Nemean lion

The Nemean lion (Greek Λέων τῆς Νεμέας ) was an invulnerable creatures of Greek mythology, which in the Peloponnese between Nemea and Cleonae at the instigation of Hera to mischief in the forests of Argolis, was incurred by humans and animals. He is not to be confused with the Kithäronischen lions.

The Nemean lion was possibly a descendant of Typhon and Echidna, but maybe also like the moon.

The legend for this is as follows: Heracles had fallen out of favor with the goddess Hera, whereupon the latter sent him mad. Driven by madness, Heracles threw his 12 children into the fire. In order to free himself of his guilt, he was condemned to 12 years to serve King Eurystheus, who imposed him 12 tasks.

Heracles was the first of the duties to be performed for Eurystheus 12 Working bring this the fur of the lion. The fact that the lion was invulnerable, noted the hero when he fired at him with arrows, but simply bounced off. So he beat the monster, as it lunged at him, his huge mace ( a whole olive tree had to serve it ) over the skull. The lion took refuge in his lair, a crevice that divided the mountain Tretos into two halves. After Heracles had closed an output of the gap, he grabbed the lion, when the came out at the other end, and choked him to death. He romped with the lion from its own claws, because only they were able to cut the skin of the animal, the fur took over his arm and made ​​his way back to Tiryns to Eurystheus. Later he tailored from the coat a cape, which made ​​him almost invulnerable.

When Eurystheus saw him coming with the fur, he was so frightened about his power, that he hid in a pot and refused to receive Heracles. Later the king did not dare vorzulassen him, but left him outside the city walls his orders from a certain Kopreus transmit.

The lion was later transferred by Hera as the Leo constellation in the sky.

Heracles and the Nemean lion. Roman mosaic of Llíria, first half of the 3rd century, ( province of Valencia, Spain), Archaeological Museum Nacional de España, Madrid

Hercules slaying the Nemean lion, Beham, (Hans) Sebald ( 1500-1550 ), engraving of 1548

Hercules destroyed the Lion of Nemea, Francisco de Zurbarán, 1634, originally Buen Retiro Palace, one of ten Hercules scenes, by order of King Philip IV of Spain, now the Museo del Prado, Madrid

Macedonian tetradrachm Herakles with the Nemean lion skin