—now coming as a bull, now as a scaly dragon, now in human form, with a bull's head, "with streams of water flowing from his shaggy beard." Hercules wrestled with Achelous, while the maiden looked on at a prudent distance; and the river-god, after being nearly strangled and losing one of his horns, gave way, and the victor bore away his bride in triumph. On their way homewards they came to the river Evenus, where the centaur Nessus dwelt, who was wont to carry travellers across. Hercules himself breasted the stream, and reached the further bank in safety, carrying his lion's skin, his bow, and the famous arrows which had been dipped in the poison of the hydra. Hearing a cry, he looked back, and saw Nessus offering violence to Dejanira, as he was bearing her across. Ovid—who has told the whole story—describes the prompt vengeance of the hero, as the centaur tries to fly. "Think not, thou," exclaims Hercules—
"With all the speed of all thy hoofs to 'scape!
My wounds are swifter than my feet!' The act
Followed the word, and through his flying back
Impelled before his breast the barb outstood.
And as he plucked it thence, from either wound
Mingled with Lerna's venom gushed the blood,
And steeped his mantle's fold. 'Not unavenged,'
He muttered, 'will I perish!' and to her
He would have ravished gave the robe, yet warm
With poisoned gore, and bade her with that gift
At need assure her husband's wavering love."[1]
Dejanira herself comes forward, and, as the single actor was wont to do in the earlier drama, tells the
