The Labours of Hercules

In 1614 Michael Maier's Arcana Arcanissima, 'the most secret of secrets', was printed. It was subtitled - "The most secret of secrets, that is, the Egyptian-Greek Hieroglyphica, still commonly unknown, set forth in six books to demonstrate the origin of the false gods, goddesses, heroes, living beings, and institutions accepted as sacred among the ancients." It consisted of six books. This is Book Five. On the labours of Hercules. Maier interprets the labours as reflecting alchemical ideas.