Hesperides, the

views updated Jun 27 2018

Hesperides, the a group of nymphs, the daughters of Hesperus (or, in earlier versions, of Night and Hades), who were guardians, with the aid of a watchful dragon, of a tree of golden apples (given to Hera by Gaia) in a garden located beyond the Atlas Mountains at the western border of Oceanus, the river encircling the world. One of the labours of Hercules was to fetch the golden apples.