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And there the sun beat upon him； and drew all strength away from him；
and he was dazed and dazzled by the rays of the sun。 He shouted out
against the sun； and in his anger he wanted to strive against the sun。 Then
he drew his bow and shot arrows upward。 Far； far out of sight the arrows
of Heracles went。 And the sun god； Helios； was filled with admiration for
Heracles； the man who would attempt the impossible by shooting arrows
at him； then did Helios fling down to Heracles his great golden cup。
Down； and into the Stream of Ocean fell the great golden cup of
Helios。 It floated there wide enough to hold all the men who might be in a
ship。 Heracles put the bull of Minos into the cup of Helios； and the cup
bore them away； toward the west； and across the Stream of Ocean。
Thus Heracles came to the Island of Erytheia。 All over the island
straggled the red cattle of Geryoneus； grazing upon the rich pastures。
Heracles； leaving the bull of Minos in the cup； went upon the island； he
made a club for himself out of a tree and he went toward the cattle。
The hound Orthus bayed and ran toward him； the two…headed hound
that was the brother of Cerberus sprang at Heracles with poisonous foam
upon his jaws。 Heracles swung his club and struck the two heads off the
hound。 And where the foam of the hound's jaws dropped down a
poisonous plant sprang up。 Heracles took up the body of the hound； and
swung it around and flung it far out into the Ocean。
Then the monster Geryoneus came upon him。 Three bodies he had
instead of one； he attacked Heracles by hurling great stones at him。
Heracles was hurt by the stones。 And then the monster beheld the cup of
Helios； and he began to hurl stones at the golden thing； and it seemed that
he might sink it in the sea； and leave Heracles without a way of getting
from the island。 Heracles took up his bow and he shot arrow after arrow at
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the monster； and he left him dead in the deep grass of the pastures。
Then he rounded up the red cattle； the bulls and the cows； and he
drove them down to the shore and into the golden cup of Helios where the
bull of Minos stayed。 Then back across the Stream of Ocean the cup
floated； and the bull of Crete and the cattle of Geryoneus were brought
past Sicily and through the straits called the Hellespont。 To Thrace； that
savage land； they came。 Then Heracles took the cattle out； and the cup of
Helios sank in the sea。 Through the wild lands of Thrace he drove the herd
of Geryoneus and the bull of Minos； and he came into Mycenae once
more。
But he did not stay to speak with Eurystheus。 He started off to find the
Garden of the Hesperides； the Daughters of the Evening Land。 Long did
he search； but he found no one who could tell him where the garden was。
And at last he went to Chiron on the Mountain Pelion； and Chiron told
Heracles what journey he would have to make to come to the Hesperides；
the Daughters of the Evening Land。
Far did Heracles journey； weary he was when he came to where Atlas
stood； bearing the sky upon his weary shoulders。 As he came near he felt
an undreamt…of perfume being wafted toward him。 So weary was he with
his journey and all his toils that he would fain sink down and dream away
in that evening land。 But he roused himself； and he journeyed on toward
where the perfume came from。 Over that place a star seemed always about
to rise。
He came to where a silver lattice fenced a garden that was full of the
quiet of evening。 Golden bees hummed through the air； and there was the
sound of quiet waters。 How wild and laborious was the world he had come
from； Heracles thought！ He felt that it would be hard for him to return to
that world。
He saw three maidens。 They stood with wreaths upon their heads and
blossoming branches in their hands。 When the maidens saw him they came
toward him crying out： 〃O man who has come into the Garden of the
Hesperides； go not near the tree that the sleepless dragon guards！〃 Then
they went and stood by a tree as if to keep guard over it。 All around were
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trees that bore flowers and fruit； but this tree had golden apples amongst
its bright green leaves。
Then he saw the guardian of the tree。 Beside its trunk a dragon lay； and
as Heracles came near the dragon showed its glittering scales and its
deadly claws。
The apples were within reach； but the dragon； with its glittering scales
and claws； stood in the way。 Heracles shot an arrow； then a tremor went
through Ladon； the sleepless dragon； it screamed and then lay stark。 The
maidens cried in their grief； Heracles went to the tree； and he plucked the
golden apples and he put them into the pouch he carried。 Down on the
ground sank the Hesperides； the Daughters of the Evening Land； and he
heard their laments as he went from the enchanted garden they had
guarded。
Back from the ends of the earth came Heracles； back from the place
where Atlas stood holding the sky upon his weary shoulders。 He went
back through Asia and Libya and Egypt； and he came again to Mycenae
and to the palace of Eurystheus。
He brought to the king the herd of Geryoneus； he brought to the king
the bull of Minos； he brought to the king the girdle of Hippolyte； he
brought to the king the golden apples of the Hesperides。 And King
Eurystheus； with his thin white face； sat upon his royal throne and he
looked over all the wonderful things that the hero had brought him。 Not
pleased was Eurystheus； rather was he angry that one he hated could win
such wonderful things。
He took into his hands the golden apples of the Hesperides。 But this
fruit was not for such as he。 An eagle snatched the branch from his hand；
and the eagle flew and flew until it came to where the Daughters of the
Evening Land wept in their garden。 There the eagle let fall the branch with
the golden apples； and the maidens set it back upon the tree； and behold！ it
grew as it had been growing before Heracles plucked it。
The next day the heralds of Eurystheus came to Heracles and they told
him of the last labor that he would have to set out to accomplishthis time
he