At the celebration of the marriage of Jupiter and Juno, when all the
gods were bringing their wedding gifts to the happy pair, Mother Earth
did not wish to be left out. So she caused to spring forth on the
western borders of the great world-sea a many-branched tree full of
golden apples. Four maidens called the Hesperides, daughters of Night,
were the guardians of this sacred garden, and with them watched the
hundred-headed dragon, Ladon, whose father was Phorkys, the parent of
many monsters. Sleep came never to the eyes of this dragon and a fearful
hissing sound warned one of his presence, for each of his hundred
throats had a different voice. From this monster, so was the command of
Eurystheus, should Hercules seize the golden apples.
The hero set out on his long and adventurous journey and placed himself
in the hands of blind chance, for he did not know where the Hesperides
dwelt.
He went first to Thessaly, where dwelt the giant Termerus, who with his
skull knocked to death every traveler that he met; but on the mighty
cranium of Hercules the head of the giant himself was split open.
Farther on the hero came upon another monster in his way, Cycnus, the son
of Mars and Pyrene. He, when asked concerning the garden of the
Hesperides, instead of answering, challenged the wanderer to a duel, and
was beaten by Hercules. Then appeared Mars, the god of war, himself, to
avenge the death of his son; and Hercules was forced to fight with him.
But Jupiter did not wish that his sons should shed blood, and sent his
lightning bolt to separate the two.
Then Hercules continued his way through Illyria, hastened over the river
Eridanus, and came to the nymphs of Jupiter and Themis, who dwelt on the
banks of the stream. To these Hercules put his question.
"Go to the old river god Nereus," was their answer. "He is a seer and
knows all things. Surprise him while he sleeps and bind him; then he
will be forced to tell you the right way."
Hercules followed this advice and became master of the river god,
although the latter, according to his custom, assumed many different
forms. Hercules would not let him go until he had learned in what
locality he could find the golden apples of the Hesperides.
Informed of this, he went on his way toward Libya and Egypt. Over the
latter land ruled Busiris, the son of Neptune and Lysianassa. To him
during the period of a nine-year famine a prophet had borne the oracular
message that the land would again bear fruit if a stranger were
sacrificed once a year to Jupiter. In gratitude Busiris made a beginning
with the priest himself. Later he found great pleasure in the custom and
killed all strangers who came to Egypt. So Hercules was seized and
placed on the altar of Jupiter. But he broke the chains which bound him,
and killed Busiris and his son and the priestly herald.
With many adventures the hero continued his way, set free, as has been
told elsewhere, Prometheus, the Titan, who was bound to the Caucasus
Mountains, and came at last to the place where Atlas stood carrying the
weight of the heavens on his shoulders. Near him grew the tree which
bore the golden apples of the Hesperides.
Prometheus had advised the hero not to attempt himself to make the
robbery of the golden fruit, but to send Atlas on the errand. The giant
offered to do this if Hercules would support the heavens while he went.
This Hercules consented to do, and Atlas set out. He put to sleep the
dragon who lived beneath the tree and killed him. Then with a trick he
got the better of the keepers, and returned happily to Hercules with the
three apples which he had plucked.
"But," he said, "I have now found out how it feels to be relieved of
the heavy burden of the heavens. I will not carry them any longer." Then
he threw the apples down at the feet of the hero, and left him standing
with the unaccustomed, awful weight upon his shoulders.
Hercules had to think of a trick in order to get away. "Let me," he said
to the giant, "just make a coil of rope to bind around my head, so that
the frightful weight will not cause my forehead to give way."
Atlas found this new demand reasonable, and consented to take over the
burden again for a few minutes. But the deceiver was at last deceived,
and Hercules picked up the apples from the ground and set out on his way
back. He carried the apples to Eurystheus, who, since his object of
getting rid of the hero had not been accomplished, gave them back to
Hercules as a present. The latter laid them on the altar of Minerva; but
the goddess, knowing that it was contrary to the divine wishes to carry
away this sacred fruit, returned the apples to the garden of the
Hesperides.