Chapter 13: Herakles
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♠ Hesiod, Ehoiai (Catalogue of Women) fr 25.18-23 MW – Fragmenta Hesiodea, pp. 15-16, ed. R. Merkelbach and M. L. West. Oxford 1967.
Joined with Mighty Herakles bore Hyllos and Glenos and Ktesippos and Oneites. These she bore and contrived dreadful deeds in the folly (?) of her mind, when anointing a chiton with a drug she gave it to the herald Lichas to convey. And he gave it to lord Herakles son of Amphitryon sacker of cities. (Transl. T. Gantz)
♠ Archilochos 286 W – Iambi et Elegi Graeci 1, p. 97, ed. M.L. West. Oxford 1971.
Same as:
♠ DP 60.1 – Dion Chrysostomos of Prusa
Interlocutor. Can you solve me this problem — whether or not people are warranted in finding fault now with Archilochus and now with Sophocles in their treatment of the story of Nessus and Deïaneira? For some say Archilochus makes nonsense when he represents Deïaneira as chanting a long story to Heracles while an attack upon her honour is being made by the Centaur, thereby reminding him of the love-making of Acheloüs — and of the events which took place on that occasion — in consequence of which Nessus would have ample time to accomplish his purpose; others charge that Sophocles has introduced the shooting of the arrow too soon, while they were still crossing the river; for in those circumstances, they claim, Deïaneira too would have perished, since the dying Centaur would have dropped her in the river. However, do not, as you usually do, speak quite counter to the general belief and give any version rather than what a man would naturally believe. Greek Text
♠ Scholion at Apollonios of Rhodes, Argonautica 1.1212
Same as:
♠ Archilochos 288 W – Iambi et Elegi Graeci 1, p. 97, ed. M.L. West. Oxford 1971.
♠ Apollodoros, Library 2.7.6
After these events, as he was feasting with Oeneus, he killed with a blow of his knuckles Eunomos, son of Architeles, when the lad was pouring water on his hands; now the lad was a kinsman of Oeneus. Seeing that it was an accident, the lad’s father pardoned Hercules; but Hercules wished, in accordance with the law, to suffer the penalty of exile, and resolved to depart to Ceyx at Trachis. Greek Text
♠ Bakchylides 5.165-75
Is there, in the halls of battle-loving Oineus, any daughter, unsubdued by love, whose appearance is like yours? I would gladly make her my splendid bride.” [170] And to him the soul of Meleager, steadfast in battle, answered: “I left behind at home Deianeira, with her neck like a fresh olive; golden [175] Cypris, charmer of mortals, is still unknown to her.” Greek Text
♠ Bakchylides 16.23-35
Then a god, useless to fight against, wove for Deianeira, to her great sorrow, [25] a clever scheme, when she heard the bitter news that the son of Zeus, fearless in battle, was sending white-armed Iole to his splendid house to be his bride. [30] Poor woman, ill-fated, what a plan she devised! Widely powerful envy destroyed her, and the dark veil which covered what was to come, when on the rosy banks of the Lycormas [35] she received from Nessus the fateful, monstrous gift. Greek Text
♠ Pindar fr 249a SM – Pindarus 2, pp. 143, 75, ed. B. Snell and H. Maehler. Leipzig 1975.
♠ Sophokles, Trachiniae 555-77
I had a gift, an old one given to me by a monster of long ago, and kept it hidden in a bronze urn. While yet a girl, I took this gift from the shaggy-chested Nessus—from his lifeblood, as he lay dying. He is the one who used to carry men [560] in his arms for hire across the deep current of the Evenus, using no oar for conveyance, nor ship’s sail. He carried me, too, on his shoulders, when at my father’s sending, I first departed with Heracles as his wife. When I was in midstream, [565] he touched me with lewd hands. I shrieked, and straightaway the son of Zeus turned round and with his hands shot a feathered arrow that whistled right through his chest to the lungs. As he passed away the monster spoke these few words: “Child of aged Oeneus, [570] you will have this benefit from my ferrying, if you obey me, since you were the last whom I carried. If you gather with your hands the blood clotted round my wound, at the place where the Hydra, Lerna‘s monstrous growth, imbued the arrow with black gall, [575] you will have a charm for the heart of Heracles, so that he will never look upon any woman and love her more than you.” Greek Text
♠ Diodoros Siculus, Library of History 4.36.3-4
Overcome with grief at this misfortune he went again into voluntary exile from Calydonia along with his wife Deïaneira and Hyllus, his son by her, who was still a boy in years. And when in his journeying he arrived at the Euenus river he found there the Centaur Nessus who was conveying travellers across the river for a fee. [4] Nessus carried Deïaneira across first, and becoming enamoured of her because of her beauty he tried to assault her. But when she called to her husband for help Heracles shot the Centaur with an arrow, and Nessus, struck even while he was having intercourse with her and because of the sharpness of the blow being at once on the point of death, told Deianeira that he would give her a love-charm to the end that Heracles should never desire to approach any other woman. Greek Text
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Edited by Elena Bianchelli, Retired Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. of Georgia, November 2023.
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