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Rh and gain their city, which he restored to its rightful king, Tyndareos (or, perhaps, to his sons), who had been driven out by the sons of Hippokoön. It was just after this occasion that Herakles met Auge in Tegea.

In Aitolia and the Mountains.—Herakles crossed the Gulf of Corinth to Aitolia and became a suitor for the hand of Deianeira, the daughter of Oineus of Kalydon, although in so doing he became a rival of the powerful river-god Acheloös. While wrestling with the divinity, who had taken the form of a bull, the hero broke and retained one of his horns, which was so precious to its owner that for its restoration he allowed Herakles to possess Deianeira, and, besides, to take the wonderful Horn of Plenty, which would give to him who held it as much food or drink as he should wish for. For many days Herakles was entertained by Oineus, and even helped him in a war of conquest along the coast of the Adriatic, but, as usual, his bulk and strength got him into trouble in spite of himself. One day he chanced to kill a lad who was related to the king, and though forgiven by the lad's father, he went into voluntary exile, as the custom of the country required, and set out with Deianeira to take up his abode with Keÿx of Trachis, a city on the other side of the mountains. Arriving at the river Evenos, over which Nessos the Centaur used to ferry on his back those who travelled afoot, Herakles crossed alone, leaving his wife in the care of Nessos. As soon as the husband was a little distance away, the Centaur made a vicious attack upon the woman, but at her outcry Herakles turned and with a well-aimed shaft pierced her assailant through the heart. When Nessos had crawled out on the river's bank to die, he called Deianeira to his side and gave her a mixture of his blood which, he promised, would serve as a love-philtre to revive her husband's affection for her should it wane at any time.

As Herakles passed through the country of the Dryopians, he found himself in need of food. He had apparently forgotten