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55. THE POISONED ROBE Nessus igitur sagitta Herculis transfixus moriens humi iacebat; at ne occasionem sui ulciscendi dimitteret, ita locutus est: "Tu, Deianira, verba morientis audi. Si amorem mariti tui conservare vis, hunc sanguinem qui nunc e pectore meo effunditur sume ac repone; tum, si umquam in suspicionem tibi venerit, vestem mariti hoc sanguine inficies." Haec locutus Nessus animam efflavit; Deianira autem nihil mali suspicata imperata fecit. Paulo post Hercules bellum contra Eurytum, regem Oechaliae, suscepit; et cum regem ipsum cum filiis interfecisset, Iolen eius filiam captivam secum reduxit. Antequam tamen domum venit, navem ad Cenaeum promunturium appulit, et in terram egressus aram constituit, ut Iovi sacrificaret. Dum tamen sacrificium parat, Licham comitem suum domum misit, qui vestem albam referret; mos enim erat apud antiquos, dum sacrificia facerent, albam vestem gerere. At Deianira verita ne Hercules amorem erga Iolen haberet, vestem priusquam Lichae dedit, sanguine Nessi infecit. 56. THE DEATH OF HERCULES Hercules nihil mali suspicans vestem quam Lichas attulerat statim induit; paulo post tamen dolorem per omnia membra sensit, et quae causa esset eius rei magnopere mirabatur. Dolore paene exanimatus vestem detrahere conatus est; illa tamen in corpore haesit, neque ullo modo abscindi potuit. Tum demum Hercules quasi furore impulsus in montem Octam se contulit, et in rogum, quem summa celeritate exstruxit, se imposuit. Hoc cum fecisset, eos qui circumstabant oravit ut rogum quam celerrime succenderent. Omnes diu recusabant; tandem tamen pastor quidam ad misericordiam inductus ignem subdidit. Tum, dum omnia fumo obscurantur, Hercules densa nube velatus a Iove in Olympum abreptus est. THE ARGONAUTS The celebrated voyage of the Argonauts was brought about in this way. Pelias had expelled his brother Aeson from his kingdom in Thessaly, and had determined to take the life of Jason, the son of Aeson. Jason, however, escaped and grew up to manhood in another country. At last he returned to Thessaly; and Pelias, fearing that he might attempt to recover the kingdom, sent him to fetch the Golden Fleece from Colchis, supposing this to be an impossible feat. Jason with a band of heroes set sail in the ship Argo (called after Argus, its builder), and after many adventures reached Colchis. Here Aeetes, king of Colchis, who was unwilling to give up the Fleece, set Jason to perform what seemed an impossible task, namely to plough a field with certain fire-breathing oxen, and then to sow it with dragon's teeth. Medea, however, the daughter of the king, assisted Jason by her skill in magic, first to perform the task appointed, and then to procure the Fleece. She then fled with Jason, and to delay the pursuit of her father, sacrificed her brother Absyrtus. After reaching Thessaly, Medea caused the death of Pelias and was expelled from the country with her husband. They removed to Corinth, and here Medea becoming jealous of Glauce, daughter of Creon, caused her death by means of a poisoned robe. She was afterward carried off in a chariot sent by the sun-god, and a little later Jason was accidentally killed.