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Key Details
Type
GroveMythology
Greek Pantheon
Coordinates
37.81°N, 22.71°E
About This Location
First labor, uncuttable hide
Apollodorus Library 2.5.1: Heracles' first labor for Eurystheus is the Nemean lion, whose skin weapons will not pierce. He traps it in a cave and strangles it, then wears the hide. Nemea in the Argolid later hosted games for Zeus; the lion is not a cult animal there in the labor text. Hesiod and Pindar already know the beast. The place is a valley with a monster that sets the hero's costume.
Primary Sources
“He shot the lion, but when he perceived that the beast was invulnerable, he threw away his bow and strangled it with his arms.”
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