Hamilton #1

When reading the mythology book, examine the hero tales closely (focus on the Greek and Roman heroes). What do these tales have in common?

The heroes in the mythology books often run into hardships that must be overcome. Odysseus' tale consisted of his twenty years it took him to finally reach his home. Not only had he fought in war for ten years, but he also had to fend off the gods and any other troubles he encountered for another ten years. Next he arrives home only to find that many men are swooning over his wife, but he quickly gets his happy ending by killing off the suitors with his sons help and is then reunited with Penelope. Hercules too had to face and challenge what are today called the labors of Hercules. Hercules did ten labors in atonement for killing his children. For his first four labors Hercules was sent to kill the dangerous beasts that roamed the countryside of Mycenae. Then he was sent to do the next six labors, each seemed like an impossible task, but Hercules cleared them with ease and with that Hercules felt he had successfully atoned for the deaths of his children. This chain is seen in many Greek and Roman myths because without a problem to overcome they wouldn't be heroes.