The labors of Hercules – The capture of Cerberus and the golden apples of Hesperides
Hercules was totally unbeatable, so Eurystheus decided to sent him to the underworld in order to fight with Cerberus, the dog that protected the door to the underworld, who had three heads. Hercules travelled and finally reached to the underworld. After the permission of Pluto, the ruler of the Under World and his wife Persefone, the queen of the underworld, Hercules fight with Cerberus and captured him. He bring it to Mycenae and when Eurystheus saw him he hide in his jar. After that Hercules released Cerberus to return to the underworld as he had promised to Pluto.
Finally, Eurystheus presented Hercules with his ultimate challenge: to steal the golden apples of Hesperides. These apples were said to possess the power to grant eternal youth with just one bite. The garden of Hesperides was located at the edge of the world, where a specific tree produced these golden apples. However, the garden was heavily guarded by the Nymphs, inferior female goddesses, and a fierce dragon. The giant Atlas, who carried the weight of the sky on his shoulders, resided in the same region.
Hercules embarked on a long and arduous journey to find the garden of Hesperides, passing through numerous countries along the way. He eventually arrived in Caucasus, where he freed the imprisoned Promitheus. In gratitude, Promitheus showed Hercules the way to the garden of Hesperides and advised him to enlist Atlas’s help in retrieving the apples. Hercules found Atlas and convinced him to take on the task, but he had to hold up the sky while Atlas was gone.
Atlas succeeded in stealing the golden apples with the help of Hesperides, who made a drink to put the dragon to sleep. However, when Atlas returned, he refused to take back the weight of the sky. Instead, he offered to deliver the apples to Eurystheus himself. Hercules pretended to agree and asked Atlas to help him put a pillow on his shoulders to better carry the sky. In a swift move, Hercules threw the sky onto Atlas’s shoulders, snatched the apples, and made his way to Mycenae.
With the completion of this final labor, Hercules was finally free. He had proven himself to be a true hero, overcoming seemingly impossible challenges and obstacles. The story of his bravery and strength would be told for generations to come.