lves to the Grecian Hercules,
surnamed Alcides, we find that his exploits have generally been sung
of by the poets, under the name of the Twelve Labours; but, on
entering into the detail of them, we find them much more numerous.
Killing some serpents in his youth, it was published, not only that
he had done so, but that they had been sent by Juno for the purpose
of destroying him. The forest of Nemea serving as a retreat for a
great number of lions that ravaged the country, Hercules hunted
them, and, killing the most furious of them, always wore his skin.

Several thieves, having made the neighbourhood of Lake Stymphalus,
in Arcadia, their resort, he freed the country of them; the nails
and wings which the poets gave them, in representing them as birds,
being typical of their voracity and activity. The marshes of Lerna,
near Argos, were infested by great numbers of serpents, which, as
fast as they were destroyed, were replaced by new swarms; draining
the marshes, and, probably, setting fire to the adjacent thickets or
jungles, he destroyed these pestilent reptiles, on which it was
fabled that he had destroyed the Hydra of Lerna, with its heads,
which grew as fast as they were cut off. The forest of Erymanthus
was full of wild boars, which laid waste all the neighbouring
country: he destroyed them all, and brought one with him to the
court of Eurystheus, of a size so monstrous, that the king was
alarmed on seeing it, and was obliged to run and hide himself.

The stables of Augeas, king of Elis, were so filled with manure,
by reason of the great quantity of oxen that he kept, that Hercules
being called upon to cleanse them, employed his engineering skill in
bringing the river Alpheus through them. Having pursued a hind for a
whole year, which Eurystheus had commanded him to take, it was
circulated, probably on account of her untiring swiftness, that she
had feet of brass. The river Acheloues having overflowed the adjacent
country, he raised banks to it, as already mentioned. Theseus was a
prisoner in Epirus, where he had been with Pirithous, to bring away
the daughter of Aidoneus. Hercules delivered him; and that was the
foundation of the Fable which said that he had gone down to Hades,
or Hell. In the cavern of Taenarus there was a monstrous serpent;
this he was ordered to kill, and, probably, this gave rise to the
story of Cerberus being chained by