Nemean Lion in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Nemean Lion

6 passages from 6 ancient authors that tell of Nemean Lion, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. The Nemean Lion was a legendary creature in Greek mythology that ravaged the area of Nemea. Its fur was impenetrable by the weapons of humans and henc... For the story in one place, read our article on Nemean Lion.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Theogony 305–334Echidna's offspring: Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimaera and the Sphinx (305-334)Typhaon is joined in love to Echidna, and their offspring are Orthus, Cerberus, the Hydra and the Chimaera. The Hydra is nourished by Hera and killed by Heracles with Iolaus's help, and the Chimaera is killed by Pegasus and Bellerophon. Echidna and Orthus bear the Sphinx and the Nemean lion, which Hera rears, and the section ends with Ceto and Phorcys's youngest child, the serpent that guards the golden apples.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.5.1–6The Labours of Heracles (1-6): the Nemean Lion to the Stymphalian BirdsHeracles goes to Tiryns and serves Eurystheus, who sets him labours. He strangles the Nemean lion, kills the Lernaean hydra with Iolaus's help, takes the Cerynitian hind alive, and captures the Erymanthian boar after the fight with the centaurs at Pholus's cave, in which Chiron is wounded. He then cleans the stables of Augeas by diverting two rivers, and scares off the Stymphalian birds with Athena's castanets. Eurystheus refuses to count the hydra and the stables, because Iolaus helped and Augeas paid a wage.

Theocritus (1)

Theocritus, Idylls 25.138–281Idyll 25: Phaethon the bull and the Nemean lionThe great bull Phaethon charges at Heracles, who seizes him by the left horn and forces his neck to the ground, to the wonder of Augeas and Phyleus. On the road to the city Phyleus asks about the lion whose hide Heracles wears, and Heracles tells how Eurystheus set him the task, how he killed the Nemean lion with his bare hands, and how he flayed it with its own claws.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.11.1–4.13.4Heracles' labours I: the first sevenHera sends a frenzy on Heracles, and in it he shoots his children by Megara; when he recovers he goes to serve Eurystheus. The chapters give the labours of the Nemean lion, the Lernaean hydra, the Erymanthian boar (with the fight against the Centaurs at the cave of Pholus), the golden-horned hind, the Stymphalian birds, the stables of Augeas, and the Cretan bull.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.25.1–13Olympia: the Messenian boys’ chorus, Agrigentine boys, Achaean heroes and Hercules statuesPausanias turns from images of Zeus to other offerings, among them the statues of the Messenian boys’ chorus lost at sea off Rhegium and the Agrigentine statues of boys praying after the Motye war. He adds a note on the peoples of Sicily and lists a Hercules and the Nemean lion, the Achaean heroes who drew lots to fight Hector, Hercules and the Amazon and the Thasian Hercules by Onatas.

Bacchylides (1)

Bacchylides, Epinicians (Odes of Victory) 12.1–14.23Odes 12–14: Pytheas of Aegina and the Aeacidae; Cleoptolemus of ThessalyOde 12 asks Cleio to guide the poet to Aegina and to a wrestler's victory at Nemea, but only its opening survives. Ode 13, for Pytheas of Aegina, shows Heracles, the descendant of Perseus, mastering the Nemean lion, praises Aegina and her heroes Peleus, Telamon, Achilles and Ajax, and tells how Achilles' anger let the Trojans drive the Greeks to their ships until Ajax stopped Hector. It ends with praise of the trainer Menander and of the host Lampon. Ode 14 reflects that fortune can crush or exalt a man before honouring Cleoptolemus of Thessaly and the domain of Poseidon Petraios.