At the beginning of mankind's existence on the earth they did not have the knowledge of fire, nor the knowledge to build  sanctuaries to live.  The world at that time was filled with ferocious beasts that would routinely make a feast of any man, woman, or child they could find.  At that time mankind neither  had the knowledge nor the know how to defend themselves.

Later on mankind began to live in communities, and in these groups of individuals they managed to defend themselves against the wild animals.  Around the period when they began to build towns near the sea they mastered fire.  With fire they created weapons that they used against the wild beasts.

From that time to the time of Hercules thousands of years had passed.  Now mankind had become civilized and had weapons of steel, sailed on the sea, and designed beautiful structures to the honor of their gods.

However, the beasts had not disappeared they had simply fled to the forests away from mankind's reach.  In one of the forest near  Nemea there lived a horrid beast "The Neamean Lion".  This lion would routinely eat the livestock of the people of Nemea, and at times would even eat any unfortunate Nemean that had wandered into the forest!

Euristhea wishing for Hercules to die so that he may not take his kingdom, see Hercules goes to Delphi, said to Hercules, "Hercules go bring me the hide of this dangerous Lion, so that the people of Nemea can sleep without fear knowing that their livestock and people are safe."

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