Deïanira
Also known as: his new-made wife / the Calydonian damsel · Family: mortal · Role: wife · First appears: Fable 73
In fable 77, Œneus declares that Deïanira, his daughter, will marry whichever suitor proves bravest. After the other suitors withdraw, Hercules and Acheloüs compete in single combat; Hercules presents himself as offering both Jupiter as a father-in-law and the glory of his labours. Deïanira becomes “the wife of Hercules.”
At Evenus, Nessus attempts to carry Deïanira away while Hercules is across the river, but Hercules shoots him and prevents it. Before dying, Nessus gives her a garment dyed in his blood as an incentive to love. When Deïanira hears of Hercules’ passion for Iole, she believes the report and first gives herself to tears; unaware of the garment’s purpose, she sends it to Hercules through Lichas to restore his declining love. She is also Meleager’s sister and the mother of Hyllus by Hercules.
Relationship record
Life events
- Œneus agrees Deïanira will marry whichever suitor proves bravest, leaving Hercules and Acheloüs to compete.(Fable77)
- Nessus attempts to abduct Deïanira, but Hercules shoots him and prevents the abduction.(Fable78 · 📍 Evenus)
- Nessus gives Deïanira his bloodied garment as an instrument of revenge.(Fable78)
- With: Nessus
- “Nessus takes it out, and says to himself, ‘And yet I shall not die unrevenged;’ and gives his garment, dyed in the warm blood, as a present to her whom he is carrying off, as though an incentive to love.”
- Deïanira sends Nessus’s fatal garment to Hercules through Lichas.(Fable78)
- With: Lichas Hercules
- “Before them all, she prefers to send the garment dyed in the blood of Nessus, to restore strength to his declining love. Not knowing herself what she is giving, she delivers {the cause of} her own sorrows to the unsuspecting Lichas,[17] and bids him, in gentle words, to deliver this most fatal gift to her husband.”
Fable 73
- married with Hercules “Deïanira was the wife of Hercules”
Fable 77
- parent: Œneus “Deïanira, the daughter of Œneus, having been wooed by several suitors, her father gives his consent that she shall marry him who proves to be the bravest of them.”
- courtship with Hercules “Her other suitors, having given way to Hercules and Acheloüs, they engage in single combat.”
- courtship with Acheloüs “Her other suitors, having given way to Hercules and Acheloüs, they engage in single combat.”
- admirer: Hercules (Hercules is presenting his claim as a suitor for Deïanira.) “He alleged that he was offering {to the damsel} both Jupiter as a father-in-law, and the glory of his labours;”
- married with Hercules (The footnote states their marriage.) “She was the daughter of Œneus, king of Ætolia, and became the wife of Hercules.”
Fable 78
- married with Hercules “Hercules, returning with Deïanira, as the prize of his victory,”
- with Nessus (attempted abduction) “Nessus seizes the opportunity of Hercules being on the other side of the river, and attempts to carry her off”
- rivals with Iole “that the son of Amphitryon is seized with a passion for Iole. As she loves him, she believes it; and being alarmed with the report of this new amour, at first she indulges in tears”
- siblings with Meleager “What if, O Meleager, remembering that I am thy sister, I resolve on a desperate deed”
Fable 80
- child: Hyllus “the son of Deïanira, by Hercules.”
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Extracted from the original text of The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Made with Rho MD.