another version of the myth is that heracles (roman hercules) was abandoned in the woods by his mortal parents, amphitryon and alcmene. heracles, son of zeus and alcmene, was naturally favored by his father, who sent athena, greek goddess of wisdom, to retrieve him. athena, not being so motherly, decided to take him to hera to suckle. hera agreed to suckle heracles as heracles drinks the milk, he bites down, and hera pushes him away in pain. the milk that squirts out forms the milky way.