The Ceryneian Hind
Heracles must capture the sacred Ceryneian Hind of Artemis without killing or seriously harming it.
The Story
The Ceryneian Hind was sacred to Artemis.
It was famous for its extraordinary speed and, in later descriptions, for golden antlers.
Eurystheus ordered Heracles to capture the animal alive.
The task placed Heracles in a difficult position.
The Hind itself was not evil or monstrous. It belonged to a goddess.
Killing it might provoke Artemis.
Heracles therefore pursued the animal for a long period rather than attacking it violently.
Eventually he captured it without killing it.
When Artemis confronted him, Heracles explained that he had acted under the orders imposed upon him by Eurystheus.
The goddess allowed him to continue.
Heracles carried the Hind back to Mycenae and completed the Labour.
The story is important because it shows that not every heroic challenge is solved by force.
Heracles must recognise divine ownership and avoid turning obedience to Eurystheus into disrespect toward Artemis.
Key Figures
Why It Matters
The Hind episode shows the limits of heroic strength. Heracles succeeds through restraint and negotiation as much as physical ability.
Traditions & Variations
Sources differ over how long the pursuit lasts and exactly how Heracles captures the Hind. The animal's famous golden antlers are more prominent in some later accounts.