Hercules (HWV 60) is a Musical Drama in three acts by George Frideric Handel, composed in July and August 1744. The English language libretto was by the Reverend Thomas Broughton, based on Sophocles's Women of Trachis and the ninth book of Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Hercules was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 5 January 1745 in concert style. There were only two performances in the original run. The role of Lichas was written first as a small one for tenor, but it was greatly expanded before the premiere to provide Susannah Cibber with six airs. She was too ill to sing on the first night, and the music was either omitted or redistributed on that occasion. She sang in the second performance on 12 January. The music for the chorus "Wanton God" and the air "Cease, ruler of the day" was never given in this opera: the latter was adapted for the final chorus of Theodora. The work was a total failure and caused Handel to suspend his season. Hercules obtained three further hearings, two in 1749 and one in 1752, for which the role of Lichas was eliminated, and much of the other music was also cut.

Hercules was originally performed in the theatre as an oratorio without stage action. It is argued that this contributed to its later neglect as it did not make the transition into the church and the concert hall successfully. When fully staged it was reappraised and acclaimed by Romain Rolland, Henry Prunières, Paul Henry Lang and others as one of the supreme masterpieces of its age. The first modern performance was in Münster in 1925. Hercules is sometimes given a full opera staging, for example, in a Peter Sellars production at the Chicago Lyric Opera in 2011.

Précis: When the great hero Hercules returns to his wife Dejanira after a long absence, bringing with him as a captive the beautiful Princess Iole, Dejanira becomes consumed with jealousy. In a misguided attempt to secure her husband's fidelity, she inadvertently causes his death and goes mad.

Scene: Greece, in legendary antiquity

Years before the action of the piece, Hercules killed the centaur Nessus as he tried to rape Hercules' wife Dejanira. As he died, Nessus gave Dejanira a cloak soaked with his blood, telling her she should give it to Hercules if she ever doubted his fidelity because if Hercules donned the cloak he would never look at another woman again.

A royal apartment

Lichas, a royal herald, notices the inconsolable grief of Dejanira, (Accompanied recitative: See, with what sad dejection in her looks) and sympathises (Air: No longer, fate, relentless frown). Dejanira is convinced that her husband, Hercules, has been killed whilst on a military expedition that has kept him apart from her for more than a year (Accompanied recitative:O, Hercules, why art thou absent from me? and Air: The world, when day's career is run). Hyllus, son of Dejanira and Hercules, enters and reports that an oracle has been consulted and indicated that the hero is dead and the summits of Mount Oeta are ablaze with fire (Arioso:I feel, I feel the god, he swells my breast). The prophecy confirms Dejanira's fears and she longs to join her husband in death (Air:There in myrtle shades reclin'd); however Hyllus refuses to give up hope and vows to search for his father to the ends of the earth.(Air: Where congeal'd the northern streams) . The chorus comment on the devotion of Hercules' son and wife (Chorus: O filial piety, O gen'rous love!). Lichas arrives and announces that Hercules has returned alive after conquering Oechalia, much to the relief of Dejanira (Air:Begone, my fears). Lichas is glad that despair has so quickly turned to joy (Air:The smiling hours of joyful train) and the chorus reflect that one should never give up hope (Chorus:Let none despair).