[Greek heroic] Heracles on his penultimate task was asked to pluck three golden apples from the tree of the Hesperides, (nymphs of the evening). Gaia, the earth-mother had given Zeus and Hera golden apples as a wedding gift. Hera planted them in her garden, which was far to the west and close to Mount Atlas. To guard the apples Hera sent Ladon, an immortal monster with one hundred heads. It was yet another offspring of Echidna and Typhon. Also guarding the tree where the Hesperides, who were the daughters of Nyx and Erebus, but some versions say that Atlas was their father. Some versions say seven, but most legends say there were three Hesperides but it can vary; Aigle, Arethusa, Erytheia, Hespere, and Hesperethusa are some of the names given to them. The most difficult part of this task was to find the location of the garden. Heracles set off toward the west. While crossing Thessaly in northern Greece, Heracles came across Cycnus, who was the son of Ares, the god of war. Cycnus killed travelers an...
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