~The Book Of Wonder Encyclopaedia~
~H~
Halloween did not start out as a controversial day. In recent years it has come under attack as a celebration because some people got it into their heads to take offence at the pagan origins of the day, however, these same people were not averse to putting it in their own festival calendar and celebrating it according to their translation of the idea.
Hector
Hector was a mighty warrior during the Trojan War, fighting against the Greeks. He was killed by Achilles then his corpse was dragged behind Achilles' chariot.
Hera
Hera was Queen of the Olympian gods in Greek mythology, herself being the goddess of women and marriage. She was the daughter of Rhea and Kronos - Kronos had the notoriety for swallowing his children as soon as Rhea had given birth to them because he had been told that he would be overthrown by his own child. He was tricked into taking a potion which made him regurgitate them!
Hera was married to her brother Zeus. One of their wedding presents was the orchard of golden apples which is a noted tale in Greek mythology. Together Hera and Zeus had three children: Ares [god of war], Hebe [goddess of youth], and Eilythia [goddess of childbirth].
Herbs
Herbs, in a general botanical sense, are any plant that hasn't got a woody stem, like a tree or shrub. [However, the classification doesn't change if you leave them to grow until they turn woody with age like some of mine!] I would take this to mean that almost any plant can be used as an herb, within reason and safety.
This classification has sub-divisions for herbs used in cooking - usually the fresh or dried leaves of the plant - and herbs used for medicinal purposes - all parts may be utilised. Herbs are also used to make different coloured dyes, and for such diverse things as oils, air fresheners, fragrances, and beauty aids.
| | | Basil | | Dandelion | | Dill | | Echinacea | | Fennel | | Feverfew | | Garlic | | Lavender | | Rosemary | | Thyme | | Willowherb | | Yarrow | | |
N.B.
Many medical conditions are not appropriate for self-diagnosis or self-medication and need the attention of a qualified medical practitioner.
Hercules / Heracles
Hercules, to the Romans, Heracles to the Greeks, became a great hero in Greek mythology and was deified for his extreme courage and endurance. He was fathered by Zeus who disguised himself as the husband of Alcmena, a mortal woman. Hera, wife of Zeus, was very angry because a prophesy had foretold that a descendant of Perseus, which Hercules was, would be born on that day and grow up to rule Greece. On the same day Hercules' cousin was due to be born and Hera somehow delayed Hercules' birth so that the cousin, Eurystheus, was born first and it was he who gained the heritage.
Hera devised many ways to try and kill Hercules, even giving him snakes when he was a baby - which he killed. Her jealousy plagued Hercules and began to drive him insane.
Hercules was involved in the slaying of a tax collector, which action started a war in which Hercules fought to put Creon on the throne. In reward for his success he was given Creons daughter, Megara, to marry. In a fit of insanity he killed Megara and his children, along with his brothers children.
Hercules' punishment was to serve Eurystheus for twelve years. Eurystheus hated Hercules because of the threat from birth that if Eurytheus died Hercules would rule Greece. So he devised what he thought were impossible tasks that would end up with Hercules dead. These are what we know as the twelve labours of Hercules and give rise to the saying "A Herculean task" of something that seems impossible to do.
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When the labours were completed Eurystheus released Hercules who carried on making his reputation as a hero. He married Deianira but her jealousy drove her to steep his clothes in what she thought was a love potion, designed to bring him back to her, but was poison. When Hercules put on a robe sent by Deianira it burned through his skin and tore chunks out of his body when he tried to take it off. The agony was so bad that he voluntarily mounted his own funeral pyre and thus ended his life.
Hydra Home for the Hydra was swampland near the city of Lerna, Argolis, from which it would periodically emerge to terrorise the neighbourhood, eating herds of cattle - along with the occasional villager or several.
The Hydra was a monster from Greek mythology with the body of a serpent and many heads, different tales have the number anywhere between 5 and 100. The main head was impervious to harm by any weapon and each of the other heads, if severed, grew another in it's place, sometimes two, making the Hydra almost impossible to kill. The breath of the Hydra was like deadly venom and fatal to anyone unlucky enough to inhale it.
