| 释义 |
‖ Hesperides, n. pl.|hɛˈspɛrɪdiːz|
[L. Hesperidēs, a. Gr. Ἑσπερίδες, pl. of ἑσπερίς ‘western’, ‘a daughter of the west’ or ‘land of the sunset’, f. ἕσπερος evening, the evening star: see Hesperus.]
1. Gr. Myth. The nymphs (variously reckoned as three, four, and seven), daughters of Hesperus, who were fabled to guard, with the aid of a watchful dragon, the garden in which golden apples grew in the Isles of the Blest, at the western extremity of the earth.
1656Blount Glossogr., Hesperides, the daughters of Hesperus..They had Gardens, that bore golden fruit. 1671Milton P.R. ii. 357 Nymphs of Diana's train..And ladies of the Hesperides, that seem'd Fairer than feign'd of old. 1860Ruskin Mod. Paint. V. ix. x. §8. 307 The Hesperides..are four. Their names are, æglé,—Brightness; Erytheia,—Blushing; Hestia,—the (spirit of the) Hearth; Arethusa,—the Ministering.
b. transf. (In quot. 1608 as sing.)
1608Shakes. Per. i. i. 27 Before thee stands this fair Hesperides, With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd. 1860C. Sangster Hesperus, etc. 85 Some souls are the Hesperides Heaven sends to guard the golden age.
c. Hence, the garden watched by these nymphs; also, the ‘Fortunate Islands’ or ‘Isles of the Blest’ (αἱ Μακάρων νῆσοι), beyond the Pillars of Hercules, at the western extremity of the ancient world, in which the garden was supposed to be situated.
c1590Greene Fr. Bacon ix. 82 The fearful dragon held his seat That watch'd the garden call'd Hesperides. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 7 Iles of Cape de Verde..some thinke, these were the Hesperides, so famous for the Garden of golden Apples. 1826J. Montgomery Voy. round World 53 The West Indies I behold, Like th' Hesperides of old,—Trees of life with fruits of gold!
2. Bot. The name given by Endlicher to one of his classes of plants, containing the orange family (Aurantiaceæ) and some related orders.
The name Hesperideæ was given by Linnæus to one of his natural orders, containing the genus Citrus and some others. Based on an identification of the orange, citron, etc. with the golden apples of the mythical Hesperides.
1857Henfrey Bot. 211 Endlicher's System..Cl[ass] 51. Hesperides [containing] Humiriaceæ, Olacineæ, Aurantiaceæ, Meliaceæ, and Cedrelaceæ. 1866Treas. Bot. 586/1. |