<p>When Hercules grew up and had become a great warrior, he married Megara. They had two children. Hercules and Megara were very happy, but life didn't turn out for them the way it does in the movie. Hera sent a fit of madness to Hercules that put him into so great a rage, he murdered Megara and the children.
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When Hercules regained his senses and saw the horrible thing that he had done, he asked the god Apollo to rid him of this pollution. Apollo commanded the hero to do certain tasks as a punishment for his wrongs, so that the evil might be cleansed from his spirit.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/41523983@N08">Carole Raddato</a> from FRANKFURT, Germany
CC BY-SA 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/carolemage/12973806145/">Mosaic panel depicting the madness of Heracles (Hercules furens), from the Villa Torre de Palma near Monforte, 3rd-4th century AD, National Archaeology Museum of Lisbon, Portugal</a>