Complements the story of the Ceryneian Hind
Who hasn't found themselves in a lose-lose situation? You have two options, but regardless of which one you choose, you end up with an undesirable outcome. That was exactly the dilemma Hercules faced during his third labour. If he failed to capture the hind, he would fail the task and miss out on redeeming his penalty. If he captured it, he would have to face the wrath of the gods, knowing it could cost him his life. How could he possibly win?
After successfully completing two extremely perilous labours, one might think this third labour would be more manageable. The logical choice, therefore, was to complete it. Capturing a hind, a harmless animal. There was the difficulty of speed, yes, but Hercules also had his virtues. Would it be possible to successfully confront the goddess Artemis? Where would his ego lead him?
The two lessons we take away from the story of the Ceryneian Hind are also worthy of being learned.
Perseverance and Strategy
Think about a challenge that has eluded you for a while. We can find such challenges in the professional world, in sports, or in the realm of leisure and entertainment. Whether it's securing a sale, winning a medal, saving a specific amount of money, or winning a video game match, all fields have their challenges.
How long are we talking about to achieve one of these goals? Hours, days, weeks…? Who hasn't faltered from exhaustion when the attempt has dragged on over time? It is true that everyone has a limit. Persistent failure can exhaust patience, lead to anger, and finally to the helplessness of not succeeding.
Hercules took no less than a whole year to capture the hind. With each failed attempt, he had to search for it again in the forests where it lived. Then, he had to think about how to get close enough to finally try to catch it without harming it.
If the hero possessed supernatural strength, he was also clever enough to use different strategies. As with the test of the lion he had already overcome, repeating past mistakes does not lead to better results. Therefore, with each new opportunity and environment, he pondered new ways to succeed in his objective.
After a whole year of persistence, Hercules achieved victory. A victory that was the fruit of his perseverance and his change in strategy.
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.” —Napoleon Bonaparte
Diplomacy and Humility in Victory
Once Hercules succeeds in capturing the hind, he finds himself face to face with the goddess Artemis. The story shows that he was prepared for when this moment arrived. As soon as he sees the goddess, he kneels at her feet.
The third labour consisted of two parts, the second as complex if not more so than the first. We do not know if he ever considered attempting a confrontation. Was it an opportunity to become a legend and be the one who survived the wrath of the gods? Could he tempt fate and test his true power?
It never happened. And here is where Hercules makes a grand gesture of humility. No matter how strong he is, he surrenders to Artemis and starts on the path of diplomacy.
It is well known that the gods of Olympus are as passionate, if not more so, than mortals. When Artemis sees Hercules with her protected hind, she does not hesitate for a moment to aim her bow at him and punish the sacrilege. Fortunately, the god Apollo restrains his sister, believing that Hercules' reasons for his behaviour should be heard. With this opportunity, diplomacy bears fruit and the hero is free to continue on his path with a satisfactory agreement for both parties.
In life, it is difficult to be a good loser, but there is nothing worse than being a bad winner. With his attitude of humility and diplomacy, Hercules proves to be a great winner. First, by capturing the hind, and second, by being humble enough to respect that the trophy does not belong to him.
You Snooze, You Lose
The final lesson of the story is revealed not by Hercules but by the failure of the king in his attempt to take possession of the hind.
The king, an individual of comfort who gets what he wants through commands and without effort, loses his treasure by hesitating when it comes time to seize the animal. An animal that is delivered to him within his own court, right before him. His doubt and slowness in movement lead to his failure.
If you fail to seize the opportunities presented to you, you have only yourself to blame.
