Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-09-25
Hercules and the Augean Stables,

Ever since the time when Roman and
Grecian Mythology were at their zenith
the name of Hercules has been a synonym
for manly strength. This character, the
ideal of human perfection as conceived in
the heroic ages, was the son of Leus and
Acemene At that time Superstition and
Poetry became the parents who peopled
the earth with strange ofi-springs to whom
II was easy TO give superhumsn powers
and invest them with miraculous gifts.
Previous to the birth OF Hercules, Zeus,
his father, had made the strange declare
ton that whatever child should be born on
a certain day should be fated to rule all
the descendants OF Perseus a famous an
cestor Of Zeus
Zcus fully intended that the child
so born should be his own and believed
that he had full power TO control such
an event ~ best to suit his own pur
poses but he reCkoned a. the saying i,
without his host Now Zeus had rival
and an enemy. by the name of iera, who
also possessed extraordinary powers and
in the exercise Of such powers. proved as
i seemed, more than match for Leus.
Hcra made himself acquainted with the
PLANS OF Leus, and then worked not only
~ bring them to naught, hut TO make use
of the declaration Of Zeus In such man
ncv that il would BE a satisfaction 10 him
self Hcra was reveugeful II some 9th
cr child than Icu>' could De born on 4 Ger
tain day and thus become the ruler % the
descendants Of rcrseus what swee; revenge
that would % 70 heap on foe He put
HI Strange powers 10 work an thus cou-
tTiVed Ia hasten the birth Of Eurysiheu>,
the son Of Sthcnclus and TO defer the birth
Of Hercules Eurysiheus, who Vas born
90 the day designated became by decree
% Este the chief of his people Hercu-
les, a. 10 grew IN strength, did many
mighty deeds and il was with the utmost
difficulty that Eurysthens, his ruler, could
get him into subsection, but he finally sue
ceedci. however and required Of Herou-
les a. a punishment for past ofense-.
twelve great iahors, a. follows
! Wrestling with the Nemesn lion.
2 Destruction OF the Lcrnean hydrs.
Capture II the Arcadian hind.
Capture of the boar II Erymanihu>
while chasing which he fought the cen
tsurs and Killed his friends Chiron AMI
rhnu,
h Cleansing the stables Of Augcs~
J. -.
Capture OF the Cretan bull >uh>c-
,uently slain by Thcseu> At Marathon.
:. Capture Of the man eating mares uf
the Ihrac al Diomcdes
9 SEEING Of the glrdle Of Hlppnlyte,
queen Of the AmaIons
lo Bringing Of the oxen Of Geryones
from the krythis in the far west which
crrana involved msny adventures In The
coa~tlapd> ~ the Mediterranean. ana the
setting UP " the Pillars OF Hercules" Al
the STRAITS Of Gibraltar
IL Bringing the golden apples from
The garden IF the Hesperides
II CARRYING Ccroeru. from Hatc> u
tae upper world
Though much tr!buls,ion and 81 great
peril these labor> were performed but the
NTH great labor. lis; Of clesnsln. the
Aegean stSbles j. the one which concerns
Us mostly al this writing These stables
were the property Of AuseAs Mig q FL
u, and 10 them 300 oIen had been con
fined many wear.
Hercules was >hrewd A. wei s. strong
To cleanse these stables wss formidable
task hat il mus; be done The decree
hsd hcru proclaimed. sud from it there
~a> no escape lie must DO 4; a. pun
i>hnent, bat was there no way thst he
might use thi> hard tssk 10 h.s own adj
vantage lii was man fun OF resources
Snd b, would make the best OF 1. He put
ou hrs'e face Sni went to King AuEea>
squared right up 70 him sud inquired Il he
would uut Ike to hSve his stables clvansed
The King saii yes. and hnaNy they agrtcd
upon terms 10 the erec, HAT Hercules
should cleanse these stables in s single
day for which be was - receive s tenth
part OF ihe Kings cattle Hercules then
went 10 work and turned the rivers A.
phrus snd Peneus through the stables.
cleaning them according 70 contract. 50
far. 50 good Bu; the end was no; yct.
When the facts became known. Eurv>thens
refused 10 hsve the task counted - one
Of the twelve because /; hai been per
formed far prom; snd not - s p-ualty
pa the other band King Ausea> refused ID
pay over S ,cn.h part OF his cattl, on tile
ground that Hercules had attempted u
&c, them s. be claimed under fsl,e pre-
lenses and ;hA, the work had been done
by order Of Eurysthsns ami not by virtue
n ;rAie between Hercules and himself
As nigh; be expected big row followed
gu: ~ which those most interested . o, 10