Nessus

Family: Centaurs · Role: centaur · First appears: Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 1

Life events

• Heracles kills Nessus after the Centaur assaults Deianeira while ferrying her across Evenus.(Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 3 · 📍 Evenus)
  • With: Heracles
  • “And I cried out; and he, Zeus' son, turned suddenly, and from his bow Sent a wing'd shaft, that whizzed into his chest To the lungs.”
• Nessus gives Deianeira his clotted blood as a charm to preserve Heracles’ love.(Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 3 · 📍 Evenus)
  • With: Deianira
  • “With a careful hand Collect and bear away the clotted gore That clogs my wound, e'en where the monster snake Had dyed the arrow with dark tinct of gall; And thou shalt have this as a charm of soul For Heracles, that never through the eye Shall he receive another love than thine.”
• Deianira realizes Nessus deceived her to destroy Heracles, his slayer.(Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 4)
  • With: Deianira Heracles
  • “For wherefore should the Centaur, for what end, Show kindness to the cause for whom he died? That cannot be. But seeking to destroy His slayer, he cajoled me. This I learn Too late, by sad experience, for no good.”
• Heracles learns that Nessus prompted his mother to use a charm to restore his love.(Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 6)
  • With: Heracles
  • “Long since the Centaur Nessus moved her mind To work this charm for heightening thy desire.”

Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 1

• enemies with Heracles “The Centaur Nessus, in dying by the arrow of Heracles, which had been dipped in the venom of the Hydra,”
• with Deianira (Nessus persuaded Deianira to preserve his blood as a love-charm.) “persuaded the bride Deanira, whose beauty was the cause of his death, to keep some of the blood from the wound as a love-charm for her husband.”

Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 4

• with Deianira (interaction) “But seeking to destroy His slayer, he cajoled me. This I learn Too late, by sad experience, for no good.”

Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 6

• enemies with Heracles (Heracles says that Nessus has slain him posthumously.) “Long since the Centaur Nessus moved her mind To work this charm for heightening thy desire. HER. O horror, thou art here! I am no more. My day is darkened, boy! Undone, undone! I see our plight too plainly. woe is me! Come, O my son! --thou hast no more a father,-- Call to me all the brethren of thy blood, And poor Alcmena, wedded all in vain Unto the Highest, that ye may hear me tell With my last breath what prophecies I know. HYL. Thy mother is not here, but by the shore Of Tiryns hath obtained a dwelling-place; And of thy sons, some she hath with her there, And some inhabit Thebè's citadel. But we who are with thee, sire, if there be aught That may by us be done, will hear, and do. HER. Then hearken thou unto this task, and show If worthily thou art reputed mine. Now is time to prove thee. My great father Forewarned me long ago that I should die By none who lived and breathed, but from the will Of one now dwelling in the house of death. And so this Centaur, as the voice Divine Then prophesied, in death hath slain me living.”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.