The Trials Of Hercules

In this set of short stories, Poirot sets himself a challenge before he retires – to solve 12 cases which correspond with the labours of his classical Greek namesake...

These retellings of the ancient Greek legends recreate the labours of Zeus' much-loved son and mythology's mightiest hero. Illustrations including a map of the sites of Hercules' 12 labours accompany the text.

Fun math puzzles based on the Twelve Labors of Hercules How might Hercules, the most famous of the Greek heroes, have used mathematics to complete his astonishing Twelve Labors? From conquering the Nemean Lion and cleaning out the Augean Stables, to capturing the Erymanthean Boar and entering the Underworld to defeat the three-headed dog Cerberus, Hercules and his legend are the inspiration for this book of fun and original math puzzles. While Hercules relied on superhuman strength to accomplish the Twelve Labors, Mythematics shows how math could have helped during his quest. How does Hercules defeat the Lernean Hydra and stop its heads from multiplying? Can Hercules clean the Augean Stables in a day? What is the probability that the Cretan Bull will attack the citizens of Marathon? How does Hercules deal with the terrifying Kraken? Michael Huber's inventive math problems are accompanied by short descriptions of the Twelve Labors, taken from the writings of Apollodorus, who chronicled the life of Hercules two thousand years ago. Tasks are approached from a mathematical modeling viewpoint, requiring varying levels of knowledge, from basic logic and geometry to differential and integral calculus. Mythematics provides helpful hints and complete solutions, and the appendixes include a brief history of the Hercules tale, a review of mathematics and equations, and a guide to the various disciplines of math used throughout the book. An engaging combination of ancient mythology and modern mathematics, Mythematics will enlighten and delight mathematics and classics enthusiasts alike.

You're the main character. You make the choices. Can you survive twelve perilous labors in this adapted classic for ages 9 to 13?

The son of Zeus, king of the gods, and a mortal mother, Hercules faces the wrath of Zeus's wife Hera, who resents her illegitimate stepson and vows to bring him misery. She tricks Hercules into performing a series of twelve seemingly impossible labors. Is Hercules strong enough to foil her scheme?

There is more material available on Herakles than any other Greek god or hero. His story has many more episodes than those of other heroes, concerning his life and death as well as his battles with myriad monsters and other opponents. In literature, he appears in our earliest Greek epic and lyric poetry, is reinvented for the tragic and comic stage, and later finds his way into such unlikely areas as philosophical writing and love poetry. In art, his exploits are amongst the earliest identifiable mythological scenes, and his easily-recognisable figure with lionskin and club was a familiar sight throughout antiquity in sculpture, vase-painting and other media. He was held up as an ancestor and role-model for both Greek and Roman rulers, and widely worshipped as a god, his unusual status as a hero-god being reinforced by the story of his apotheosis. Often referred to by his Roman name Hercules, he has continued to fascinate writers and artists right up to the present day. In Herakles, Emma Stafford has successfully tackled the ‘Herculean task’ of surveying both the ancient sources and the extensive modern scholarship in order to present a hugely accessible account of this important mythical figure. Covering both Greek and Roman material, the book highlights areas of consensus and dissent, indicating avenues for further study on both details and broader issues. Easy to read, Herakles is perfectly suited to students of classics and related disciplines, and of interest to anyone looking for an insight into ancient Greece’s most popular hero.

To marry the woman he loves, Hercules must complete twelve challenging tasks Hercules, son of Zeus, is known as the greatest hero Greece has ever seen. But it takes more than a godly parent to create a hero. This is the tale of how one man becomes a hero and that hero becomes a god. Soon before Hercules’s birth, Zeus, ruler of the gods, declares that his son will one day be the high king of Mycenae. When his jealous wife, Hera, tricks Zeus to ensure that Hercules will never be king, Zeus decrees that his son will perform deeds so glorious that his name will be remembered forever. As Hercules grows up, however, Hera is always one step ahead. To rid Hercules of the consequences of Hera’s spite, he is tasked with completing twelve labors by the person he dislikes most in the world—Eurystheus, the ruler of Mycenae, who stole Hercules’s birthright to become king. Hercules is determined to finish the twelve labors so he can marry the princess he loves. But Eurystheus, resentful of Hercules’s fame, is just as intent on making the tasks impossible to complete. Hercules believes he is up to the challenge, but it may cost him everything he holds dear.

"The story of Hercules and his 12 labors told in graphic novel format"--