An accurate representation of the three-body potential for the ground
state of neutral Hes has been obtained by fitting to high quality ab i
nitio data. The calculations show that the 3rd order, triple-dipole di
spersion energy is of minimal importance in comparison with the three-
body exchange term except at very large internuclear separations. Damp
ing of the triple-dipole term is better described by a product of damp
ing functions in each of the three internuclear distances than by a si
ngle damping function with the perimeter of the triangle as a variable
.