Description
Herakles and Deianeira
After Herakles had served his three years in slavery, he returned to marry Deianeira, a tall woman of the mountains. She looked like a priestess, but also like a woman who could cheer camps of men with her counsel, her bravery, and her good companionship; her hair was very dark and she had dark eyes. Herakles wed Deianeira, and they set out for Tiryns.
They came to the River Evenos. Herakles could have crossed the river by himself, but could not cross carrying Deianeira. He and she went along the river looking for a ferry to take them across, when they had sight of the Centaur Nessos. The Centaur spoke to Herakles as if a friend. He would, he said, carry Herakles's bride across the river.
Across the river, Herakles heard the screams of his Deianeira. He shot arrow after arrow in Nessos's body. The Centaur abandoned his hold on Deianeira and lay down on the bank of the river, his lifeblood streaming from him.