Βοηλάτης ἅμαξαν ἦγεν ἐκ κώμης.
τῆς δ᾽ ἐμπεσούσης εἰς φάραγγα κοιλώδη,
δέον βοηθεῖν, αὐτὸς ἀργὸς εἱστήκει,
τῷ δ᾽ Ἡρακλεῖ προσηύχεθ᾽, ὃν μόνον πάντων
θεῶν ἀληθῶς προσεκύνει τε κἀτίμα.
θεὸς δ᾽ ἐπιστὰς εἶπετῶν τροχῶν ἅπτου
καὶ τοὺς βόας κέντριζε. τοῖς θεοῖς δ᾽ εὔχου
ὅταν τι ποιῇς καὐτος, μάτην εὔξῃ.”

A cattle-driver was bringing a cart from the village. But when it fell into a cavernous ravine, help was needed; he stood idle and prayed to Heracles, the only one of all the gods he really worshiped and honored. But the god, standing nearby, said, "Grab the wheels and goad the cattle. And pray to the gods once you yourself are doing something; or you will pray in vain."