Coverpage....Introduction....Hera's Interview....Eurystheus's Interview....Zeus's Interview....Atlas's Interview

    Hera's Take on Heracles

As I mentioned in my letter announcing this series, our journey into the life of Heracles begins with an interview with Hera.  She was absolutely fascinating to speak with.  Rather than rewriting what she told me in our interview, I wanted all my lovely readers to be able to read the words straight from the goddess's mouth.  So without further ado, please continue on and read the delightful interview I conducted with Hera last week.

MOT: Hello, Hera!  First of all, thank you for sitting down with me today!  I know that you have quite a history with Heracles, and he has long been a sore spot for you.  Is it hard for you to discuss him?
Hera: Well, I have to say, I am very happy to be here with you today.  Zeus is very excited about this article, so I'm willing to contribute in any way.  And as for how I feel about Heracles?  Let's just say my hatred for him has simmered a little over the years.  I no longer go into a blind rage at the thought of him, but I will also never feel warm and fuzzy when I hear his name.
MOT: Okay, so you mention the word 'hatred' in reference to Heracles.  What do you think this hatred stems from?  Is it the fact that Heracles is Zeus's son from his love affair with a mortal woman- because I'm sure Zeus's affairs were not news to you, right?  From what I've gathered, neither one of you tends to walk the line of fidelity very well.
Hera: Zeus is a god; I am a goddess.  We have a right to be with whomever we wish, and whenever.  But sleeping with someone else is certainly different from having a child with someone else.  Alcmene, Heracles's mother, is a mortal woman.  She is not worthy of having a god's child.
MOT: I see.  So you already had hostile feelings at the thought of the baby because of his mortal mother.  After he was born, your hatred for him grew immensely, isn't that right?
Hera: Yes, it did.
MOT: Do you care to elaborate?
Hera: Well, after Heracles was born, we all quickly realized that he was a strong baby.  But he didn't have any god-like qualities.  Many gods have had babies with mortals, and their children are always quite beautiful and enhanced, yet they don't have any real godliness in them.  Strength in a baby wasn't enough for Zeus.  So one night, while I was asleep, he put that... that... that half-breed to my breast and let him drink my milk!  Well, I obviously woke up to the sensation, and I was disgusted!  I knocked the baby away, and some drops of my milk escaped into the air and floated to the heavens.  I believe the mortals call it the Milky Way these days.  I call it that ugly area in the sky that always reminds me that Heracles drank my milk. 
MOT: But why is it that Heracles drinking your milk made you so angry?
Hera: Don't you see?  My milk endowed him the god-like qualities he lacked.  I made that awful child immortal.
MOT: I can see how that would have been frustrating to you.  What did you decide to do after this event?
Hera: Since I, very unfortunately, made the brat immortal, I knew I couldn't kill him.  So, instead, I decided I would do whatever I could to make him suffer.  It was basically my new goal in life.
MOT: That's quite a goal you set for yourself, Hera.  Tell me, in what ways did you want Heracles to suffer?
Hera: Well, initially, I aimed at causing him physical pain.  When Heracles was only a few months old, I assumed it would be fairly simple to injure him.  I knew he was immortal, but my goodness- he was still a baby!  So I bewitched two of the biggest, most poisonous serpents I could find, and sent them to his crib.  I was sure they could really harm Heracles as he lay there sleeping.  You can imagine my surprise when I found out he actually killed the serpents with his bare hands, and was playing with them like toys!  It was infuriating.
MOT: I can imagine.  From that point on, you basically loathed Heracles, is that right?  I hear that you were always sniping at each other throughout his childhood and teen years.
Hera: Yes, we were.  I never did anything too bad to him during those years, though.
MOT:  Of course.  If my sources are correct, I hear that you were practically bouncing with excitement when Heracles got married.
Hera: I was!  He got married, and had children of his own.  I knew that it was finally the perfect chance for me to really make Heracles suffer!
MOT: How so?
Hera: I admit, looking back on it, it might have been a bit extreme.  But I can't take it back now, so I might as well tell you.  I induced a fit of madness in him.  It was almost scary- he was so insane.  In his craziness, he killed his wife and all three of his kids. 
MOT: That's horrible!
Hera: I know.  I know!  And so look, yeah, he had some hard times after that.  But are you trying to tell me his life didn't work out okay?  He's one of the most famous heroes of all time, he's immortal, he can have any woman he wants, and he has more kids now. 
MOT: I can see you're still a bit bitter that things managed to work out for him.
Hera: Maybe a little bit.
MOT: It seems to me that you still got what you wanted.  Heracles definitely went through a period of intense suffering after the death of his wife and children.  He had to work hard to get over his guilt and regain his honor. 
Hera: Yeah... (she smiles wistfully into the distance)... I am pretty proud of myself for causing him to have to go through all of that stuff.  You know, with King Eurystheus?
MOT: Oh, I do know.  But that's a story for another day.  Thank you so much for speaking with me today, Hera.
Hera: My pleasure.

And with that, the interview was over.  I hope you'll stay tuned and read the article out in next month's Mount Olympus Times about what Heracles had to do to atone for killing his wife and children.  It truly is an enthralling tale!

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