In the mean time Hercules subdued the centaurs, upon this occasion: there was one Pholus among the centaurs, from whom the neighbouring mountain was called Pholoe; this same having entertained Hercules as his guest, took up an hogshead of wine that had for a long time been buried in the earth: for it is reported, that this wine was antiently deposited in the hands of a certain centaur by Bacchus, who commanded that it should be broached at that very time when Hercules came thither; who now happening to be there, the fourth age after, Pholus, remembering Bacchus’s command, opened the hogshead; whereupon, the wine being old, and exceeding strong, the flavour of it reached to the neighbouring centaurs, and struck them all with a fit of fury and madness; whereupon they all came in troops, and in a terrible tumult assaulted Pholus’s house, to carry away the prey, insomuch that Pholus, in a great fright, hid himself.

But Hercules unexpectedly set upon the aggressors; for he was to fight with those who from the mother partook of the nature of the gods, were as swift as horses, as strong as double-bodied beasts, and were endued with the understanding and prudence of men.

Some of these centaurs assailed him with fir-trees plucked up by the roots, others with huge and massy stones, some with lighted firebrands, and others with axes, with whom he undauntedly entered the list, and fought with that bravery as was agreeable to the glory of his former actions.

Their mother Nephele6 assisted them by a violent storm of rain, which was no prejudice to them that were four-footed, but he, that had but two, had by this means a troublesome and slippery standing: however Hercules, with wonderful valour, overcame them that had so many and great advantages above him, killing most of them, and putting the rest to flight. Of those that were slain, the most remarkable were Daphnis, Argeus, Amphion, Hippotion, Oreus, Isoples, Melanchetes, Thereus, Dupo, and Phrixus: and every one of those that fled came afterwards to condign punishment; for Homadus (because he ravished, in Arcadia, Atalcyona, the sister of Eurystheus) was slain by Hercules, for which his generosity was greatly admired: for, though he hated his enemy upon his own private account, yet he judged it a commendable piece of humanity to have compassion on a woman in her afflicted condition, upon the account of her dishonour and disgrace.