The God of Olympus Read Free Page B

from the book of the Gods. Hercules was intrigued by the stories of these Gods and felt some miraculous connection to them. Eventually Hercules became old enough to want to know whether or not all these stories and Gods were real. Amphitryon and Alcmene smiled at the child and said, “They are as real as you are.” Of course Hercules at the time didn’t understand the deeper meaning of their words (that in fact Hercules was, at least in part, a God like them), but he understood enough to accept the fact that these stories and the Gods portrayed within them were quite real.
    There were many things that were unique about Hercules and of which his earthly guardians became aware.  Hercules was extremely fast and spent much of his time running through the hills.  Hercules was also very tolerant of any of kind of weather, be that very cold or very warm weather.  As a result Hercules rarely wore more than a tunic. 
    The older Hercules got the more responsibility he was given. As great parents they knew the importance of giving Hercules responsibility. And so the couple bought many sheep and made Hercules the official shepherd. Amphitryon smiled as he gave the young fourteen-year-old Hercules an old wooden shepherd’s staff. “Hercules, may you watch over these sheep and protect them from all harm. This will be your task.”
    Although this was a simple task for such a talented child, Hercules didn’t mind being given the task of shepherd and tended to his duties with great diligence. There was even a notable instance of when Hercules found some of the sheep had wandered off, but returned with the skin of a great lion, having slain the lion to protect his sheep. Of course, when Hercules returned with the skin of the lion over his shoulder his parents were quite amazed.
    However, his duty as shepherd was not an eternal duty and did not keep him entirely isolated from the world. At times he would need to travel into the nearby village for supplies and when he entered the village he was beginning to see life as it really was, away from his sheltered life.
    Eventually the time had come that Amphitryon and Alcmene both dreaded and waited for their entire lives—the time of Hercules’ departure.  
    You see, t hey had begun to see signs of this hero’s life with them coming to a close. Hercules began to spend much more time outside among the sheep, thinking, pondering, and reading the book of the Gods.
    Now Hercules was a grown man, a man of almost thirty years of age.  He was not overly muscular or buff, did not appear to be weak or malnourished.  He had dark blonde hair that sunk to his shoulders and his skin was a light tan.  He sported a rugged, but somehow appealing and handsome complexion.
    “His head is in the clouds!” exclaimed Alcmene, as she stared out at Hercules.
    “Yes, indeed,” replied Amphitryon. “The boy is now a man.  He does not desire to make a home on earth.  Instead, his deep desire is for the heavens and we no longer have any right to keep him here, away from his eternal destiny.”
    “But what will we do without him?” asked Alcmene. “He has grown so close to our hearts.”
    “We knew that this day would eventually come,” replied Amphitryon. “Let me speak with him darling.”
    Although Amphitryon and Alcmene had grown to love Hercules with every fiber of their soul, they knew that the time had come that Hercules needed to leave.
    There, on the hill overlooking their home, Amphitryon spoke soothing, but nevertheless difficult words to his son: “Hercules, I have seen the heavens stirring and have also seen the stirring within your own heart. It is this type of stirring that you must not hold within you, for if you do you will never realize your true potential and will never save this world or the many other worlds that you need to save.”
    “I don’t know what I am supposed to do,” said Hercules. “Everything is confusing. For so long I have lived with the idea that this life is