hink of a trick in order to get away. "Let me," he said
to the giant, "just make a coil of rope to bind around my head, so that
the frightful weight will not cause my forehead to give way."

Atlas found this new demand reasonable, and consented to take over the
burden again for a few minutes. But the deceiver was at last deceived,
and Hercules picked up the apples from the ground and set out on his way
back. He carried the apples to Eurystheus, who, since his object of
getting rid of the hero had not been accomplished, gave them back to
Hercules as a present. The latter laid them on the altar of Minerva; but
the goddess, knowing that it was contrary to the divine wishes to carry
away this sacred fruit, returned the apples to the garden of the
Hesperides.

THE TWELFTH LABOR

Instead of destroying his hated enemy the labors which Eurystheus had
imposed upon Hercules had only strengthened the hero in the fame for
which fate had selected him. He had become the protector of all the
wronged upon earth, and the boldest adventurer among mortals.

But the last labor he was to undertake in the region in which his hero
strength--so the impious king hoped--would not accompany him. This was a
fight with the dark powers of the underworld. He was to bring forth from
Hades Cerberus, the dog of Hell. This animal had three heads with
frightful jaws, from which incessantly poison flowed. A dragon's tail
hung from his body, and the hair of his head and of his back formed
hissing, coiling serpents.

To prepare himself for this fearful journey Hercules went to the city of
Eleusis, in Attic territory, where, from a wise priest, he received
secret instruction in the things of the upper and lower world, and where
also he received pardon for the murder of the Centaur.

Then, with strength to meet the horrors of the underworld, Hercules
traveled on to Peloponnesus, and to the Laconian city of Taenarus, which
contained the opening to the lower world. Here, accompanied by Mercury,
he descended through a cleft in the earth, and came to the entrance of
the city of King Pluto. The shades which sadly wandered back and forth
before the gates of the city took flight as soon as they caught sight of
flesh and blood in the form of a living man. Only the Gorgon Medusa and
the spirit of Meleager remained. The former Hercules wished to overthrow
with his sword, but Mercury touched him on the arm and told him that the
souls of the departed were only emp