Lewis & Short

† Hespĕrus or -os, i, m., = Ἕσπερος (the evening; pure Lat., with the digamma, vesper; hence transf.), the evening star, Hesperus; acc. to the myth, the son of Cephalus and Aurora; cf. Hyg. Astr. 2, 42; or, acc. to another myth, the son of Iapetus and Asia, and brother of Atlas; cf. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 530, and 4, 484: infima est quinque errantium terraeque proxima stella Veneris, quae φωσφόρος Graece, Latine dicitur Lucifer, cum antegreditur solem, cum subsequitur autem Hesperos, Cic. N. D. 2, 20, 53: illam non veniens Aurora Cessantem vidit, non Hesperus, Ov. M. 5, 441; id. F. 2, 314; cf. id. ib. 5, 419: ite domum saturae, venit Hesperus, ite capellae, Verg. E. 10, 77.

  • II. Derivv.
    1. A. Hespĕrĭus, a, um, adj., of or situated towards the west, western, Hesperian.
      1. 1. Adj.: Hesperium fretum, the western ocean, Ov. M. 11, 258: litus, id. ib. 2, 142: undae, Hor. C. 2, 17, 20: axis, Ov. M. 4, 214; cf.: constitit Hesperio, regnis Atlantis, in orbe, id. ib. 4, 628: imperi Porrecta majestas ad ortus Solis ab Hesperio cubili, Hor. C. 4, 15, 16: rex, i. e. Atlas or Hesperus, Ov. de Nuce, 111: Hesperios amnes, Rhenum Rhodanumque Padumque, etc., western, id. M. 2, 258: et terram Hesperiam venies, the land of the west, i. e. Italy (because situated to the west of the Trojans), Verg. A. 2, 781; cf. in the foll. 2.; so of Italy: Latium, id. ib. 7, 601: fluctus, Hor. C. 1, 28, 26: ruina, id. ib. 2, 1, 32: duces, Luc. 5, 703.
        Hence,
      2. 2. Subst.: Hespĕria, ae, f. (sc. terra), the land of the west, Hesperia; poet. for Italy or Spain: est locus, Hesperiam quam mortales perhibebant, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 23 Vahl.); imitated by Vergil: est locus, Hesperiam Grai cognomine dicunt, Verg. A. 1, 530; so of Italy, Hor. C. 3, 6, 8; 4, 5, 38; Luc. 1, 224 al.: qui nunc Hesperia sospes ab ultima, etc., i. e. Spain, Hor. C. 1, 36, 4.
    2. B. Hespĕris, ĭdis, f., of evening or the west, western, Hesperian.
    1. I. Adj.: corniger Hesperidum fluvius regnator aquarum (Tibris), i. e. Italian (cf. above), Verg. A. 8, 77.
      Hence,
        1. 2. Subst.
          1. a. Hespĕris, ĭdis, f., the queen’s gilliflower, Hesperis tristis, Linn.: hesperis noctu magis olet, inde nomine invento, Plin. 21, 7, 18, § 39.
          2. b. He-spĕrĭdes, um, f.
            1. (α) The Hesperides, daughters of Hesperus, or of Erebus and Nox, who, on an island beyond Mount Atlas, watched a garden with golden apples, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6; Cic. N. D. 3, 17, 44; Mel. 3, 1, 3; Hyg. Fab. praef.; Ov. M. 11, 114; Lucr. 5, 32: Hesperidum mala, poma, Verg. E. 6, 61; Stat. S. 3, 1, 158: Hesperidum serpens, Juv. 14, 114.
            2. (β) A group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, Mel. 3, 10, 3; called also: Hesperidum insulae, Plin. 6, 31, 36, § 201.