Roman Myth of Hercules

Term Definition Example Sentence

legendary very famous and well-known, typically King Arthur is a legendary figure in British
(adjective) because of great achievements or qualities. folklore.

mythology a collection of myths, especially one Greek mythology includes stories about
(noun) belonging to a particular religious or gods, goddesses, and heroes.
cultural tradition.

mortal (noun) a human being, as opposed to a god or Despite his great powers, Superman is still
immortal being. a mortal.

worshiped show reverence and adoration for (a deity); The ancient Egyptians worshiped many
(verb) honor with religious rites. gods and goddesses.

feats (noun) an achievement that requires great courage, The gymnast's performance was filled with
skill, or strength. impressive feats of strength and flexibility.

Roman Myth of Hercules

Hercules, also known as Heracles, was a legendary hero in Greek and Roman mythology. He was
the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Alcmene, a mortal woman. Hercules was known for his
incredible strength and bravery, and he was worshiped in temples all over Greece and Rome. He
was so mighty that when he died, he was brought up to Mount Olympus to live with the gods.

Hercules had a tough life, filled with many adventures and challenges. His stepmother, Hera, was
jealous of him and tried to kill him when he was just a baby. She sent two snakes to his crib, but
Hercules strangled them with his bare hands. As he grew up, Hercules learned that he was part
god, and he set out on a journey to earn his place among the gods. He had to complete twelve
difficult tasks, called the Twelve Labors, to prove himself.

Some of Hercules' most famous feats include killing a lion with his bare hands and wearing its skin
as a trophy. He also fought off mythical creatures like the Hydra, a many-headed snake. Hercules
was a true superhero, loved and admired by many. His story has been passed down through the
ages, and he continues to be a symbol of strength and heroism.

In conclusion, Hercules was a legendary hero in Greek and Roman mythology. He was known for
his incredible strength and bravery, and he had to complete twelve difficult tasks to earn his place
among the gods. Hercules' story has been told for thousands of years and continues to inspire
people today.

Reading Summary
- Hercules was a legendary hero in Greek and Roman mythology.
- He was known for his incredible strength and bravery.
- He had to complete twelve difficult tasks to earn his place among the gods.

Multiple Choice Questions: Highlight the Correct Answer

Question #1 Question #2 Question #3
What is a specific claim made According to the text, what did What is the main idea of this
by the text about Hercules? Hercules do to prove himself? passage?

A. Hercules was worshiped A. Hercules fought off A. Hercules was a

in temples all over
Greece and Rome.
B. Hercules was the son of
Zeus and Alcmene.
C. Hercules had to
complete twelve difficult
tasks to earn his place
among the gods.
D. Hercules killed a lion
with his bare hands.
mythical creatures like
the Hydra.
B. Hercules strangled two
snakes with his bare
hands.
C. Hercules completed
twelve difficult tasks
called the Twelve
Labors.
D. Hercules wore a lion's
skin as a trophy.
legendary hero in Greek
and Roman mythology.
B. Hercules was known for
his incredible strength
and bravery.
C. Hercules' story has been
passed down through
the ages.
D. Hercules continues to
inspire people today.

Short Answer Questions

Question #1 Who was Hercules' stepmother and why was she jealous of him?

Hercules stepmother’s name was Hera and she was jeaulous of his strength so
she sent 2 snakes to his crib and strangled them with his bare hands.

Question #2 What were the Twelve Labors and why did Hercules have to complete them?

The Twelve Labors were tasks that Hercules had to do so he could prove himself to the gods and
earn a spot with them.

Question #3 What are some of Hercules' famous feats and why is he loved and admired by
 many?

Hercules was very strong and brave .People loved and admired him because he was a true
superhero and was a good person.

Open Ended Questions

Reflect on a time when you had to overcome a challenge in your life. How did you
Question #1 handle it? What similarities do you see between your experience and Hercules'
journey to complete the Twelve Labors?

A challenge I had to overcome in life was doing my school work in 6th grade. When I was in 6th
grade I didn't like school because I was online so I didn't do any of my assignments and I ended up
with 60 missing assignments. I worked past this by spending all day doing my assignments until
they were all turned in. Similarities between my experience and Hercules is that we both had to
work for something, mine was so I could have no more missing work and his was so he could get
in with the gods.

Think about a person or character you admire for their strength and bravery. How
Question #2 does Hercules compare to this person or character? What qualities do they
share?

A character I like because of their bravery and strength is Batman. I think Batman and Hercules are
similar because they both help others and they both go against difficulties in their life that they
have to get through.

Consider the idea of heroism. What does it mean to be a hero? Do you think
Question #3 Hercules fits the definition of a hero? Why or why not? Can you think of any
modern-day heroes who embody similar qualities?

What it means to be a hero is that when somebody needs help you will help them
and not think twice about it. I think being a superhero also means that you can get
past difficulties in your life (not all heroes wear capes). I think Hercules fits the
description of a superhero because he was loved and admired by people for
being a good person and that he was able to get through the Twelve Labors.

This Diffit resource was created by Colette Keeney