The 11th Labour of Hercules

After 8 years and one month of performing 10 superhuman labours, King Eurystheus demanded two more labours from Hercules as he did not count the slaying of Hydra and the cleaning of King Augean’s Stables as properly done. So for the 11th Labour Eurystheus set that Hercules bring him 3 Golden Apples from the Garden of Hesperides.

The apples from the Garden of Hesperides belonged to Zeus and were given to him as a wedding gift. The exact location of the Garden and the Apples was unknown to Hercules and all he knew was that it was at the northern edge of the world. He knew it was heavily guarded not only by the hundred-headed dragon, Ladon, but also by the Hesperides, nymphs who were daughters of Atlas, the titan who held the sky and the earth upon his shoulders.

First Hercules had to find out where the garden was, he travelled across north Africa and Asia, battling and having adventures on the way until he met Neresus, the Old Man of the Sea, who knew the garden’s secret location. Nereus transformed himself into all kinds of shapes, trying to escape, but Hercules held tight and didn’t release Nereus until he got the information he needed.

Hercules came to the rock on Mount Caucasus where he found Prometheus chained to the mountain. Prometheus, was a trickster who made fun of the gods and stole the secret of fire from them. As punishment he was sentenced by Zeus to a horrible fate. He was bound to the mountain, and every day a monstrous eagle came and ate his liver, pecking away at Prometheus’ tortured body. After the eagle flew off, Prometheus’ liver grew back, and the next day he had to endure the eagle’s painful visit all over again. This went on for 30 years, until Hercules showed up and killed the eagle.

As thanks, Prometheus told Hercules the secret to getting the apples. He would have to send Atlas after them, instead of going himself. Atlas was tired holding up the sky and the earth and hated that he was bound to do this forever. Hercules carried on his journey and managed to kill Ladon. He then went to Atlas and proposed to him that if he went to collect the apples for Hercules, then Hercules would hold up the earth and the sky for him, giving him much needed respite. Atlas agreed and left to collect the apples, leaving Hercules with the weight of the earth and sky on his back.

When Atlas returned with the golden apples, he told Hercules he would take them to King Eurystheus himself, and asked Hercules to stay there and hold the heavy load for the rest of time. Hercules slyly agreed, but asked Atlas whether he could take it back again, just for a moment, while the hero put some soft padding on his shoulders to help him bear the weight of the sky and the earth. Atlas put the apples on the ground, and lifted the burden onto his own shoulders. So Hercules picked up the apples and quickly ran off, carrying them back, uneventfully, to Eurystheus. After the ordeal, Athena took the Apples from Eurystheus and returned them to the Garden, anticlimactically.

The trials of Hercules to obtain the Golden Apples only for them to be promptly taken away from Eurystheus are representative of the futility of attempting to attain immortality. It is a lesson to show that immortality only belongs to the gods and not to mere mortals