Nemean lion

The Nemean Lion (Ancient Greek Λέων τῆς Νεμέας Léōn tēs Neméas, historical spelling also with trema: "nemeïsch") was an invulnerable lion of Greek mythology that wreaked havoc in the forests of Argolis in the Peloponnese between Nemea and Kleonai at the instigation of Hera, attacking humans and animals. He is not to be confused with the Citharonean lion.

The Nemean Lion was possibly a descendant of Typhon and Echidna, or perhaps from heaven, perhaps fallen from the moon or son of the moon goddess.

The legend is as follows: Heracles had fallen out of favor with the goddess Hera, whereupon she sent him into madness. Addicted to madness, Heracles threw his 12 children into the fire. To free himself from his guilt, he was condemned to serve the king Eurystheus for 12 years, who imposed 12 tasks on him.

Heracles was to bring the lion's skin to Eurystheus as the first of the 12 tasks to be performed for him. The hero realized that the lion was invulnerable when he shot arrows at it, but they simply bounced off. So, when the beast leapt at him, he struck it across the skull with his huge club (made from an olive tree). The lion took refuge in his lair, a crevice that ran through Mount Tretos. After closing one exit of the crevice, Heracles grabbed the lion as it came out the other end and strangled it to death. He then killed the lion with its own claws, for only these were capable of cutting the animal's skin, took the fur over his arm and made his way back to Tiryns to Eurystheus. Later he made himself a cloak from the fur, which made him almost invulnerable.

When Eurystheus saw him coming with the fur, he was so frightened by its power that he hid himself in a large jar and refused to receive Heracles. Even later the king did not dare to let him come forward, but had his orders conveyed to him outside the city walls by a certain Copreus.

The lion was later placed in the sky by Hera as the constellation Leo.