Herakles' Search for the Golden Apples: Summary
by Stephen Marsh

The metope from the Temple of Zeus at Olympia tells the story of Herakles obtaining the golden apples from Hesperides, with the help of Atlas. Herakles frees Pometheus, and Prometheus tells him he should not try to get the golden apples himself. He should instead ask Atlas to get them. Herakles convinces Atlas to help, and Herakles supports the heavens while he is away. Atlas gets the apples from Hesperides and returns. This is the moment of the story shown in the metope. Herakles is shown supporting the heavens while Athena stands behind, assisting him. Atlas stands there with the apples in his hands. Atlas does not want to take the heavens back, and tells Herakles that he will take the apples to Eurystheus himself. Herakles manages to trick Atlas into taking back the Heavens by asking him to hold it while he gets padding for his head. Atlas puts down the apples and takes back the Heavens. Herakles, now free from the burden, picks up the golden apples and walks away.

Another version of the story is depicted on the hydria by Meidias. In this story, Herakles does not get help from Atlas. He instead goes to the garden himself. This story is shown earlier in its progression, before the apples are taken. At this point, Herakles is sitting in the garden, with the snake coiled around the tree guarding the apples, while the rest of the Hesperides assembled around him. Herakles is actually in the garden and gets the apples himself, unlike the previous story. Herakles kills the snake guarding the tree, and picks the apples himself then takes them to Eurystheus. When Eurystheus receives the apples he returns them to Herakles. Athena takes the apples from Herakles and puts them back on the tree where they belong.

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