Rijksmuseum

Hercules and Lichas

Date

1812

Medium

paper

Culture

Italy

Institution

Rijksmuseum

Hercules casts his servant Lichas, who holds on for dear life in vain, into the sea. The vengeful centaur Nessus gave Hercules’ wife his own blood with the promise that it would ensure her husband’s faithfulness. Lichas brought Hercules a garment drenched in Nessus’ blood, however it proved to be poisoned and caused Hercules unbearable pain. The frenzied Hercules killed Lichas. In the end, the desperate Hercules cast himself on a pyre and died.

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