Heracles and the Nemean Lion

THE NEMEAN LION — THE GOLDEN TERROR Before heroes carved legends into stone and before kings

claimed dominion over the world, there was a forest where sunlight died upon the branches.

A place where hunters entered but never returned. A place where the air itself seemed

to hold its breath. This was the domain of the Nemean Lion, the golden-furred terror birthed not

of nature, but of divine wrath. No mortal had seen it and lived to speak.

Its hide was unbreakable — no iron could pierce it, no blade could tear it,

no arrow could even bruise it. Its roar shook leaves from trees and courage from hearts.

But the lion had not always been a creature of death. There was a time, long ago,