Fr. 76b
Εἴπ' ἄγε μοι. . [ ]. .α[. . . . . . .].[.]. . . . . . .αιῆνις
Fr. 77
Ἦλιν ἀνάσσεσθαι, Διὸς οἰκίον, ἔλλιπε Φυλεῖ
notes
Fr. 76b Harder (= 76.1 Pf., = 178 Mass.) P.Mil.Vogl. I 18 col. I 3
[image], Trismegistos 59371
Fr. 77 Harder (= 77 Pf., = 179 Mass.) Σ BCDEQ Pi.O. 10, 55c
This tale sets out to explain a peculiar marriage ritual among the Eleans: the custom that the bride to be visited before her nuptials by an armed warrior. The reason given for this is that when Heracles had completed the task of cleaning out the Augean stables, Augeus, the king of Elis, refused to pay him. Heracles then marched against Elis, deposed Augeus, and installed his own son as king. To replenish the men lost in war, he compelled the Elean women to sleep with his soldiers. At this time he also established the Olympic games.
The aition is linked to Acontius and Cydippe by providing an account of another odd marriage custom; it also may belong to a series of aitia on panhellenic games.