Hercules’ Penultimate Labor – The Apples of the Hesperides

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 442. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $14000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THRACE, Perinthus. Gordian III. AD 238-244. Æ Medallion (39mm, 34.86 g, 1h). Labor of Hercules type. • AVT • K • M • ANT • G ORDIANOC AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder; gorgoneion on breastplate / PERINQIWN D IC NEWKORWN, Hercules standing facing, head right, lion skin over left shoulder, leaning right hand on club set on ground and holding Apples of the Hesperides in extended left hand; tree to right, Ladon coiled around trunk. Voegtli type 7e = Schönert-Geiss, Perinthos 858.2; Stoll, Herakles -; Varbanov 4157. EF, green patina, minor smoothing in fields. Attractive reverse and rare.

From the James E. Cain Collection.

Because he had been assisted in completing some of his earlier tasks, Hercules was compelled to undergo two more labors. The first of these was to steal the Apples of the Hesperides, nymphs who lived in a grove at the far western edge of the world. Hercules tricked the Titan Atlas, whose task it was to hold up the heavens, to retrieve the apples in return for holding up the heavens while he did so. Having accomplished the task, Atlas was reluctant to give up his freedom, and told Hercules that he would take back the apples to Mycenae. Once again, Hercules tricked the Titan, requesting that Atlas hold the heavens while Hercules adjusted his cloak to be more comfortable.