Heracles (Roman Hercules) had the enormous task of cleaning the Augean Stables in one day for his fifth labor. The stables were home to the largest number of cattle in Elis, belonging to its king, Augeus. The stables had never once been cleaned out.
This task, Eurystheus had hoped, would be incredibly humiliating to Heracles, and lower his luster among the populace, in addition to being quite impossible to accomplish. However, using his wiles and his great strength, the hero was able to re-route the Peneus and Alpheus Rivers, which helped to successfully flush all of the filth out of the stables quickly.
Augeus, thinking the task impossible to complete, had promised Heracles one-tenth of his cattle if he cleaned the stables in one day. He naturally, refused to hold up his end of the bargain, and Heracles promptly killed him. Heracles then gave the kingdom over to Augeus' son Phyleus, who had supported the hero all along.
