In Helia (Elis) at the west cost of Peloponnesus, there was a kingdom of the famous and very reach king Augeas. It was said that Augeas was the son of Sun (Helios) and that his eyes where shining as the rays of the morning sun.

Augeas possessed vast herds of cattle which had deposited their manure in such quantity over the years that a thick aroma hung over the entire Peloponnesus.

- In the kingdom of Augeas you will march and there you will find your fifth task, said Eurystheas.

- What would I do there? Is there any horrible beast or serpent threatening the land that I should kill? asked Hercules.

- No, no beast or serpent is threatening the land and you will nor fight or kill where you will go. King Augeas wants you to clean his stables in a single day. Fail to do that and you will stay there in his palace to serve and clean his stables for the rest of your life.

Hercules had the impression that the Augean stables will be as the ones he already knew. But when he looked at them he was dazzled from the size and the filthiness of the place. The stable was huge and not in a years time was possible to clean up all that manure.

The hero realized that this task was not a matter of strength but brains. After taking a good look of the whole area he noticed that the stable was between two great rivers, Alfios and Pinios, and a bright idea came into his mind, and when king Augean asked him if he could accomplished this labor within a day, Hercules agreed and without revealing the command of Eurystheus, said that he would carry out the dung in one day, if Augeas would give him the tenth part of the cattle.

Augeas was incredulous, but promised. Having taken Augeas' son Phyleus to witness, Hercules was about to do the impossible on the next day.

Early in the morning our hero set his plan in motion. Hercules made a breach in the foundations of the cattle-yard, and then diverting the courses of the two rivers, he turned them into the stable-yard and within few hours he got the job done without getting dirty and in less than a days time.

Hercules was very proud of his accomplishment, but when Agues learned that this had been accomplished at the command of Eurystheus, he refused to pay the reward to Hercules and When arbitrators were called Phyleus bore witness against his father and Augeas was forced to pay but ordered both Phyleus and Hercules to leave Elis.

But because he had demanded payment of Augeas, Eurytheus also refused to count this as a Labor.