Recall that by the original agreement on the number of labors to perform, heracles had
completed his 10 labors, but because the slaying of the hydra and the cleaning of the Augean
stables, had been discounted by Eurystheus, he was to perform 2 more tasks.
So Eurystheus assigned heracles to fetch 3 of the golden apples of Hesperides, as his
next and 11th task.
The hesperides were the nymph daughters of the Titan Atlas, who resided in a beautiful
garden, and tended to the golden apples of the garden.
In that garden, was a fearsome many-headed dragon called Ladon, offspring of Echidna
and typhon, which protected the nymphs and ensured the apples were never stolen.
Learning that only the old man of the sea Nereus, knew the location of the garden, the
hero traveled to Illyria where he trapped the sea deity, and made him show him how to
get there.
Shortly into his journey, he was attacked a by a half giant named Antaeus, who as long
as he touched the earth gaia, could not be killed.
Heracles killed this giant by holding him above the ground and crushing him with his
hands.
Then he met Busiris, son of poseidon, who wanted to use him as a human sacrifice to
the earthshaker, his father.
Heracles easily killed Busiris and continued on his way.
He got the rock where the titan prometheus was bound for eternity by zeus, and tormented
by the caucasian eagle which fed daily on his ever-regenerating liver, as punishment
for stealing fire from the gods to give to humans.
Prometheus had already endured this suffering for 30 years, and just as the eagle came to
feed, heracles shot it dead, and freed the titan.
In gratitude, prometheus advised heracles on how to proceed on his task, that he must
persuade Atlas, the titan who held up the heavens, to get them for him, for only he,
could peacefully retrieve the goden apples from his daughters and their guardian dragon.
Atlas agreed to fetch the apples, while heracles temporarily took his place, carrying the heavens
till he returned.
However, when the titan returned, he refused to take back the heavens, offering to deliver
the apples himself, while heracles forever remained in his place.
Here and again, heracles had to employ his wits.
He pretended to agree to Atlas' demands and cleverly asked him to hold the heavy load
for a few seconds, so he could adjust his clothing and put a padding on his shoulders,
since he would be forever carrying something so heavy.
Atlas foolishly took back the heavens thinking it would be for a while, but heracles snatched
the apples instead, and ran off.
In another version of the story, heracles did not ask for Atlas' help.
he went straight to the garden of the hesperides, where he killed Ladon the dragon, and took
the apples.
Whichever story version it is, he successfully delivered the golden apples to Eurystheus,
ready for his final task.