The Fifth Labour of Heracles: The Cattle of Augeias

The field of Augeias was soiled with dung,
Which all his cattle across it had slung,
And Eurystheus said that in one day
Heracles should clear all the dung away.
Augeias was king of Elis; his birth
None could manage for certain to unearth;
For some said he was the son of the Sun,
And others that his father was Poseidon,
Or that he was the son of Phorbas; and
Many herds of cattle lived on his land.
Heracles said he’d remove it for a price;
One tenth of the cattle for this would suffice,
And he would remove it all in a day,
And so Augeias agreed that he’d pay
The sum of the cattle, and the witness
Of this was Augeias’ son Phyleus.
Then Heracles made a breach at the base
Of the wall of the yard; another space
To serve as an egress he made in the same,
Then diverted the rivers so that they came
And flooded the pasture, both Alpheios,
And near to him the flowing Peneios.
Then into the field the two rivers rushed,
And all of the cattle’s manure was flushed
Away. But Augeias learned that the deed
Was ordered by Eurystheus; no heed
He gave to his word, and even denied
He’d sworn to pay: “Let the matter be tried,”
He declared, and called judges to consider:
But Phyleus testified that his father
Agreed to pay Heracles a reward;
Augeias heard this, and in rage he roared,
Before the voting could even commence,
That Heracles and Phyleus go thence
At once. To Doulikhion Phyleus went,
But unto Olenos Heracles bent
His course and visited Dexamenos,
Whom vexation had bound tight in its throes;
The Centaur Eurytion gave no recourse:
Dexamenos must give his daughter by force.
But when Heracles had come, he besought
His help in this matter, so Heracles fought
And killed Eurytion. As for the labour,
Eurystheus would not consent to honour
It, because it had been done for reward;
So towards the ten, this one was not scored.