noun
(Greek mythology) the extremely dirty stables that were finally cleaned by Hercules who diverted two rivers through them
• Usage Domain: ↑plural, ↑plural form
• Topics: ↑Greek mythology
• Instance Hypernyms: ↑stable, ↑stalls, ↑horse barn
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Class. Myth.
the stables in which King Augeas kept 3000 oxen, and which had not been cleaned for 30 years. The cleaning of these stables was accomplished by Hercules, who diverted the river Alpheus through them.
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Augean stables,
Greek Legend. the stables of Augeas, king of Elis, which sheltered 3,000 oxen and had not been cleaned for 30 years. As the sixth of his twelve labors, Hercules cleaned them in one day by turning the rivers Alpheus and Peneus through them.
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(in ancient Greek stories) the very large stables which Hercules cleaned in a day by making a river flow through them
Useful english dictionary. 2012.