Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 1 (Greek and Roman).djvu/256

94 the boundless capacity of his magic Horn of Plenty, so that, when none would give him food, he seized an ox and prepared a meal from it. The inhospitality of the Dryopians he never forgot, and later he punished them with a devastating war, killing their king as he was impiously feasting in a shrine of Apollo. Not long afterward he went to the aid of Aigimios, king of the Dorians, who was being beleaguered by the Lapithai, and drove the besiegers away. In this district there was a place well adapted for an ambuscade which the votaries of Apollo had to pass on their southward journey to Delphoi, and there Kyknos, a son of Ares, used to lie in wait and attack them as they went by; but when he met with Herakles he was overpowered and slain, and thenceforth the pilgrims were unmolested.

At last the moment arrived for Herakles to punish the faithlessness of Eurytos. Going against Olchalla, he slew the king and his sons and many of their allies, and then sacked the city and took Iole captive. When the news of this seizure reached the ears of Deianeira, her heart was aflame with jealousy, and she prepared to make use of the gift of Nessos. It happened that Herakles sent a messenger to her from Olchalla to bring back to him a ceremonial vestment for a solemn sacrifice. Choosing a robe, she poured over it some of the magic liquid, but her trust in Nessos turned out to have been too hasty, for it was no philtre that he had given her, but a fiery liquid which wrapped the body of Herakles in deadly flames as soon as he donned the garment. Recognizing that his end was near, the hero ascended Mount Oita above Trachis and had a great pyre of wood built. Upon this he lay down and ordered those about him to kindle it, but none had the boldness of heart to take their master's life. At length a passer-by, Poias (or perhaps Poias's son, Philoktetes) was induced to do the deed by the gift of Herakles' bow and arrows. As the flames rose and consumed the hero, a cloud from which thunder proceeded was seen to gather over him and to take him into its bosom,