The first Centaur was Kentauros, who was the result of the human Ixion och Nefele, a cloud that Zeus replaced Hera to when Ixion wanted to sleep with her. Kentauros with his human head, arms, shoulders and a body of a horse, represented the humans lust and Centaurs were often used in the art to symbolize the non-Greek, uncivilized barbarians.

Centaurs spend their lives in inaccessible and rocky mountain areas, they knew about all the forces of nature.

Cherion

Cherion were different from Kentauros' offspring, in the way that he was wise and educated and young Greeks were instructed by him.

Chrerion raised Iason, son of Aison - king of Iolkos. He raised Achilles - the greatest of the heroes that marched to Troya.

Cherion was also the one who taught Hercules how to handle weapon and heal wounds.

Nessos

Nessos helped travelers over the violent river Evenos, including them also Hercules and his wife Deineira once.

Deineira got up on Nessos back wile Hercules wade before them across the river. When Hercules reached the shore, he saw Nessos turn around trying to kidnap his wife. Hercules took one of his poisoned arrows, that he ones dipped in the hydras blood, and shoot it at the centaur.

The arrow hit Nessos in the back and the blood streamed out of the wound. Nessos understood that he was dying and only thought about revenge. He whispered to Deineira that she should take some of his blood and keep it well. If she ever got afraid to lose the love of her husband, she should take his clothes and soak them in the blood, and he would never love anyone else.

When they reached the shore, Nessos powers were over and he fell dead down to the ground. Deineira hurried to do as Nessos told her before Hercules got there too.

Deineira got the opportunity to use Nessos' blood later on, what she didn't knew was that that should be her husbands dead.