HERAKLES
II
It was then that Herakles was given arms by the Gods--the sword of Hermes, the bow of Apollo, the shield made by Hephæstos; it was then that Herakles, coming to the Caucasus, slew the vulture that preyed upon Prometheus's liver, and, at the will of Zeus, liberated the Titan from his bonds. Thereafter Zeus and Prometheus were reconciled, and Zeus, that neither might forget how much the enmity between them had cost Gods and men, had a ring made for Prometheus to wear; that ring was made out of the fetter that had been upon
Omphale, the widow, received him mirthfully when he got back to Lydia; she set him to do tasks in the kitchen while she sat and talked to him about Troy and the affairs of King Laomedon. And afterwards she put on his lion's skin, and went about in the courtyard dragging the heavy club after her. Mirthfully and pleasantly she made the rest of his time in Lydia pass for Herakles; the last day of his slavery soon came; he bade good-bye to Omphale, and he started off to Kalydon to claim his bride, Deianeira.
Beautiful, indeed, Deianeira looked now that she had ceased to mourn; the laughter that had been under her grief now flashed out; her dark eyes shone like stars, and her being had the spirit of one who wanders from camp to camp always greeting friends and leaving friends behind her. Herakles wed Deianeira, and they set out for Tiryns.
They came to the River Evenos. Herakles could have crossed the
