page_title: Labours of Hercules
section_title: Fifth: Augean stables
hierarchical_section_title: Labours of Hercules / Labours / Fifth: Augean stables
caption_attribution_description: English: Hercules cleans the Augean stables by redirecting the river. Twelve labours of Hercules (Heracles). Liebig collectors' card, 1939 Contributor: Lebrecht Music &amp; Arts / Alamy Stock Photo Image ID: JF8XFK File size: 50 MB (4.6 MB Compressed download) Dimensions: 5220 x 3347 px | 44.2 x 28.3 cm | 17.4 x 11.2 inches | 300dpi Releases: Model - no | Property - no Do I need a release? More information: This image could have imperfections as it’s either historical or reportage. Photographer: Lebrecht Date taken: 15 August 2016
context_page_description: The Twelve Labours of Heracles or Hercules are a series of episodes concerning a penance carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, whose name was later romanised as Hercules. They were accomplished at the service of King Eurystheus. The episodes were later connected by a continuous narrative. The establishment of a fixed cycle of twelve labours was attributed by the Greeks to an epic poem, now lost, written by Peisander, dated about 600 BC. After Heracles killed his wife and children, he went to the oracle at Delphi. He prayed to the god Apollo for guidance. Heracles was told to serve the king of Mycenae, Eurystheus, for ten years. During this time, he is sent to perform a series of difficult feats, called labours.
context_section_description: The fifth labour was to clean the stables of King Augeas. This assignment was intended to be both humiliating (rather than impressive, as the previous labours had been) and impossible, since the livestock were divinely healthy (and immortal) and therefore produced an enormous quantity of dung. The Augean Stables (/ɔːˈdʒiːən/) had not been cleaned in over 30 years, and over 1,000 cattle lived there. However, Heracles succeeded by re-routing the rivers Alpheus and Peneus to wash out the filth.
  Before starting on the task, Heracles had asked Augeas for one-tenth of the cattle if he finished the task in one day, and Augeas agreed. But afterwards Augeas refused to honour the agreement on the grounds that Heracles had been ordered to carry out the task by Eurystheus anyway. Heracles claimed his reward in court, and was supported by Augeas' son Phyleus. Augeas banished them both before the court had ruled. Heracles returned, slew Augeas, and gave his kingdom to Phyleus. Heracles then founded the Olympic Games.
  The success of this labour was ultimately discounted as the rushing waters had done the work of cleaning the stables and because Heracles was paid for doing the labour. 
  Eurystheus said that Heracles still had seven labours to perform.
caption: Hercules cleans the Augean stables by redirecting the river
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