Augean

Pertaining to Augeas, q. v.; used to expre anything inexpre ibly foul or dirty. Au'geas. ( Myth.) A king of Elis, famed for his stable, which contained 3,000 oxen, and had not been cleansed for 30 years. Hercules was desired to clear away the filth in one day, and A. promised, if he performed it, to give him a tenth part of the cattle. This task Hercules is said to have executed by turning the river Alphens, or, as some say, the Peneus, through the stable, which immediately carried away the dung and filth. A. not only refused to perform his engagement, pretending that Hercules had used artifice, and experienced no labor or trouble, but banished his own son, Phyleus, from his kingdom, for supporting the claims of the hero. Upon this, a war commenced, and Hercules conquered Elis, put A. to death, and gave his kingdom to Phyleus. A. has been called the son of Sol , because Elis signifies the sun. After his death, he received the honors usually paid to heroes.