synonymThe Nemean Lion (Nemean lion) generally refers to the Nemean lion
The Nimean lion (Greek: ∧ε ον ν ε με ϕ ∨, Latin: Leo Nemeum, English: Nemean Lion) isMYTHOSThe giant lion in.It is said that its skin is stronger than gold and iron, and swords and spears cannot enter.The word "Nimea" originates from the place of Nimea where it occupies all the year round.that placethe boundless plain, onAcadia Mountainseast.
《Divine Scripture》(''Theogony '') said that the parents of the Nemean lion were Canis Orthus, a two headed dog, and Chimera, a sheep lion.Apollodorus believed that it was the ancestor of the demonsTyphon Born.The ancient Roman scholar Aelian was knowledgeable in zoology.He quoted ancient GreeceCreteA sentence from the prophet Epiminides, saying that the moon godSelene (Selene) Shakes the fierce lion of Nimea down from the world with fear and trembling.Similar myths also refer to lions as descendants of Zeus and Selene.
appearance
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Its appearance and generallionNo difference, but the body is more huge.Its biggest feature is that it is covered with thick skin, and the knife and arrow cannot enter.His character is particularly ferocious, greedy and cannibal.Tretos, Apesas and Nimea were all invaded by it.
Killing the Nimea lion was the first of Hercules' twelve great achievements.According to the Divine BookHeraThis lion has been kept for a long time, which is just to deal with Heracles.Theocritus, the ancient Greek poet, recorded the process of fighting lions in the most detailed way: EurysTHEUS asked Heracles to kill the evil beast that killed the people and bring back the lion skin as evidence.The hero took up his bow and arrow and made a stick of olive wood. He set out immediately. After half a day, he finally found it in the mountainnest。After hiding in the trees, he shot an arrow at the left flank of the lion when he was unprepared.But the arrow bounced away, unable to penetrate the lion skin.He shot again, hitting his chest, but it was equally ineffective.At this time, the lion had found the hero hiding and rushed forward.Hercules hit his head with a wooden stick, and the stick cracked.Although the lion's scalp was not broken, it was unstable under the shock and fell dizzy.So the hero threw down his bow and arrow, put his arms around the lion's neck, and gradually lifted the whole lion up.The beast finally choked to death.
Lion skin
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Hercules wanted to peel off the lion's skin, but it was difficult to start without a sharp sword.After thinking hard for a long time, suddenly a flash of inspiration came to me.Then he cut his skin with the lion's paw and got the whole skill.From then on, he took the lion skin as his armor and the lion head as his helmet, and received a lot of help in the subsequent fierce battles.Or sayAthenaTurn into an old woman and instruct the hero to skin with the lion's paw.It is said that he was so powerful when he put on the lion skin that he scared Eurysius to hide in a copper pot and only dared to talk with him through a herald.In ancient Greece, there are many images of Heracles with lion skin on pottery paintings, and archaeologists often use this image to identify the hero.In later art works, the lion skin and olive stick became the image symbol of Hercules: the upper and lower jaws of the lion head were like the mask of a helmet, the lion's paws were closed to the chest to protect the heart, and the whole skin was like a cloak.But according to Euripides, Heracles killed a lion in the woods of Zeus when he was eighteen years old and put his skin on him.Therefore, some scholars believe that the lion skin in the portrait may not be from the Nimea lion.
Other details
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According to other classics, pythons helped Heracles kill lions.This boa constrictor was born by the Earth Mother, and came with the heroThebes, squatting in the tent.
Another said that the hero was bitten by a lion in the fight, and a tomb was built for that finger.There is a stone lion statue in the tomb to show the origin.Since then, stone lions have been seen in ancient Greek tombs.
According to ancient Roman scholars, Heracles crushed the lion to death with his chest.
Pausanias mentioned that there were two statues of heroes in Olympia when they were young, both of which were naked.One of them bent his bow and set up an arrow to aim at the lion of Nimea.It may be inferred that Hercules was still young when he killed the lion.
In many legends of the classical era, Hercules not only brought bows, arrows, sticks, but alsoCopper Sword。Of course, the sword still can't attack the lion's fur.
Another version: the hero stayed in Cleonae for a while before setting out, staying at the home of a poor craftsman, Molorchus.The craftsman said he would sacrifice for his lion hunting.Hagrid asked him to wait for thirty days.If he returns successfully, he will sacrifice to Zeus.If you lose your life to a lion, give your animal to his spirit.Indeed, 30 days later, the hero returned in triumph, and they sacrificed to Zeus together.
==Leo==
Hyginus believed that after the death of the Nimea lion, it rose to the sky and became Leo.
