\paperw2700 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 \cf7 At her divine marriage with \b \cf15 \ATXht8 Zeus\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , \b \cf15 \ATXht3 Hera\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 had been given some go
lden apples by \b \cf15 \ATXht10700 Gaea\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , which she then entrusted to the \b \cf15 \ATXht10817 Hesperides\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , in the unknown land of the \b \cf15 \ATXht10824 Hyperboreans\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 . Since \b \cf15 \ATXht10520 Eurysth
eus\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 wanted them, \b \cf15 \ATXht10811 Heracles\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 set off to the north, passing through Macedonia and Illyria until he reached the banks of the \b \cf15 \ATXht10510 Eridanus\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , where the nymphs of the river r
evealed to him that only \b \cf15 \ATXht11407 Nereus\b0 \ATXht0 \cf7 could tell him where the golden apples were located. Nereus had the power to assume all sorts of shapes and tried to elude him by doing so, but Heracles surprised him in his sleep and
kept him bound until he gave him the information he needed. He then went to Mount Atlas and here, after fighting and defeating the monster \b \cf15 \ATXht12017 Triton\b0 \ATXht0 \cf7 and the dragon\cf15 \b \ATXht11201 Ladon\b0 \ATXht0 ,\cf7 asked \b \cf15 \ATXht10143 Atlas\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 to pick the apples for him, offering to hold up the vault of heaven for him. The Titan returned with the golden apples, but refused to reassume his burden. Heracles then asked him to hold up the sky for a moment whil
e he placed a cushion on his shoulders, and as soon as he was free seized the apples and fled. When Eurystheus was given the golden apples he offered them to\b \cf15 \ATXht6 Athena\b0 \cf7 \ATXht0 , who put them back in their place.
