Deianira

Also known as: Deanira / Deianeira / DÊ. / DÊANIRA / Dê / Dê. / Dêanira · Family: Thessaly · Role: wife of Heracles · First appears: Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 1

At Pleuron, Deianira was sought as a bride by Achelous in three forms until Heracles defeated him and won her. She became Heracles’ wife and Hyllus’ mother, and after Heracles defeated Iphitus, they lived in exile at Trachis by permission of Ceyx. When Heracles left, he gave her a scroll setting out his inheritance provisions and declaring that, after fifteen moons, he would either die or live thereafter in peace: “For since, Assigned by that day's conquest, I have known The couch of Heracles”.

When Heracles sent captives home, Deianira learned from Lichas that one of them was Iole, daughter of Eurytus and Heracles’ new love. She did not reproach his earlier loves, but Iole became a rival within her household. Remembering Nessus’ dying promise, Deianira applied the blood he had given her to a robe for Heracles and entrusted it to Lichas: “That thou shouldst take for me this finewoven web, A present from these fingers to my lord.”

When the wool used with the ointment consumed itself in the sunlight, Deianira realized that Nessus had deceived her in order to destroy Heracles, his slayer. Lichas delivered the robe, and Heracles put it on during a sacrifice; afterward Hyllus accused Deianira of causing the death of both his father and her husband: “I tell thee thou this day hast been the death Of him that was thy husband and my sire.”