Greek mythology tells of the Daughters of Evening, or the Nymphs of the West, who dwelt on the far-western island of Erytheia. A prototype for the Garden of Eden, this island was where the nymphs dwelt and where they cared for a peaceful and idyllic garden. In this garden grew the sacred golden apples which belonged to Hera and which possessed the power to bestow immortality. It is from this garden that Eros obtained the same golden apple which became the catalyst for the Trojan War.
Michele Rocca.
These nymphs were known as the Hesperides, since they lived far to the west in the lands of the evening sun. Hesperos means 'evening' in Greek, and has a shared root with the English word 'west'. SInce the nymphs' father was sometimes reckoned to be Atlas, the Titan, they were also known as the Atlantides. Their island of Erytheia was said to be located off the coast of North Africa, near the Atlas Mountains. Other sources put the island nearer to the Spanish coast, or even set the Garden on the mainland itself, but in any case, the mythical place has a heavy association with the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Garden of the Hesperides was Hera's own private orchard, where the goddess Gaia planted the golden apple trees as a wedding present. She set the nymphs to work tending the groves, but when she realized they occasionally picked an apple for themselves, she added a sleepless guard - Ladon, a dragon with 100 heads. Different sources describe 3, 4 or 7 Hesperides, and their names often differ among ancient chroniclers as well, though Nyx, goddess of night is usually said to be their mother. In addition to being skilled gardeners, they were also beautiful singers; some accounts refer to them as 'minstrel maids' due to their famous voices. Besides their minor involvement in the events of the Trojan War, the nymphs are best known from tales of Heracles and the Argonauts, who were tasked with stealing the apples and slaying the dragon.
Lord Frederic Leighton
