Infant Heracles and the Serpents.
     Furious at having failed to prevent the birth of Heracles (Hercules), Hera (Juno) attempted to kill the child by placing two serpents in his cradle. When Iphides, Heracles’ mortal twin, screamed, their father Amphitryon came running, sword in hand. When he saw Heracles strangle the serpents with his bare hands, Amphitryon knew that this was Zeus’s son.

Further Reference:
Galinsky, G. Karl. 1972. The Herakles Theme: The Adaptations of the Hero in Literature from Homer to the Twentieth Century. Totowa, N.J., Rowman & Littlefield.

Listings for Heracles are arranged under the following headings:
; Birth of Heracles; Infant Heracles and the Serpents; Choice of Heracles; Madness of Heracles; Pillars of Heracles; Heracles and Cacus; Heracles and Antaeus; Heracles and Deianeira; Heracles and Iole; Heracles and Omphale; Death of Heracles; Apotheosis

See also Heracles, Labors of; Alcestis; Jason, and the Argonauts; Laomedon; Odysseus, in Hades; Pirithous, Wedding; Prometheus, Freed; Theseus, and the Amazons; Titans and Giants