Who is Hercules?

Hercules was half man half god. His father was Zeus, king of all the gods, and his mother was a woman on earth.

Hera, who was Zeus’s wife, was very jealous [1]of Hercules because he was not her son. She tried to kill him in all sorts of ways, like sending two giant snakes into his crib[2]. But baby Hercules was very strong, and he took the snakes by their necks and crushed [3]them. But Zeus was afraid that Hera would kill Hercules, so he sent him down to earth to live with a nice family.

1 קנאית

2 עריסה

[3] מחץ, סחט

Hercules grew up on land and did not even know that he was half god until he had grown up into a man. He was very big and strong, too big and strong to be on earth, and when he found out he was a god he wanted to find his way back to heaven [4]to be with the other gods.

[4] גן עדן

Hera knew that Hercules was planning to come back, and she made a plan to kill him. She made 12 tasks [5]for him to complete[6], telling him that if he was able to pass all 12 tasks then he would be able to be a real god. Her plan was that he would die trying to finish the tasks that she planned for him, because they were all very difficult [7]and very dangerous[8].

[5] משימות

[6] להשלים, לסיים

[7] מסובך

[8] מסוכן

But Hercules was half god and was able to pass all 12 tasks alive, even with Hera trying to kill him along the way. After he finished the tasks, Hera was very angry but she had to keep her promise[9], and Hercules was allowed to return to heaven.

[9] הבטחה