Surfperch
I've heard people say that the Hercules … has some kind of Masonic symbolism

Sure, there is always a Hercules inside every Freemason 😃
IN A CERTAIN WAY THE ONE WHO DECIDES TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE PATH IS A LITTLE HERCULES.
Just as the hero son of Alcmene Zeus, half-man, half-god, embodies non-perfection, which allows him to find the courage to be able to face these trials through which he will be able to bring out the divine part which is already in he, in the same way, the one who knocked on the door of the Temple took his life in hand and decided to face his inner journey dismayed and tested by the effort accomplished.
The labors of Hercules illustrate what the soul's progress from ignorance to wisdom, from material desire to spiritual fulfillment, will be, so the ultimate goal may be to become a Freemason.
HE STANDED IN FRONT OF HIS MASTER. HE VAGUELY UNDERSTOOD THAT A CRISIS WAS UPON HIM AND THAT IT WOULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN HIS WORD, HIS ATTITUDE AND HIS PURPOSE.
THE WORKS OF HERCULES
The acts of Hercules explain how his labors represent the stages taken by the neophyte on the initiatory path. A swing of joyful and unsuccessful emotions, which, at the same time, make him euphoric and desperate, allowing him to get closer to the mysteries of the Universe.
Time and again he will rid himself of fear and material desires and rise higher and higher to achieve a state of Bliss and Consciousness.
The Freemason begins his journey as a disciple and, at the command of his soul, faces the trials of the initiatory journey. The myth of Hercules represents this, it represents every Vampire who seeks to enter this path to demonstrate control of their human nature.
A Freemason can be defined as such when, after long and constant work on himself, he manages to dominate his own mind so that he is always lucid, capable of giving judicious answers to those who ask him questions .
It is essential that he knows how to keep his emotional part at bay, which must always be in phase with his human body, without ever forgetting that the Soul is within him.
And it is the Soul that will help him wisely, guide him and support him to face and overcome the many tasks that will be entrusted to him and for which he will have to wait to better square his Stone and make himself better.
But why should a Brother be inspired by Hercules?
By a firm will and by his virtues, not Christian, but heroic.
His exploits, his adversities can embody both a metaphor for life and, with symbolic value, the trials that he will have to face throughout his Masonic career.
As Hercules finally decides to be able to do without any gift received during the twelve labors, keeping only the lion's skin and the wooden club, objects that he obtained and made himself, at a certain point in time. his journey the wise Master will realize that what he needs has become a part of himself and he will continue his path ever lighter, because his baggage will be made up of the knowledge acquired which he will express with a few wise words.
By reading and studying the twelve labors of Hercules, the neophyte will know what specific type of work he should aim for in order for his emotions and particularities to manifest. Each personal capacity acquired will serve him to overcome the “next effort” to rectify the deep “self”.
For this goal, sometimes one life is not enough, even less a Masonic life, which is why we remain “eternal apprentices”. You will never finish learning and, as smooth and square as our stone appears to us, it will always have imperfections!