Heracles, or Hercules as he was more commonly known, was the nickname given to Alcides, the son of Zeus and Alcmene. The nickname, which was bestowed upon him by Eurystheus, King of Mycenae, means "the glory of Hera."
Hercules was born human as a result of his father's infidelity with a mortal woman. To make the child immortal, Zeus allowed him to drink milk from Hera's breast. When Hera, Zeus' wife, discovered what he had done, she cursed Hercules, making him insane. In his insanity, Hercules murdered his own children. To atone for this sin, Hercules sought the counsel of the Oracle, who sent him to King Eurystheus for 12 years, where he was tasked with Labors of Hercules.
