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captivity or death。 He let them loose upon the highway； and the robbers
thanked him with highflowing speeches； and they declared that if they
should ever find him sleeping by the roadway again they would let him lie。
Saying this they went away； and Heracles； laughing as he thought upon the
great exploits of the frogs and mice； went on to Omphale's house。
Omphale； the widow； received him mirthfully； and then set him to do
tasks in the kitchen while she sat and talked to him about Troy and the
affairs of King Laomedon。 And afterward she put on his lion's skin； and
went about in the courtyard dragging the heavy club after her。 Mirthfully
and pleasantly she made the rest of his time in Lydia pass for Heracles；
and the last day of his slavery soon came； and he bade good…by to
Omphale； that pleasant widow； and to Lydia； and he started off for
Calydon to claim his bride Deianira。
Beautiful indeed Deianira looked now that she had ceased to mourn
for her brother； for the laughter that had been under her grief always now
flashed out even while she looked priestesslike and of good counsel； her
dark eyes shone like stars； and her being had the spirit of one who wanders
from camp to camp； always greeting friends and leaving friends behind
her。 Heracles and Deianira wed； and they set out for Tiryns； where a king
had left a kingdom to Heracles。
They came to the River Evenus。 Heracles could have crossed the river
by himself； but he could not cross it at the part he came to； carrying
Deianira。 He and she went along the river； seeking a ferry that might take
them across。 They wandered along the side of the river； happy with each
other； and they came to a place where they had sight of a centaur。
Heracles knew this centaur。 He was Nessus； one of the centaurs whom
he had chased up the mountain the time when he went to hunt the
Erymanthean boar。 The centaurs knew him； and Nessus spoke to Heracles
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as if he had friendship for him。 He would； he said； carry Heracles's bride
across the river。
Then Heracles crossed the river； and he waited on the other side for
Nessus and Deianira。 Nessus went to another part of the river to make his
crossing。 Then Heracles； upon the other bank； heard screamsthe screams
of his wife； Deianira。 He saw that the centaur was savagely attacking her。
Then Heracles leveled his bow and he shot at Nessus。 Arrow after
arrow he shot into the centaur's body。 Nessus loosed his hold on Deianira；
and he lay down on the bank of the river； his lifeblood streaming from
him。
Then Nessus； dying； but with his rage against Heracles unabated；
thought of a way by which the hero might be made to suffer for the death
he had brought upon him。 He called to Deianira； and she； seeing he could
do her no more hurt； came close to him。 He told her that in repentance for
his attack upon her he would bestow a great gift upon her。 She was to
gather up some of the blood that flowed from him； his blood； the centaur
said； would be a love philter； and if ever her husband's love for her waned
it would grow fresh again if she gave to him something from her hands
that would have this blood upon it。
Deianira； who had heard from Heracles of the wisdom of the centaurs；
believed what Nessus told her。 She took a phial and let the blood pour into
it。 Then Nessus plunged into the river and died there as Heracles came up
to where Deianira stood。
She did not speak to him about the centaur's words to her； nor did she
tell him that she had hidden away the phial that had Nessus's blood in it。
They crossed the river at another point and they came after a time to
Tiryns and to the kingdom that had been left to Heracles。
There Heracles and Deianira lived； and a son who was named Hyllos
was born to them。 And after a time Heracles was led into a war with
EurytusEurytus who was king of Oichalia。
Word came to Deianira that Oichalia was taken by Heracles； and that
the king and his daughter Iole were held captive。 Deianira knew that
Heracles had once tried to win this maiden for his wife； and she feared that
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the sight of Iole would bring his old longing back to him。
She thought upon the words that Nessus had said to her； and even as
she thought upon them messengers came from Heracles to ask her to send
him a robea beautifully woven robe that she hadthat he might wear it
while making a sacrifice。 Deianira took down the robe； through this robe；
she thought； the blood of the centaur could touch Heracles and his love for
her would revive。 Thinking this she poured Nessus's blood over the robe。
Heracles was in Oichalia when the messengers returned to him。 He
took the robe that Deianira sent； and he went to a mountain that
overlooked the sea that he might make the sacrifice there。 Iole went with
him。 Then he put on the robe that Deianira had sent。 When it touched his
flesh the robe burst into flame。 Heracles tried to tear it off； but deeper and
deeper into his flesh the flames went。 They burned and burned and none
could quench them。
Then Heracles knew that his end was near。 He would die by fire； and
knowing that he piled up a great heap of wood and he climbed upon it。
There he stayed with the flaming robe burning into him； and he begged of
those who passed to fire the pile that his end might come more quickly。
None would fire the pile。 But at last there came that way a young
warrior named Philoctetes； and Heracles begged of him to fire the pile。
Philoctetes； knowing that it was the will of the gods that Heracles should
die that way； lighted the pile。 For that Heracles bestowed upon him his
great bow and his unerring arrows。 And it was this bow and these arrows；
brought from Philoctetes； that afterward helped to take Priam's city。
The pile that Heracles stood upon was fired。 High up； above the sea；
the pile burned。 All who were near that burning fledall except Iole； that
childlike maiden。 She stayed and watched the flames mount up and up。
They wrapped the sky； and the voice of Heracles was heard calling upon
Zeus。 Then a great chariot came and Heracles was borne away to Olympus。
Thus； after many labors； Heracles passed away； a mortal passing into an
immortal being in a great burning high above the sea。
V。 ADMETUS
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I
It happened once that Zeus would punish Apollo； his son。 Then he
banished him from Olympus； and he made him put off his divinity and
appear as a mortal man。 And as a mortal Apollo sought to earn his bread
amongst men。 He came to the house of King Admetus and took service
with him as his herdsman。
For a year Apollo served the young king； minding his herds of black
cattle。 Admetus did not know that it was one of the immortal gods who
was in his house and in his fields。 But he treated him in friendly wise； and
Apollo was happy whilst serving Admetus。
Afterward people wondered at Admetus's ever…smiling face and
everradiant being。 It was the god's kindly thought of him that gave him
such happiness。 And when Apollo was leaving his house and his fields he
revealed himself to Admetus； and he made a promise to him that when the
god of the Underworld sent Death for him he would have one more chance
of baffling Death than any mortal man。
That was before Admetus sailed on the Argo with Jason and the
companions of the quest。 The companionship of Admetus brought
happiness to many on the voyage； but the hero to whom it gave the most
happiness was Heracles。 And often Heracles would have Admetus beside
him to tell him about the radiant god Apollo； whose bow and arrows
Heracles had been given。