Hesperides
For his eleventh task, Hercules was charged with stealing the golden apples from the Hesperides, a trio of nymphs tending Hera’s garden at the end of the western world. The apples gave immortality to any who ate them and had been a wedding gift from Gaia when Hera married Zeus.
Hera had installed a never-sleeping, hundred-headed dragon named Ladon to protect the garden from intruders, since she didn’t trust the nymphs.
Hercules first caught the Old Man of the Sea, a shape-shifting sea god, to learn the location of the garden, since no one gave him a hint as to where he should start.
On his way through Egypt, Hercules ran into King Busiris, who wanted to turn our hero into the yearly sacrifice but Hercules escaped by breaking out of his chains.
At some point, he also met Antaeus, a giant who was invincible as long as he was in contact with his mother, Gaia, the earth. Antaeus collected skulls to build a temple to his father, Poseidon. Hercules killed him by lifting Anaeus off the ground and crushing him in a bear hug.
One of the legends state that Hercules tricked Atlas into stealing some of the apples for him by offering to hold up the heavens for a while. I guess everybody needs an occasional break from a monotonous chore.
When Atlas returned, he decided he didn’t want to take the heavens back but offered to deliver the apples instead. Hercules agreed, asking Atlas to temporarily relieve him of his new burden so he could remove his cloak.
As soon as Atlas did so, Hercules took the apples and left. (Atlas sounds like all brawn and no brain, don’t you think?)
On Attic pottery, Hercules is shown blissfully lounging in the garden surrounded by the nymphs, which would go along with the alternate story of him killing the dragon instead of tricking Atlas.
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A happy ending to this one for Hercules either way.
It was, Carol. He got to kill, steal, frustrate Hera, and hang out with beautiful nymphs…all in the same task!
A hundred headed dragon? Yikes!!
Many-headed things seems to be a common thread in mythology, Ciara.
I know, but 100. How does that all fit on one neck?
Medusa is still my favorite. She might only have one head, but she has lots of snakes.
Medusa had quite the hair style…
This is one I know..Read a bit about it…Still fantastic post..Thank you..
Hi Savannah! One more to go and maybe Hercules can finally get some rest.
It’s probably very wise not to trust nymphs. But a 100 headed dragon that never sleeps seems like overkill. Paranoid much? lol
Yeah, Hera was a real head case, Mary.
Greek mythology doesn’t seem to care too much about consistency. Hera was the benefactor of Eurystheus, and yet that ingrate orders Hercules to steal her golden apples! If I were Hera, I’d be thinking maybe I should ditch Eurystheus and be on the same team with Hercules. I rather like the part of the story where Hercules fools Atlas. Hercules must’ve known the big guy wasn’t too bright.
I think all of Hera’s bitterness stems from having a philandering husband, Ron. She likes to stir up trouble for entertainment. As for Atlas, anybody dumb enough to stand in one place forever can’t be too bright.
I got be surrounded by a bunch of nymphs once, but I’m not sure if they were male or female. Hard to tell.
I’d love to be a male nymph in that garden with Hercules.
Hi Jay! I’m glad you escaped. A nymph infestation can mean a lifetime of pleasure…I mean, bother.
Ron – Nah. Once he left there’d be nothing to do all day but eat apples and listen to Hera.
Laura, I came upon this interesting passage in the Wikipedia article on Eurystheus: “The immediate necessity for the Labours of Heracles is as penance for Heracles’ [Hercules'] murder of his own family, in a fit of madness, which had been sent by Hera; however, further human rather than mythic motivation is supplied by mythographers who note that their respective families had been rivals for the throne of Mycenae. Details of the individual episodes may be found in the article on the Labours of Heracles, but Hera was connected with all of the opponents Heracles had to overcome.” These tales are maybe like negative campaign ads. “He stole the golden apples!” “He killed the herd of beautiful red cattle!”
Thanks for the passage, Ron! Yes, Hera was quite the devious goddess. She also championed Eurystheus out of spite, since her cheatin’ husband, Zeus, had Hercules from an affair of his.
Golden apples crop up in a variety of places – I can never hear of these golden apples without remembering Yeats’ The Song of Wandering Aengus.
I always felt for Atlas in this myth. He was hard done by from all sides, and Hercules didn’t make things any easier.
There’s an interesting series of books out. Re-telling, re-imaging of the Myths by current authors. This tale of Hercules and Atlas is the subject of a re-telling by Jeanette Winterson. Her novel is “Weight”. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1841957755/ref=kinw_rke_rti_1
There’s another by Margaret Atwood, telling the story of Penelope and Odysseus – but from Penelope’s perspective.
Another good entry in your myths set, Laura.
Thanks, Kevin! The apple is such a recurring theme – the tree of knowledge, the forbidden fruit – and the subject in several religions and myths.
Atlas must have had his brain dried out by the sun to believe Hercules on this one. He’s an interesting figure in his own right, though.
There are currently several retellings of classic myths in YA books as well. Thanks for Winterson’s link. I’ll look it up!
Hercules was awesome. And yeah, Atlas is all brawn no brain. But you can’t really go to school when you’re holding up the world on your shoulders.
I love the mythology you feature on your blog. It refreshes my mind of the great Greek stories that I loved when I was much younger.
I’m glad you’re enjoying them, Michael! They’re a lot of fun for me to post.
a hundred headed, never sleeping dragon. certainly wouldn’t want to cross paths with that one!
Nutschell
http://www.thewritingnut.com
Hi Nutschell. He sounds pretty fierce.
Hi Laura .. Hercules does seem to do the rounds doesn’t he – meeting all walks of life – and Atlas does seem a little thick – poor chap … an opportunity to escape missed – still Hercules needed to fulfil his obligations too ..
I thought I’d entered the chocolate blog hop … it’s in my diary .. 10th – I’ll sign up again ..
Cheers Hilary
Hi Hilary! You did…you’re number 14.
Hi Laura .. yea I see – I’m in there as Inspirational Stories .. perhaps that’s what I put – who knows! – it wouldn’t let me re-enter ..
So chocolate had better start bubbling up … cheers Hilary