Gr. Legend of Augeas, king of Elis, or his stable, which holds 3,000 oxen and remains uncleaned for 30 years until Hercules, as one of his twelve labors, cleans it in one day by diverting a river (or two rivers) through it
very filthy or corrupt
Origin:
< L Augeas < Gr Augeias
See Augean in American Heritage Dictionary 4
adjective
Exceedingly filthy from long neglect.
Requiring heroic efforts of cleaning or correction: the Augean task of reforming the bureaucracy.
Origin:
Origin: After Augeas, legendary Greek king who did not clean his stable for thirty years