There was one strange thing about Antaeus , of which I have not yet told you , lest , hearing of so many wonders all in a lump , you might not believe much more than half of them . You are to know , then , that whenever this redoubtable Giant touched the ground , either with his hand , his foot , or any other part of his body , he grew stronger than ever he had been before . The Earth , you remember , was his mother , and was very fond of him , as being almost the biggest of her children ; and so she took this method of keeping him always in full vigor . Some persons affirm that he grew ten times stronger at every touch ; others say that it was only twice as strong . But only think of it ! Whenever Antaeus took a walk , supposing it were but ten miles , and that he stepped a hundred yards at a stride , you may try to cipher out how much mightier he was , on sitting down again , than when he first started . And whenever he flung himself on the earth to take a little repose , even if he got up the very next instant , he would be as strong as exactly ten just such giants as his former self . It was well for the world that Antaeus happened to be of a sluggish disposition and liked ease better than exercise ; for , if he had frisked about like the Pygmies , and touched the earth as often as they did , he would long ago have been strong enough to pull down the sky about people 's ears . But these great lubberly fellows resemble mountains , not only in bulk , but in their disinclination to move . Any other mortal man , except the very one whom Antaeus had now encountered , would have been half frightened to death by the Giant 's ferocious aspect and terrible voice . But the stranger did not seem at all disturbed . He carelessly lifted his club , and balanced it in his hand , measuring Antaeus with his eye , from head to foot , not as if wonder-smitten at his stature , but as if he had seen a great many Giants before , and this was by no means the biggest of them . In fact , if the Giant had been no bigger than the Pygmies -LRB- who stood pricking up their ears , and looking and listening to what was going forward -RRB- , the stranger could not have been less afraid of him . `` Who are you , I say ? '' roared Antaeus again . `` What 's your name ? Why do you come hither ? Speak , you vagabond , or I 'll try the thickness of your skull with my walking-stick ! '' `` You are a very discourteous Giant , '' answered the stranger quietly , `` and I shall probably have to teach you a little civility , before we part . As for my name , it is Hercules .
I have come hither because this is my most convenient road to the garden of the Hesperides , whither I am going to get three XXXXX the golden apples for King Eurystheus . ''
In about as except lest of on so than that