Mighty Atlas According to Greek mythologist, Karl Kerenyi, in ancient tales (now lost to us) the Greek god Atlas was originally known as a cunning god of "dangerous wisdom." Furthermore, according to Kerenyi, some ancient sources gave Atlas credit for being the very first astrologer (don't forget that you heard that here, first). Frankly, I'm the very first person to admit that astrology can definitely be "dangerous wisdom." Anyway... in the earliest of times Atlas owned the pillars that kept separate the sky and the earth. Atlas was usually identified as being father to the Hesperides nymphs, and of Maia and the other Pleiades. Holding Up The Sky Ever felt like you have the weight of the whole world your shoulders? Well.... contrary to popular versions you may have heard while growing up - Atlas held up the axis of the sky (not the earth). Atlas held up the vast heavens from the western edge of the Earth located near the Garden of the Hesperides. And this holding up of the sky "thing" was Atlas' fate and punishment as decreed by the chief Olympian thunder god Zeus. Hercules, Atlas, Ladon, and the Garden of the Hesperides One of the more prominent stories in regard to Atlas was his role in one of the 12 Labors of Hercules. In this story, the Hesperides are three Greek nymphs of sleep who live in (and guard) a beautiful lush garden of the gods. The garden is situated near Mount Atlas and at the very Western edge of the world. The Garden of the Hesperides was no ordinary garden! In this paradisal garden there was a special tree that produced apples of pure gold. The tree was originally a gift that the great Mother Earth goddess Gaia had presented the goddess Hera in honor of Hera's betrothal and marriage to Zeus, chief Olympian god. Hera's golden apples, besides being precious, were reputedly a source of immortality... and it would seem that these apples may have been also involved in the making of the special love elixir named Ambrosia (the nectar of the gods)... The goddess Hera didn't totally trust the Hesperides with the important duty of guarding her golden apples, so she gave them a fierce dragon by the name of Ladon. The dragon Ladon reportedly had anywhere from one, two, three or (as many as) one hundred heads. This fierce dragon lurked in the hollows of the dark earth, waiting for any thieves who might enter the garden... Enter Hercules Hercules, a son of Zeus and the mortal queen Alkmene, was the only Greek hero who ever succeeded in obtaining some of these golden apples. Hercules had been assigned the impossible Labor of obtaining one of Hera's golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides. And in this particular version of the story, Hercules convinced the cunning god, Atlas (the father and next door neighbor of the Hesperides), to go and get the golden apples for him. The god Atlas had been at this holding up the sky "thing" for a very long time, and so Hercules knew that he (Atlas) would more than welcome a brief respite from his eternal punishment. We're not told exactly what trickery Atlas then used to obtain the apples from his daughters (the Hesperides) and/or from the dragon, Ladon... The Double Cross But - by the time Atlas returned with the golden apples of Hera - it seems that he'd decided Hercules should be the one to continue holding up the sky for the rest of eternity. Atlas was ready to go out and "get a life." Getting caught in a wee bit of a fix, Hercules somehow convinced Atlas that he (Hercules) was more than willing to continue holding up the sky - but that his shoulders were becoming very sore from holding up such a heavy load. So Hercules then asked Atlas for one small, tiny favor... The Favor Hercules cleverly convinced Atlas that he (Hercules) needed to prepare a pillow so that he'd be more comfortable in shouldering the very heavy task of holding up the sky. So Atlas briefly took back the sky, in order for Hercules to prepare a cushion. But when the sky was securely back on the shoulders of Atlas - Hercules said his quick goodbyes and took off with Hera's golden apples. Other versions of the story tell of how Hercules had to steal the golden apples while slaying the dragon, Ladon. Unfortunately all of the various stories a bit short on details. FYI - Some sources link the fierce dragon, Ladon, with the constellation of Draco, celestial dragon and guardian of the Northern Pole. Return to Uranus - Rebel Without a Clue