Author:
Jan Scholten
Book:
Secret Lanthanides
Type:
Mythology 1
Chapter:
2.6.11
2.6.11 Stage 11: Terbium
Labor 8: The Mares of Diomedes.
These mares could spit fire and were fed human flesh by their cruel and sadistic owner Diomedes, king of Bistones, son of Ares. Heracles kills the mares' guardians and feeds them to the mares. He flees with the mares, but people start attacking him out of fear of Diomedes' anger. He keeps them away by digging canals that let the sea-water flow in. He then goes to Diomedes, kills him with his club and feeds him to the mares. He brings the mares to Eurystheus who couldn't control them and therefore consecrated them to Hera. (Another story is that they were freed, fled to the mountains and became the prey of wild animals themselves; but their progeny were very helpful in the Trojan war).
Heracles lets the mares live, he maintains them. The people want to maintain the situation with Diomedes in control. Maintaining is the keyword for Stage 11.