LADON IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Ladon the Hesperian Dragon
Ladon was amongst the most famous of the dragons talked of in Greek mythology. Ladon was also known as the Hesperian Dragon, for he was to be found in the Garden of the Hesperides, where he guarded the famous Golden Apples.
Parentage of Ladon
Hesiod names Ladon as one of the monstrous offspring of Phorcys and Ceto; Phorcys and Ceto being primordial sea deities of the Greek pantheon. Such parentage would make Ladon a sibling to Echidna, the Aethiopian Cetus and Trojan Cetus.
Alternatively, Hyginus and Apollodorus, indicate that Ladon was a child of Typhon and Echidna; the parents of many of the most famous monsters of Greek mythology, including Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
If the parentage of Ladon was Phorcys and Ceto though, then this would link in with its name, for Ladon can be translated as “strong flow”, and thus Ladon was perhaps therefore the personification of the dangers of strong sea currents.
Alternatively, Hyginus and Apollodorus, indicate that Ladon was a child of Typhon and Echidna; the parents of many of the most famous monsters of Greek mythology, including Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra.
If the parentage of Ladon was Phorcys and Ceto though, then this would link in with its name, for Ladon can be translated as “strong flow”, and thus Ladon was perhaps therefore the personification of the dangers of strong sea currents.
Ladon in the Garden of Hera
|
As with most of the monsters of Greek mythology, Ladon was associated with one geographical place, the mythological Garden of Hera; a place also known as the Garden of the Hesperides.
The Garden of Hera was found at the furthest west corner of the world, on the edge of the waters that was Oceanus, the earth encircling river. This garden was tended to by the Hesperides nympths, nymphs of the sunset. The Garden of Hera was home to many treasures, but most importantly it was home to the tree, or orchard, that produced the famed Golden Apples of Greek mythology. The original Golden Apples had been given to Hera by Gaia, upon the marriage of Hera to Zeus. This tree, or trees, and the Golden Apples required a suitable guard, and whilst the Hesperides tended to the garden, Ladon was tasked with ensuring the security of the garden. Description of LadonIn antiquity it was common to consider Ladon as a serpent like dragon, that was normally depicted as encircling a single tree within its coil.
Aristophanes was perhaps the first to talk of Ladon being multi-headed, and thus the imagery developed to present Ladon as a dragon with a hundred heads. |
|
The Garden of the Hesperides - Frederic Lord Leighton (1830 - 1896) - PD-art-100
Ladon and Heracles
Originally Heracles was supposed to complete ten labours for King Eurystheus, but the king discounted two of the original labours, claiming that they were made invalid, but help received in killing the Lernaean Hydra, and in receiving payment for cleaning the Augean Stables. Thus an eleventh Labour was tasked, the retrieval of some Golden Apples.
First, Heracles needed to find out the location of the Garden of Hera, and some say that it was the Titan Atlas who told him the location, whilst others say that it was one of the sea gods of the Mediterranean who gave the location to Heracles.
Heracles would secretly enter the Garden of the Hesperides, but having already faced, and killed many monsters, Ladon was a relatively simple opponent, for Heracles took up his bow and arrow, and simply killed the dragon with a poisoned arrow.
The death of Ladon is also briefly mentioned in the the Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius, for a day after the death of Ladon, the Argo was said to have reached the Garden of Hera. There, the Argonauts, listened to the lament of the Hespird Aegle, who despaired at the killing of Ladon, and the theft of the Golden Apples.
First, Heracles needed to find out the location of the Garden of Hera, and some say that it was the Titan Atlas who told him the location, whilst others say that it was one of the sea gods of the Mediterranean who gave the location to Heracles.
Heracles would secretly enter the Garden of the Hesperides, but having already faced, and killed many monsters, Ladon was a relatively simple opponent, for Heracles took up his bow and arrow, and simply killed the dragon with a poisoned arrow.
The death of Ladon is also briefly mentioned in the the Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius, for a day after the death of Ladon, the Argo was said to have reached the Garden of Hera. There, the Argonauts, listened to the lament of the Hespird Aegle, who despaired at the killing of Ladon, and the theft of the Golden Apples.
Hercules and the Serpent Ladon - Antonio Tempesta (Italy, Florence, 1555-1630), Nicolo Van Aelst (Flanders, 1527-1612) - PD-art-100
Ladon and Atlas
It was also commonly said though, that Heracles never entered the Garden of the Hesperides, for instead he was said to have held the heavens aloft, in place of Atlas, whilst the Titan completed his Labour for him. With Heracles having to trick Atlas to return the Titan to his former position.
This of course would mean that it was Atlas who killed Ladon, rather than Heracles.
This of course would mean that it was Atlas who killed Ladon, rather than Heracles.
Ladon in the Night Sky
Upon the death of Ladon, it was commonly said that Hera placed his likeness amongst the stars for his dedication to her garden, and his attempts to kill Heracles.
Ladon would thus become the constellation Draco.
Ladon would thus become the constellation Draco.
|
|
Colin Quartermain - Ladon - 27th April 2019