Page:Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners.djvu/24

 Augeas and said to him: ‘Within one day I will wash these stalls. Are you willing to give me the tenth part of the oxen when this is done?’ Augeas replied, ‘I will give them willingly.’ Then Hercules, having turned a river through the stalls, accomplished the work very easily in one day. 60.Formerly there lived in a lake near Stymphalus, in Arcadia, birds with feet, beak, and feathers of brass: now, they used their feathers for arrows, and lived on the flesh of human beings. Hercules, having attacked the birds, frightened them thoroughly with a brazen rattle, (and) then slew them with arrows (while) trying to escape.

61.Poseidon sent forth from the sea a bull of wonderful size and remarkable beauty. Minos, king of Crete, had been ordered to sacrifice it; but, being charmed by the beauty of the bull, he sacrificed another in its stead. But Poseidon, being angry, drove the bull to madness. Then the bull began to cause a great slaughter of men throughout the whole island, and to destroy agricultural works. Hercules at length caught (it and) brought it to Eurystheus.

62.Diomedes, king of the Bistones, used to feed his mares with human flesh. But Hercules carried off the mares by stealth, and led them to the sea. But here the Bistones attacked him. They fought for a long time. The Bistones having been at length completely defeated, Hercules slew their king, and gave his body to the mares. Then he returned in safety, bringing the mares with him. Now they became tame (after being) fed on the flesh of their owner.

63.Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, had a very beautiful girdle. Now Admete, the daughter of Euiystheuft, wished to