Hercules Killing the Hydra of Lerna

Many artists looked back to Michelangelo as a source when drawing the muscular male body, particularly when depicting Hercules, who personified physical strength and courageous heroism. Along with his battle with the Hydra of Lerna, one of the twelve labours of Hercules involved him descending into the underworld to capture Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades. Although a number of artists depict Hercules with an upraised club, in fact the tale states that he caught the monstrous hound by the throat until it weakened and yielded to him. (Monsters and Maidens, 2004)

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