sleep.
******
Philoctetes awoke Hercules early that morning to prepare for his first day of hero training. The sun was just rising and it was a bright and cheery day.
“ In the end the only way you can be a hero is if people believe you are, in fact, a hero,” said Philoctetes. “So you must learn how to become one. The transformation of you into a type of cursed creature will begin in about three months. So that means I only have three months to train you and get you ready for the outside world.”
Of course, Philoctetes was not going to give Hercules any easy task. To begin the morning he was to run around the island three times with Philoctetes on his back. And considering the tough terrain and the fact that the island itself was relatively large, he found this task extremely difficult and tiring. But Philoctetes said that this was simply the warm-up.
Once he had completed this portion of his task Philoctetes had Hercules gain great strength, endurance, and balance. He first had Hercules hold out a large boulder in each of his hands while both of his arms were outstretched. Then he made Hercules he lift up a great rock, at least ten feet in diameter and hurl it off the cliff. At first Hercules didn’t succeed at lifting the great boulder and throwing it off the cliff, but after several attempts, he was able to complete this great task. And so Hercules quickly got stronger, faster, and more precise.
“When do I get a weapon?” asked Hercules.
“Not yet,” said Philoctetes. “Later, but not yet. Now you must learn to face the enemy. Fight the beasts on this island, but do not slay them. Do not teach them to fear or hate you, but teach them to honor and respect you. First fight without weapons and later you may fight better with them.”
And so Philoctetes had Hercules wrestle the great beasts on the island. He said this would help him gain focus and basic fighting skills. So Hercules learned how to fight many different types of creatures—all that existed on the island. Philoctetes said that learning how to defeat, but not kill, all these different creatures would help him be able to defeat any opponent. He found many different types of enemies there—Chimeras, Centaurs, Harpies, Manticores, Minotaurs, and many other creatures. Each one presented a different challenge to him. He would never kill these creatures, but he learned how to capture them, making them greatly respect his power and authority, and as well delight in his kindness and mercy. He was teaching these cursed creatures kindness and civility and after he had defeated them they never would attack him again.
Day after day of training passed. Hercules was getting more tired day after day, but he was focused on his ultimate goal of becoming a great hero. And so he worked and worked, until the nearly three months had passed. By then he could run quickly around the island with Pegasus and Philoctetes on his back. By then he could lift the greatest boulder on the island and fight the fiercest of beasts. He was almost ready to leave the island of Lemnos.
“Physically, you are ready for what lies ahead,” said Philoctetes. “Y ou have learned how to fight all sorts of terrifying creatures. But there are still greater challenges than that in your path. You have now come to your last and final test on this island, if you can call it that. I have not told you why I opted to train you…why I opted to believe you when against all odds I shouldn’t have.” Philoctetes and Hercules walked out to an old, broken down courtyard in the center of the island. “This once was the center of civilization on this island.” And still, almost entirely intact, but covered in ivy and greenery, was a bronze statue at least ten feet tall. The statue was of a large, muscular man, a man over whose back was a lion skin, girted about with a cloth around his waist and with a massive club in his hands.
******
Philoctetes awoke Hercules early that morning to prepare for his first day of hero training. The sun was just rising and it was a bright and cheery day.
“ In the end the only way you can be a hero is if people believe you are, in fact, a hero,” said Philoctetes. “So you must learn how to become one. The transformation of you into a type of cursed creature will begin in about three months. So that means I only have three months to train you and get you ready for the outside world.”
Of course, Philoctetes was not going to give Hercules any easy task. To begin the morning he was to run around the island three times with Philoctetes on his back. And considering the tough terrain and the fact that the island itself was relatively large, he found this task extremely difficult and tiring. But Philoctetes said that this was simply the warm-up.
Once he had completed this portion of his task Philoctetes had Hercules gain great strength, endurance, and balance. He first had Hercules hold out a large boulder in each of his hands while both of his arms were outstretched. Then he made Hercules he lift up a great rock, at least ten feet in diameter and hurl it off the cliff. At first Hercules didn’t succeed at lifting the great boulder and throwing it off the cliff, but after several attempts, he was able to complete this great task. And so Hercules quickly got stronger, faster, and more precise.
“When do I get a weapon?” asked Hercules.
“Not yet,” said Philoctetes. “Later, but not yet. Now you must learn to face the enemy. Fight the beasts on this island, but do not slay them. Do not teach them to fear or hate you, but teach them to honor and respect you. First fight without weapons and later you may fight better with them.”
And so Philoctetes had Hercules wrestle the great beasts on the island. He said this would help him gain focus and basic fighting skills. So Hercules learned how to fight many different types of creatures—all that existed on the island. Philoctetes said that learning how to defeat, but not kill, all these different creatures would help him be able to defeat any opponent. He found many different types of enemies there—Chimeras, Centaurs, Harpies, Manticores, Minotaurs, and many other creatures. Each one presented a different challenge to him. He would never kill these creatures, but he learned how to capture them, making them greatly respect his power and authority, and as well delight in his kindness and mercy. He was teaching these cursed creatures kindness and civility and after he had defeated them they never would attack him again.
Day after day of training passed. Hercules was getting more tired day after day, but he was focused on his ultimate goal of becoming a great hero. And so he worked and worked, until the nearly three months had passed. By then he could run quickly around the island with Pegasus and Philoctetes on his back. By then he could lift the greatest boulder on the island and fight the fiercest of beasts. He was almost ready to leave the island of Lemnos.
“Physically, you are ready for what lies ahead,” said Philoctetes. “Y ou have learned how to fight all sorts of terrifying creatures. But there are still greater challenges than that in your path. You have now come to your last and final test on this island, if you can call it that. I have not told you why I opted to train you…why I opted to believe you when against all odds I shouldn’t have.” Philoctetes and Hercules walked out to an old, broken down courtyard in the center of the island. “This once was the center of civilization on this island.” And still, almost entirely intact, but covered in ivy and greenery, was a bronze statue at least ten feet tall. The statue was of a large, muscular man, a man over whose back was a lion skin, girted about with a cloth around his waist and with a massive club in his hands.
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