jealous of all the women that Zeus
loved, including Alcmene. Because of
this, Hera hated Heracles.
Hera caused Heracles to become insane
for a couple of minutes. During his
madness Heracles killed his wife and
children. As soon as the madness passed,
he was horrified and overcome with
grief. He consulted a priestess who was
thought to speak for the gods. He asked
her how he could make up for his awful
deed. She told Heracles to visit King
Eurystheus and do whatever he asked.
Heracles followed the advice. But the
king assigned Heracles 12 tasks that
seemed impossible to accomplish.
Heracles was ordered to kill or capture
several dangerous monsters. These
included a nine-headed serpent and the
three-headed dog that guarded the gates
of the underworld. Another task was to
steal golden apples that were said to
make people live forever. He also had to
Hera was the queen of the gods of ancient
Greece.
44 Heracles BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
wash horse stables that had not been
cleaned in 30 years. In addition, he had
to get the belt of Hippolyta. She was the
queen of the Amazons, a group of
women warriors.
Heracles was not brilliant. But he was
determined and strong. He accomplished
all 12 labors. He even showed
great cleverness at times. For example, to
clean the filthy stables, he changed the
paths of two rivers. The rivers washed
the stables in a single day.
#More to explore
Hera • Mythology • Zeus
Herb
Herbs are the fragrant leaves or other
parts of certain plants. These plants are
also known as herbs. Common herbs
include mint, basil, oregano, bay, parsley,
and thyme. People use herbs, dried
or fresh, to add flavor and aroma to
foods. Herbs are also used in some cosmetics,
teas, and medicines. People
sometimes use the word spices to
describe dried herbs.
Most herbs grow in mild climates. However,
herbs can be planted wherever the
growing conditions are good. Many
people grow herbs indoors. In general,
herbs grow well in dry, well-drained soil.
Many require a lot of sun. Natural fertilizers,
such as manure or compost, help
herbs to form the oils that give them
their flavor.
Most herbs come from the leaves of a
plant. Bay leaves come from an evergreen
tree called the bay laurel. Rosemary
and sage are the leaves of bushes.
Some herbs come from other parts of a
plant. Ginseng comes from the roots of
ginseng plants. All parts of the fennel
plant can be used as flavoring.
The banana
plant is often
called a tree
but is actually
a giant herb.
Heracles was a hero in ancient Greek
mythology.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Herb 45
People have used herbs for thousands of
years. Early doctors used herbs to treat
many illnesses. By the Middle Ages
(about AD 500 to 1500), many Europeans
were using herbs in their cooking.
When the first settlers came from
Europe to North America, they brought
these herbs with them. Native Americans
taught the settlers about the herbs
growing in the Americas.
#More to explore
Spice
Hercules
#see Heracles.
Hermes
In ancient Greek mythologyHermes was
the messenger of the gods. Zeus, the chief
god, often sent him on errands.Hermes
was one of the 12 major gods believed to
live onMountOlympus.He was
associated with the Roman godMercury
because they shared many of the same
traits. Artists often picturedHermes
wearing a winged hat and winged
sandals. These items were symbols of his
great speed.
Herbs can be grown both indoors and outdoors.
Hermes was the messenger of the gods of
ancient Greece.
46 Hercules BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia, a
Titan. The Titans were giants who once
ruled the world. Hermes had many roles
in Greek mythology besides being the
messenger god. It was said that Hermes
led people down to Hades, or the underworld,
after death. He was also considered
the god of travelers, business, good
luck, and thieves.
Hermes was said to be sly and deceitful.
According to one story, when Hermes
was only a few hours old, he stole cattle
from the god Apollo. Zeus told Hermes
to give the cattle back. Instead, Hermes
played a stringed instrument called a
lyre, which he had invented. Apollo
loved his playing so much that he let
Hermes keep the cattle in exchange for
the lyre.
#More to explore
Apollo • Hades • Mythology
Heron
Herons are long-legged birds typically
found in ponds, marshes, and swamps.
They also live along coasts and freshwater
lakes and streams. Herons are wading
birds, which means they feed while
standing or walking in shallow water.
They are found nearly all over the
world, especially in warm regions.
There are about 60 species, or types, of
heron. Several types of heron are called
egrets. Herons are in the same family as
bitterns. They are also related to storks,
ibises, and flamingos.
A heron is typically a tall bird with
broad wings and a long neck. Unlike
most other birds, a heron flies with its
head held back against its body. Its bill is
long, straight, and pointed. Herons
often have gray, brown, black, or white
feathers. Most egrets are white.
The largest heron is the goliath heron,
which is about 59 inches (150 centimeters)
long. The great blue heron is
