Nessus

Guido Reni, Rapture of Deyanira1620–1, Louvre Museum.

In Greek mythology Nesus (in Greek Νεσσος Nessos; in Latin Nessus) was a famous centaur, son of Ixion and Nephele, a cloud-nymph that Zeus had given the form of Hera.

In a fit of lust, Nessus tried to kidnap Deianira, Heracles' wife, offering her to ride on him to cross the Eveno river. Heracles, from the other side of the river, saw that Deyanira was going to be forced by Neso, and shot an arrow poisoned with the blood of the Hydra of Lerna into the centaur's chest, which he had killed thus fulfilling one of his jobs to Eurystheus. As the last act of evil, while he was dying, Nessus told Deianira that her blood would ensure that Heracles was always faithful to her.

Deianira believed him, and later, when her confidence in Heracles's fidelity began to wane, she smeared the blood on a shirt and gave it to her husband, who died slowly and painfully as his skin was burned, burned or burned. by the heat of the poison. Heracles would immolate himself in pain on Mount Eta, thus concluding the last chapter of the Greek demigod.

This story is also told in some versions of Medea's.