Gathering the Golden Apples of the Hesperides
(Gemini,
May 21st - June 20th)
The
Myth
The great Presiding
One, within the Council Chamber of the Lord, had watched the
labours of the son of
man who is a son of God. He and the Teacher saw the third great Gate,
opening before the son
of man, revealing a new chance to tread the Way. They noted how
the laborer arose and
prepared to enter on his task.
“Send out the word to
guard the sacred tree. Let Hercules unfold the power to search
without discouragement,
deception or too great a speed. Let perseverance now be called
upon. He has done well
so far.” And thus the word went forth.
Far in a distant
country grew the sacred tree, the tree of wisdom, and on it grew the
golden apples of the
Hesperides. The fame of these sweet fruits had gone to distant lands,
and all the sons of men
who knew themselves to be likewise the sons of God desired them.
Hercules, too, knew of these fruits, and when the word went forth to seek for them he
sought the Teacher,
asking Him the way to go and find the sacred tree and pick the apples.
“Tell me the way, O
Teacher of my soul. I seek the apples and I need them quickly for
my use. Show me the
quickest way and I will go!”
“Not so, my son”,
replied the Teacher, “the way is long. Two things alone I will
confide to you, and
then it is for you to prove the truth of what I say. Remember that the
sacred tree is guarded
well. Three maidens fair cherish the tree, protecting well its fruit.
A dragon with one
hundred heads protects the maidens and the tree. Guard thyself well
from strength too great
for thee, from wiles too subtle for thy comprehension. Watch well.
The second thing that I
would say to thee is that thy search will carry thee where five
great tests will meet
thee on the Way. Each will afford thee scope for wisdom,
understanding, skill
and opportunity. Watch well. I fear, my son, that you will fail to
recognize these points
upon the Way. But time alone will show; God speed thee in thy
search.”
* * *
With confidence,
because success nor failure held for him a claim, Hercules went forth
upon the Way, sure
of himself, his wisdom and his strength. Through the third Gate he
passed, going due
north. Throughout the land he passed, seeking the sacred tree, but found
it not. All men he met
he questioned, but none could guide him on his way; none knew the
place. Time passed, yet
still he sought, wandering from place to place and returning oft
upon his steps to the
third Gate. Sad and discouraged, still he sought on every hand.
The Teacher, watching from afar, sent Nereus to see if he could aid. Time and again he
came, in varying form
and with differing words of truth, but Hercules responded not, no
knew him for the
messenger he was. Skilled though he was in speech and wise with the
deep wisdom of a son of
God, Nereus failed, for Hercules was blind. He did not recognize
the help so subtly
proffered. Returned at length with sadness to the Teacher, Nereus spoke
of failure.
“The first of the five
lesser tests is passed,” replied the Teacher, and failure marks this
stage. Let Hercules
proceed.”
Finding no sacred tree
upon the northern way, Hercules turned towards the south and in
the place of darkness
continued with his search. At first he dreamed of quick success, but
Antaeus, the serpent,
met him on that way and wrestled with him, overcoming him at
every point.
“He guards the tree,”
said Hercules, “this I was told, so near him must be the tree. I
must break down his
guard and, thus destroying him, break down and pluck the fruit.”
Yet, wrestling with
much strength, he conquered not.
“Where lies my fault?”
said Hercules. “Why can Antaeus conquer me? E’en when an
infant I destroyed a
serpent in my cot. With my own hands I strangled it. Why fail I
now?”
Wrestling again with
all his might, he grasped the serpent with both hands, lifting it
high in air, away from
off the ground. And lo! the deed was done: Antaeus, vanquished,
spoke:
“I come again in
different guise at the eighth Gate. Prepare again to wrestle.”
The Teacher, gazing
from afar, saw all that happened, and to the great Presiding One
who sits within the
Council Chamber of the Lord he spoke, reporting on the deed.
“The second test is passed. The danger is surmounted. Success at this point marks his
way.”
And the great Presiding
One replied: “Let him proceed.”
* * *
Happy and confident,
Hercules went on, sure of himself and with new courage for the
search. Now to the west
he turned himself and, turning thus, he met disaster. He entered
without thought upon
the third great test and failure met him and for long delayed his
steps.
For there he met
Busiris, the great arch-deceiver, son of the waters, of close kin to
Poseidon. His is the
work to bring delusion to the sons of men through words of seeming
wisdom. He claims to
know the truth and with quickness they believe. He speaks fair
words saying:
“I am the teacher. To
me is given knowledge of the truth and sacrifice for me. Accept
the way of life through
me. I know, but no-one else. My truth is right. All other truth is
wrong and false. Hark
to my words; stay with me and be saved.”
And Hercules obeyed,
and daily weakened on the early way (third test) seeking no
further for the sacred
tree. His strength was sapped. He loved, adored Busiris, and accepted
all he said. Weaker
from day to day he grew, until there came a day when his loved
teacher bound him to an
altar and kept him bound throughout a year.
Suddenly one day, when
struggling to be free, and slowly seeing Busiris for what he
was, words spoken long
ago by Nereus came to his mind:
“Truth lies within
yourself. There is a higher power and strength and wisdom in
yourself. Turn inwards
and there evoke the strength which is, the power which is the
heritage of all the
sons of men who are the sons of God.”
Silent lie lay a
prisoner on the altar, bound to its corners four for one whole year.
Then, with the strength
which is the strength of all the sons of God, he broke his bonds,
seized the false
teacher (who had seemed so wise) and bound him to the altar in his place.
He spoke no word, but
left him there to learn.
The watching Teacher, from afar, noted the moment of release, and turning to Nereus
said: “The third great
test is passed. You taught him how to meet it and in due time he
profited. Let him go
forward on the Way and learn the secret of success.
* * *
Chastened, yet full of
questioning relief, Hercules continued with his search and
wandered far. The year,
spent prone upon the altar, had taught him much. He went with
greater wisdom on his
way.
Suddenly, he halted in
his steps. A cry of deep distress smote on his ear. Some vultures
circling o’er a distant
rock caught his attention; then again the cry broke forth. Should he
proceed upon his way,
or should he seek the one who seemed in need and thus retard his
steps? He pondered on
the problem of delay; a year had now been lost; he felt the need for
haste. Again a cry
broke forth and Hercules, with rapid steps, sped to his brother’s help.
He found Prometheus
chained upon a rock, suffering dire agonies of pain, caused by the
vultures plucking at
his liver, thus slowly killing him. He broke the binding chain and
freed Prometheus,
chasing the vultures to their distant lair, and tending the sick man until
he had recovered from his wounds. Then, with much loss of time, he again started to make
his way.
The Teacher, watching
from afar, spoke to his seeking pupil these clear words, the first
words spoken to him
since he entered on his search:
“The fourth stage on
the way unto the sacred tree is passed. There has been no delay.
The rule upon the
chosen Path which hastens all success is, ‘Learn to serve’.”
The Presiding One,
within the Council Chamber of the Lord, remarked: “He has done
well. Continue with the
tests.”
* * *
Upon all ways the
search went on, and north and south and east and west, the sacred
tree was sought, but
was not found. There came a day when, worn with fear and travelling,
he heard a rumour from
a passing pilgrim on the way that, near a distant mountain, the
tree was to be found,
the first true statement given him as yet. Therefore he turned his feet
to the high mountains
of the east and, on a bright and sunny day, he saw the object of his
search and hastened then
his steps.
“Now I shall touch the
sacred tree,” he shouted in his joy, “surmount the guarding
dragon; see the fair
maidens of wide fame; and pluck the apples.”
But again, he was
arrested by a sense of deep distress. Atlas confronted him, staggering
‘neath the load of
worlds upon his back. His face was lined with suffering; his limbs were
bowed with pain; his
eyes were closed with agony; he asked no help; he saw not Hercules
but stood bowed down
with pain, with the weight of worlds. Hercules. t rembling, watched
and gauged the measure
of the load and pain. He forgot about his search. The sacred tree
and apples faded from
mind; he only sought to aid the giant and that without delay;
forward he rushed and
eagerly removed the load, lifting it off the shoulders of his brother
onto his own back,
shouldering the burden of the worlds himself. He closed his eyes,
bracing himself with
effort, and lo! the load rolled off, and he stood free, and likewise
Atlas. Before him stood
the giant and in his hand he held the golden apples, offering them,
with love, to Hercules.
The search was o’er. The sisters three held still more golden apples,
and pressed them
likewise into his hands, and Aegle, that fair maid who is the glory of the
setting sun, said unto
him, placing an apple in his hand, ”The Way to us is always marked
by service. Deeds of
love are signposts on the Way.” Then Erytheia, who keeps the gate
which all must pass
before they stand alone before the great Presiding One, gave him an
apple and upon its
side, inscribed in light, was written the golden word of Service.
“Remember this,” she said, “forget
it not.”
And lastly Hesperis
came, the wonder of the evening star, and said to him with clarity
and love, “Go forth and
serve, and tread the way, from henceforth and for aye, of all
world servers.
“Then I give back these apples for those who follow on,” said Hercules, and returned
from whence he came.
* * *
Before the Teacher then
he stood and rendered due account of all that had transpired. To
him the Teacher gave
the word of cheer and then with pointing finger indicated the fourth
Gate and said to him: “Pass
through that Gate. Capture the doe and enter once again the
Holy Place.”
The Tibetan (Djwhal Khul)
(Alice Bailey, THE LABOURS OF HERCULES, p. 30)
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