"'Tis ill done. Would that I had slain her myself!"

"Thy heart will be changed towards her when thou hearest all."

"This is strange indeed; but say on."

"All that she did she did with good intent."

"With good intent, thou wicked boy, when she slew her husband?"

"She sought to keep thy love, fearing that thy heart was turned to
another."

"And who of the men of Trachis is so cunning in leechcraft?"

"The Centaur Nessus gave her the poison long since, saying that she
might thus win back thy love."

And when Hercules heard this he cried aloud, "Then is my doom come; for
long since it was prophesied to me that I should not die by the hand of
any living creature, but by one that dwelt in the region of the dead.
And now this Centaur, whom I slew long ago, hath slain me in turn. And
now, my son, hearken unto me. Thou knowest the hill of Oeta. Carry me
thither thyself, taking also such of thy friends as thou wilt have with
thee. And build there a great pile of oak and wild olive, and lay me
thereon, and set fire thereto. And take heed that thou shed no tear nor
utter a cry, but work this deed in silence, if, indeed, thou art my true
son: and if thou doest not so, my curse shall be upon thee for ever."