And afterward he heard of them being in
Calydon, hunting the boar that ravaged Oeneus's country. To
Calydon Heracles went. The heroes had departed when he came into
the country, and all the city was in grief for the deaths of
Prince Meleagrus and his two uncles.
On the steps of the temple where Meleagrus and his uncles had
been brought Heracles saw Deianira, Meleagrus's sister. She was
pale with her grief, this tall woman of the mountains; she looked
like a priestess, but also like a woman who could cheer camps of
men with her counsel, her bravery, and her good companionship;
her hair was very dark and she had dark eyes.
Straightway she became friends with Heracles; and when they saw
each other for a while they loved each other. And Heracles forgot
Iole, the childlike maiden whom he had seen in Oichalia.
He made himself a suitor for Deianira, and those who protected
her were glad of Heracles's suit, and they told him they would
give him the maiden to marry as soon as the mourning for Prince
Meleagrus and his uncles was over. Heracles stayed in Calydon,
happy with Deianira, who had so much beauty, wisdom, and bravery.
But then a dreadful thing happened in Calydon; by an accident,
while using his strength unthinkingly, Heracles killed a lad who
was related to Deianira. He might not marry her now until he had
taken punishment for slaying one who was close to her in blood.
As a punishment for the slaying it was judged that Heracles
should be sold into slavery for three years.
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