the sweet-voiced sirens. However, a significant share of Odysseus’s fame was given to him by his wife, Penelope, who, while waiting for her husband, remained faithful to him, refusing 108 suitors.
Most feats ancient greek heroes have survived to this day as narrated by the poet-storyteller Homer, who wrote the famous epic poems “The Odyssey and the Iliad.”

Olympic heroes of ancient Greece

The winner's ribbon in the Olympic Games has been issued since 752 BC. Heroes wore purple ribbons and were revered in society. The winner of the Games three times received a statue in Altis as a gift.
From the history of Ancient Greece, the names of Korebus from Elis, who won a running competition in 776 BC, became known.
The strongest during the entire period of the festival in ancient times was Milo from Croton; he won six strength competitions. It is believed that he was a student

Hector, in ancient Greek mythology, one of the main heroes of the Trojan War. The hero was the son of Hecuba and Priam, the king of Troy. Hector had 49 brothers and sisters, but among the sons of Priam he was famous for his strength and courage. According to legend, Hector struck to death the first Greek to set foot on the soil of Troy, Protesilaus. The hero became especially famous in the ninth year of the Trojan War, challenging Ajax Telamonides to battle. Hector promised his enemy not to desecrate his body in case of defeat and not to remove his armor and demanded the same from Ajax. After a long struggle, they decided to stop the fight and exchanged gifts as a sign of mutual respect. Hector hoped to defeat the Greeks, despite Cassandra's prediction.

It was under his leadership that the Trojans broke into the fortified camp of the Achaeans, approached the navy and even managed to set fire to one of the ships. The legends also describe the battle between Hector and the Greek Patroclus. The hero defeated his opponent and took off Achilles' armor. The gods took a very active part in the war. They divided into two camps and each helped their favorites. Apollo himself patronized Hector. When Patroclus died, Achilles, obsessed with revenge for his death, tied the defeated dead Hector to his chariot and dragged him around the walls of Troy, but the hero’s body was not touched by either decay or birds, since Apollo protected him in gratitude for the fact that Hector during his lifetime he helped him several times. Based on this circumstance, the ancient Greeks concluded that Hector was the son of Apollo.

According to myths, Apollo, at a council of the gods, persuaded Zeus to give Hector’s body to the Trojans so that he could be buried with honor. The Supreme God ordered Achilles to give the body of the deceased to his father Priam. Since, according to legend, Hector’s grave was located in Thebes, researchers suggested that the image of the hero is of Boeotian origin. Hector was a very revered hero in Ancient Greece, which is proven by the presence of his image on ancient vases and in antique plastic. They usually depicted scenes of Hector’s farewell to his wife Andromache, the battle with Achilles and many other episodes.

Hercules

Hercules, the greatest of heroes in Greek mythology, is the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. Zeus needed a mortal hero to defeat the giants, and he decided to give birth to Hercules. The best mentors taught Hercules various arts, wrestling, archery. Zeus wanted Hercules to become the ruler of Mycenae or Tiryns, key fortresses on the approaches to Argos, but jealous Hera thwarted his plans. She struck Hercules with madness, in a fit of which he killed his wife and three of his sons. To atone for his grave guilt, the hero had to serve Eurystheus, king of Tiryns and Mycenae, for twelve years, after which he was granted immortality. The most famous is the cycle of tales about the twelve labors of Hercules. The first feat was to obtain the skin of the Nemean lion, which Hercules had to strangle with his bare hands. Having defeated the lion, the hero tanned its skin and wore it as a trophy.

(or their descendants) and mortal people. Heroes differed from gods in that they were mortal. More often these were the descendants of a god and a mortal woman, less often - of a goddess and a mortal man. Heroes, as a rule, had exceptional or supernatural physical abilities, creative gifts, etc., but did not have immortality. Heroes were supposed to carry out the will of the gods on earth and bring order and justice into people's lives. With the help of their divine parents, they performed all kinds of feats. Heroes were highly revered, legends about them were passed down from generation to generation.
The heroes of ancient Greek myths were Achilles, Hercules, Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus, Jason, Hector, Bellerophon, Orpheus, Pelops, Phoroneus, Aeneas.
Let's talk about some of them.

Achilles

Achilles was the bravest of heroes. He took part in the campaign against Troy led by the Mycenaean king Agamemnon.

Achilles. Greek antique bas-relief
Author: Jastrow (2007), from Wikipedia
Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, and the sea goddess Thetis.
There are several legends about the childhood of Achilles. One of them is as follows: Thetis, wanting to make her son immortal, immersed him in the waters of the Styx (according to another version - in the fire), so that only one heel by which she held him remained vulnerable; hence the saying “Achilles’ heel” that still exists today. This saying refers to someone's weak side.
As a child, Achilles was called Pirrisius ("Ice"), but when fire burned his lips, he was called Achilles ("lipless").
Achilles was raised by the centaur Chiron.

Chiron teaches Achilles how to play the lyre
Another teacher of Achilles was Phoenix, a friend of his father Peleus. The centaur Chiron restored Phoenix's sight, which was taken from him by his father, who was falsely accused by his concubine.
Achilles joined the campaign against Troy at the head of 50 or even 60 ships, taking with him his tutor Phoenix and childhood friend Patroclus.

Achilles bandages the hand of Patroclus (image on the bowl)
The first shield of Achilles was made by Hephaestus; this scene is also depicted on vases.
During the long siege of Ilium, Achilles repeatedly launched raids on various neighboring cities. According to the existing version, he wandered the Scythian land for five years in search of Iphigenia.
Achilles is the main character of Homer's Iliad.
Having defeated many enemies, Achilles in the last battle reached the Scaean Gate of Ilion, but here an arrow shot from the bow of Paris by the hand of Apollo himself struck him in the heel, and the hero died.

Death of Achilles
But there are also later legends about the death of Achilles: he appeared in the temple of Apollo in Thimbra, near Troy, to marry Polyxena, the youngest daughter of Priam, where he was killed by Paris and Deiphobus.
Greek writer of the first half of the 2nd century AD. e. Ptolemy Hephaestion tells that Achilles was killed by Helen or Penthesilea, after which Thetis resurrected him, he killed Penthesilea and returned to Hades (the god of the underworld of the dead).
The Greeks erected a mausoleum for Achilles on the banks of the Hellespont, and here, in order to pacify the shadow of the hero, they sacrificed Polyxena to him. According to Homer's story, Ajax Telamonides and Odysseus Laertides argued for the armor of Achilles. Agamemnon awarded them to the latter. In the Odyssey, Achilles is in underground kingdom, where Odysseus meets him.
Achilles was buried in a golden amphora, which Dionysus gave to Thetis.

Hercules

A. Canova “Hercules”
Author: LuciusCommons – foto scattata da me., from Wikipedia
Hercules is the son of the god Zeus and Alcmene, the daughter of the Mycenaean king.
Numerous myths have been created about Hercules; the most famous is the cycle of tales about the 12 labors performed by Hercules when he was in the service of the Mycenaean king Eurystheus.
The cult of Hercules was very popular in Greece, from where it spread to Italy, where it is known by the name of Hercules.
The constellation Hercules is located in the northern hemisphere of the sky.
Zeus took the form of Amphitryon (Alcmene’s husband), stopped the sun, and their night lasted three days. On the night he was to be born, Hera made Zeus swear that today's newborn would be the supreme king. Hercules was from the Perseid family, but Hera delayed the birth of his mother, and his cousin Eurystheus was born first (premature). Zeus made an agreement with Hera that Hercules would not be under the power of Eurystheus all his life: after ten labors performed on behalf of Eurystheus, Hercules would not only be freed from his power, but would even receive immortality.
Athena tricks Hera into breastfeeding Hercules: after tasting this milk, Hercules becomes immortal. The baby hurts the goddess, and she tears him from her breast; the splashing stream of milk turns into the Milky Way. Hera turned out to be the adoptive mother of Hercules.
In his youth, Hercules accidentally killed Linus, the brother of Orpheus, with a lyre, so he was forced to retire to the wooded Kytheron, into exile. There, two nymphs (Vice and Virtue) appear to him, who offer him a choice between easy road pleasures and the thorny path of labors and exploits. Virtue convinced Hercules to follow his own path.

Annibale Carracci "The Choice of Hercules"

12 labors of Hercules

1. Strangulation of the Nemean Lion
2. Killing the Lernaean Hydra
3. Extermination of Stymphalian birds
4. Capture of the Kerynean fallow deer
5. Taming the Erymanthian boar and the battle with the centaurs
6. Cleaning the Augean stables.
7. Taming the Cretan bull
8. Theft of Diomedes' horses, victory over King Diomedes (who threw strangers to be devoured by his horses)
9. The theft of the belt of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons
10. The abduction of the cows of the three-headed giant Geryon
11. The theft of golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides
12. Taming the guard of Hades - the dog Cerberus

Antoine Bourdelle "Hercules and the Stymphalian Birds"
Stymphalian birds – predator birds, who lived near the Arcadian city of Stymphalus. They had copper beaks, wings and claws. They attacked people and animals. Their most formidable weapons were feathers, which the birds scattered on the ground like arrows. They devoured crops in the area or ate people.
Hercules performed many other feats: with the consent of Zeus, he freed one of the titans - Prometheus, to whom the centaur Chiron gave his gift of immortality for the sake of freedom from torment.

G. Füger “Prometheus brings fire to people”
During his tenth labor, he places the Pillars of Hercules on the sides of Gibraltar.

Pillars of Hercules - Rock of Gibraltar (foreground) and mountains North Africa(on the back)
Author: Hansvandervliet – own work, from Wikipedia
Participated in the campaign of the Argonauts. He defeated the king of Elis, Augeas, and established the Olympic Games. At the Olympic Games he won in pankration. Some authors describe the struggle of Hercules with Zeus himself - their competition ended in a draw. Established an Olympic stadium length of 600 of his feet. While running, he covered stages without taking a breath. He accomplished many other feats.
There are also many legends about the death of Hercules. According to Ptolemy Hephaestion, having reached the age of 50 and finding that he could no longer draw his bow, he threw himself into the fire. Hercules ascended to heaven, was accepted among the gods, and Hera, who had reconciled with him, marries her daughter Hebe, the goddess of eternal youth, to him. Happily lives on Olympus, and his ghost is in Hades.

Hector

The bravest leader of the Trojan army, the main Trojan hero in the Iliad. He was the son of the last Trojan king Priam and Hecuba (the second wife of King Priam). According to other sources, he was the son of Apollo.

Return of Hector's body to Troy

Perseus

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae, daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. He defeated the monster Gorgon Medusa and was the savior of Princess Andromeda. Perseus is mentioned in Homer's Iliad.

A. Canova “Perseus with the head of the gorgon Medusa.” Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
Author: Yucatan - own work, from Wikipedia
Gorgon Medusa is the most famous of the three Gorgon sisters, a monster with woman's face and snakes instead of hair. Her gaze turned a person to stone.
Andromeda is the daughter of the Ethiopian king Kepheus and Cassiopeia (had divine ancestors). Cassiopeia once boasted that she was superior in beauty to the Nereids (sea deities, daughters of Nereus and the oceanids Doris, according to appearance reminiscent of Slavic mermaids), the angry goddesses turned to Poseidon with a request for revenge, and he sent a sea monster that threatened the death of Kepheus’ subjects. The oracle of Ammon announced that the wrath of the deity would be tamed only when Cepheus sacrificed Andromeda to the monster, and the inhabitants of the country forced the king to make this sacrifice. Chained to the cliff, Andromeda was left to the mercy of the monster.

Gustave Dore "Andromeda Chained to the Rock"
Perseus saw her in this position. He was struck by her beauty and promised to kill the monster if she agreed to marry him (Perseus). Andromeda's father Cepheus happily agreed to this, and Perseus accomplished his feat by showing the face of the Gorgon Medusa to the monster, thereby turning him into stone.

Perseus and Andromeda
Not wanting to reign in Argos after the accidental murder of his grandfather, Perseus left the throne to his relative Megapenths, and he himself went to Tiryns ( ancient city on the Peloponnese Peninsula). Founded Mycenae. The city got its name due to the fact that Perseus lost the tip (mykes) of his sword in the surrounding area. It is believed that the underground spring of Perseus has been preserved among the ruins of Mycenae.
Andromeda gave birth to Perseus a daughter, Gorgophon, and six sons: Persus, Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Eleus, Mestor and Electryon. The eldest of them, Persian, was considered the ancestor of the Persian people.