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Hercules' Sixth Labor - The Stymphalian Birds
Hercules' Sixth Labor - The Stymphalian Birds
Arriving at the lake, which was deep in the woods, Hercules had
no idea how to drive the huge gathering of birds away. The
goddess Athena came to his aid, providing a pair of bronze
krotala, noisemaking clappers similar to castanets. These were
no ordinary noisemakers. They had been made by an immortal
craftsman, Hephaistos, the god of the forge.
These fly against those who come to hunt them, wounding and
killing them with their beaks. All armor of bronze or iron that
men wear is pierced by the birds; but if they weave a garment
of thick cork, the beaks of the Stymphalian birds are caught in
the cork garment... These birds are of the size of a crane, and
are like the ibis, but their beaks are more powerful, and not
crooked like that of the ibis.