Hespere, Erytheis, and Aegle, Arethusa, and Hesperusa or Hesperia (Apollon. 742.) Instead of the four Hesperides mentioned above, some traditions know only of three, viz. 27), and sometimes of Hesperus, or of Zeus and Themis. 1399), sometimes of Atlas and Hesperis, whence their names Atlantides or Hesperides (Diod. init.), sometimes of Phorcys and Ceto (Schol. Their names are Aegle, Erytheia, Hesperia, and Arethusa, but their descent is not the same in the different traditions sometimes they are called the daughters of Night or Erebus (Hes. HESPE′RIDES (Hesperides), the famous guardians of the golden apples which Ge had given to Hera at her marriage with Zeus. EURYTION (Stesichorus Geryoneis Frag S8) ASTEROPE, KHRYSOTHEMIS, LIPARA (Vase Painting N14.1) OFFSPRING OF ERYTHEIA AIGLE, HESPERIE, AERIKA (Hyginus Preface) AIGLE, ERYTHEIS, HESPERE (Apollonius Rhodius 4.1390) AIGLE, ERYTHEIS, HESPERIE, ARETHOUSA (Apollodoros 2.113) AIGLE, ERYTHEIA, HESPERETHOOSA (Hesiod Doubtful Frag 3) PHORKYS & KETO (Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius 4.1399) NAMES ZEUS & THEMIS (Servius on Virgil's Aeneid 4.484) HESPEROS (Scholiast on Euripides Hippolytus) ATLAS (Pherecydes Frag, Hyginus Astronomica 2.3) ATLAS & HESPERIS (Diodorus Sicululs 4.26.2) EREBOS & NYX (Hyginus Pref, Cicero De Natura Deorum 3.17) The three nymphs and their glowing, golden apples were regarded as the source of the golden light of sunset-a phenomena which celebrated the bridal of Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of heaven. Perseus obtained from them the artifacts he needed to slay the Gorgon Medousa (Medusa). The Hesperides were also the keepers of other treasures of the gods. Athena later returned them to the Hesperides.

Herakles was sent to fetch the apples as one of his twelve labours and, upon slaying the serpent, stole the precious fruit.

They were assisted by a hundred-headed guardian- Drakon (Dragon). The Hesperides were entrusted with the care of the tree of the golden apples which was had been presented to the goddess Hera by Gaia (the Earth) on her wedding day. They were the daughters of either Nyx (Night) or the heaven-bearing Titan Atlas. THE HESPERIDES were the goddess-nymphs of evening and the golden light of sunsets. Of the Evening ( hesperos) Hesperid-nymph Lipara, Athenian red-figure hydria C5th B.C., British Museum

Stealing the apples of the hesperides