Augean stables

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Augean stables

/ɔːˌd͡ʒiːən ˈsteɪbl̩z/ UK
/ɔˌd͡ʒiən ˈsteɪb(ə)lz/ US
/ˈɔˌɡiən-/ US

Where it comes from

From Augean (“pertaining to Augeas”) + stables. Augeas was a legendary king of Elis in Greek mythology who owned numerous divine cattle (3,000 head, according to some later retellings) which produced a huge amount of dung in stables that had not been cleaned for over 30 years. The cleaning of the stables was the fifth of the twelve Labours of Hercules, which Hercules achieved by rerouting the Alpheus and Peneus rivers through them.

noun Augean stable

Greek, idiomatic, plural, plural normally The stables where King Augeas kept his vast herd. We started with the idea of washing ourselves at the hotel; but on seeing the basin and water and towel provided, I decided not to waste my time playing with them. As well might Hercules have attempted to tidy up the Augean stables with a squirt.
idiomatic, plural, plural normally An extremely filthy or untidy place or situation. She ordered him upstairs immediately to clean the Augean stables of his bedroom.
Similar: pigpen, pigsty, sty
figuratively, idiomatic, plural, plural normally A place or situation characterized by corruption or moral decay. Yea, as yee loue your ovvne life, peace, vvelfare; Rouze vp your ſpirits, avvaken your Chriſtian courage, and ſet your ſelues heartily againſt the traitorly ſinnes of theſe times, vvhich threaten the bane of all theſe. Cleanſe yee theſe Augean ſtables of our drunken Tauernes, of our profane ſtages,
Similar: den of iniquity, sty

Translations

Every language

noun extremely filthy or untidy place or situation

Deutsch	Ställe Augias', Augiasstall
Русский	а́вгиевы коню́шни ávgijevy konjúšni

noun place or situation characterized by corruption or moral decay

Deutsch	Augiasstall

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MLA

"Augean stables." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/augean%20stables. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

APA

Augean stables. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/augean%20stables

Chicago

"Augean stables." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/augean%20stables.

BibTeX

@misc{augean_stables_2026,
  title = {Augean stables},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/augean%20stables},
  urldate = {2026-11-07}
}