Hercules, known as Heracles in Greek mythology, was a demigod and a son of Zeus. Due to a fit of madness (induced by the goddess Hera, Zeus’s wife who was jealous of Hercules), Hercules killed his wife and children.

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In Greek mythology, the cleaning of the Augean Stables was one of the Twelve Labors assigned to Hercules (Heracles in Greek). Image: Hercules’ Fifth Labor – Hercules cleans the Augean stables by redirecting the river – Liebig collectors card

As penance, he was assigned to complete twelve nearly impossible tasks, known as the Twelve Labors. These labors were set by Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns, who felt threatened by Hercules’ might and wanted to humiliate him.

The Augean Stables

The fifth of these labors was the cleaning of the Augean Stables. King Augeas, the ruler of Elis, owned vast herds of cattle, said to number around 3,000. These cattle were kept in a set of great stables, which, over the years, had become so filled with dung that they posed a health risk to the region.

The Challenge

The Greek demigod was tasked with cleaning these vast stables in just one day, a feat that seemed impossible given the sheer volume of accumulated waste.

Hercules’ Solution

But Hercules was not just a hero of strength; he also possessed great wit and intelligence. Rather than attempting to shovel out the immense buildup of dung, he made use of the natural landscape. He diverted the courses of two nearby rivers, the Alpheus and the Peneus, causing them to flow through the stables. The forceful rush of water washed out all the filth, cleaning the stables thoroughly.

Hercules’s fifth labor involved ingeniously cleaning King Augeas’s stables, untouched for years, by diverting two rivers through them in one day. Image: Heracles rerouting the rivers Alpheus and Peneus, to clean out the Augean stables

Betrayal and Revenge

Before undertaking the task, Hercules had agreed with Augeas that he would receive a reward of one-tenth of the cattle in return for his services.

However, after the task was accomplished, Augeas went back on his word. He had been informed that the cleaning of his stables was not just a random act of service but one of Hercules’ penances. Feeling that Hercules was obliged to complete the task anyway, Augeas refused to pay him.

Enraged at this betrayal, Hercules later returned to Elis, waged war on Augeas, and installed his nephew, Phyleus (who had sided with Hercules in the dispute), as the new king.

Symbolism

Beyond the physical act of cleaning, this labor carries symbolic weight. The Augean Stables can be viewed as a metaphor for the accumulated corruption, vice, and complacency in society. Hercules’ act of cleansing, therefore, represented a purging of these societal ills. The story not only highlights Hercules’ brute strength but also celebrates his innovative thinking and his commitment to justice (evidenced by his return to deal with Augeas).

Overall, the tale of the Augean Stables underscores the multifaceted nature of Hercules as a hero: he was not just a man of brawn but also of brains and moral integrity. Image: The Farnese Hercules, Roman marble statue on the basis of an original by Lysippos, 216 AD

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