King Eurystheus wanted to see Hercules as far away as possible. In the tenth labor, the hero was to steal the cattle of the giant Gerion. The giant lived on the mythical island of Eretheia, near the Iberian peninsula.
The journey was very long, and no Greek had ever traveled so far and returned. He sailed a long time until he reached a large mountain. which separated the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. But not even a huge mountain could stop Zeus'son. Hercules used all his strength to split the mountain in two and pulled the halves apart.
Thus, the hero connected the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and went on his way. The two great mountains created by the hero became known as the Pillars of Hercules. Today, this place is known as the Strait of Gibraltar. Finally, Hercules reached the island of Eurytheia.
No Greek had ever dared to approach the oxen of the giant son of Chrysaor, for Gerion was a hideous creature that had several bodies in one. The giant also had a two-headed guard dog named Orthros, brother of Cerberus, the infernal dog. Hercules fought the dog, which, besides having two heads, had a serpent's tail. But not all this ferocity was an obstacle for Hercules. He slaughtered the dog son of Echidna with his mighty club.
Hercules stealthily began driving the cattle without attracting the giant's attention. But Hercules'actions did not go unnoticed by Gerion, who attacked him furiously. The fight between Hercules and Gerion was intense, and the hero seemed finally defeated. Hercules realized that the goddess Hera, his enemy, was helping the giant by increasing his courage and strength. Hercules used his bow to shoot an arrow at the goddess.
She, wounded, fled to Olympus. The demigod took one of his special arrows, soaked with Hydra's poisonous blood. Even the immortals were not immune to the strong poison of the monster son of Typhon and Echidna. The giant Gerion was slaughtered after undergoing terrible agony. Hercules was finally able to return to Greece, driving the famous Gerion's oxen.