Nessos

Nessos, also spelled Nessus in many sources, is a figure in Greek mythology. He is a centaur, one of the many mythological beings that populate ancient Greek narrative. Nessos is best known for an episode in the tale of Heracles: he attempts to abduct Deianira, the hero’s wife, and is killed by Heracles with an arrow dipped in the venom of the Hydra. In his dying moments, Nessos is said to have advised Deianira to keep his blood as a charm to secure Heracles’ fidelity; this stratagem later leads to tragedy when the poison is transferred to a garment and wounds Heracles, contributing to his death.

Nessos is also reflected in the literature as the Greek form of the name Nessus, with transliteration variants such as Nessus and Nessos. The two spellings refer to the same figure depending on the source. Beyond myth, the name is not widely used as a modern geographical term, and Nessos remains most prominently associated with the mythic centaur in classical literature and later adaptations.