Heracles and the Garden of the Hesperides
THE Garden proved to lie in the uttermost West; and since Atlas stood near it, bearing the Heavens on his shoulders, Prometheus suggested enlisting his help, for the giant was kin to the Hesperides.*
Indeed, Atlas was very obliging. He passed the Heavens to Heracles, soothed the dragon, and reaching out a long arm picked three apples. Then the newly-liberated Titan broke the news to Heracles that he planned to take them to Eurystheus himself.
To the giant’s relief, Heracles took it surprisingly well, asking only whether Atlas would mind holding the Heavens for a moment while he adjusted his padding. But as soon as the load was off, Heracles sprang away, taking the apples and leaving Atlas fuming.
When he reached Tyrins, Heracles delivered the apples – failing to mention that he had benefited from Atlas’s help. At his request, the fruit was offered in sacrifice to Athene, and in that instant, the apples vanished back home to the Garden.
Prometheus and Atlas were brothers, sons of the Titan Iapetus. Diodorus Siculus makes the Hesperides Atlas’s daughters, but more usually they were given as the daughters of Nyx (Night); Nyx’s sister-god Gaia (Earth) was mother to Cronus and Iapetus.