6. THE
STYMPHALIDES.—The sixth task was to chase away the Stymphalides, which were
immense birds of prey who, as we have seen (in the legend of the Argonauts),
shot from their wings feathers sharp as arrows. The home of these birds was on
the shore of the lake Stymphalis, in Arcadia (after which they were called),
where they caused great destruction among men and cattle.
On approaching the lake,
Heracles observed great numbers of them; and, while hesitating how to commence
the attack, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking round he beheld
the majestic form of Pallas-Athene, who held in her hand a gigantic pair of
brazen clappers made by Hephaestus, with which she {243} presented him;
whereupon he ascended to the summit of a neighbouring hill, and commenced to
rattle them violently. The shrill noise of these instruments was so intolerable
to the birds that they rose into the air in terror, upon which he aimed at them
with his arrows, destroying them in great numbers, whilst such as escaped his
darts flew away, never to return.