4.8. But before Amphitryon reached Thebes, Zeus came by night and prolonging the one night threefold he assumed the likeness of Amphitryon and bedded with Alcmena and related what had happened concerning the Teleboans. But when Amphitryon arrived and saw that he was not welcomed by his wife, he inquired the cause; and when she told him that he had come the night before and slept with her, he learned from Tiresias how Zeus had enjoyed her. And Alcmena bore two sons, to wit, Hercules, whom she had by Zeus and who was the elder by one night, and Iphicles, whom she had by Amphitryon. When the child was eight months old, Hera desired the destruction of the babe and sent two huge serpents to the bed. Alcmena called Amphitryon to her help, but Hercules arose and killed the serpents by strangling them with both his hands. However, Pherecydes says that it was Amphitryon who put the serpents in the bed, because he would know which of the two children was his, and that when Iphicles fled, and Hercules stood his ground, he knew that Iphicles was begotten of his body.
4.8. πρὸ τοῦ δὲ Ἀμφιτρύωνα παραγενέσθαι εἰς Θήβας Ζεύς, διὰ νυκτὸς ἐλθὼν καὶ τὴν μίαν τριπλασιάσας νύκτα, ὅμοιος Ἀμφιτρύωνι γενόμενος Ἀλκμήνῃ συνευνάσθη καὶ τὰ γενόμενα περὶ Τηλεβοῶν διηγήσατο. Ἀμφιτρύων δὲ παραγενόμενος, ὡς οὐχ ἑώρα φιλοφρονουμένην πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν γυναῖκα, ἐπυνθάνετο τὴν αἰτίαν· εἰπούσης δὲ ὅτι τῇ προτέρᾳ νυκτὶ παραγενόμενος αὐτῇ συγκεκοίμηται, μανθάνει παρὰ Τειρεσίου τὴν γενομένην τοῦ Διὸς συνουσίαν. Ἀλκμήνη δὲ δύο ἐγέννησε παῖδας, Διὶ μὲν Ἡρακλέα, μιᾷ νυκτὶ πρεσβύτερον, Ἀμφιτρύωνι δὲ Ἰφικλέα. τοῦ δὲ παιδὸς ὄντος ὀκταμηνιαίου δύο δράκοντας ὑπερμεγέθεις Ἥρα ἐπὶ τὴν εὐνὴν ἔπεμψε, διαφθαρῆναι τὸ βρέφος θέλουσα. ἐπιβοωμένης δὲ Ἀλκμήνης Ἀμφιτρύωνα, Ἡρακλῆς διαναστὰς ἄγχων ἑκατέραις ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοὺς διέφθειρε. Φερεκύδης δέ φησιν Ἀμφιτρύωνα, βουλόμενον μαθεῖν ὁπότερος ἦν τῶν παίδων ἐκείνου, τοὺς δράκοντας εἰς τὴν εὐνὴν ἐμβαλεῖν, καὶ τοῦ μὲν Ἰφικλέους φυγόντος τοῦ δὲ Ἡρακλέους ὑποστάντος μαθεῖν ὡς Ἰφικλῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται.
4.9. Hercules was taught to drive a chariot by Amphitryon, to wrestle by Autolycus, to shoot with the bow by Eurytus, to fence by Castor, and to play the lyre by Linus. This Linus was a brother of Orpheus; he came to Thebes and became a Theban, but was killed by Hercules with a blow of the lyre; for being struck by him, Hercules flew into a rage and slew him. When he was tried for murder, Hercules quoted a law of Rhadamanthys, who laid it down that whoever defends himself against a wrongful aggressor shall go free, and so he was acquitted. But fearing he might do the like again, Amphitryon sent him to the cattle farm; and there he was nurtured and outdid all in stature and strength. Even by the look of him it was plain that he was a son of Zeus; for his body measured four cubits, and he flashed a gleam of fire from his eyes; and he did not miss, neither with the bow nor with the javelin. While he was with the herds and had reached his eighteenth year he slew the lion of Cithaeron, for that animal, sallying from Cithaeron, harried the kine of Amphitryon and of Thespius.
4.9. ἐδιδάχθη δὲ Ἡρακλῆς ἁρματηλατεῖν μὲν ὑπὸ Ἀμφιτρύωνος, παλαίειν δὲ ὑπὸ Αὐτολύκου, τοξεύειν δὲ ὑπὸ Εὐρύτου, ὁπλομαχεῖν δὲ ὑπὸ Κάστορος, κιθαρῳδεῖν δὲ ὑπὸ Λίνου. οὗτος δὲ ἦν ἀδελφὸς Ὀρφέως· ἀφικόμενος δὲ εἰς Θήβας καὶ Θηβαῖος γενόμενος ὑπὸ Ἡρακλέους τῇ κιθάρᾳ πληγεὶς ἀπέθανεν· ἐπιπλήξαντα γὰρ αὐτὸν ὀργισθεὶς ἀπέκτεινε. δίκην δὲ ἐπαγόντων τινῶν αὐτῷ φόνου, παρανέγνω νόμον Ῥαδαμάνθυος λέγοντος, ὃς ἂν ἀμύνηται τὸν χειρῶν ἀδίκων κατάρξαντα, ἀθῷον εἶναι, καὶ οὕτως ἀπελύθη. δείσας δὲ Ἀμφιτρύων μὴ πάλιν τι ποιήσῃ τοιοῦτον, ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ βουφόρβια. κἀκεῖ τρεφόμενος μεγέθει τε καὶ ῥώμῃ πάντων διήνεγκεν. ἦν δὲ καὶ θεωρηθεὶς φανερὸς ὅτι Διὸς παῖς ἦν· τετραπηχυαῖον μὲν γὰρ εἶχε τὸ σῶμα, πυρὸς δʼ ἐξ ὀμμάτων ἔλαμπεν αἴγλην. οὐκ ἠστόχει δὲ οὔτε τοξεύων οὔτε ἀκοντίζων. ἐν δὲ τοῖς βουκολίοις ὑπάρχων ὀκτωκαιδεκαέτης τὸν Κιθαιρώνειον ἀνεῖλε λέοντα. οὗτος γὰρ ὁρμώμενος ἐκ τοῦ Κιθαιρῶνος τὰς Ἀμφιτρύωνος ἔφθειρε βόας καὶ τὰς Θεσπίου.
4.10. Now this Thespius was king of Thespiae, and Hercules went to him when he wished to catch the lion. The king entertained him for fifty days, and each night, as Hercules went forth to the hunt, Thespius bedded one of his daughters with him( fifty daughters having been borne to him by Megamede, daughter of Arneus); for he was anxious that all of them should have children by Hercules. Thus Hercules, though he thought that his bed-fellow was always the same, had intercourse with them all. And having vanquished the lion, he dressed himself in the skin and wore the scalp as a helmet.
4.10. βασιλεὺς δὲ ἦν οὗτος Θεσπιῶν, πρὸς ὃν ἀφίκετο Ἡρακλῆς ἑλεῖν βουλόμενος τὸν λέοντα. ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐξένισε πεντήκοντα ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν θήραν ἐξιόντι νυκτὸς ἑκάστης μίαν συνεύναζε θυγατέρα (πεντήκοντα δὲ αὐτῷ ἦσαν ἐκ Μεγαμήδης γεγεννημέναι τῆς Ἀρνέου)· ἐσπούδαζε γὰρ πάσας ἐξ Ἡρακλέους τεκνοποιήσασθαι. Ἡρακλῆς δὲ μίαν νομίζων εἶναι τὴν ἀεὶ συνευναζομένην, συνῆλθε πάσαις. καὶ χειρωσάμενος τὸν λέοντα τὴν μὲν δορὰν ἠμφιέσατο, τῷ χάσματι δὲ ἐχρήσατο κόρυθι.
4.11. As he was returning from the hunt, there met him heralds sent by Erginus to receive the tribute from the Thebans. Now the Thebans paid tribute to Erginus for the following reason. Clymenus, king of the Minyans, was wounded with a cast of a stone by a charioteer of Menoeceus, named Perieres, in a precinct of Poseidon at Onchestus; and being carried dying to Orchomenus, he with his last breath charged his son Erginus to avenge his death. So Erginus marched against Thebes, and after slaughtering not a few of the Thebans he concluded a treaty with them, confirmed by oaths, that they should send him tribute for twenty years, a hundred kine every year. Falling in with the heralds on their way to Thebes to demand this tribute, Hercules outraged them; for he cut off their ears and noses and hands, and having fastened them by ropes from their necks, he told them to carry that tribute to Erginus and the Minyans. Indignant at this outrage, Erginus marched against Thebes. But Hercules, having received weapons from Athena and taken the command, killed Erginus, put the Minyans to flight, and compelled them to pay double the tribute to the Thebans. And it chanced that in the fight Amphitryon fell fighting bravely. And Hercules received from Creon his eldest daughter Megara as a prize of valor, and by her he had three sons, Therimachus, Creontiades, and Deicoon. But Creon gave his younger daughter to Iphicles, who already had a son Iolaus by Automedusa, daughter of Alcathus. And Rhadamanthys, son of Zeus, married Alcmena after the death of Amphitryon, and dwelt as an exile at Ocaleae in Boeotia. Having first learned from Eurytus the art of archery, Hercules received a sword from Hermes, a bow and arrows from Apollo, a golden breastplate from Hephaestus, and a robe from Athena; for he had himself cut a club at Nemea.
4.11. ἀνακάμπτοντι δὲ αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τῆς θήρας συνήντησαν κήρυκες παρὰ Ἐργίνου πεμφθέντες, ἵνα παρὰ Θηβαίων τὸν δασμὸν λάβωσιν. ἐτέλουν δὲ Θηβαῖοι τὸν δασμὸν Ἐργίνῳ διʼ αἰτίαν τήνδε. Κλύμενον τὸν Μινυῶν βασιλέα λίθῳ βαλὼν Μενοικέως ἡνίοχος, ὄνομα Περιήρης, ἐν Ὀγχηστῷ Ποσειδῶνος τεμένει τιτρώσκει· ὁ δὲ κομισθεὶς εἰς Ὀρχομενὸν ἡμιθνὴς ἐπισκήπτει τελευτῶν Ἐργίνῳ τῷ παιδὶ ἐκδικῆσαι τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ. στρατευσάμενος δὲ Ἐργῖνος ἐπὶ Θήβας, κτείνας οὐκ ὀλίγους ἐσπείσατο μεθʼ ὅρκων, ὅπως πέμπωσιν αὐτῷ Θηβαῖοι δασμὸν ἐπὶ εἴκοσιν ἔτη, κατὰ ἔτος ἑκατὸν βόας. ἐπὶ τοῦτον τὸν δασμὸν εἰς Θήβας τοὺς κήρυκας ἀπιόντας συντυχὼν Ἡρακλῆς ἐλωβήσατο· ἀποτεμὼν γὰρ αὐτῶν τὰ ὦτα καὶ τὰς ῥῖνας, καὶ [διὰ σχοινίων] τὰς χεῖρας δήσας ἐκ τῶν τραχήλων, ἔφη τοῦτον Ἐργίνῳ καὶ Μινύαις δασμὸν κομίζειν. ἐφʼ οἷς ἀγανακτῶν ἐστράτευσεν ἐπὶ Θήβας. Ἡρακλῆς δὲ λαβὼν ὅπλα παρʼ Ἀθηνᾶς καὶ πολεμαρχῶν Ἐργῖνον μὲν ἔκτεινε, τοὺς δὲ Μινύας ἐτρέψατο καὶ τὸν δασμὸν διπλοῦν ἠνάγκασε Θηβαίοις φέρειν. συνέβη δὲ κατὰ τὴν μάχην Ἀμφιτρύωνα γενναίως μαχόμενον τελευτῆσαι. λαμβάνει δὲ Ἡρακλῆς παρὰ Κρέοντος ἀριστεῖον τὴν πρεσβυτάτην θυγατέρα Μεγάραν, ἐξ ἧς αὐτῷ παῖδες ἐγένοντο τρεῖς, Θηρίμαχος Κρεοντιάδης Δηικόων. τὴν δὲ νεωτέραν θυγατέρα Κρέων Ἰφικλεῖ δίδωσιν, ἤδη παῖδα Ἰόλαον ἔχοντι ἐξ Αὐτομεδούσης τῆς Ἀλκάθου. ἔγημε δὲ καὶ Ἀλκμήνην μετὰ τὸν Ἀμφιτρύωνος θάνατον Διὸς παῖς Ῥαδάμανθυς, κατῴκει δὲ ἐν Ὠκαλέαις τῆς Βοιωτίας πεφευγώς. προμαθὼν δὲ παρʼ Ἐυρύτου τὴν τοξικὴν Ἡρακλῆς ἔλαβε παρὰ Ἑρμοῦ μὲν ξίφος, παρʼ Ἀπόλλωνος δὲ τόξα, παρὰ δὲ Ἡφαίστου θώρακα χρυσοῦν, παρὰ δὲ Ἀθηνᾶς πέπλον· ῥόπαλον μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς ἔτεμεν ἐκ Νεμέας.
4.12. Now it came to pass that after the battle with the Minyans Hercules was driven mad through the jealousy of Hera and flung his own children, whom he had by Megara, and two children of Iphicles into the fire; wherefore he condemned himself to exile, and was purified by Thespius, and repairing to Delphi he inquired of the god where he should dwell. The Pythian priestess then first called him Hercules, for hitherto he was called Alcides. And she told him to dwell in Tiryns, serving Eurystheus for twelve years and to perform the ten labours imposed on him, and so, she said, when the tasks were accomplished, he would be immortal.
4.12. μετὰ δὲ τὴν πρὸς Μινύας μάχην συνέβη αὐτῷ κατὰ ζῆλον Ἥρας μανῆναι, καὶ τούς τε ἰδίους παῖδας, οὓς ἐκ Μεγάρας εἶχεν, εἰς πῦρ ἐμβαλεῖν καὶ τῶν Ἰφικλέους δύο· διὸ καταδικάσας ἑαυτοῦ φυγὴν καθαίρεται μὲν ὑπὸ Θεσπίου, παραγενόμενος δὲ εἰς Δελφοὺς πυνθάνεται τοῦ θεοῦ ποῦ κατοικήσει. ἡ δὲ Πυθία τότε πρῶτον Ἡρακλέα αὐτὸν προσηγόρευσε· τὸ δὲ πρώην Ἀλκείδης προσηγορεύετο. κατοικεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν εἶπεν ἐν Τίρυνθι, Εὐρυσθεῖ λατρεύοντα ἔτη δώδεκα, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιτασσομένους ἄθλους δέκα ἐπιτελεῖν, καὶ οὕτως ἔφη, τῶν ἄθλων συντελεσθέντων, ἀθάνατον αὐτὸν ἔσεσθαι.
5.1. When Hercules heard that, he went to Tiryns and did as he was bid by Eurystheus. First, Eurystheus ordered him to bring the skin of the Nemean lion; now that was an invulnerable beast begotten by Typhon. On his way to attack the lion he came to Cleonae and lodged at the house of a day-laborer, Molorchus; and when his host would have offered a victim in sacrifice, Hercules told him to wait for thirty days, and then, if he had returned safe from the hunt, to sacrifice to Saviour Zeus, but if he were dead, to sacrifice to him as to a hero. And having come to Nemea and tracked the lion, he first shot an arrow at him, but when he perceived that the beast was invulnerable, he heaved up his club and made after him. And when the lion took refuge in a cave with two mouths, Hercules built up the one entrance and came in upon the beast through the other, and putting his arm round its neck held it tight till he had choked it; so laying it on his shoulders he carried it to Cleonae. And finding Molorchus on the last of the thirty days about to sacrifice the victim to him as to a dead man, he sacrificed to Saviour Zeus and brought the lion to Mycenae. Amazed at his manhood, Eurystheus forbade him thenceforth to enter the city, but ordered him to exhibit the fruits of his labours before the gates. They say, too, that in his fear he had a bronze jar made for himself to hide in under the earth, and that he sent his commands for the labours through a herald, Copreus, son of Pelops the Elean. This Copreus had killed Iphitus and fled to Mycenae, where he was purified by Eurystheus and took up his abode.
5.1. τοῦτο ἀκούσας ὁ Ἡρακλῆς εἰς Τίρυνθα ἦλθε, καὶ τὸ προσταττόμενον ὑπὸ Εὐρυσθέως ἐτέλει. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἐπέταξεν αὐτῷ τοῦ Νεμέου λέοντος τὴν δορὰν κομίζειν· τοῦτο δὲ ζῷον ἦν ἄτρωτον, ἐκ Τυφῶνος γεγεννημένον. πορευόμενος οὖν ἐπὶ τὸν λέοντα ἦλθεν εἰς Κλεωνάς, καὶ ξενίζεται παρὰ ἀνδρὶ χερνήτῃ Μολόρχῳ. καὶ θύειν ἱερεῖον θέλοντι εἰς ἡμέραν ἔφη τηρεῖν τριακοστήν, καὶ ἂν μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς θήρας σῶος ἐπανέλθῃ, Διὶ σωτῆρι θύειν, ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, τότε ὡς ἥρωι ἐναγίζειν. εἰς δὲ τὴν Νεμέαν ἀφικόμενος καὶ τὸν λέοντα μαστεύσας ἐτόξευσε τὸ πρῶτον· ὡς δὲ ἔμαθεν ἄτρωτον ὄντα, ἀνατεινάμενος τὸ ῥόπαλον ἐδίωκε. συμφυγόντος δὲ εἰς ἀμφίστομον σπήλαιον αὐτοῦ τὴν ἑτέραν ἐνῳκοδόμησεν εἴσοδον, διὰ δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας ἐπεισῆλθε τῷ θηρίῳ, καὶ περιθεὶς τὴν χεῖρα τῷ τραχήλῳ κατέσχεν ἄγχων ἕως ἔπνιξε, καὶ θέμενος ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων ἐκόμιζεν εἰς Κλεωνάς. καταλαβὼν δὲ τὸν Μόλορχον ἐν τῇ τελευταίᾳ τῶν ἡμερῶν ὡς νεκρῷ μέλλοντα τὸ ἱερεῖον ἐναγίζειν, σωτῆρι θύσας Διὶ ἦγεν εἰς Μυκήνας τὸν λέοντα. Εὐρυσθεὺς δὲ καταπλαγεὶς αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἀπεῖπε τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν πόλιν εἰσιέναι, δεικνύειν δὲ πρὸ τῶν πυλῶν ἐκέλευε τοὺς ἄθλους. φασὶ δὲ ὅτι δείσας καὶ πίθον ἑαυτῷ χαλκοῦν εἰσκρυβῆναι ὑπὸ γῆν κατεσκεύασε, καὶ πέμπων κήρυκα Κοπρέα Πέλοπος τοῦ Ἠλείου ἐπέταττε τοὺς ἄθλους. οὗτος δὲ Ἴφιτον κτείνας, φυγὼν εἰς Μυκήνας καὶ τυχὼν παρʼ Εὐρυσθέως καθαρσίων ἐκεῖ κατῴκει.
5.2. As a second labour he ordered him to kill the Lernaean hydra. That creature, bred in the swamp of Lerna, used to go forth into the plain and ravage both the cattle and the country. Now the hydra had a huge body, with nine heads, eight mortal, but the middle one immortal. So mounting a chariot driven by Iolaus, he came to Lerna, and having halted his horses, he discovered the hydra on a hill beside the springs of the Amymone, where was its den. By pelting it with fiery shafts he forced it to come out, and in the act of doing so he seized and held it fast. But the hydra wound itself about one of his feet and clung to him. Nor could he effect anything by smashing its heads with his club, for as fast as one head was smashed there grew up two. A huge crab also came to the help of the hydra by biting his foot. So he killed it, and in his turn called for help on Iolaus who, by setting fire to a piece of the neighboring wood and burning the roots of the heads with the brands, prevented them from sprouting. Having thus got the better of the sprouting heads, he chopped off the immortal head, and buried it, and put a heavy rock on it, beside the road that leads through Lerna to Elaeus. But the body of the hydra he slit up and dipped his arrows in the gall. However, Eurystheus said that this labour should not be reckoned among the ten because he had not got the better of the hydra by himself, but with the help of Iolaus.
5.2. δεύτερον δὲ ἆθλον ἐπέταξεν αὐτῷ τὴν Λερναίαν ὕδραν κτεῖναι· αὕτη δὲ ἐν τῷ τῆς Λέρνης ἕλει ἐκτραφεῖσα ἐξέβαινεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον καὶ τά τε βοσκήματα καὶ τὴν χώραν διέφθειρεν. εἶχε δὲ ἡ ὕδρα ὑπερμέγεθες σῶμα, κεφαλὰς ἔχον ἐννέα, τὰς μὲν ὀκτὼ θνητάς, τὴν δὲ μέσην ἀθάνατον. ἐπιβὰς οὖν ἅρματος, ἡνιοχοῦντος Ἰολάου, παρεγένετο εἰς τὴν Λέρνην, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἵππους ἔστησε, τὴν δὲ ὕδραν εὑρὼν ἔν τινι λόφῳ παρὰ τὰς πηγὰς τῆς Ἀμυμώνης, ὅπου ὁ φωλεὸς αὐτῆς ὑπῆρχε, βάλλων βέλεσι πεπυρωμένοις ἠνάγκασεν ἐξελθεῖν, ἐκβαίνουσαν δὲ αὐτὴν κρατήσας κατεῖχεν. ἡ δὲ θατέρῳ τῶν ποδῶν ἐνείχετο περιπλακεῖσα. τῷ ῥοπάλῳ δὲ τὰς κεφαλὰς κόπτων οὐδὲν ἀνύειν ἠδύνατο· μιᾶς γὰρ κοπτομένης κεφαλῆς δύο ἀνεφύοντο. ἐπεβοήθει δὲ καρκίνος τῇ ὕδρᾳ ὑπερμεγέθης, δάκνων τὸν πόδα. διὸ τοῦτον ἀποκτείνας ἐπεκαλέσατο καὶ αὐτὸς βοηθὸν τὸν Ἰόλαον, ὃς μέρος τι καταπρήσας τῆς ἐγγὺς ὕλης τοῖς δαλοῖς ἐπικαίων τὰς ἀνατολὰς τῶν κεφαλῶν ἐκώλυεν ἀνιέναι. καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον τῶν ἀναφυομένων κεφαλῶν περιγενόμενος, τὴν ἀθάνατον ἀποκόψας κατώρυξε καὶ βαρεῖαν ἐπέθηκε πέτραν, παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν φέρουσαν διὰ Λέρνης εἰς Ἐλαιοῦντα τὸ δὲ σῶμα τῆς ὕδρας ἀνασχίσας τῇ χολῇ τοὺς ὀιστοὺς ἔβαψεν. Εὐρυσθεὺς δὲ ἔφη μὴ δεῖν καταριθμῆσαι τοῦτον ἐν τοῖς δέκα τὸν ἆθλον· οὐ γὰρ μόνος ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ Ἰολάου τῆς ὕδρας περιεγένετο.
5.3. As a third labour he ordered him to bring the Cerynitian hind alive to Mycenae. Now the hind was at Oenoe; it had golden horns and was sacred to Artemis; so wishing neither to kill nor wound it, Hercules hunted it a whole year. But when, weary with the chase, the beast took refuge on the mountain called Artemisius, and thence passed to the river Ladon, Hercules shot it just as it was about to cross the stream, and catching it put it on his shoulders and hastened through Arcadia. But Artemis with Apollo met him, and would have wrested the hind from him, and rebuked him for attempting to kill her sacred animal. Howbeit, by pleading necessity and laying the blame on Eurystheus, he appeased the anger of the goddess and carried the beast alive to Mycenae.
5.3. τρίτον ἆθλον ἐπέταξεν αὐτῷ τὴν Κερυνῖτιν ἔλαφον εἰς Μυκήνας ἔμπνουν ἐνεγκεῖν. ἦν δὲ ἡ ἔλαφος ἐν Οἰνόῃ, χρυσόκερως, Ἀρτέμιδος ἱερά· διὸ καὶ βουλόμενος αὐτὴν Ἡρακλῆς μήτε ἀνελεῖν μήτε τρῶσαι, συνεδίωξεν ὅλον ἐνιαυτόν. ἐπεὶ δὲ κάμνον τὸ θηρίον τῇ διώξει συνέφυγεν εἰς ὄρος τὸ λεγόμενον Ἀρτεμίσιον, κἀκεῖθεν ἐπὶ ποταμὸν Λάδωνα, τοῦτον διαβαίνειν μέλλουσαν τοξεύσας συνέλαβε, καὶ θέμενος ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων διὰ τῆς Ἀρκαδίας ἠπείγετο. μετʼ Ἀπόλλωνος δὲ Ἄρτεμις συντυχοῦσα ἀφῃρεῖτο, καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ζῷον αὐτῆς κτείνοντα κατεμέμφετο. ὁ δὲ ὑποτιμησάμενος τὴν ἀνάγκην, καὶ τὸν αἴτιον εἰπὼν Εὐρυσθέα γεγονέναι, πραΰνας τὴν ὀργὴν τῆς θεοῦ τὸ θηρίον ἐκόμισεν ἔμπνουν εἰς Μυκήνας.
5.4. As a fourth labour he ordered him to bring the Erymanthian boar alive; now that animal ravaged Psophis, sallying from a mountain which they call Erymanthus. So passing through Pholoe he was entertained by the centaur Pholus, a son of Silenus by a Melian nymph. He set roast meat before Hercules, while he himself ate his meat raw. When Hercules called for wine, he said he feared to open the jar which belonged to the centaurs in common. But Hercules, bidding him be of good courage, opened it, and not long afterwards, scenting the smell, the centaurs arrived at the cave of Pholus, armed with rocks and firs. The first who dared to enter, Anchius and Agrius, were repelled by Hercules with a shower of brands, and the rest of them he shot and pursued as far as Malea. Thence they took refuge with Chiron, who, driven by the Lapiths from Mount Pelion, took up his abode at Malea. As the centaurs cowered about Chiron, Hercules shot an arrow at them, which, passing through the arm of Elatus, stuck in the knee of Chiron. Distressed at this, Hercules ran up to him, drew out the shaft, and applied a medicine which Chiron gave him. But the hurt proving incurable, Chiron retired to the cave and there he wished to die, but he could not, for he was immortal. However, Prometheus offered himself to Zeus to be immortal in his stead, and so Chiron died. The rest of the centaurs fled in different directions, and some came to Mount Malea, and Eurytion to Pholoe, and Nessus to the river Evenus. The rest of them Poseidon received at Eleusis and hid them in a mountain. But Pholus, drawing the arrow from a corpse, wondered that so little a thing could kill such big fellows; howbeit, it slipped from his hand and lighting on his foot killed him on the spot. So when Hercules returned to Pholoe, he beheld Pholus dead; and he buried him and proceeded to the boar hunt. And when he had chased the boar with shouts from a certain thicket, he drove the exhausted animal into deep snow, trapped it, and brought it to Mycenae.
5.4. τέταρτον ἆθλον ἐπέταξεν αὐτῷ τὸν Ἐρυμάνθιον κάπρον ζῶντα κομίζειν· τοῦτο δὲ τὸ θηρίον ἠδίκει τὴν Ψωφῖδα, ὁρμώμενον ἐξ ὄρους ὃ καλοῦσιν Ἐρύμανθον. διερχόμενος οὖν Φολόην ἐπιξενοῦται Κενταύρῳ Φόλῳ, Σειληνοῦ καὶ νύμφης μελίας παιδί. οὗτος Ἡρακλεῖ μὲν ὀπτὰ παρεῖχε τὰ κρέα, αὐτὸς δὲ ὠμοῖς ἐχρῆτο. αἰτοῦντος δὲ οἶνον Ἡρακλέους, ἔφη δεδοικέναι τὸν κοινὸν τῶν Κενταύρων ἀνοῖξαι πίθον· θαρρεῖν δὲ παρακελευσάμενος Ἡρακλῆς αὐτὸν ἤνοιξε, καὶ μετʼ οὐ πολὺ τῆς ὀσμῆς αἰσθόμενοι παρῆσαν οἱ Κένταυροι, πέτραις ὡπλισμένοι καὶ ἐλάταις, ἐπὶ τὸ τοῦ Φόλου σπήλαιον. τοὺς μὲν οὖν πρώτους τολμήσαντας εἴσω παρελθεῖν Ἄγχιον καὶ Ἄγριον Ἡρακλῆς ἐτρέψατο βάλλων δαλοῖς, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἐτόξευσε διώκων ἄχρι τῆς Μαλέας. ἐκεῖθεν δὲ πρὸς Χείρωνα συνέφυγον, ὃς ἐξελαθεὶς ὑπὸ Λαπιθῶν ὄρους Πηλίου παρὰ Μαλέαν κατῴκησε. τούτῳ περιπεπτωκότας τοὺς Κενταύρους τοξεύων ἵησι βέλος ὁ Ἡρακλῆς, τὸ δὲ ἐνεχθὲν Ἐλάτου διὰ τοῦ βραχίονος τῷ γόνατι τοῦ Χείρωνος ἐμπήγνυται. ἀνιαθεὶς δὲ Ἡρακλῆς προσδραμὼν τό τε βέλος ἐξείλκυσε, καὶ δόντος Χείρωνος φάρμακον ἐπέθηκεν. ἀνίατον δὲ ἔχων τὸ ἕλκος εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον ἀπαλλάσσεται. κἀκεῖ τελευτῆσαι βουλόμενος, καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος ἐπείπερ ἀθάνατος ἦν, ἀντιδόντος Διὶ Προμηθέως αὑτὸν ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ γενησόμενον ἀθάνατον, οὕτως ἀπέθανεν. οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ τῶν Κενταύρων φεύγουσιν ἄλλος ἀλλαχῇ, καὶ τινὲς μὲν παρεγένοντο εἰς ὄρος Μαλέαν, Εὐρυτίων δὲ εἰς Φολόην, Νέσσος δὲ ἐπὶ ποταμὸν Εὔηνον. τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ὑποδεξάμενος Ποσειδῶν εἰς Ἐλευσῖνα ὄρει κατεκάλυψεν. Φόλος δὲ ἑλκύσας ἐκ νεκροῦ τὸ βέλος ἐθαύμαζεν, εἰ τοὺς τηλικούτους τὸ μικρὸν διέφθειρε· τὸ δὲ τῆς χειρὸς ὀλισθῆσαν ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν πόδα καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν. ἐπανελθὼν δὲ εἰς Φολόην Ἡρακλῆς καὶ Φόλον τελευτήσαντα θεασάμενος, θάψας αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ κάπρου θήραν παραγίνεται, καὶ διώξας αὐτὸν ἔκ τινος λόχμης μετὰ κραυγῆς, εἰς χιόνα πολλὴν παρειμένον εἰσωθήσας ἐμβροχίσας τε ἐκόμισεν εἰς Μυκήνας.
5.5. The fifth labour he laid on him was to carry out the dung of the cattle of Augeas in a single day. Now Augeas was king of Elis; some say that he was a son of the Sun, others that he was a son of Poseidon, and others that he was a son of Phorbas; and he had many herds of cattle. Hercules accosted him, and without revealing the command of Eurystheus, said that he would carry out the dung in one day, if Augeas would give him the tithe of the cattle. Augeas was incredulous, but promised. Having taken Augeas's son Phyleus to witness, Hercules made a breach in the foundations of the cattle-yard, and then, diverting the courses of the Alpheus and Peneus, which flowed near each other, he turned them into the yard, having first made an outlet for the water through another opening. When Augeas learned that this had been accomplished at the command of Eurystheus, he would not pay the reward; nay more, he denied that he had promised to pay it, and on that point he professed himself ready to submit to arbitration. The arbitrators having taken their seats, Phyleus was called by Hercules and bore witness against his father, affirming that he had agreed to give him a reward. In a rage Augeas, before the voting took place, ordered both Phyleus and Hercules to pack out of Elis. So Phyleus went to Dulichium and dwelt there, and Hercules repaired to Dexamenus at Olenus. He found Dexamenus on the point of betrothing perforce his daughter Mnesimache to the centaur Eurytion, and being called upon by him for help, he slew Eurytion when that centaur came to fetch his bride. But Eurystheus would not admit this labour either among the ten, alleging that it had been performed for hire.
5.5. πέμπτον ἐπέταξεν αὐτῷ ἆθλον τῶν Αὐγείου βοσκημάτων ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ μόνον ἐκφορῆσαι τὴν ὄνθον. ἦν δὲ ὁ Αὐγείας βασιλεὺς Ἤλιδος, ὡς μέν τινες εἶπον, παῖς Ἡλίου, ὡς δέ τινες, Ποσειδῶνος, ὡς δὲ ἔνιοι, Φόρβαντος, πολλὰς δὲ εἶχε βοσκημάτων ποίμνας. τούτῳ προσελθὼν Ἡρακλῆς, οὐ δηλώσας τὴν Εὐρυσθέως ἐπιταγήν, ἔφασκε μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ τὴν ὄνθον ἐκφορήσειν, εἰ δώσει τὴν δεκάτην αὐτῷ τῶν βοσκημάτων. Αὐγείας δὲ ἀπιστῶν ὑπισχνεῖται. μαρτυράμενος δὲ Ἡρακλῆς τὸν Αὐγείου παῖδα Φυλέα, τῆς τε αὐλῆς τὸν θεμέλιον διεῖλε καὶ τὸν Ἀλφειὸν καὶ τὸν Πηνειὸν σύνεγγυς ῥέοντας παροχετεύσας ἐπήγαγεν, ἔκρουν διʼ ἄλλης ἐξόδου ποιήσας. μαθὼν δὲ Αὐγείας ὅτι κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν Εὐρυσθέως τοῦτο ἐπιτετέλεσται, τὸν μισθὸν οὐκ ἀπεδίδου, προσέτι δʼ ἠρνεῖτο καὶ μισθὸν ὑποσχέσθαι δώσειν, καὶ κρίνεσθαι περὶ τούτου ἕτοιμος ἔλεγεν εἶναι. καθεζομένων δὲ τῶν δικαστῶν κληθεὶς ὁ Φυλεὺς ὑπὸ Ἡρακλέους τοῦ πατρὸς κατεμαρτύρησεν, εἰπὼν ὁμολογῆσαι μισθὸν δώσειν αὐτῷ. ὀργισθεὶς δὲ Αὐγείας, πρὶν τὴν ψῆφον ἐνεχθῆναι, τόν τε Φυλέα καὶ τὸν Ἡρακλέα βαδίζειν ἐξ Ἤλιδος ἐκέλευσε. Φυλεὺς μὲν οὖν εἰς Δουλίχιον ἦλθε κἀκεῖ κατῴκει, Ἡρακλῆς δὲ εἰς Ὤλενον πρὸς Δεξαμενὸν ἧκε, καὶ κατέλαβε τοῦτον μέλλοντα διʼ ἀνάγκην μνηστεύειν Εὐρυτίωνι Κενταύρῳ Μνησιμάχην τὴν θυγατέρα· ὑφʼ οὗ παρακληθεὶς βοηθεῖν ἐλθόντα ἐπὶ τὴν νύμφην Εὐρυτίωνα ἀπέκτεινεν. Εὐρυσθεὺς δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦτον ἐν τοῖς δέκα προσεδέξατο τὸν ἆθλον, λέγων ἐπὶ μισθῷ πεπρᾶχθαι.
5.6. The sixth labour he enjoined on him was to chase away the Stymphalian birds. Now at the city of Stymphalus in Arcadia was the lake called Stymphalian, embosomed in a deep wood. To it countless birds had flocked for refuge, fearing to be preyed upon by the wolves. So when Hercules was at a loss how to drive the birds from the wood, Athena gave him brazen castanets, which she had received from Hephaestus. By clashing these on a certain mountain that overhung the lake, he scared the birds. They could not abide the sound, but fluttered up in a fright, and in that way Hercules shot them.
5.6. ἕκτον ἐπέταξεν ἆθλον αὐτῷ τὰς Στυμφαλίδας ὄρνιθας ἐκδιῶξαι. ἦν δὲ ἐν Στυμφάλῳ πόλει τῆς Ἀρκαδίας Στυμφαλὶς λεγομένη λίμνη, πολλῇ συνηρεφὴς ὕλῃ· εἰς ταύτην ὄρνεις συνέφυγον ἄπλετοι, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν λύκων ἁρπαγὴν δεδοικυῖαι. ἀμηχανοῦντος οὖν Ἡρακλέους πῶς ἐκ τῆς ὕλης τὰς ὄρνιθας ἐκβάλῃ, χάλκεα κρόταλα δίδωσιν αὐτῷ Ἀθηνᾶ παρὰ Ἡφαίστου λαβοῦσα. ταῦτα κρούων ἐπί τινος ὄρους τῇ λίμνῃ παρακειμένου τὰς ὄρνιθας ἐφόβει· αἱ δὲ τὸν δοῦπον οὐχ ὑπομένουσαι μετὰ δέους ἀνίπταντο, καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον Ἡρακλῆς ἐτόξευσεν αὐτάς.
5.7. The seventh labour he enjoined on him was to bring the Cretan bull. Acusilaus says that this was the bull that ferried across Europa for Zeus; but some say it was the bull that Poseidon sent up from the sea when Minos promised to sacrifice to Poseidon what should appear out of the sea. And they say that when he saw the beauty of the bull he sent it away to the herds and sacrificed another to Poseidon; at which the god was angry and made the bull savage. To attack this bull Hercules came to Crete, and when, in reply to his request for aid, Minos told him to fight and catch the bull for himself, he caught it and brought it to Eurystheus, and having shown it to him he let it afterwards go free. But the bull roamed to Sparta and all Arcadia, and traversing the Isthmus arrived at Marathon in Attica and harried the inhabitants.
5.7. ἕβδομον ἐπέταξεν ἆθλον τὸν Κρῆτα ἀγαγεῖν ταῦρον. τοῦτον Ἀκουσίλαος μὲν εἶναί φησι τὸν διαπορθμεύσαντα Εὐρώπην Διί, τινὲς δὲ τὸν ὑπὸ Ποσειδῶνος ἀναδοθέντα ἐκ θαλάσσης, ὅτε καταθύσειν Ποσειδῶνι Μίνως εἶπε τὸ φανὲν ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης. καί φασι θεασάμενον αὐτὸν τοῦ ταύρου τὸ κάλλος τοῦτον μὲν εἰς τὰ βουκόλια ἀποπέμψαι, θῦσαι δὲ ἄλλον Ποσειδῶνι· ἐφʼ οἷς ὀργισθέντα τὸν θεὸν ἀγριῶσαι τὸν ταῦρον. ἐπὶ τοῦτον παραγενόμενος εἰς Κρήτην Ἡρακλῆς, ἐπειδὴ συλλαβεῖν ἀξιοῦντι Μίνως εἶπεν αὐτῷ λαμβάνειν διαγωνισαμένῳ, λαβὼν καὶ πρὸς Εὐρυσθέα διακομίσας ἔδειξε, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν εἴασεν ἄνετον· ὁ δὲ πλανηθεὶς εἰς Σπάρτην τε καὶ Ἀρκαδίαν ἅπασαν, καὶ διαβὰς τὸν Ἰσθμόν, εἰς Μαραθῶνα τῆς Ἀττικῆς ἀφικόμενος τοὺς ἐγχωρίους διελυμαίνετο.
5.8. The eighth labour he enjoined on him was to bring the mares of Diomedes the Thracian to Mycenae. Now this Diomedes was a son of Ares and Cyrene, and he was king of the Bistones, a very warlike Thracian people, and he owned man-eating mares. So Hercules sailed with a band of volunteers, and having overpowered the grooms who were in charge of the mangers, he drove the mares to the sea. When the Bistones in arms came to the rescue, he committed the mares to the guardianship of Abderus, who was a son of Hermes, a native of Opus in Locris, and a minion of Hercules; but the mares killed him by dragging him after them. But Hercules fought against the Bistones, slew Diomedes and compelled the rest to flee. And he founded a city Abdera beside the grave of Abderus who had been done to death, and bringing the mares he gave them to Eurystheus. But Eurystheus let them go, and they came to Mount Olympus, as it is called, and there they were destroyed by the wild beasts.
5.8. ὄγδοον ἆθλον ἐπέταξεν αὐτῷ τὰς Διομήδους τοῦ Θρακὸς ἵππους εἰς Μυκήνας κομίζειν· ἦν δὲ οὗτος Ἄρεος καὶ Κυρήνης, βασιλεὺς Βιστόνων ἔθνους Θρᾳκίου καὶ μαχιμωτάτου, εἶχε δὲ ἀνθρωποφάγους ἵππους. πλεύσας οὖν μετὰ τῶν ἑκουσίως συνεπομένων καὶ βιασάμενος τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς φάτναις τῶν ἵππων ὑπάρχοντας ἤγαγεν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν. τῶν δὲ Βιστόνων σὺν ὅπλοις ἐπιβοηθούντων τὰς μὲν ἵππους παρέδωκεν Ἀβδήρῳ φυλάσσειν· οὗτος δὲ ἦν Ἑρμοῦ παῖς, Λοκρὸς ἐξ Ὀποῦντος, Ἡρακλέους ἐρώμενος, ὃν αἱ ἵπποι διέφθειραν ἐπισπασάμεναι· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Βίστονας διαγωνισάμενος καὶ Διομήδην ἀποκτείνας τοὺς λοιποὺς ἠνάγκασε φεύγειν, καὶ κτίσας πόλιν Ἄβδηρα παρὰ τὸν τάφον τοῦ διαφθαρέντος Ἀβδήρου, τὰς ἵππους κομίσας Εὐρυσθεῖ ἔδωκε. μεθέντος δὲ αὐτὰς Εὐρυσθέως, εἰς τὸ λεγόμενον ὄρος Ὄλυμπον ἐλθοῦσαι πρὸς τῶν θηρίων ἀπώλοντο.
5.9. The ninth labour he enjoined on Hercules was to bring the belt of Hippolyte. She was queen of the Amazons, who dwelt about the river Thermodon, a people great in war; for they cultivated the manly virtues, and if ever they gave birth to children through intercourse with the other sex, they reared the females; and they pinched off the right breasts that they might not be trammelled by them in throwing the javelin, but they kept the left breasts, that they might suckle. Now Hippolyte had the belt of Ares in token of her superiority to all the rest. Hercules was sent to fetch this belt because Admete, daughter of Eurystheus, desired to get it. So taking with him a band of volunteer comrades in a single ship he set sail and put in to the island of Paros, which was inhabited by the sons of Minos, to wit, Eurymedon, Chryses, Nephalion, and Philolaus. But it chanced that two of those in the ship landed and were killed by the sons of Minos. Indignant at this, Hercules killed the sons of Minos on the spot and besieged the rest closely, till they sent envoys to request that in the room of the murdered men he would take two, whom he pleased. So he raised the siege, and taking on board the sons of Androgeus, son of Minos, to wit, Alcaeus and Sthenelus, he came to Mysia, to the court of Lycus, son of Dascylus, and was entertained by him; and in a battle between him and the king of the Bebryces Hercules sided with Lycus and slew many, amongst others King Mygdon, brother of Amycus. And he took much land from the Bebryces and gave it to Lycus, who called it all Heraclea. Having put in at the harbor of Themiscyra, he received a visit from Hippolyte, who inquired why he was come, and promised to give him the belt. But Hera in the likeness of an Amazon went up and down the multitude saying that the strangers who had arrived were carrying off the queen. So the Amazons in arms charged on horseback down on the ship. But when Hercules saw them in arms, he suspected treachery, and killing Hippolyte stripped her of her belt. And after fighting the rest he sailed away and touched at Troy. But it chanced that the city was then in distress consequently on the wrath of Apollo and Poseidon. For desiring to put the wantonness of Laomedon to the proof, Apollo and Poseidon assumed the likeness of men and undertook to fortify Pergamum for wages. But when they had fortified it, he would not pay them their wages. Therefore Apollo sent a pestilence, and Poseidon a sea monster, which, carried up by a flood, snatched away the people of the plain. But as oracles foretold deliverance from these calamities if Laomedon would expose his daughter Hesione to be devoured by the sea monster, he exposed her by fastening her to the rocks near the sea. Seeing her exposed, Hercules promised to save her on condition of receiving from Laomedon the mares which Zeus had given in compensation for the rape of Ganymede. On Laomedon's saying that he would give them, Hercules killed the monster and saved Hesione. But when Laomedon would not give the stipulated reward, Hercules put to sea after threatening to make war on Troy. And he touched at Aenus, where he was entertained by Poltys. And as he was sailing away he shot and killed on the Aenian beach a lewd fellow, Sarpedon, son of Poseidon and brother of Poltys. And having come to Thasos and subjugated the Thracians who dwelt in the island, he gave it to the sons of Androgeus to dwell in. From Thasos he proceeded to Torone, and there, being challenged to wrestle by Polygonus and Telegonus, sons of Proteus, son of Poseidon, he killed them in the wrestling match. And having brought the belt to Mycenae he gave it to Eurystheus.
5.9. ἔνατον ἆθλον Ἡρακλεῖ ἐπέταξε ζωστῆρα κομίζειν τὸν Ἱππολύτης. αὕτη δὲ ἐβασίλευεν Ἀμαζόνων, αἳ κατῴκουν περὶ τὸν Θερμώδοντα ποταμόν, ἔθνος μέγα τὰ κατὰ πόλεμον· ἤσκουν γὰρ ἀνδρίαν, καὶ εἴ ποτε μιγεῖσαι γεννήσειαν, τὰ θήλεα ἔτρεφον, καὶ τοὺς μὲν δεξιοὺς μαστοὺς ἐξέθλιβον, ἵνα μὴ κωλύωνται ἀκοντίζειν, τοὺς δὲ ἀριστεροὺς εἴων, ἵνα τρέφοιεν. εἶχε δὲ Ἱππολύτη τὸν Ἄρεος ζωστῆρα, σύμβολον τοῦ πρωτεύειν ἁπασῶν. ἐπὶ τοῦτον τὸν ζωστῆρα Ἡρακλῆς ἐπέμπετο, λαβεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπιθυμούσης τῆς Εὐρυσθέως θυγατρὸς Ἀδμήτης. παραλαβὼν οὖν ἐθελοντὰς συμμάχους ἐν μιᾷ νηὶ ἔπλει, καὶ προσίσχει νήσῳ Πάρῳ, ἣν κατῴκουν οἱ Μίνωος υἱοὶ Εὐρυμέδων Χρύσης Νηφαλίων Φιλόλαος. ἀποβάντων δὲ δύο τῶν ἐν ⟨τῇ⟩ νηὶ συνέβη τελευτῆσαι ὑπὸ τῶν Μίνωος υἱῶν· ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀγανακτῶν Ἡρακλῆς τούτους μὲν παραχρῆμα ἀπέκτεινε, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς κατακλείσας ἐπολιόρκει, ἕως ἐπιπρεσβευσάμενοι παρεκάλουν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀναιρεθέντων δύο λαβεῖν, οὓς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσειεν. ὁ δὲ λύσας τὴν πολιορκίαν, καὶ τοὺς Ἀνδρόγεω τοῦ Μίνωος υἱοὺς ἀνελόμενος Ἀλκαῖον καὶ Σθένελον, ἧκεν εἰς Μυσίαν πρὸς Λύκον τὸν Δασκύλου, καὶ ξενισθεὶς ὑπὸ … τοῦ Βεβρύκων βασιλέως συμβαλόντων, βοηθῶν Λύκῳ πολλοὺς ἀπέκτεινε, μεθʼ ὧν καὶ τὸν βασιλέα Μύγδονα, ἀδελφὸν Ἀμύκου. καὶ τῆς Βεβρύκων πολλὴν ἀποτεμόμενος γῆν ἔδωκε Λύκῳ· ὁ δὲ πᾶσαν ἐκείνην ἐκάλεσεν Ἡράκλειαν. καταπλεύσαντος δὲ εἰς τὸν ἐν Θεμισκύρᾳ λιμένα, παραγενομένης εἰς αὐτὸν Ἱππολύτης καὶ τίνος ἥκοι χάριν πυθομένης, καὶ δώσειν τὸν ζωστῆρα ὑποσχομένης, Ἥρα μιᾷ τῶν Ἀμαζόνων εἰκασθεῖσα τὸ πλῆθος ἐπεφοίτα, λέγουσα ὅτι τὴν βασιλίδα ἀφαρπάζουσιν οἱ προσελθόντες ξένοι. αἱ δὲ μεθʼ ὅπλων ἐπὶ τὴν ναῦν κατέθεον σὺν ἵπποις. ὡς δὲ εἶδεν αὐτὰς καθωπλισμένας Ἡρακλῆς, νομίσας ἐκ δόλου τοῦτο γενέσθαι, τὴν μὲν Ἱππολύτην κτείνας τὸν ζωστῆρα ἀφαιρεῖται, πρὸς δὲ τὰς λοιπὰς ἀγωνισάμενος ἀποπλεῖ, καὶ προσίσχει Τροίᾳ. συνεβεβήκει δὲ τότε κατὰ μῆνιν Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ Ποσειδῶνος ἀτυχεῖν τὴν πόλιν. Ἀπόλλων γὰρ καὶ Ποσειδῶν τὴν Λαομέδοντος ὕβριν πειράσαι θέλοντες, εἰκασθέντες ἀνθρώποις ὑπέσχοντο ἐπὶ μισθῷ τειχιεῖν τὸ Πέργαμον. τοῖς δὲ τειχίσασι τὸν μισθὸν οὐκ ἀπεδίδου. διὰ τοῦτο Ἀπόλλων μὲν λοιμὸν ἔπεμψε, Ποσειδῶν δὲ κῆτος ἀναφερόμενον ὑπὸ πλημμυρίδος, ὃ τοὺς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ συνήρπαζεν ἀνθρώπους. χρησμῶν δὲ λεγόντων ἀπαλλαγὴν ἔσεσθαι τῶν συμφορῶν, ἐὰν προθῇ Λαομέδων Ἡσιόνην τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ τῷ κήτει βοράν, οὗτος προύθηκε ταῖς πλησίον τῆς θαλάσσης πέτραις προσαρτήσας. ταύτην ἰδὼν ἐκκειμένην Ἡρακλῆς ὑπέσχετο σώσειν, εἰ τὰς ἵππους παρὰ Λαομέδοντος λήψεται ἃς Ζεὺς ποινὴν τῆς Γανυμήδους ἁρπαγῆς ἔδωκε. δώσειν δὲ Λαομέδοντος εἰπόντος, κτείνας τὸ κῆτος Ἡσιόνην ἔσωσε. μὴ βουλομένου δὲ τὸν μισθὸν ἀποδοῦναι, πολεμήσειν Τροίᾳ ἀπειλήσας ἀνήχθη. καὶ προσίσχει Αἴνῳ, ἔνθα ξενίζεται ὑπὸ Πόλτυος. ἀποπλέων δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἠιόνος τῆς Αἰνίας Σαρπηδόνα, Ποσειδῶνος μὲν υἱὸν ἀδελφὸν δὲ Πόλτυος, ὑβριστὴν ὄντα τοξεύσας ἀπέκτεινε. καὶ παραγενόμενος εἰς Θάσον καὶ χειρωσάμενος τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας Θρᾷκας ἔδωκε τοῖς Ἀνδρόγεω παισὶ κατοικεῖν. ἐκ Θάσου δὲ ὁρμηθεὶς ἐπὶ Τορώνην Πολύγονον καὶ Τηλέγονον, τοὺς Πρωτέως τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος υἱούς, παλαίειν προκαλουμένους κατὰ τὴν πάλην ἀπέκτεινε. κομίσας δὲ τὸν ζωστῆρα εἰς Μυκήνας ἔδωκεν Εὐρυσθεῖ.
5.10. As a tenth labour he was ordered to fetch the kine of Geryon from Erythia. Now Erythia was an island near the ocean; it is now called Gadira. This island was inhabited by Geryon, son of Chrysaor by Callirrhoe, daughter of Ocean. He had the body of three men grown together and joined in one at the waist, but parted in three from the flanks and thighs. He owned red kine, of which Eurytion was the herdsman and Orthus, the two-headed hound, begotten by Typhon on Echidna, was the watchdog. So journeying through Europe to fetch the kine of Geryon he destroyed many wild beasts and set foot in Libya, and proceeding to Tartessus he erected as tokens of his journey two pillars over against each other at the boundaries of Europe and Libya. But being heated by the Sun on his journey, he bent his bow at the god, who in admiration of his hardihood, gave him a golden goblet in which he crossed the ocean. And having reached Erythia he lodged on Mount Abas. However the dog, perceiving him, rushed at him; but he smote it with his club, and when the herdsman Eurytion came to the help of the dog, Hercules killed him also. But Menoetes, who was there pasturing the kine of Hades, reported to Geryon what had occurred, and he, coming up with Hercules beside the river Anthemus, as he was driving away the kine, joined battle with him and was shot dead. And Hercules, embarking the kine in the goblet and sailing across to Tartessus, gave back the goblet to the Sun. And passing through Abderia he came to Liguria, where Ialebion and Dercynus, sons of Poseidon, attempted to rob him of the kine, but he killed them and went on his way through Tyrrhenia. But at Rhegium a bull broke away and hastily plunging into the sea swam across to Sicily, and having passed through the neighboring country since called Italy after it, for the Tyrrhenians called the bull italus, came to the plain of Eryx, who reigned over the Elymi. Now Eryx was a son of Poseidon, and he mingled the bull with his own herds. So Hercules entrusted the kine to Hephaestus and hurried away in search of the bull. He found it in the herds of Eryx, and when the king refused to surrender it unless Hercules should beat him in a wrestling bout, Hercules beat him thrice, killed him in the wrestling, and taking the bull drove it with the rest of the herd to the Ionian Sea. But when he came to the creeks of the sea, Hera afflicted the cows with a gadfly, and they dispersed among the skirts of the mountains of Thrace. Hercules went in pursuit, and having caught some, drove them to the Hellespont; but the remainder were thenceforth wild. Having with difficulty collected the cows, Hercules blamed the river Strymon, and whereas it had been navigable before, he made it unnavigable by filling it with rocks; and he conveyed the kine and gave them to Eurystheus, who sacrificed them to Hera.
5.10. δέκατον ἐπετάγη ἆθλον τὰς Γηρυόνου βόας ἐξ Ἐρυθείας κομίζειν. Ἐρύθεια δὲ ἦν Ὠκεανοῦ πλησίον κειμένη νῆσος, ἣ νῦν Γάδειρα καλεῖται. ταύτην κατῴκει Γηρυόνης Χρυσάορος καὶ Καλλιρρόης τῆς Ὠκεανοῦ, τριῶν ἔχων ἀνδρῶν συμφυὲς σῶμα, συνηγμένον εἰς ἓν κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα, ἐσχισμένον δὲ εἰς τρεῖς ἀπὸ λαγόνων τε καὶ μηρῶν. εἶχε δὲ φοινικᾶς βόας, ὧν ἦν βουκόλος Εὐρυτίων, φύλαξ δὲ Ὄρθος ὁ κύων δικέφαλος ἐξ Ἐχίδνης καὶ Τυφῶνος γεγεννημένος. πορευόμενος οὖν ἐπὶ τὰς Γηρυόνου βόας διὰ τῆς Εὐρώπης, ἄγρια πολλὰ ⟨ζῷα⟩ ἀνελὼν Λιβύης ἐπέβαινε, καὶ παρελθὼν Ταρτησσὸν ἔστησε σημεῖα τῆς πορείας ἐπὶ τῶν ὅρων Εὐρώπης καὶ Λιβύης ἀντιστοίχους δύο στήλας. θερόμενος δὲ ὑπὸ Ἡλίου κατὰ τὴν πορείαν, τὸ τόξον ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ἐνέτεινεν· ὁ δὲ τὴν ἀνδρείαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάσας χρύσεον ἔδωκε δέπας, ἐν ᾧ τὸν Ὠκεανὸν διεπέρασε. καὶ παραγενόμενος εἰς Ἐρύθειαν ἐν ὄρει Ἄβαντι αὐλίζεται. αἰσθόμενος δὲ ὁ κύων ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ὥρμα· ὁ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον τῷ ῥοπάλῳ παίει, καὶ τὸν βουκόλον Εὐρυτίωνα τῷ κυνὶ βοηθοῦντα ἀπέκτεινε. Μενοίτης δὲ ἐκεῖ τὰς Ἅιδου βόας βόσκων Γηρυόνῃ τὸ γεγονὸς ἀπήγγειλεν. ὁ δὲ καταλαβὼν Ἡρακλέα παρὰ ποταμὸν Ἀνθεμοῦντα τὰς βόας ἀπάγοντα, συστησάμενος μάχην τοξευθεὶς ἀπέθανεν. Ἡρακλῆς δὲ ἐνθέμενος τὰς βόας εἰς τὸ δέπας καὶ διαπλεύσας εἰς Ταρτησσὸν Ἡλίῳ πάλιν ἀπέδωκε τὸ δέπας. διελθὼν δὲ Ἀβδηρίαν εἰς Λιγυστίνην ἦλθεν, ἐν ᾗ τὰς βόας ἀφῃροῦντο Ἰαλεβίων τε καὶ Δέρκυνος οἱ Ποσειδῶνος υἱοί, οὓς κτείνας διὰ Τυρρηνίας ᾔει. ἀπὸ Ῥηγίου δὲ εἷς ἀπορρήγνυσι ταῦρος, καὶ ταχέως εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐμπεσὼν καὶ διανηξάμενος ⟨εἰς⟩ Σικελίαν, καὶ τὴν πλησίον χώραν διελθὼν [τὴν ἀπʼ ἐκείνου κληθεῖσαν Ἰταλίαν (Τυρρηνοὶ γὰρ ἰταλὸν τὸν ταῦρον ἐκάλεσαν),] ἦλθεν εἰς πεδίον Ἔρυκος, ὃς ἐβασίλευεν Ἐλύμων. Ἔρυξ δὲ ἦν Ποσειδῶνος παῖς, ὃς τὸν ταῦρον ταῖς ἰδίαις συγκατέμιξεν ἀγέλαις. παραθέμενος οὖν τὰς βόας Ἡρακλῆς Ἡφαίστῳ ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ ζήτησιν ἠπείγετο· εὑρὼν δὲ ἐν ταῖς τοῦ Ἔρυκος ἀγέλαις, λέγοντος οὐ δώσειν ἂν μὴ παλαίσας αὐτοῦ περιγένηται, τρὶς περιγενόμενος κατὰ τὴν πάλην ἀπέκτεινε, καὶ τὸν ταῦρον λαβὼν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰόνιον ἤλαυνε πόντον. ὡς δὲ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τοὺς μυχοὺς τοῦ πόντου, ταῖς βουσὶν οἶστρον ἐνέβαλεν ἡ Ἥρα, καὶ σχίζονται κατὰ τὰς τῆς Θράκης ὑπωρείας· ὁ δὲ διώξας τὰς μὲν συλλαβὼν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον ἤγαγεν, αἱ δὲ ἀπολειφθεῖσαι τὸ λοιπὸν ἦσαν ἄγριαι. μόλις δὲ τῶν βοῶν συνελθουσῶν Στρυμόνα μεμψάμενος τὸν ποταμόν, πάλαι τὸ ῥεῖθρον πλωτὸν ὂν ἐμπλήσας πέτραις ἄπλωτον ἐποίησε, καὶ τὰς βόας Εὐρυσθεῖ κομίσας δέδωκεν. ὁ δὲ αὐτὰς κατέθυσεν Ἥρᾳ.
5.11. When the labours had been performed in eight years and a month, Eurystheus ordered Hercules, as an eleventh labour, to fetch golden apples from the Hesperides, for he did not acknowledge the labour of the cattle of Augeas nor that of the hydra. These apples were not, as some have said, in Libya, but on Atlas among the Hyperboreans. They were presented < by Earth> to Zeus after his marriage with Hera, and guarded by an immortal dragon with a hundred heads, offspring of Typhon and Echidna, which spoke with many and divers sorts of voices. With it the Hesperides also were on guard, to wit, Aegle, Erythia, Hesperia, and Arethusa. So journeying he came to the river Echedorus. And Cycnus, son of Ares and Pyrene, challenged him to single combat. Ares championed the cause of Cycnus and marshalled the combat, but a thunderbolt was hurled between the two and parted the combatants. And going on foot through Illyria and hastening to the river Eridanus he came to the nymphs, the daughters of Zeus and Themis. They revealed Nereus to him, and Hercules seized him while he slept, and though the god turned himself into all kinds of shapes, the hero bound him and did not release him till he had learned from him where were the apples and the Hesperides. Being informed, he traversed Libya. That country was then ruled by Antaeus, son of Poseidon, who used to kill strangers by forcing them to wrestle. Being forced to wrestle with him, Hercules hugged him, lifted him aloft, broke and killed him; for when he touched earth so it was that he waxed stronger, wherefore some said that he was a son of Earth. After Libya he traversed Egypt. That country was then ruled by Busiris, a son of Poseidon by Lysianassa, daughter of Epaphus. This Busiris used to sacrifice strangers on an altar of Zeus in accordance with a certain oracle. For Egypt was visited with dearth for nine years, and Phrasius, a learned seer who had come from Cyprus, said that the dearth would cease if they slaughtered a stranger man in honor of Zeus every year. Busiris began by slaughtering the seer himself and continued to slaughter the strangers who landed. So Hercules also was seized and haled to the altars, but he burst his bonds and slew both Busiris and his son Amphidamas. And traversing Asia he put in to Thermydrae, the harbor of the Lindians. And having loosed one of the bullocks from the cart of a cowherd, he sacrificed it and feasted. But the cowherd, unable to protect himself, stood on a certain mountain and cursed. Wherefore to this day, when they sacrifice to Hercules, they do it with curses. And passing by Arabia he slew Emathion, son of Tithonus, and journeying through Libya to the outer sea he received the goblet from the Sun. And having crossed to the opposite mainland he shot on the Caucasus the eagle, offspring of Echidna and Typhon, that was devouring the liver of Prometheus, and he released Prometheus, after choosing for himself the bond of olive, and to Zeus he presented Chiron, who, though immortal, consented to die in his stead. Now Prometheus had told Hercules not to go himself after the apples but to send Atlas, first relieving him of the burden of the sphere; so when he was come to Atlas in the land of the Hyperboreans, he took the advice and relieved Atlas. But when Atlas had received three apples from the Hesperides, he came to Hercules, and not wishing to support the sphere< he said that he would himself carry the apples to Eurystheus, and bade Hercules hold up the sky in his stead. Hercules promised to do so, but succeeded by craft in putting it on Atlas instead. For at the advice of Prometheus he begged Atlas to hold up the sky till he should> put a pad on his head. When Atlas heard that, he laid the apples down on the ground and took the sphere from Hercules. And so Hercules picked up the apples and departed. But some say that he did not get them from Atlas, but that he plucked the apples himself after killing the guardian snake. And having brought the apples he gave them to Eurystheus. But he, on receiving them, bestowed them on Hercules, from whom Athena got them and conveyed them back again; for it was not lawful that they should be laid down anywhere.
5.11. τελεσθέντων δὲ τῶν ἄθλων ἐν μηνὶ καὶ ἔτεσιν ὀκτώ, μὴ προσδεξάμενος Εὐρυσθεὺς τόν τε τῶν τοῦ Αὐγέου βοσκημάτων καὶ τὸν τῆς ὕδρας, ἑνδέκατον ἐπέταξεν ἆθλον παρʼ Ἑσπερίδων χρύσεα μῆλα κομίζειν. ταῦτα δὲ ἦν, οὐχ ὥς τινες εἶπον ἐν Λιβύῃ, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἄτλαντος ἐν Ὑπερβορέοις· ἃ Διὶ ⟨Γῆ⟩ γήμαντι Ἥραν ἐδωρήσατο. ἐφύλασσε δὲ αὐτὰ δράκων ἀθάνατος, Τυφῶνος καὶ Ἐχίδνης, κεφαλὰς ἔχων ἑκατόν· ἐχρῆτο δὲ φωναῖς παντοίαις καὶ ποικίλαις. μετὰ τούτου δὲ Ἑσπερίδες ἐφύλαττον, Αἴγλη Ἐρύθεια Ἑσπερία Ἀρέθουσα. πορευόμενος οὖν ἐπὶ ποταμὸν Ἐχέδωρον ἧκε. Κύκνος δὲ Ἄρεος καὶ Πυρήνης εἰς μονομαχίαν αὐτὸν προεκαλεῖτο. Ἄρεος δὲ τοῦτον ἐκδικοῦντος καὶ συνιστάντος μονομαχίαν, βληθεὶς κεραυνὸς μέσος ἀμφοτέρων διαλύει τὴν μάχην. βαδίζων δὲ διʼ Ἰλλυριῶν, καὶ σπεύδων ἐπὶ ποταμὸν Ἠριδανόν, ἧκε πρὸς νύμφας Διὸς καὶ Θέμιδος. αὗται μηνύουσιν αὐτῷ Νηρέα. συλλαβὼν δὲ αὐτὸν κοιμώμενον καὶ παντοίας ἐναλλάσσοντα μορφὰς ἔδησε, καὶ οὐκ ἔλυσε πρὶν ἢ μαθεῖν παρʼ αὐτοῦ ποῦ τυγχάνοιεν τὰ μῆλα καὶ αἱ Ἑσπερίδες. μαθὼν δὲ Λιβύην διεξῄει. ταύτης ἐβασίλευε παῖς Ποσειδῶνος Ἀνταῖος, ὃς τοὺς ξένους ἀναγκάζων παλαίειν ἀνῄρει. τούτῳ παλαίειν ἀναγκαζόμενος Ἡρακλῆς ἀράμενος ἅμμασι μετέωρον κλάσας ἀπέκτεινε· ψαύοντα γὰρ γῆς ἰσχυρότερον συνέβαινε γίνεσθαι, διὸ καὶ Γῆς τινες ἔφασαν τοῦτον εἶναι παῖδα. μετὰ Λιβύην δὲ Αἴγυπτον διεξῄει. ταύτης ἐβασίλευε Βούσιρις Ποσειδῶνος παῖς καὶ Λυσιανάσσης τῆς Ἐπάφου. οὗτος τοὺς ξένους ἔθυεν ἐπὶ βωμῷ Διὸς κατά τι λόγιον· ἐννέα γὰρ ἔτη ἀφορία τὴν Αἴγυπτον κατέλαβε, Φρασίος δὲ ἐλθὼν ἐκ Κύπρου, μάντις τὴν ἐπιστήμην, ἔφη τὴν ἀφορίαν παύσασθαι ἐὰν ξένον ἄνδρα τῷ Διὶ σφάξωσι κατʼ ἔτος. Βούσιρις δὲ ἐκεῖνον πρῶτον σφάξας τὸν μάντιν τοὺς κατιόντας ξένους ἔσφαζε. συλληφθεὶς οὖν καὶ Ἡρακλῆς τοῖς βωμοῖς προσεφέρετο τὰ δὲ δεσμὰ διαρρήξας τόν τε Βούσιριν καὶ τὸν ἐκείνου παῖδα Ἀμφιδάμαντα ἀπέκτεινε. διεξιὼν δὲ Ἀσίαν Θερμυδραῖς, Λινδίων λιμένι, προσίσχει. καὶ βοηλάτου τινὸς λύσας τὸν ἕτερον τῶν ταύρων ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμάξης εὐωχεῖτο θύσας. ὁ δὲ βοηλάτης βοηθεῖν ἑαυτῷ μὴ δυνάμενος στὰς ἐπί τινος ὄρους κατηρᾶτο. διὸ καὶ νῦν, ἐπειδὰν θύωσιν Ἡρακλεῖ, μετὰ καταρῶν τοῦτο πράττουσι. παριὼν δὲ Ἀραβίαν Ἠμαθίωνα κτείνει παῖδα Τιθωνοῦ. καὶ διὰ τῆς Λιβύης πορευθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν ἔξω θάλασσαν παρʼ Ἡλίου τὸ δέπας παραλαμβάνει. καὶ περαιωθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν ἤπειρον τὴν ἀντικρὺ κατετόξευσεν ἐπὶ τοῦ Καυκάσου τὸν ἐσθίοντα τὸ τοῦ Προμηθέως ἧπαρ ἀετόν, ὄντα Ἐχίδνης καὶ Τυφῶνος· καὶ τὸν Προμηθέα ἔλυσε, δεσμὸν ἑλόμενος τὸν τῆς ἐλαίας, καὶ παρέσχε τῷ Διὶ Χείρωνα θνήσκειν ἀθάνατον ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ θέλοντα. ὡς δὲ ἧκεν εἰς Ὑπερβορέους πρὸς Ἄτλαντα, εἰπόντος Προμηθέως τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ μῆλα μὴ πορεύεσθαι, διαδεξάμενον δὲ Ἄτλαντος τὸν πόλον ἀποστέλλειν ἐκεῖνον, πεισθεὶς διεδέξατο. Ἄτλας δὲ δρεψάμενος παρʼ Ἑσπερίδων τρία μῆλα ἧκε πρὸς Ἡρακλέα. καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος τὸν πόλον ἔχειν … καὶ σπεῖραν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς θέλειν ποιήσασθαι. τοῦτο ἀκούσας Ἄτλας, ἐπὶ γῆς καταθεὶς τὰ μῆλα τὸν πόλον διεδέξατο. καὶ οὕτως ἀνελόμενος αὐτὰ Ἡρακλῆς ἀπηλλάττετο. ἔνιοι δέ φασιν οὐ παρὰ Ἄτλαντος αὐτὰ λαβεῖν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν δρέψασθαι τὰ μῆλα, κτείναντα τὸν φρουροῦντα ὄφιν. κομίσας δὲ τὰ μῆλα Εὐρυσθεῖ ἔδωκεν. ὁ δὲ λαβὼν Ἡρακλεῖ ]; ἐδωρήσατο· παρʼ οὗ λαβοῦσα Ἀθηνᾶ πάλιν αὐτὰ ἀπεκόμισεν· ὅσιον γὰρ οὐκ ἦν αὐτὰ τεθῆναί που.