il at last the Bacchanal women, in fury
at his despising the foul rites of their god, tore him limb from limb.
The Muses collected his remains, and gave them funeral rites, and Jupiter
placed his lyre in the skies, where you may know it by one of the
brightest of all our stars.

Hercules also made another visit to the realms below. Admetus, one of
the AEolian kings, had obtained from Apollo that, when the time came for
him to die, his life should be prolonged if anyone would submit to death
in his turn. The call came while Admetus was still young, and he
besought his old father, and then his mother, to die in his stead; but
they would not, and it was his fair young wife Alcestis who gave her life
for his. Just as she was laid in the tomb, Hercules came to visit
Admetus, and, on hearing what had happened, he went down to the kingdom
of Pluto and brought her back. Or some say he sat by her tomb, and
wrestled with Death when he came to seize her.

But, strong as he was, Hercules had in time to meet death himself. He
had married a nymph named Deianira, and was taking her home, when he came
to a river where a Centaur named Nessus lived, and gained his bread by
carrying travellers over on his back. Hercules paid him the price for
carrying Deianira over, while he himself crossed on foot; but as soon as
the river was between them, the faithless Centaur began to gallop away
with the lady. Hercules sent an arrow after him, which brought him to
the ground, and as he was dying he prepared his revenge, by telling
Deianira that his blood was enchanted with love for her, and that if ever
she found her husband's affection failing her, she had only to make him
put on a garment anointed with it, and his heart would return to her: he
knew full well that his blood was full of the poison of the Hydra, but
poor Deianira believed him, and had saved some of the blood before
Hercules came up.

Several years after, Hercules made prisoner a maiden named Iole, in
Lydia, after gaining a great victory. Landing in the island of Euboea,
he was going to make a great sacrifice to Jupiter, and sent home to
Deianira for a festal garment to wear at it. She was afraid he was
falling in love with Iole, and steeped the garment in the preparation she
had made from Nessus' blood. No sooner did Hercules put it on, than his
veins were filled with agony, which nothing could assuage. He tried to
tear off the robe, but the skin and flesh came with it, a