wound as a love-charm for her husband. Many years afterwards, when
Heracles was returning from his last exploit of sacking Oechalia, in
Euboea, he sent before him, by his herald Lichas, Iole, the king's
daughter, whom he had espoused. Deanira, when she had discovered this,
commissioned Lichas when he returned to present his master with a
robe, which she had anointed with the charm,--hoping by this means to
regain her lord's affection. But the poison of the Hydra did its work,
and Heracles died in agony, Deanira having already killed herself on
ascertaining what she had done. The action takes place in Trachis,
near the Mahae Gulf, where Heracles and Deanira, by permission of
Ceyx, the king of the country, have been living in exile. At the close
of the drama, Heracles, while yet alive, is carried towards his pyre
on Mount Oeta.




THE TRACHINIAN MAIDENS


DÊANIRA. Men say,--'twas old experience gave the word,
--'No lot of mortal, ere he die, can once
Be known for good or evil.' But I know,
Before I come to the dark dwelling-place,
Mine is a lot, adverse and hard and sore.
Who yet at Pleuron, in my father's home,
Of all Aetolian women had most cause
To fear my bridal. For a river-god,
Swift Achelôüs, was my suitor there
And sought me from my father in three forms;