Nessus (mythology)
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- For other uses of the word "Nessus", please refer to Nessus.
In Greek mythology, Nessus was a famous centaur. He was the son of Ixion and Nephele, the Cloud. In a fit of lust, he attempted to kidnap Deianira, the wife of Heracles. Heracles saw Nessus attempting to rape his wife from across a river and shot a poisoned arrow into Nessus's breast. As a final act of malice, Nessus told Deianira, as he lay dying, that his blood would ensure that Heracles would be true to her forever. She foolishly believed him and, when her trust began to wane, spread the blood on a shirt and gave it to her husband, who died slowly and painfully as the shirt burned (either in actual flames or by the heat of poison) his skin.
This story is retold in certain versions of the story of Medea.
In certain versions of the role-playing game, Dungeons and dragons, a cursed "poisonous cloak" can be seen (after a character has been killed by it, or has made a saving throw to avoid being killed by it, or has used some magical means to see its true essence) to bear a label from the "Nessus Shirt Company."