An ancient Greek legend says that the most difficult feat of Hercules in the service of Eurystheus was to get the apples of the Hesperides. A long time ago, when the Olympian gods celebrated the wedding of Zeus and Hera, Gaia-Earth gave Hera a magic tree on which three golden apples grew. (That’s why the image of this apple tree was also in Olympia). And in order to fulfill the order of Eurystheus, Hercules was forced to go to the great titan Atlas (Atlas), who alone holds the heavy vault of heaven on his shoulders, in order to get three golden apples from his garden. And the daughters of Atlas Hesperides looked after this garden. IN ancient greek mythology The Hesperides (aka Atlantis) are nymphs, daughters of Hesper (Vesper) and Nyx, the goddess of the Night, guarding the golden apples. The Hesperides live across the Ocean River, next to the Gorgons. (According to another version, the apples were owned by the Hyperboreans.) None of the mortals knew the way to the Garden of the Hesperides and the Atlas. Therefore, Hercules wandered for a long time and passed through all the countries that he had previously passed on the way to fetch Geryon’s cows. He reached the Eridanus River (see Art. Jordan), where he was greeted with honor by beautiful nymphs. They gave him advice on how to find the way to the Hesperides Gardens.

Hercules had to attack the sea elder Nereus in order to find out from him the way to the Hesperides. After all, except for the prophetic Nereus, no one knew the secret path. The struggle of Hercules with the sea god was difficult. But he mastered it and tied it up.

And in order to buy his freedom, Nereus had to reveal to Hercules the secret of the way to the gardens of the Hesperides. His path lay through Libya, where he met the giant Antaeus, son of Poseidon, god of the seas, and the goddess of the earth Gaia. Antaeus forced all the wanderers to fight him, and those he defeated, he killed. Antaeus wanted Hercules to fight him. But no one could defeat Antaeus, because when Antaeus felt that he was losing strength, he touched his mother Earth, and his strength was renewed. However, as soon as Antaeus was torn away from the Earth, his strength melted away. Hercules fought with Antaeus for a long time, and only when, during the struggle, Hercules tore Antaeus away from the Earth, high into the air, Antaeus’ strength dried up, and Hercules strangled him.

And when Hercules came to Egypt, tired from the journey, he fell asleep on the banks of the Nile. And when the king of Egypt, the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Epaphus Lysianassa, Busiris, saw the sleeping Hercules, he ordered Hercules to be tied up and sacrificed to Zeus. After all, there has been a crop failure in Egypt for nine years. And the soothsayer Thrasios, who came from Cyprus, predicted that the crop failure would stop only when Busiris annually sacrificed a foreigner to Zeus. Thrasios himself fell the first victim. And from then on, Busiris sacrificed to Zeus all the foreigners who came to Egypt. But when they brought Hercules to the altar, he tore all the ropes with which he was bound and killed Busiris himself and his son Amphidamantus. After this, Hercules traveled a long way before reaching the end of the earth, where the great titan Atlas held the sky on his shoulders. Amazed by the mighty appearance of Atlas, Hercules asked him for three golden apples from a golden tree in the gardens of the Hesperides, for King Eurystheus, who lived in Mycenae.

The Titan Atlas agreed to give three apples to the son of Zeus if he would hold the firmament while he went for them. Hercules agreed and took the place of Atlas. The huge weight of the sky fell on the shoulders of Hercules, and he strained all his strength to hold the firmament. He held it until he returned with three golden Atlas apples. Atlas told Hercules that he himself would take them to Mycenae, and Hercules would have to hold the firmament until his return. Hercules realized that Atlas wanted to deceive him and free himself from the heavy sky. Pretending that he agreed, Hercules asked Atlas to replace him for a moment so that he could put the lion skin on his shoulders.

Atlas took his place again and shouldered the heavy sky. Hercules picked up his club and golden apples and, saying goodbye to Atlas, quickly, without ever looking back, went to Mycenae. And around him, the stars fell to the Earth like an endless rain, and then he realized that the offended Atlas was angry and was shaking the sky violently in anger. Hercules returned to Eurystheus and gave him the golden apples of the Hesperides. But the king, amazed that Hercules returned unharmed, did not take the golden apples from him.

Here is a shortened version of this legend:

On the western tip of the earth, near the Ocean, where day met Night, lived the beautiful-voiced nymphs of the Hesperides. Their divine singing was heard only by Atlas, who held the firmament on his shoulders, and by the souls of the dead, who sadly descended into underworld. The nymphs were walking in a wonderful garden where a tree grew, bending its heavy branches to the ground. Golden fruits sparkled and hid in their greenery. They gave everyone who touched them immortality and eternal youth.

It was these fruits that Eurystheus ordered to bring, and not in order to become equal to the gods. He hoped that Hercules would not fulfill this order.

Throwing a lion's skin on his back, throwing a bow over his shoulder, taking a club, the hero walked briskly towards the Garden of the Hesperides. He is already accustomed to the fact that the impossible is achieved from him.

Hercules walked for a long time until he reached the place where heaven and earth converged on Atlanta, like on a giant support. He looked in horror at the titan holding an incredible weight.

“I am Hercules,” the hero responded. “I was ordered to bring three golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides.” I heard that you can pick these apples alone.

Joy flashed in Atlas's eyes. He was up to something evil.

“I can’t reach the tree,” said Atlas. “And, as you can see, my hands are busy.” Now, if you hold my burden, I will willingly fulfill your request.

“I agree,” Hercules answered and stood next to the titan, who was many heads taller than him.
Atlas sank, and a monstrous weight fell on Hercules’ shoulders. Sweat covered my forehead and entire body. The legs sank up to the ankles into the ground trampled by Atlas. The time it took the giant to get the apples seemed like an eternity to the hero. But Atlas was in no hurry to take back his burden.

“If you want, I’ll take the precious apples to Mycenae myself,” he suggested to Hercules.

The simple-minded hero almost agreed, fearing to offend the titan who had rendered him a favor by refusing, but Athena intervened in time - she taught him to respond with cunning to cunning. Pretending to be delighted by Atlas's offer, Hercules immediately agreed, but asked the Titan to hold the arch while he made a lining for his shoulders.

As soon as Atlas, deceived by the feigned joy of Hercules, shouldered the usual burden on his weary shoulders, the hero immediately raised his club and bow and, not paying attention to the indignant cries of Atlas, set off on the way back.

Eurystheus did not take the apples of the Hesperides, obtained by Hercules with such difficulty. After all, he didn’t need apples, but the death of the hero. Hercules gave the apples to Athena, who returned them to the Hesperides.

This ended the service of Hercules to Eurystheus, and he was able to return to Thebes, where new exploits and new troubles awaited him.

© V. S. Tublin, text, 2017

© A. A. Veselov, series design, 2017

© K. Yu. Shvets, illustrations, 2017

© GRIF, 2017

Now he was alone. All alone - except for the birds and trees, the sun overhead and the river that bubbled and foamed under his feet somewhere far below. Left behind were the high walls of Mycenae, built from huge blocks (it was the titans who built them: a mere mortal, even himself, would not have been able to do this); left behind were the gates with two rearing lionesses above them (they were called the Lion Gate), and what was behind the gates - a huge beautiful city with its square, temples, the royal palace, numerous colorful bazaars, with its population - all these merchants, servants, warriors, shepherds, with foreigners attracted by the glory of this gold-abundant city - all this was left behind. He was not even allowed to go inside, where he could wash off the sweat and dirt, rest, and catch his breath. Neither this time nor the previous ones - as if he really was forged from copper and did not need either rest or food.

Not this time, not the previous ones. How many were there? He no longer remembered. He only knew - just a little more, and the gods would free him from this terrible sin. A little more - because even he was running out of strength.

He leaned his club against the rock, threw off the already half-worn lion skin from his shoulders and sat down. Do not allow him to enter the city and rest for at least a day after he walked half the world for the bulls of Geryon and the same distance back. Not a piece of meat, the smell of which still haunted him, not a piece of sacrificial meat. Eurystheus! That's the lucky one. This is who the gods' favorite really was! Eurystheus, and not he at all - Hercules. His share was only labor - feats, as they would be called many years later, but in fact only labor - dirt and sweat, and bruised legs, and terrible fatigue. Not a piece of meat!

Feats...

There was a time when he himself thought so. He thought that he was born for something unusual, great, he had enough strength. What happened? Eurystheus is who he serves, an unfortunate lopsided freak with a diseased liver, circles under his eyes and yellowish-green skin. He could have finished him with one blow, and what with a blow - a snap. No, he can not. Because he serves Eurystheus by decision of the gods, including the one who is said to be his father, Zeus. Hercules understands why they say this - it never occurs to anyone that a mere mortal, even one as powerful as Amphitryon, could have given birth to him, Hercules, with his extraordinary strength, and Alcmene was once so beautiful that it’s no wonder , if the thunderer’s gaze fell on her. “And yet,” thinks Hercules, “these are all fairy tales.” For if Zeus really were his father, would he have given him to Eurystheus?

He sat on the ground, leaning his back against a rock, and chewed an unleavened flatbread, just a piece of dried dough, which one of the palace maids secretly thrust into his hands, like a beggar. And thanks for that. He collected all the crumbs - unfortunately, there were too few of them - and carefully put them into his mouth. Is this food? He looked around - yes, completely alone, except for the club, the mangy skin of the Nemean Lion, a bow with half a dozen arrows and his own shadow. The sun rose higher and higher, so that the shadow shortened, and one could assume that it would soon leave it. Feats! He stood up. Barley cake - it won't hurt you. He took his club, picked up the skin from the ground, shook it off, and his bow and arrows remained behind his back. He remembered that the string in the very middle, where the arrow is inserted, was a little loose, and, to be honest, the lugs needed to be rewound. Zeus! It doesn't look like it hurts. He sighed - until you do everything yourself, no one will help. So many things have been redone - now it’s the turn of the apples, the golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides. Again, you are dragging yourself to the ends of the world, and no one even really knows where to go - forward or backward, left or right. But there are people who know everything, including where the edge of the world is, where the garden of the Hesperides is and the tree with golden fruits, which is guarded by a never-falling dragon who speaks a hundred languages ​​of the earth. Eurystheus, for example, probably knows, but will he say... Maybe he shouldn’t have scolded him so much - after all, they are cousins... However, what can we say about it now. Apples, apples... Golden apples that bestow eternal youth - with all his indifference to miracles, he would like to look at this. Not to mention Atlanta...

Then he thought about it. Yes, about Atlanta. Hold the edge of the sky! This is not some kind of dragon, even one that speaks a hundred languages. The edge of the sky... That, perhaps, was the whole point. It was for him, he understood it, it was work, labor, he felt a challenge in it. Atlas, brother of Prometheus. To see him, to see how it is done... How is it possible to hold the vault of heaven on your shoulders, not for a minute, not for two - day after day, without hoping, without counting on replacement, help, relief. And he, Hercules, could he? Really not? Is there really something that he couldn’t, wouldn’t overcome, wouldn’t do, that would be beyond his power?

He had already forgotten about hunger and the long, unknown journey. He had already forgotten about apples. This, then, is the main test facing him - will he be able to do it or not? And the apples were just an excuse. What apples! He never doubted that he would be able to persuade and convince the dragon, and the sisters, and Atlas himself. But will he be able to defeat himself? He couldn't say that now. He could not have known this. Until it came to the point, to the test, no one could say whether he would be able to surpass the opportunities given to him, whether it would be possible for him to rise above himself, to overcome the limits of human nature, whether in this case he would be able to maintain fidelity to the rule that had hitherto guided him in your life - to do, to be able to do what is being done or has ever been done by someone else, be it an ordinary mortal, a god or a titan...

He probably no longer knew where he was going; his legs carried him along the path on their own; and so, muttering dully, full of doubts and readiness, he walked and walked towards the trials ahead of him, with a bow on his back, a club in his hands, without fear, alone, in the heat and in the cold.

Cold? No, that's not even the right word. It's simply beyond words. Hellish, just dog cold. But the strangest thing - Kostya told me about this much later - the strangest thing in all this was that there shouldn’t have been any cold. Or rather, I should not have felt any cold, because, he said, before he had time to put the thermometer under my arm, the mercury rushed up like crazy and reached forty degrees before he had time to realize what was happening. But I can’t judge this myself, I don’t remember any heat, but the cold, it seems to me, I won’t forget for the rest of my life, I was so cold, I don’t even know how to explain it, not just cold, but God knows how , and it seemed to me that just a little more and I wouldn’t have a single tooth left in my mouth - so they knocked against each other. No, I still can’t convey it. Yes, this is probably useless. Probably not a single person - I mean a healthy person - can fully feel and understand what is happening to the patient, and maybe it’s even right that human body protects itself from everything unnecessary, and if you want to know how cold I really was, you can only wait until you, too, get sick and shake, and your teeth begin to clatter, and it seems to you that you have been cut open, gutted, like mummy, and then stuffed it all the way to the back of the head with dry ice - then everything will become clear to you. And here’s another strange thing: it seems to me that I remembered everything, remembered how everything happened to me and what was what, that I didn’t lose control over myself for a minute and behaved, so to speak, very dignified, but he Kostya says that he was even scared at first, wondering if I was crazy. Because, he says, I was constantly spouting a terrible heresy, imagining myself almost as Hercules, and I kept getting ready to go somewhere, and in any case, every two minutes I tried to jump out of bed and run somewhere. But he didn’t give it, and then, he says, we almost got into a fight.

“All great truths were in the beginning blasphemy”

B. Shaw

An ancient Greek legend says that the most difficult feat of Hercules in the service of Eurystheus was to get the apples of the Hesperides. A long time ago, when the Olympian gods celebrated the wedding of Zeus and Hera, Gaia-Earth gave Hera magic tree, on which they grew up three golden apples. (That’s why the image of this apple tree was also in Olympia). And in order to fulfill the orders of Eurystheus, Hercules was forced to go to the great Titan Atlas (Atlas), who alone holds the heavy vault of heaven on his shoulders in order to get three golden apples from his garden. And we looked after this garden daughters of Atlas Hesperides. In ancient Greek mythology Hesperides(they are Atlantis) - nymphs, daughters Hespera (Vespera) And Nikty, goddess of the Night, guarding the golden apples. The Hesperides live across the Ocean River, next to the Gorgons. (According to another version, apples were among the Hyperboreans.) None of the mortals knew the way to the Garden of the Hesperides and the Atlas. Therefore, Hercules wandered for a long time and passed through all the countries that he had previously passed on the way to fetch Geryon’s cows. He reached the Eridanus River (see Art. Jordan), where he was greeted with honor by beautiful nymphs. They gave him advice on how to find the way to the Hesperides Gardens.

Hercules had to attack the sea elder Nereus in order to find out from him the way to the Hesperides. After all, except for the prophetic Nereus, no one knew the secret path. The struggle of Hercules with the sea god was difficult. But he overpowered and tied

Hercules Nereus. And in order to buy his freedom, Nereus had to reveal to Hercules the secret of the way to the gardens of the Hesperides. His path lay through Libya, where he met a giantAnthea, son of Poseidon, god of the seas, and the earth goddess Gaia. Antaeus forced all the wanderers to fight him, and those he defeated, he killed. Antaeus wanted Hercules to fight him. But no one could defeat Antey, because when Antey felt that he was losing strength,he touched his motherEarth, and his strength was renewed. However, as soon as Antaeus was torn away from the Earth, his strength melted away. Hercules fought with Antaeus for a long time, and only when, during the struggle, Hercules tore Antaeus away from the Earth, high into the air, Antaeus’ strength dried up, and Hercules strangled him.

And when Hercules came to Egypt, tired from the journey, he fell asleep on the banks of the Nile. And when the king of Egypt, the son of Poseidon and the daughter of Epaphus Lysianassa, Busiris, saw the sleeping Hercules, he ordered Hercules to be tied up and sacrificed to Zeus. After all, there has been a crop failure in Egypt for nine years. And the soothsayer who came from Cyprus Thrasius, predicted that the crop failure would only end when Busiris annually sacrificed a foreigner to Zeus. Thrasios himself fell the first victim. And from then on, Busiris sacrificed to Zeus all the foreigners who came to Egypt. But when they brought Hercules to the altar, he tore all the ropes with which he was tied and killed himself. Busiris and his son Amphidamas. After this, Hercules traveled a long way before reaching the end of the earth, where the great titan Atlas held the sky on his shoulders. Amazed by the mighty appearance of Atlas, Hercules asked him for three golden apples from the golden tree in the gardens of the Hesperides, for King Eurystheus, who lived in Mycenae.

The Titan Atlas agreed to give three apples to the son of Zeus if he would hold the firmament while he went for them. Hercules agreed and took the place of Atlas. The huge weight of the sky fell on the shoulders of Hercules, and he strained all his strength to hold the firmament. He held it until he returned with three golden Atlas apples. Atlas told Hercules that he himself would take them to Mycenae, and Hercules would have to hold the firmament until his return. Hercules realized that Atlas wanted to deceive him and free himself from the heavy sky. Pretending that he agreed, Hercules asked Atlas to replace him for a moment so that he could put the lion skin on his shoulders.
Atlas took his place again and shouldered the heavy sky. Hercules raised his club and golden apples and, saying goodbye to Atlas, quickly , Without looking back, he went to Mycenae. And around him the stars fell to the Earth like an endless rain, and then he realized that the offended Atlas was angry and was shaking the sky violently in anger. Hercules returned to Eurystheus and gave him the golden apples of the Hesperides. But the king, amazed that Hercules returned unharmed, did not take the golden apples from him.

And Hercules gave apples to his patroness, the great daughter of Zeus, Athena-Pallas. And she returned them to the garden of the Hesperides on the tree of Hera. A rational interpretation of this legend does not cause difficulties, because this legend tells about the next place of a cosmic explosion, and location of the island of atlantes. The name Atlas in this legend refers to the famous Atlas Mountain, located near the Canary Archipelago. According to the story of Diodorus Siculus, Atlas had seven daughters, who are usually called Atlantis(let me remind you that the Canary archipelago consists of seven large inhabited islands and several small ones. IN Ancient World these islands (Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma Hierro, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote), named after the daughters of Atlas, were called the Atlantis archipelago.

Plato's dialogues turned out to be the only primary source about the island of the Atlanteans, which for some reason was not destroyed by scribes and therefore, although in a truncated form, has reached us. However, once again, looking ahead a little, I must say that even earlier, the Atlantis archipelago was a much more comprehensive concept. According to legend, the seven daughters of Atlas (Atlantis, Hesperides) owned golden apples or flocks of sheep (“golden lambs”). And the overwhelming majority of ancient authors quite definitely call the Canary Islands Atlantis, about which I will provide the necessary evidence in the appropriate place. And I cannot understand why the location of Atlantis is a stumbling block for modern authors. However, it is absolutely clear why the French Academy of Sciences prohibited the consideration of all issues related to Atlantis. And there will be a separate story about this as the story progresses.

Symbolism of fairy tales and myths of the peoples of the world. Man is a myth, a fairy tale is you Benu Anna

Apples of the Hesperides. Eleventh feat

“A long time ago, when the gods celebrated the wedding of Zeus and Hera on bright Olympus, Gaia-Earth gave the bride a magic tree on which golden apples grew. These apples had the property of restoring youth. But none of the people knew where the garden was located in which the wonderful apple tree grew. There were rumors that this garden belongs to the Hesperide nymphs and is located at the very edge of the earth, where the titan Atlas holds the firmament on his shoulders, and the apple tree with the golden fruits of youth is guarded by the gigantic hundred-headed serpent Aadon, generated by the sea deity Phorcys and the titanide Keto. While Hercules wandered the earth, carrying out the king's orders, Eurystheus became older and weaker every day. He had already begun to fear that Hercules would take away his power and become king himself. So Eurystheus decided to send Hercules for golden apples in the hope that he would not return from such and such a distance - he would either perish on the way or die in a fight with Ladon. As always, Eurystheus conveyed his order through the herald Copreus. Hercules listened to Copreus, silently threw the lion skin over his shoulders, took a bow and arrows and his faithful companion-club, and once again set off on the road. Again Hercules walked through all of Hellas, all of Thrace, visited the land of the Hyperboreans and finally came to the distant river Eridanus. The nymphs who lived on the banks of this river took pity on the wandering hero and advised him to turn to the prophetic sea elder Nereus, who knew everything in the world. “If not the wise old man Nereus, then no one can show you the way,” the nymphs told Hercules. Hercules went to the sea and began to call Nereus. Waves rushed onto the shore, and cheerful Nereids, daughters of the sea elder, swam out from the depths of the sea on playful dolphins, and behind them appeared Nereus himself with a long gray beard. “What do you want from me, mortal?” – asked Nereus. “Show me the way to the garden of the Hesperides, where, according to rumors, an apple tree grows with the golden fruits of youth,” Hercules asked. This is how Nereus answered the hero: “I know everything, I see everything that is hidden from people’s eyes - but I don’t tell everyone about it. And I won't tell you anything. Go your way, mortal." Hercules got angry and with the words “you will tell me, old man, when I lightly press you,” he grabbed Nereus with his powerful arms. In an instant, the old man of the sea turned into a large fish and slipped out of the arms of Hercules. Hercules stepped on the fish's tail - it hissed and turned into a snake. Hercules grabbed the snake - it turned into fire. Hercules scooped up water from the sea and wanted to pour it on the fire - the fire turned into water, and the water ran to the sea, to its native element. It’s not so easy to leave the son of Zeus! Hercules dug a hole in the sand and blocked the water's path to the sea. And the water suddenly rose in a column and became a tree. Hercules waved his sword and wanted to cut down the tree - the tree turned into a white seagull bird. What could Hercules do here? He raised his bow and already pulled the string. It was then that, frightened by the deadly arrow, Nereus submitted. He took on his original appearance and said: “You are strong, mortal, and brave beyond human measure. All the secrets of the world can be revealed to such a hero. Listen to me and remember. The path to the garden in which the apple tree with golden fruits grows lies across the sea to sultry Libya. Then follow the seashore to the west until you reach the end of the earth. There you will see the titan Atlas, who has been holding the firmament on his shoulders for a thousand years - this is how he was punished for rebellion against Zeus. The Garden of the Hesperide Nymphs is nearby. In that garden is what you are looking for. But it’s up to you to decide how to pick your treasured apples. The hundred-headed serpent Ladon will not let you near Hera’s apple tree.” “Accept my gratitude, prophetic elder,” Hercules said to Nereus, “but I want to ask you for one more favor: take me to the other side of the sea. The roundabout route to Libya is too long, and across the sea it’s just a stone’s throw away.” Nereus scratched his gray beard and with a sigh offered Hercules his back. On the same day, at midday, Hercules found himself in sultry Libya. He walked for a long time along the shifting sands under the burning rays of the sun and met a giant as tall as a ship's mast. “Stop! - the giant shouted. “What do you want in my desert?” “I’m going to the ends of the world, looking for the Garden of the Hesperides, where the tree of youth grows,” Hercules answered. The giant blocked the way for Hercules. “I’m the boss here,” he said menacingly. – I am Antaeus, son of Gaia-Earth. I don't let anyone pass through my domain. Fight me. If you defeat me, you will move on; if not, you will stay.” And the giant pointed to a pile of skulls and bones, half-buried in sand. Hercules had to fight with the son of the Earth. Hercules and Antaeus attacked each other at once and clasped their hands. Antaeus was huge, heavy and strong, like a stone, but Hercules turned out to be more agile: having contrived, he threw Antaeus to the ground and pressed him to the sand. But as if Antaeus’ strength had increased tenfold, he threw Hercules off of him like a feather, and hand-to-hand combat began again. For the second time, Hercules knocked Antaeus over, and again the son of the Earth rose easily, as if he had gained more strength from the fall... Hercules was surprised by the strength of the giant, but before he fought with him in a mortal duel for the third time, he realized: Antaeus is the son of the Earth, she, the Gaia mother gives her son new strength every time he touches her. The outcome of the fight was now a foregone conclusion. Hercules, tightly grasping Antaeus, lifted him up above the ground and held him until he suffocated in his hands. Now the path to the Garden of the Hesperides was clear. Without hindrance, Hercules reached the edge of the world, where the sky touches the earth. Here he saw the titan Atlas, propping up the sky with his shoulders.

“Who are you and why did you come here?” - Atlas asked Hercules. “I need apples from the tree of youth that grows in the garden of the Hesperides,” answered Hercules. Atlas laughed: “You won’t get these apples. They are guarded by a hundred-headed dragon. He does not sleep day or night and does not allow anyone near the tree. But I can help you: after all, the Hesperides are my daughters. Just stand in my place and hold up the sky, and I will go and bring apples. Is three enough for you?

Hercules agreed, put his weapon and lion skin on the ground, stood next to the titan and put his shoulders under the vault of heaven. Atlas straightened his tired back and went for the golden apples. The crystal dome of the sky fell with a terrible weight on the shoulders of Hercules, but he stood like an indestructible rock and waited... Atlas finally returned. Three golden apples sparkled in his hands. “Who should I give them to? - he asked. - Tell me, I’ll go and give it to you. I really want to walk on earth. How tired I am of standing here, at the end of the world, and holding this heavy sky! I'm glad I found a replacement." “Wait,” Hercules said calmly, “let me just put the lion skin on my shoulders.” Put the apples on the ground and hold up the sky until I get comfortable.” Apparently, the titan Atlas was not far-fetched. He put the apples on the ground and again lifted the sky onto his shoulders. And Hercules picked up the golden apples, wrapped himself in a lion's skin, bowed to Atlas and left without even looking back. Hercules continued to walk even when night fell on the ground. He hurried to Mycenae, sensing that his service to King Eurystheus was coming to an end. Stars were falling from the night sky. It was Atlas who shook the firmament in anger at Hercules. “Here, Eurystheus, I brought you the apples of the Hesperides. Now you can become young again,” said Hercules, returning to Mycenae. Eurystheus extended his hands to the golden apples, but immediately pulled them back. He became scared. “These are Hera’s apples,” he thought, “what if she punishes me if I eat them.” Eurystheus stamped his feet. “Get lost with these apples!” - he shouted at Hercules. - Get out of my palace! You can throw these apples away!” Hercules left. He walked home and thought about what to do with the apples of his youth. Suddenly the goddess of wisdom Athena appeared in front of him. “Wisdom is more valuable than youth,” as if someone whispered to him. Hercules handed the apples to Athena, she took them with a smile and disappeared.

Three golden apples of eternal youth – the fruitfulness of true ideas and feelings, embodied in beautiful deeds, eternally glorifying with their fragrance the one who united the earthly and heavenly in harmony.

A tree bearing golden applesbestowing eternal youth - the tree of life with the fruits of truth, from which he who tastes gains eternal knowledge, freeing him from the power of time and death.

Three golden apples of eternal youth - the fruitfulness of true ideas and feelings, embodied in beautiful deeds, eternally glorifying with their fragrance the one who united the earthly and heavenly in harmony.

The wise Nereus, who knows all the secrets, is similar to Baba Yaga and the gray wolf of Russian fairy tales. Baba Yaga or the gray wolf helps Ivan Tsarevich find the kingdom where rejuvenating apples grow, where Elena the Beautiful, the Firebird, the golden-maned horse, etc. live. Nereus lives in the sea. If Baba Yaga is the feminine principle, which immediately connects her with the soul, then Nereus is the masculine principle living in the sea. And the sea is a symbol of the soul. Nereus can transform into anything, take on any form. He has wisdom. That is, this is a deep experience that every person carries within himself. This is the ability to dive into yourself and draw intimate experience from within.

Hercules does not know where the tree with the apples of eternal youth grows and how to find it. The wise old man Nereus, who lives in the sea, is a symbol of the wise beginning of the soul, who knows the secrets of the world. Before finding out where the magic tree grows, Hercules fights Nereus, who changes his appearance. Hercules is able to recognize Nereus - the wisdom of the soul - under different guises and hold it, he is similar to this wisdom, therefore he receives knowledge about the place where earth and sky connect, where the earthly and heavenly touch in a person.

Antey

Before reaching the junction of the material, earthly and heavenly, spiritual, Hercules must go through the sultry desert and defeat Antaeus, the son of the Earth.

Desert- This is another symbol found in various myths and fairy tales. This is the place of the soul's journey. And the place of her freedom. This is a place where the hero is still at a crossroads.

To defeat Antaeus means to raise oneself, one’s attachment to matter. Antaeus is the son of the Earth. Hercules raised himself as a son of the Earth, and the lowest in him died. Hercules defeats the power of the earth - matter, which strives to absorb the rational, developing, transforming principle - Hercules. To free consciousness from the power of matter, its limiting laws, it is necessary to raise consciousness higher so that it stops touching and fixating on the destructive principle. If Hercules had not raised Antaeus from the ground, he would have died, i.e. consciousness would be destroyed, immersed in the material sphere, which is not the home of consciousness. The home of consciousness is heaven. The home of the body is the earth. To plunge consciousness into the house of matter means to destroy it.

Having completely freed himself from the power of the destructive earthly principle, Hercules goes to Atlas, who holds the vault of heaven, and takes his place to receive the apples of eternal youth. Hercules holds the firmament on himself - he is likened to the sky. Only he can hold the heavens who has united consciousness with the celestial sphere, who has become infinite, as infinite as the sky. Hercules penetrates with his consciousness into the higher spheres. Holding the dome of the sky means penetrating the eternal secrets of the existence of the universe. While Hercules is not ready to join the eternal secrets forever, while he is still mortal, he leaves with the apples of eternal youth to fulfill his duty to Eurystheus.

Three apples of eternal youth. Three is a symbol of the trinity of human spirit, soul and body. An apple tree with golden apples is a tree of life, an image of the cosmos and man with his golden deeds. The first apple is the gold of thoughts, the triumph of true ideas. The second apple is the gold of feelings, it is a soul flooded with the light of beautiful emotions. The third apple is the gold of actions, fruitful creative acts, the embodiment of true ideas and feelings in matter.

Apples of eternal youth are also found in the Russian fairy tale “The Tale of a Daring Young Man, Rejuvenating Apples and Living Water.” The rejuvenating apple returns youth, health and strength to the old, weak king. The old inert consciousness is transformed, acquiring the growing forces of youth, born of the world tree of knowledge.

Hercules returns the apples to the temple of the goddess Athena - the temple of wisdom. But he bought it! He revealed the qualities of eternal youth within himself.

Hercules did not appropriate them to himself, he does not want to own the fruits of his fruits, he gives them to the power of wisdom.