Deianira

Family: Calydon · Role: daughter of Oeneus · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.8

🌐 Also appears in: The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Deïanira) · Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Deianira)

Deianira belonged to Calydon and was a daughter of Oeneus; she was also said to have been begotten on Althaea by Dionysus. At Calydon, Heracles defeated Achelous in the contest for her hand and married her. As Heracles’ wife, she became the mother of Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus and Onites; while being ferried across the Evenus by Nessus, she was subjected to his attempted violation, and she later feared that Heracles might love Iole more than herself.

At Trachis, after Heracles was carried there wounded, Deianira learned what had happened and hanged herself: “In such a sad plight he was carried on shipboard to Trachis : and Deianira, on learning what had happened, hanged herself.”

Relationship record

Life events

Hercules defeated Achelous and married Deianira.(Apollodorus, Library 2.7 · 📍 Calydon)
- With: Heracles
- “So Hercules married Deianira, but Achelous recovered the horn by giving the horn of Amalthea in its stead.”
Deianira hanged herself after Hercules was carried wounded to Trachis.(Apollodorus, Library 2.7 · 📍 Trachis)
- With: Heracles
- “In such a sad plight he was carried on shipboard to Trachis : and Deianira, on learning what had happened, hanged herself.”

Apollodorus, Library 1.8

parent: Oeneus “another daughter Deianira”
parent: Dionysus “Deianira, who is said to have been begotten on Althaea by Dionysus”
courtship with Heracles “Hercules wrestled for her hand with Achelous”
courtship with Achelous “Hercules wrestled for her hand with Achelous”
siblings with Oeneus “another daughter Deianira”
parent: Althaea “another daughter Deianira, who is said to have been begotten on Althaea by Dionysus.”

Apollodorus, Library 2.7

married with Heracles “And taking Deianira with him, he came to the river Evenus”
courtship with Heracles “Hercules wooed Deianira, daughter of Oeneus.”
with Nessus (Nessus attempted to violate Deianira.) “But he, in ferrying her across, attempted to violate her.”
child: Hyllus (parent->child) “by Deianira, daughter of Oeneus, he had Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus and Onites”
child: Ctesippus (parent->child) “by Deianira, daughter of Oeneus, he had Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus and Onites”
child: Glenus (parent->child) “by Deianira, daughter of Oeneus, he had Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus and Onites”
child: Onites (parent->child) “by Deianira, daughter of Oeneus, he had Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus and Onites”
rivals with Iole “fearing that Hercules might love that damsel more than herself”

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