LP0006a - The 1st Olympics - Herculean tasks, from Diodorus Siculus' Library of History

Legendary Passages #0006a - The 1st Olympics - Herculean tasks, from Diodorus Siculus' Library of History.     Last time we reviewed the first eight labors of Hercules. This time we shall hear of them again, although not in the traditional order, as well as some other adventures.     After capturing the Cretan Bull, Hercules started the first Olympics, and won every game himself. He fought with the gods in the Gigantomachy, and received the title of Olympian.     Lastly he journeyed to Thrace, and fed King Diomedes to his own man-eating mares, and then brought them to Eurystheus.     The passage continues into episode 44, where Hercules joins the Argonauts and sails east to obtain the girdle of the amazon queen. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A36034.0001.001/1:10.2?rgn=div2;view=fulltext The First Olympics, a Legendary Passage, from Diodorus Siculus' Library of History, translated by G. Booth Esq.     At length Time moderating his Grief, resolving to undergo all the Difficulties that were enjoyn'd him, he went to Euristheus; who in the first place commanded him to kill the Lyon in the Forest of Nemea, which was of a monstrous Bigness, not to be pierc'd or wounded by Sword, Spear or Stones, and therefore not to be dealt with but by meer Force and Strength of Hand.     His Walks were commonly between Mycenas and Nemea, near the Mountain (from what happen'd to it) call'd Tretos. For at the Foot of this Hill there was a Den, in which this Monster us'd to lurk. Hercules here meeting with him lay'd hold on him, whereupon the Beast beginning to fly to his Den, he resolutely pursu'd him (having before stop'd up one of the Mouths of the Den) and so both clos'd, where he got the Lyon by the Throat, and strangl'd him with his Arms. Then he cloath'd himself with his Skin (which was big enough to cover his whole Body) and ever after wore it as a Defence in all Conflicts. -     His second Task was to kill the Hydra of Lerna. This Monster had a hundred Necks rising out of one Body, and upon every Neck a serpentine Head, and when one of these was cut off, two others grew up in its stead, and therefore this Monster was accounted invincible; and not without good reason; for from the Part that was lost, arose a double Assistance in its Room.     Against this Difficulty he invented this Stratagem; he commanded Iolaus to sear the Part that was cut off with a Firebrand, that thereby the Blood might be stop'd, by which Means the Beast was kill'd; and he dipt the Points of his Darts in the Monster's Gall, that wherever they struck, the Wound might be incurable. -     The third Command was, that he should bring the Erymanthean Boar (which rov'd about in the Plains of Arcadia) to him alive. This seem'd to be a most difficult Task. For he that fought with this Beast ought to be so subtil as diligently to watch the exact Time and fittest Opportunity in the Management of the Conflict; for if he should let him go while he was in his full strength, the Champion was in danger to be rent in pieces with his Tuskes; and if he wounded him too sore, and so kill'd him, his Labour was lost, and his Victory imperfect. However he so prudently manag'd the Combat, that he brought the Boar alive to Euristheus, who was so terrify'd to see him come hurrying with the Boar upon his Shoulders, that he hid himself in a Brazen Hogshead.     In the mean time Hercules subdu'd the Centaurs upon this occasion: There was one Pholus among the Centaurs, from whom the Neighbouring Mountain was call'd Pholoes; this same having entertain'd Hercules as his Guest, took up an Hogshead of Wine that had for a long time been bury'd in the Earth. For it's reported that this Wine was anciently deposited in the Hands of a certain Centaur by Bacchus, who commanded that it should be broacht at that very time when Hercules came thither; who now hapning to be there the Fourth Age after, Pholus remem