It was in this journey , if I mistake not , that he encountered a prodigious giant , who was so wonderfully contrived by nature , that , every time he touched the earth , he became ten times as strong as ever he had been before . His name was Antreus . You may see , plainly enough , that it was a very difficult business to fight with such a fellow ; for , as often as he got a knock-down blow , up he started again , stronger , fiercer , and abler to use his weapons , than if his enemy had let him alone , Thus , the harder Hercules pounded the giant with his club , the further be seemed from winning the victory . I have sometimes argued with such people , but never fought with one . The only way in which Hercules found it possible to finish the battle , was by lifting Antaeus off his feet into the air , and squeezing , and squeezing , and squeezing him , until , finally , the strength was quite squeezed out of his enormous body . When this affair was finished , Hercules continued his travels , and went to the land of Egypt , where he was taken prisoner , and would have been put to death , if he had not slain the king of the country , and made his escape . Passing through the deserts of Africa , and going as fast as he could , he arrived at last on the shore of the great ocean . And here , unless he could walk on the crests of the billows , it seemed as if his journey must needs be at an end . Nothing was before him , save the foaming , dashing , measureless ocean . But , suddenly , as he looked towards the horizon , he saw something , a great way off , which he had not seen the moment before . It gleamed very brightly , almost as you may have beheld the round , golden disk of the sun , when it rises or sets over the edge of the world . It evidently drew nearer ; for , at every instant , this wonderful object became larger and more lustrous . At length , it had come so nigh that Hercules discovered it to be an immense cup or bowl , made either of gold or burnished brass . How it had got afloat upon the sea , is more than I can tell you . There it was , at all events , rolling on the tumultuous billows , which tossed it up and down , and heaved their foamy tops against its sides , but without ever throwing their spray over the brim . `` I have seen many giants , in my time , '' thought Hercules , `` but never one that would need to drink his wine out of a cup like this ! '' And , true enough , what a cup it must have been ! It was as large -- as large -- but , in short , I am afraid to say how immeasurably large it was . To speak within bounds , it was ten times larger than a great mill-wheel ; and , all of metal as it was , it floated over the heaving surges more lightly than an acorn-cup adown the brook . The waves tumbled it onward , until it grazed against the shore , within a short distance of the spot where Hercules was standing .
As soon as this happened , he knew what was to be done ; for he had not gone through so many remarkable adventures XXXXX learning pretty well how to conduct himself , whenever anything came to pass a little out of the common rule .
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