herald should be sent with a trumpet, to stand over the ear of
Hercules, and after blowing a blast right into it, to defy him
to the combat by formal proclamation. But two or three
venerable and sagacious Pygmies, well versed in state affairs,
gave it as their opinion that war already existed, and that it
was their rightful privilege to take the enemy by surprise.
Moreover, if awakened, and allowed to get upon his feet,
Hercules might happen to do them a mischief before he could be
beaten down again. For, as these sage counselors remarked, the
stranger's club was really very big, and had rattled like a
thunderbolt against the skull of Antaeus. So the Pygmies
resolved to set aside all foolish punctilios, and assail their
antagonist at once.

Accordingly, all the fighting men of the nation took their
weapons, and went boldly up to Hercules, who still lay fast
asleep, little dreaming of the harm which the Pygmies meant to
do him. A body of twenty thousand archers marched in front,
with their little bows all ready, and the arrows on the string.
The same number were ordered to clamber upon Hercules, some
with spades to dig his eyes out, and others with bundles of
hay, and all manner of rubbish with which they intended to plug
up his mouth and nostrils, so that he might perish for lack of
breath. These last, however, could by no means perform their
appointed duty; inasmuch as the enemy's breath rushed out of
his nose in an obstreperous hurricane and whirlwind, which blew
the Pygmies away as fast as they came nigh. It was found
necessary, therefore, to hit upon some other method of carrying
on the war.