In Greek mythology, Augeas ruled Elis when Hercules undertook the stable-cleaning labor.
Elis was a region in the western Peloponnese, best known in later Greek history as the home of Olympia. Its mythical king, Augeas, possessed vast herds of cattle whose stables had not been cleaned for many years. Hercules was ordered to clear them in a single day.
Rather than removing the manure by hand, Hercules redirected the nearby rivers Alpheus and Peneus through the stable complex. Their rushing water swept the accumulated waste away, completing the task rapidly. The story explains the expression “Augean stables,” now used for an extremely filthy or neglected place.
Some retellings focus on the rivers or on Hercules’ payment dispute with Augeas. Elis remains the geographical answer: it identifies the kingdom connected with the king and his famous stables.