51 pages 1 hour read

Gary D. Schmidt

The Labors of Hercules Beal

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2023

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Chapters 12-14Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 12 Summary: “The Cattle of Geryon”

The 10th labor of the mythical hero was to find the purple cattle of Geryon. Along the way, he encountered many obstacles and erected stone markers on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea. The boy questions how so many things could have gone wrong for the mythical Hercules until his own world starts to crumble. Viola is no longer around. Sullen, Achilles refuses to talk. Hercules decides to visit Viola. When he arrives, she invites him in for dinner, and they talk about Achilles’s inability to express his feelings. Then, Viola asks why Hercules calls her a vampire. He admits that if he believes this, it will not hurt if they lose her. Recognizing his honesty, she professes that he is no longer a “baby” brother. Then, she shares her plans to go to medical school, which means that she might be away for a while. Achilles has known this all along.

The next night, Hercules confronts his brother, revealing that he does like Viola and accusing Achilles of being a “jerkface.” Hercules remarks that sometimes one can prevent losing a loved one, which is the case with Viola. When Achilles confesses his fears, Hercules insists that he wait for her to return from medical school.

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