Achilles

Achilles        Greek Mythological Allusion                      Source: Mythology by Edith Hamilton

• Son of Peleus and sea nymph, Thetis
• Kept back from Troy by his mother because she knew he would die there
• Sent to the court of Lycomedes, wore women's clothes, and hid with maidens
• Found out by Odysseus and taken to Troy
• Quarreled with Agamemnon over Chryseis
• Has his honor taken away by Agamemnon when he takes away his prize of honor, the maiden, Briseis
• His mother was angry as well and went to heaven to ask Zeus to give the Trojans the victory so Achilles would have nothing more to do with the Greeks
• Zeus had the Greeks attack without Achilles, as that would make them inferior and they would lose
• Goes back to fight after hearing about death of companions
• Enraged, kills a large amount of people, including Hector

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achilles#mediaviewer/File:Triumph_of_Achilles_in_Corfu_Achilleion.jpg

Hercules

Hercules       Greek Mythological Allusion             Source: Mythology by Edith Hamilton

• Greatest hero of Greece and strongest man on earth
• Admired by all except Athenians
• Had "supreme self-confidence," considered himself an "equality with the gods"
• Could only be defeated by supernatural force; killed by Hera's magic 
• Hercules was not intelligent, but very emotional
• Hera sent two snakes to kill baby Hercules; he killed them both with his bare hands
• Became something of a killer, killing a music teacher, a lion, and his family on his own
• Tries to kill himself but Theseus persuades him to live, be strong and wait for death 
• Went to Eurystheus to be purified and submit to whatever he says
• Eurystheus made him complete tasks called "The Labors of Hercules"

http://www.statuesculptures.com/shop/grandiose-statue-of-hercules-battling-hydra/

Prometheus

Prometheus             Mythological Allusion      Source: Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable or Stories of Gods and Heroes

• Earth was a "shapeless mass" called Chaos
• Earth, sea, and air separated after God and Nature interposed
• Prometheus used the earth and "made man in the image of the gods"
• Prometheus was a Titan
• Prometheus overlooked brother Epimetheus in making man and helping him and animals to survive
• Epimetheus ran out of things to bestow upon man after providing for animals
• Prometheus went to heaven, lit his torch, and set down fire to man

https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/prec/www/course/mythology/0300/prometheus.htm

Commentary:
The story Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is considered a "modern Prometheus," as the story of the creation of man is the same.