Date: Thu Jun 13 00:51:10 EDT 1996
Subject: A.Word.A.Day--augean
Au.ge.an \o.-'je--*n\ aj [L Augeas, king of Elis, fr. Gk Augeias; fr. the legend that his stable, left neglected for thirty years, was finally cleaned by Hercules : extremely filthy or corrupt

To obtain pardonfor a crime which I now forget, Hercules had to perform a series of difficult labors. Cleaning the Augean stables was just one. He cleaned them by diverting
a river to wash them out.