Heracles and Athena

Heracles was making his way along a narrow road. He saw on the ground an object resembling an apple and tried to crush it. The object doubled in size. At this sight, Heracles trampled it still more violently and struck it with his club. The object, swelling in bulk, blocked the road. The hero then threw down his club and stood there in amazement. Just then Athena appeared to him and said, "Stop, brother; this object is the spirit of strife and quarrel; if you leave it alone, it stays as it was at first; if you fight it, this is how it swells."