THE SIXTH LABOR--THE BIRDS OF STYMPHALOS
On the northern limit of Arcadia is a huge cliff, over which pours a
black ribbon of water. At the bottom of the cliff it is lost among
piles of rocks. The water itself is not black, but it appears so
because the rock is covered with black moss, and so the stream is
called the Styx or Black Water.
The Styx is icy cold and it runs along under the ground so that it
seems to belong to the dead, and is called the River of Death. When
the gods used to make a promise which they did not dare to break they
said, "I promise by the Styx." This promise was called "the Great Oath
of the Gods."
Farther on in the land of Arcadia there is a vale called Stymphalos.
It lies among the mountains and is open to the storms of winter and
the floods of spring. And there are a lake and a city both called
Stymphalos. The people of Athens hope to carry the water of this lake
to Athens by means of an underground channel. All about the lake are
hills covered with firs and plane-trees.
Lake Stymphalos was the home of a countless number of birds which held
noisy meetings in the woods. They had iron claws and their feathers
were sharper than arrows. They were so strong and fierce that they
dared attack men, and would tear them to pieces that they might feast
upon human flesh. They bore a striking resemblance to the Harpies, and
were the terror of all the people who lived near Stymphalos.
Eurystheus ordered Herakles to drive the birds away. So Herakles took
his bow and quiver and went to the lake. But the forests were so dense
that he could not see the birds, and he sat down to think of the best
way to drive them out. Suddenly the goddess of wisdom came to him to
help him.
The goddess gave him a huge rattle and told him how to use it.
Herakles went up on to the highest mountain that lies near the lake
and shook the rattle with a will. The birds were so frightened by the
noise that they came out of the thick wood where their nests were and
flew high up into the air.
Their heavy feathers fell like flakes in a driving snow-storm.
Herakles shot at the birds with his arrows. He killed a great many of
them and the rest were so scared that they flew away and were never
seen again at Stymphalos.