Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-1820614-20150509232606/@comment-26434670-20150526010634

Seekquaze1 wrote: Actually, in the myth , Hercules took the quests himself to cleanse his spirit. No one blamed him for it except him. It is a bit of both. By Greek religion, Hercules killing them with his own hands was an unclean act that contaminated him regardless of the criminality of it. This spiritual pollution was regarded as dangerous and would bring bad fortune to anyone around him. Some form of ritual purification or punishment was needed to purify him before it was safe for others to be around him.

And in many versions it is considered punishment. A crime/offense against the gods had been committed and somone needed to be held accountable. Hera being a goddess could not be so Hercules had to take the fall. But still. Theseus took him into Athens after the madness, but Hercules himself didn't stay. HE probably could have lived in peace in Athens for the rest of his life, but he decided to consult the Oracle to find a way to make himself clean , and that's how he got the Labors.