The "Apples of the Hesperides" are mythical golden apples from ancient Greek mythology. They are said to grow in a garden located at the edge of the world, tended by the Hesperides, who are nymphs representing evening and sunset. These apples are often associated with immortality and were a gift from Gaia, the Earth goddess, to Hera for her wedding to Zeus. In the myth, the hero Heracles is tasked with retrieving these apples as one of his twelve labors. He encounters various challenges, including the dragon Ladon, who guards the apples. Ultimately, the apples symbolize the pursuit of knowledge and the rewards of overcoming great obstacles.