Nessus
creatureNessus was the centaur who tried to abduct Heracles' wife Deianira — and whose poisoned blood, given as a love charm, eventually killed the greatest hero.
The Myth
When Heracles and Deianira needed to cross a river, the centaur Nessus offered to carry Deianira. Midstream, he tried to assault her. Heracles shot him with a Hydra-poisoned arrow. Dying, Nessus whispered to Deianira that his blood would serve as a love charm — if Heracles ever strayed, she need only smear it on a garment. Years later, fearing she was losing Heracles to Iole, Deianira sent him a robe soaked in the blood. The Hydra poison burned him alive. Unable to die, he built his own funeral pyre on Mount Oeta.
Parents
Ixion and Nephele (or Centaurus)
Symbols
Fun Fact
A "shirt of Nessus" means an inescapable torment — a gift that destroys the recipient. The phrase is still used in diplomacy and politics.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
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