Nessus[]
Description:
Nessus is a famous centaur. A centaur is half-man, half-horse. They have the body of a horse but, in place of the horse's head the have the torso, head and arms of a man. Most are wild and savage, known for lustfulness and drunkenness. He established himself as a ferryman on the river Evenus. His most stunning feature was his charm.
Origin:
Nessus was one of the Thessalian centaurs. He fought in the Lapith war, but right when it ended he fled the land. It was then, after his escape, when he discovered the Evenus river. He there established himself as the ferryman.
Family:
Nessus is the son of Centauros. He was part of the Thessalian centaur herds. He was very independent compared to his family. His father wasn’t responsible compared to him.
Myth:
Nessus is in the story of the Tunic of Nessus. After carrying Hercules wife across the river (Deianeira), he attempted to still her away from Hercules. Hercules saw this and shot a poised our into Nessus breast. Nessus told Deianeria that his blood would make sure that Hercules would never lie to her again.
Deianeira foolishly believed him. Later, when her trust began to wane because of Iole, she spread the centaur's blood on a shirt and gave it to her husband. Heracles went to a gathering of heroes, where his passion got the better of him. Meanwhile, Deianeira accidentally spilled a portion of the centaur's blood onto the floor. To her horror, it began to fume by the light of the rising sun.
She instantly recognized it as poison and sent her messenger to warn Heracles but it was too late. Heracles lay dying slowly and painfully as the shirt burned his skin—either in actual flames or by the heat of poison. He died a noble death on a funeral pyre of oak branches, and was taken to Mount Olympus by Zeus and welcomed amongst the gods for his heroic exploits.
Special Powers:
Nessus’s power was his charm. This made him very able to control others and made women fall in love with him very easily. Along with this power, he had his poisonous blood. This blood was the one that killed Hercules.
Interesting Facts:
· Nessus, an alternate name for Nestos, son of Oceanus and Tethys
· NESSUS IS a Centaur planet that assists with identifying and healing of abuse patterns.
· Nessus had bad relationship with Hercules
· Nessus loved to take advantage of human/mortal women
Works Cited[]
1. "Nessus (mythology)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.
2. "NESSUS : Centaur of Aetolia | Greek Mythology, Nessos, W/ Pictures." NESSUS : Centaur of Aetolia | Greek Mythology, Nessos, W/ Pictures. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.