As he came
near he felt an undreamt-of perfume being wafted toward him. So
weary was he with his journey and all his toils that he would
fain sink down and dream away in that evening land. But he roused
himself, and he journeyed on toward where the perfume came from.
Over that place a star seemed always about to rise.
He came to where a silver lattice fenced a garden that was full
of the quiet of evening. Golden bees hummed through the air, and
there was the sound of quiet waters. How wild and laborious was
the world he had come from, Heracles thought! He felt that it
would be hard for him to return to that world.
He saw three maidens. They stood with wreaths upon their heads
and blossoming branches in their hands. When the maidens saw him
they came toward him crying out: "O man who has come into the
Garden of the Hesperides, go not near the tree that the sleepless
dragon guards!" Then they went and stood by a tree as if to keep
guard over it. All around were trees that bore flowers and fruit,
but this tree had golden apples amongst its bright green leaves.
Then he saw the guardian of the tree. Beside its trunk a dragon
lay, and as Heracles came near the dragon showed its glittering
scales and its deadly claws.
The apples were within reach, but the dragon, with its glittering
scales and claws, stood in the way. Heracles shot an arrow; then
a tremor went through Ladon, the sleepless dragon; it screamed
and then lay stark.
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