What happened to the mares after the labor was finished?

Hercules brought them to King Eurystheus, who dedicated them to Hera. They were eventually released into the wild near Mount Olympus, where they were reportedly killed by other wild animals.

What were the names of the four mares of Diomedes?

In various accounts, the four mares were named Podargos (the swift), Lampon (the shining), Xanthos (the yellow), and Deinos (the terrible).

Hercules and the Mares of Diomedes: Greek Myths Story and Meaning

Save

For his eighth labor, King Eurystheus commanded Hercules to capture the four savage mares of Diomedes, the King of Thrace. These were no ordinary horses; they were man-eating beasts, kept in iron chains and fed on the flesh of unsuspecting guests. Hercules sailed to Thrace with a small group of volunteers, including his young friend Abderus. They quickly overpowered the king's grooms and drove the horses toward the sea. However, Diomedes pursued them with an army. Hercules left Abderus to guard the mares while he went to fight the Thracians. During the battle, the mares tragically turned on Abderus and devoured him. Enraged by the loss of his friend, Hercules defeated the Thracian army and captured Diomedes. In a fit of poetic justice, Hercules fed the cruel king to his own horses. Once they had feasted on their master's flesh, the mares became strangely calm and docile. Hercules led them back to Tiryns to show Eurystheus, who eventually released them on Mount Olympus, where they were said to be killed by wild beasts.

The moral

Cruelty is a self-destructive force; those who nurture evil and violence will eventually be consumed by the very monsters they created.

Questions about this story

What is the moral of Hercules and the Mares of Diomedes?

The story teaches that cruelty eventually turns on its creator. Diomedes bred violence and was ultimately destroyed by the very beasts he trained to be monsters.

Why did the mares of Diomedes eat people?

King Diomedes intentionally raised the horses on a diet of human flesh to make them savage and uncontrollable in battle. They were kept tethered with iron chains to prevent them from escaping.

Who was Abderus in the story of Hercules?

Abderus was a young companion of Hercules who helped him capture the mares. He was tragically killed and eaten by the horses while Hercules was busy fighting the Thracian army.

How did Hercules tame the man-eating horses?

Hercules tamed the horses by feeding them their own master, King Diomedes. According to the myth, the horses became calm and manageable once their hunger for human flesh was satisfied by the one who made them that way.

Hercules and the Mares of Diomedes