ity of Eurytus,
went to a certain place hard by the sea, that he might offer sacrifices
to Zeus, according to his vow. And even as he was about to begin, there
came Lichas the herald bringing thy gift, the deadly robe. And he put it
upon him as thou badest, and slew the beasts for the sacrifice, even
twelve oxen chosen out of the prey, and one hundred other beasts. And
for a while he did worship to the Gods with a glad heart, rejoicing in
the beauty of his apparel. But when the fire grew hot, and the sweat
came out upon his skin, the robe clung about him as though one had
fitted it to him by art, and there went a great pang of pain through
him, even as the sting of a serpent. And then he called to Lichas the
herald, and would fain know for what end he had brought this accursed
raiment. And when the wretch said that it was thy gift, he caught him by
the foot, and cast him on a rock that was in the sea hard by, and all
his brains were scattered upon it. And all the people groaned to see
this thing, that the man perished so miserably, and that such madness
wrought in thy husband. Nor did any one dare to draw near to him, for he
threw himself now into the air, and now upon the ground, so fierce was
the pain; and all the rocks about sounded again with his groaning. But
after a while he spied me where I stood waiting in the crowd, and called
to me, and said, 'Come hither, my son; fly not from me in my trouble,
even if it needs be that thou die with me. But take me, and set me where
no man may see me; but above all carry me from this land, that I die not
here.' Whereupon we laid him in the hold of a ship, and brought him to
this place, where thou wilt see him soon, either newly dead or on the
point to die. This is what thou hast done, my mother; for thou hast
slain thy husband, such a man as thou shalt never more see upon this
earth."

And when the Queen heard this, she spake not a word, but hasted into the
palace, and ran through it like unto one that is smitten with madness.
And at the last she entered the chamber of Hercules, and sat down in
the midst and wept piteously, saying, "O my marriage-bed, where never
more I shall lie, farewell!" And as she spake she loosed the golden
brooch that was upon her heart, and bared all her left side; and before
any could hinder her--for her nurse had seen what she did, and had run
to fetch her son--she took a two-edged sword and smote herself to the
heart, and so fell dead. And as she fe