Deianira in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Deianira

23 passages from 6 ancient authors that tell of Deianira, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. There are two characters named Deianira in Greek mythology. The name means "the destroyer of her husband". The lesser known character is an Amazon tha... For the story in one place, read our article on Deianira.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.7.1–8Heracles' wars, Deianira and the death of HeraclesHera's storms drive Heracles to Cos on his way back from Troy, and he then fights beside the gods against the Giants. He campaigns against Augeas and the Molionides in Elis, against Pylos and against Hippocoon in Sparta, and fathers Telephus by Auge. He wins Deianira from Achelous and kills the centaur Nessus at the Evenus; after taking Oechalia, he puts on the robe stained with Nessus's blood and burns on Mount Oeta, rising to heaven and marrying Hebe. The section ends with a long list of his children, among them his sons by the daughters of Thespius.

Sophocles (15)

Sophocles, Women of Trachis 335–430Second episode (cont.): the Messenger exposes LichasThe Messenger stops Deianeira from going in and tells her that Lichas has been lying. He says that he heard Lichas declare in public that Heracles destroyed the city of Eurytus for love of the girl, who is Iole, Eurytus' daughter. Deianeira is shocked, and when she questions Lichas he says that the girl is a Euboean of unknown birth, and denies that he ever said otherwise.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 1–93Prologue: Deianeira, the Nurse and HyllusDeianeira tells how, as a girl at Pleuron, she feared marriage to the river-god Achelous until Heracles rescued her by fighting him, and how her married life has been one long worry for her absent husband. She says that he has now been away for fifteen months and left a tablet with oracles about this time. At the Nurse's suggestion, she sends their son Hyllus to look for his father, who is said to be making war on Euboea.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 141–204First episode: the tablet and the Messenger's good newsDeianeira tells the women what Heracles left with her before he went: a tablet foretelling that after fifteen months he would either die or live free from toil, and she says that this is the moment. A Messenger from the army, crowned with garlands, announces that Heracles is alive and victorious and that his herald Lichas is on his way. Deianeira prays in joy to Zeus.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 205–292First stasimon; Lichas arrives with the captive womenThe Chorus call on the women to raise a cry of joy for the return of Heracles and for Apollo and Artemis. Lichas arrives with a group of captive women and tells Deianeira that her husband is alive and about to offer sacrifice at Cape Cenaeum in Euboea. He says that Heracles was kept for a year in servitude to Omphale in Lydia as a penalty for killing Iphitus by treachery, and that he then sacked the city of Eurytus.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 293–334Second episode: Deianeira and the captive girlDeianeira rejoices in her husband's safety but pities the captive women, and singles out one of them, noble in appearance and silent in grief. She asks Lichas who she is, and he claims that he does not know. Deianeira says that the girl should be left in peace and go into the house, and that she herself will prepare for Lichas' return journey.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 633–730Third stasimon; Deianeira discovers the effect of the charmThe Chorus sing that Heracles will soon return and that the long wait is at an end. Deianeira comes out in alarm and tells the women that the tuft of wool with which she anointed the robe crumbled to dust in the sunlight and seethed with foam, and that what she has done now seems terrible. She says that the centaur would not have wished to help the man who shot him, and that if Heracles dies she will die with him.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 588–632Third episode: Deianeira sends the robeThe Chorus think well of the plan, but Deianeira says that only trying will show. She gives Lichas the sealed chest with the robe and tells him that no one else must wear it, and that it must not be seen by fire or sunlight until Heracles puts it on at the sacrifice. Lichas promises to carry it faithfully and goes.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 731–820Fourth episode: Hyllus accuses his motherHyllus returns and tells his mother that he wishes she were dead or someone else's mother, and that she has killed his father. He tells how Heracles put on the robe at the sacrifice at Cape Cenaeum, how the poison burned him and he threw Lichas against a rock in the sea, and how he has been carried home on a ship. Hyllus prays that Justice and the Erinys will punish her, and Deianeira goes into the house without a word.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 431–496Second episode (cont.): Lichas confessesDeianeira begs Lichas by Zeus not to hide the truth from her, saying that she knows that all men are subject to desire and that she will not blame Heracles or the girl. Lichas admits that the Messenger is right, that Heracles sacked Oechalia out of passion for the girl, and that he did not tell her out of fear of causing her pain. Deianeira says that she will not fight the gods, and goes in to bring gifts for Heracles.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 863–946Fifth episode: the Nurse reports the death of DeianeiraA cry is heard from the house, and the Nurse comes out to say that Deianeira has killed herself with a sword. She tells how Deianeira, after wandering in the house and saying goodbye to her household gods and the bridal bed, lay down on the bed of Heracles and drove a sword into her side. She says that Hyllus, who learned too late that his mother was innocent, wept over her.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 94–140Parodos: the women of TrachisThe Chorus of Trachinian women call on the Sun to say where Heracles is, and sing of Deianeira's sleepless fear for him. They tell her that she should not lose hope, since the life of no man is without change, like the turning of the Bear. They add that Zeus does not leave his children without care.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 497–587Second stasimon; Deianeira plans to win back her husbandThe Chorus sing of the power of Cypris, and of the fight between Heracles and the river-god Achelous for the hand of Deianeira. Deianeira comes out and tells the women that she fears the younger woman, and that she has a way to win back her husband's love. She says that the centaur Nessus, whom Heracles shot with an arrow when he tried to assault her at the river, told her to use his blood as a charm, and that she has smeared a robe with it.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 821–861Fourth stasimon: the old prophecy fulfilledThe Chorus say that the old prophecy has been fulfilled, which said that Heracles would find release from his toils in the twelfth year, since the dead do not toil. They sing that the centaur's poison is now at work in him, and they pity Deianeira, who applied the drug without understanding what it was. They say that the Cyprian goddess has plainly been the author of these deeds.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 947–1042Exodos: Heracles is carried inThe Chorus see Heracles carried in on a litter by attendants, with Hyllus, and an old man tells them to keep silent, since he is asleep. He wakes in agony and cries out against the pain, and asks for someone to strike off his head with sword or fire. He tells Hyllus to lift him and to end his life with a sword, and curses Deianeira.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 1112–1142Exodos (cont.): Hyllus explains what Deianeira didHyllus tells his father that Deianeira is dead by her own hand, and that she did wrong but with a good intent. He explains that she meant to apply a love-charm to win back Heracles' heart, and that the centaur Nessus had persuaded her long ago to use it.

Diodorus Siculus (2)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.36.1–4.39.4The death of HeraclesHeracles takes the field with the Calydonians against the Thesprotians and, after he kills a serving boy by accident, goes into exile with Deïaneira. At the river Euenus the centaur Nessus attacks her; dying, he gives her a charm, and years later she uses it on a robe to win Heracles back from Iole. The robe consumes Heracles, who has himself burned on a pyre on Mount Oeta; the section closes with the honours paid to him as hero and god.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.34.1–4.35.4Deianeira, Meleager and the Calydonian boarHeracles settles at Calydon and marries Deïaneira, daughter of Oeneus. The chapters tell of Meleager and the Calydonian boar: his love for Atalanta, his killing of Althaea's brothers, and his mother's curse, with Oeneus's remarriage to Periboea and the birth of Tydeus.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.98–272Nessus and the death of HeraclesHeracles (Hercules), returning with Deianira, crosses the river Evenus, where the centaur Nessus offers to carry her across and tries to take her. Heracles shoots him with an arrow dipped in the hydra's poison, and the dying Nessus gives Deianira his blood-stained tunic as a love-charm. Years later, jealous of Iole, she sends the tunic to Heracles, who is burned by the poison, and tears at his flesh, and is raised to the sky from a funeral pyre on Mount Oeta.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.1–97Achelous and HeraclesTheseus asks Achelous why he has a broken horn, and the river god tells how he and Heracles (Hercules) fought for the hand of Deianira. Achelous changed into a snake and then a bull, and Heracles tore off one of his horns. The nymphs filled it with fruits and flowers, and it became the horn of plenty.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.23.1–8Argos: Hollow Street, the Asclepieum and disputed Argive tombsAlong Hollow Street are a temple of Dionysus, brought from Euboea, the house of Adrastus, and shrines of Amphiaraus, Eriphyle, Asclepius and Baton. Pausanias disputes Argive claims to hold the tombs of Hyrnetho, Deianira and Helenus and the Palladium, noting that the Palladium went to Italy and Deianira died near Trachis. He also describes the underground chamber of Acrisius’ daughter, the tomb of Crotopus, and the temple of Cretan Dionysus, where Ariadne’s coffin was said to be found.

Bacchylides (2)

Bacchylides, Epinicians (Odes of Victory) 5.1–200Ode 5: Heracles meets Meleager in HadesThe poet sends Hieron a song and compares his own flight to the eagle's, celebrating the victory of the chestnut horse Pherenicus at Olympia and at Pytho. He tells how Heracles went down to Hades for the hound of Hades, saw the shade of Meleager and drew his bow, but was told there was nothing to fear. Meleager tells of the Calydonian boar sent by Artemis, of the quarrel over its hide, and of the brand burned by his mother Althaea that ended his life. Moved to tears, Heracles asks about a sister he might marry, and Meleager names Deianeira; the ode ends with praise of Hieron and a prayer to Zeus.
Bacchylides, Dithyrambs 15.1–16.35Dithyrambs 15–16: the sons of Antenor; Heracles and DeianeiraTheano, priestess of Athena, opens the temple doors to the Greek envoys Odysseus and Menelaus, and the sons of Antenor lead them to the Trojan assembly, where Menelaus speaks of Insolence and Justice. In the next song the poet prays to Apollo, and sings how Heracles, after burning Oechalia, sacrifices at the cape of Cenaean Zeus. A god then weaves a cruel device for Deianeira when she learns that Iole is to come to the house as a bride, and she takes the fatal gift of Nessus.