The First Labor
Slaying of the Nemean Lion -
Constellation Leo
For his first
labor Eurystheus commanded that Hercules slay and return with the skin of the Nemean lion, a creature with an impenetrable
hide Hera had sent to Nemea to
endanger Hercules.
Hercules
traveled to the area and scoped out the lay of the land to prepare himself for the struggle. One evening he came across the lion
after it had killed and was having
dinner. He slyly shot it with arrows from ambush. Even though his arrows were gifts from Apollo, they bounced off the lions hide
with no effect.
The
lion attacked and the charge and was fended off by Hercules with his club and bare hands. He managed to choke and batter the lion onto
death
Hercules
skinned the lion using its own claws, the only tool he found that sufficed to cut through the pelt. Afterwards he cured the skin and
wore it always like armor.
Zeus
in pride of his mighty son and in remembrance to a worthy beast, had the lion immortalized in the heavens as the constellation of
Leo.
Hercules
returns to Eurystheus with his prize.