Reliëf geflankeerd door Hercules met Cerberus en Hercules met een appel van de Hesperiden 1714

This print, made by Louis Surugue, features Hercules, that figure of immense strength, flanked by scenes of his labors. Notice Cerberus, the multi-headed dog guarding the gates of the Underworld. His image evokes not just fear, but the boundary between worlds, a motif echoed across cultures—think of the Egyptian Anubis or the Norse Garmr. Now consider Hercules with the apple of the Hesperides, a symbol of immortality and divine knowledge. The golden apple appears in myths across Europe and West Asia, representing temptation and the quest for forbidden wisdom. These symbols tap into our collective memory, stirring subconscious desires and anxieties related to mortality, the unknown, and the allure of the divine. Each age interprets these symbols anew, weaving them into their own narratives, yet the primal emotions they evoke endure, resurfacing in art, literature, and our deepest dreams.