---
title: "Alcestis · Ἄλκηστις"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Edward P. Coleridge"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-alcestis/2/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge, Alcestis · Ἄλκηστις, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-alcestis/2/"
---

# Alcestis · Ἄλκηστις

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

A wife agrees to die in her husband’s place, and Heracles wrestles Death for her.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg002, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg002.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 2. Lines 597–1163

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-alcestis/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-alcestis/2/#p-N

[¶0] Chorus:
Now too hath he opened wide his house and welcomed a guest although his eye is wet with tears in mourning for his wife so dear
but lately dead within his halls; yea, for noble birth to noble feeling is inclined. And in the good completest wisdom dwells; and at my heart sits the bold belief
that heaven’s servant will be blesedblessed.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ νῦν δόμον ἀμπετάσας
δέξατο ξεῖνον νοτερῷ βλεφάρῳ,
τᾶς φίλας κλαίων ἀλόχου νέκυν ἐν
δώμασιν ἀρτιθανῆ· τὸ γὰρ εὐγενὲς
ἐκφέρεται πρὸς αἰδῶ.
ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖσι δὲ πάντ’ ἔνεστιν σοφίας. ἄγαμαι·
πρὸς δ’ ἐμᾷ ψυχᾷ θάρσος ἧσται
θεοσεβῆ φῶτα κεδνὰ πράξειν.

[¶1] Admetus:
Men of Pherae, kindly gathered here, lo! even now my servants are bearing the corpse with all its trappings shoulder-high to the funeral pyre for burial; do ye, as custom bids,
salute the dead on her last journey starting.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἀνδρῶν Φεραίων εὐμενὴς παρουσία,
νέκυν μὲν ἤδη πάντ’ ἔχοντα πρόσπολοι
φέρουσιν ἄρδην πρὸς τάφον τε καὶ πυράν·
ὑμεῖς δὲ τὴν θανοῦσαν, ὡς νομίζεται,
προσείπατ’ ἐξιοῦσαν ὑστάτην ὁδόν.

[¶2] Chorus:
Look! I see thy father advancing with aged step, and servants too bearing in their arms adornment for thy wife, offerings for the dead.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν ὁρῶ σὸν πατέρα γηραιῷ ποδὶ
στείχοντʼ, ὀπαδούς τ’ ἐν χεροῖν δάμαρτι σῇ
κόσμον φέροντας, νερτέρων ἀγάλματα.

[¶3] Pheres:
My son, I come to share thy sorrow,
for thou hast lost a noble, peerless wife; that no man will deny. Yet must thou needs bear this blow, hard though it be. Accept this garniture, and let it go beneath the earth, for rightly is her body honoured,
since she died to save thy life, my son, and gave me back my child, suffering me not to lose thee and pine away in an old age of sorrow. Thus by the generous deed she dared, hath she made her life a noble example for all her sex.

> Greek: Φέρης:
ἥκω κακοῖσι σοῖσι συγκάμνων, τέκνον·
ἐσθλῆς γάρ, οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ, καὶ σώφρονος
γυναικὸς ἡμάρτηκας. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν
φέρειν ἀνάγκη καίπερ ὄντα δύσφορα.
δέχου δὲ κόσμον τόνδε, καὶ κατὰ χθονὸς
ἴτω. τὸ ταύτης σῶμα τιμᾶσθαι χρεών,
ἥτις γε τῆς σῆς προύθανε ψυχῆς, τέκνον,
καί μ’ οὐκ ἄπαιδ’ ἔθηκεν οὐδ’ εἴασε σοῦ
στερέντα γήρᾳ πενθίμῳ καταφθίνειν,
πάσαις δ’ ἔθηκεν εὐκλεέστερον βίον
γυναιξίν, ἔργον τλᾶσα γενναῖον τόδε.

[¶4] Farewell to thee, who hast saved this son of mine and raised me up when falling; be thine a happy lot even in Hades’ halls! Such marriages I declare are gain to man, else to wed is not worth while.

> Greek: ὦ τόνδε μὲν σώσασʼ, ἀναστήσασα δὲ
ἡμᾶς πίτνοντας, χαῖρε, κἀν Ἅιδου δόμοις
εὖ σοι γένοιτο. φημὶ τοιούτους γάμους
λύειν βροτοῖσιν, ἢ γαμεῖν οὐκ ἄξιον.

[¶5] Admetus:
Thou hast come uncalled by me to this burial,
nor do I count thy presence as a friendly act. Never shall she be clad in any garniture of thine, nor in her burial will she need aught of thine. Thou shouldst have shewn thy sympathy at the time my doom was sealed. But thou didst stand aloof and let another die,
though thou wert old, the victim young; shalt thou then mourn the dead? Methinks thou wert no real sire of mine nor was she my true mother who calls herself and is called so, but I was sprung of slave’s blood and privily substituted at thy wife’s breast.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
οὔτ’ ἦλθες ἐς τόνδ’ ἐξ ἐμοῦ κληθεὶς τάφον,
οὔτ’ ἐν φίλοισι σὴν παρουσίαν λέγω.
κόσμον δὲ τὸν σὸν οὔποθ’ ἥδ’ ἐνδύσεται.
οὐ γάρ τι τῶν σῶν ἐνδεὴς ταφήσεται.
τότε ξυναλγεῖν χρῆν σ’ ὅτ’ ὠλλύμην ἐγώ.
σὺ δ’ ἐκποδὼν στὰς καὶ παρεὶς ἄλλῳ θανεῖν
νέῳ γέρων ὤν, τόνδ’ ἀποιμώξῃ νεκρόν;
οὐκ ἦσθ’ ἄρ’ ὀρθῶς τοῦδε σώματος πατήρ;
οὐδ’ ἡ τεκεῖν φάσκουσα καὶ κεκλημένη
μήτηρ μ’ ἔτικτε; δουλίου δ’ ἀφ’ αἵματος
μαστῷ γυναικὸς σῆς ὑπεβλήθην λάθρᾳ;

[¶6] Brought to the test thou hast shewn thy nature; I cannot think I am thy child by birth. By heaven, thou art the very pattern of cowards, who at thy age, on the borderland of life, wouldst not, nay! couldst not find the heart to die
for thy own son; but ye, my parents, left to this stranger, whom I henceforth shall justly hold e’en as mother and as father too, and none but her. And yet ’twas a noble exploit to achieve, to die to save thy son, and in any case the
remnant of thy time to live was but short; and I and she would have lived the days that were to be, nor had I lost my wife and mourned my evil fate. Moreover thou hast had all treatment that a happy man should have; in princely pomp thy youth was spent,
thou hadst a son, myself, to be the heir of this thy home, so thou hadst no fear of dying childless and leaving thy house desolate, for strangers to pillage. Nor yet canst thou say I did dishonour thy old age and give thee up to die, seeing I have ever been
to thee most dutiful, and for this thou, my sire, and she, my mother, have made me this return. Go then, get other sons to tend thy closing years, prepare thy body for the grave, and lay out thy corpse.

> Greek: ἔδειξας εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξελθὼν ὃς εἶ,
καί μ’ οὐ νομίζω παῖδα σὸν πεφυκέναι.
ἦ τἄρα πάντων διαπρέπεις ἀψυχίᾳ,
ὃς τηλικόσδ’ ὢν κἀπὶ τέρμ’ ἥκων βίου
οὐκ ἠθέλησας οὐδ’ ἐτόλμησας θανεῖν
τοῦ σοῦ πρὸ παιδός, ἀλλὰ τήνδ’ εἰάσατε
γυναῖκ’ ὀθνείαν, ἣν ἐγὼ καὶ μητέρα
πατέρα τέ γ’ ἐνδίκως ἂν ἡγοίμην μόνην.
καίτοι καλόν γ’ ἂν τόνδ’ ἀγῶν’ ἠγωνίσω,
τοῦ σοῦ πρὸ παιδὸς κατθανών, βραχὺς δέ σοι
πάντως ὁ λοιπὸς ἦν βιώσιμος χρόνος.
[κἀγώ τ’ ἂν ἔζων χἥδε τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνον,]
[κοὐκ ἂν μονωθεὶς ἔστενον κακοῖς ἐμοῖς.]
καὶ μὴν ὅσ’ ἄνδρα χρὴ παθεῖν εὐδαίμονα
πέπονθας· ἥβησας μὲν ἐν τυραννίδι,
παῖς δ’ ἦν ἐγώ σοι τῶνδε διάδοχος δόμων,
ὥστ’ οὐκ ἄτεκνος κατθανὼν ἄλλοις δόμον
λείψειν ἔμελλες ὀρφανὸν διαρπάσαι.
οὐ μὴν ἐρεῖς γέ μ’ ὡς ἀτιμάζοντα σὸν
γῆρας θανεῖν προύδωκας, ὅστις αἰδόφρων
πρὸς σ’ ἦ μάλιστα· κἀντὶ τῶνδέ μοι χάριν
τοιάνδε καὶ σὺ χἡ τεκοῦσ’ ἠλλαξάτην.
τοιγὰρ φυτεύων παῖδας οὐκέτ’ ἂν φθάνοις,
οἳ γηροβοσκήσουσι καὶ θανόντα σε
περιστελοῦσι καὶ προθήσονται νεκρόν.

[¶7] For I will never bury thee with hand of mine; for I am dead for all thou didst for me; but if I found a saviour in another and still live, his son I say I am, and his fond nurse in old age will be.’Tis vain, I see, the old man’s prayer for death,
his plaints at age and life’s long weariness. For if death do but draw near, not one doth wish to die; old age no more they count so burdensome.

> Greek: οὐ γάρ σ’ ἔγωγε τῇδ’ ἐμῇ θάψω χερί·
τέθνηκα γὰρ δὴ τοὐπὶ σέ· εἰ δ’ ἄλλου τυχὼν
σωτῆρος αὐγὰς εἰσορῶ, κείνου λέγω
καὶ παῖδά μ’ εἶναι καὶ φίλον γηροτρόφον.
μάτην ἄρ’ οἱ γέροντες εὔχονται θανεῖν,
γῆρας ψέγοντες καὶ μακρὸν χρόνον βίου·
ἢν δ’ ἐγγὺς ἔλθῃ θάνατος, οὐδεὶς βούλεται
θνῄσκειν, τὸ γῆρας δ’ οὐκέτ’ ἔστ’ αὐτοῖς βαρύ.
Χορός:
παύσασθʼ· ἅλις γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα συμφορά·

[¶8] Chorus:
Peace! enough the present sorrow, O my son; goad not thy father’s soul to fury.

> Greek: ὦ παῖ, πατρὸς δὲ μὴ παροξύνῃς φρένας.

[¶9] Pheres:
Child, whom think’st thou art reviling? some Lydian or Phrygian bought with thy money? Art not aware I am a freebom Thessalian, son of a Thessalian sire? Thou art too insolent; yet from hence thou shalt not go as thou earnest,
after shooting out thy braggart tongue at me. To rule my house I begat and bred thee up; I own no debt of dying in thy stead; this is not the law that I received from my ancestors that fathers should die for children, nor is it a custom in Hellas.

> Greek: Φέρης:
ὦ παῖ, τίν’ αὐχεῖς, πότερα Λυδὸν ἢ Φρύγα
κακοῖς ἐλαύνειν ἀργυρώνητον σέθεν;
οὐκ οἶσθα Θεσσαλόν με κἀπὸ Θεσσαλοῦ
πατρὸς γεγῶτα γνησίως ἐλεύθερον;
ἄγαν ὑβρίζεις, καὶ νεανίας λόγους
ῥίπτων ἐς ἡμᾶς οὐ βαλὼν οὕτως ἄπει.
ἐγὼ δέ σ’ οἴκων δεσπότην ἐγεινάμην
κἄθρεψʼ, ὀφείλω δ’ οὐχ ὑπερθνῄσκειν σέθεν·
οὐ γὰρ πατρῷον τόνδ’ ἐδεξάμην νόμον,
παίδων προθνῄσκειν πατέρας, οὐδ’ Ἑλληνικόν.

[¶10] For weal or woe, thy life must be thine own; whate’er was due from me to thee, thou hast. Dominion wide is thine, and acres broad I will leave to thee, for from my father did I inherit them. How, pray, have I wronged thee? of what am I robbing thee?

> Greek: σαυτῷ γὰρ εἴτε δυστυχὴς εἴτ’ εὐτυχὴς
ἔφυς· ἃ δ’ ἡμῶν χρῆν σε τυγχάνειν, ἔχεις.
πολλῶν μὲν ἄρχεις, πολυπλέθρους δέ σοι γύας
λείψω· πατρὸς γὰρ ταὔτ’ ἐδεξάμην πάρα.
τί δῆτά σ’ ἠδίκηκα; τοῦ σ’ ἀποστερῶ;

[¶11] Die not thou for me, nor I for thee. Thy joy is in the light; think’st thou thy sire’s is not? By Heaven!’tis a weary while, I trow, that time beneath the earth, and life, though short, is sweet. Thou at least didst struggle hard to ’scape thy death,
lost to shame, and by her death dost live beyond thy destined term. Dost thou then speak of cowardice in me, thou craven heart! no match for thy wife, who hath died for thee, her fine young lord? A clever scheme hast thou devised to stave off death for ever,
if thou canst persuade each new wife to die instead of thee; and dost thou then taunt thy friends, who will not do the like, coward as thou art thyself? Hold thy peace; reflect, if thou dost love thy life so well, this love by all is shared; yet if thou wilt speak ill of me,
thyself shalt hear a full and truthful list of thy own crimes.

> Greek: μὴ θνῇσχ’ ὑπὲρ τοῦδ’ ἀνδρός, οὐδ’ ἐγὼ πρὸ σοῦ.
χαίρεις ὁρῶν φῶς· πατέρα δ’ οὐ χαίρειν δοκεῖς;
ἦ μὴν πολύν γε τὸν κάτω λογίζομαι
χρόνον, τὸ δὲ ζῆν μικρόν, ἀλλ’ ὅμως γλυκύ.
σὺ γοῦν ἀναιδῶς διεμάχου τὸ μὴ θανεῖν,
καὶ ζῇς παρελθὼν τὴν πεπρωμένην τύχην,
ταύτην κατακτάς· εἶτ’ ἐμὴν ἀψυχίαν
λέγεις, γυναικός, ὦ κάκισθʼ, ἡσσημένος,
ἣ τοῦ καλοῦ σοῦ προύθανεν νεανίου;
σοφῶς δ’ ἐφηῦρες ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν ποτε,
εἰ τὴν παροῦσαν κατθανεῖν πείσεις ἀεὶ
γυναῖχ’ ὑπὲρ σοῦ· κᾆτ’ ὀνειδίζεις φίλοις
τοῖς μὴ θέλουσι δρᾶν τάδʼ, αὐτὸς ὢν κακός;
σίγα· νόμιζε δʼ, εἰ σὺ τὴν σαυτοῦ φιλεῖς
ψυχήν, φιλεῖν ἅπαντας· εἰ δ’ ἡμᾶς κακῶς
ἐρεῖς, ἀκούσῃ πολλὰ κοὐ ψευδῆ κακά.

[¶12] Chorus:
Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.

> Greek: Χορός:
πλείω λέλεκται νῦν τε καὶ τὰ πρὶν κακά·
παῦσαι δέ, πρέσβυ, παῖδα σὸν κακορροθῶν.

[¶13] Admetus:
Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
λέγʼ, ὡς ἐμοῦ λέξαντος· εἰ δ’ ἀλγεῖς κλύων
τἀληθές, οὐ χρῆν σ’ εἰς ἔμ’ ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

[¶14] Pheres:
My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee.

> Greek: Φέρης:
σοῦ δ’ ἂν προθνῄσκων μᾶλλον ἐξημάρτανον.

[¶15] Admetus:
What! is it all one for young or old to die?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἡβῶντ’ ἄνδρα καὶ πρέσβυν θανεῖν;

[¶16] Pheres:
To live one life, not twain, is all our due.

> Greek: Φέρης:
ψυχῇ μιᾷ ζῆν, οὐ δυοῖν, ὀφείλομεν.

[¶17] Admetus:
Outlive then Zeus himself!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
καὶ μὴν Διός γε μείζονα ζῴης χρόνον.

[¶18] Pheres:
Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?

> Greek: Φέρης:
ἀρᾷ γονεῦσιν οὐδὲν ἔκδικον παθών;

[¶19] Admetus:
Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
μακροῦ βίου γὰρ ᾐσθόμην ἐρῶντά σε.

[¶20] Pheres:
Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?

> Greek: Φέρης:
ἀλλ’ οὐ σὺ νεκρὸν ἀντὶ σοῦ τόνδ’ ἐκφέρεις;

[¶21] Admetus:
A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
σημεῖα τῆς σῆς, ὦ κάκιστʼ, ἀψυχίας.

[¶22] Pheres:
At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.

> Greek: Φέρης:
οὔτοι πρὸς ἡμῶν γ’ ὤλετʼ· οὐκ ἐρεῖς τόδε.

[¶23] Admetus:
Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
φεῦ· εἴθ’ ἀνδρὸς ἔλθοις τοῦδέ γ’ ἐς χρείαν ποτέ.

[¶24] Pheres:
Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die.

> Greek: Φέρης:
μνήστευε πολλάς, ὡς θάνωσι πλείονες.

[¶25] Admetus:
That is thy reproach, for thou didst refuse to die.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
σοὶ τοῦτ’ ὄνειδος· οὐ γὰρ ἤθελες θανεῖν.

[¶26] Pheres:
Dear is the light of the sun-god, dear to all.

> Greek: Φέρης:
φίλον τὸ φέγγος τοῦτο τοῦ θεοῦ, φίλον.

[¶27] Admetus:
A coward soul is thine, not to be reckoned among men.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
κακὸν τὸ λῆμα κοὐκ ἐν ἀνδράσιν τὸ σόν.

[¶28] Pheres:
No laughing now for thee at bearing forth my aged corpse.

> Greek: Φέρης:
οὐκ ἐγγελᾷς γέροντα βαστάζων νεκρόν.

[¶29] Admetus:
Thy death will surely be a death of shame, come when it will.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
θανῇ γε μέντοι δυσκλεής, ὅταν θάνῃς.

[¶30] Pheres:
Once dead I little reck of foul report.

> Greek: Φέρης:
κακῶς ἀκούειν οὐ μέλει θανόντι μοι.

[¶31] Admetus:
Alas! how void of shame the old can be!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ γῆρας ὡς ἀναιδείας πλέων.

[¶32] Pheres:
Hers was no want of shame;’twas want of sense in her that thou didst find.

> Greek: Φέρης:
ἥδ’ οὐκ ἀναιδής· τήνδ’ ἐφηῦρες ἄφρονα.

[¶33] Admetus:
Begone! and leave me to bury my dead.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἄπελθε κἀμὲ τόνδ’ ἔα θάψαι νεκρόν.

[¶34] Pheres:
I go; bury thy victim, thyself her murderer. Her kinsmen yet will call for an account. Else surely has Acastus ceased to be a man, if he avenge not on thee his sister’s blood.

> Greek: Φέρης:
ἄπειμι· θάψεις δ’ αὐτὸς ὢν αὐτῆς φονεύς,
δίκας δὲ δώσεις σοῖσι κηδεσταῖς ἔτι.
ἦ τἄρ’ Ἄκαστος οὐκέτ’ ἔστ’ ἐν ἀνδράσιν,
εἰ μή σ’ ἀδελφῆς αἷμα τιμωρήσεται.

[¶35] Admetus:
Perdition seize thee and that wife of thine!
grow old, as ye deserve, childless, though your son yet lives, for ye shall never enter the same abode with me; nay! were it needful I should disown thy paternal hearth by heralds’ voice, I had disowned it. (Exit PHERES). Now, since we must bear our present woe,
let us go and lay the dead upon the pyre. [Exit ADMETUS.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἔρρων νυν, αὐτὸς χἡ ξυνοικήσασά σοι,
ἄπαιδε παιδὸς ὄντος, ὥσπερ ἄξιοι,
γηράσκετʼ· οὐ γὰρ τῷδ’ ἔτ’ ἐς ταὐτὸν στέγος
νεῖσθʼ· εἰ δ’ ἀπειπεῖν χρῆν με κηρύκων ὕπο
τὴν σὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀπεῖπον ἄν.
ἡμεῖς δέ—τοὐν ποσὶν γὰρ οἰστέον κακόν—
ὡς ἂν ἐν πυρᾷ θῶμεν νεκρόν.

[¶36] Chorus:
Woe, woe for thee! Alas, for thy hardihood! Noble spirit, good beyond compare, farewell! May Hermes in the nether world, and Hades, too, give thee a kindly welcome! and if even in that other life
the good are rewarded, mayst thou have thy share therein and take thy seat by Hades’ bride!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ ἰώ. σχετλία τόλμης,
ὦ γενναία καὶ μέγ’ ἀρίστη,
χαῖρε· πρόφρων σὲ χθόνιός θ’ Ἑρμῆς
Ἅιδης τε δέχοιτʼ. εἰ δέ τι κἀκεῖ
πλέον ἔστ’ ἀγαθοῖς, τούτων μετέχουσ’
Ἅιδου νύμφῃ παρεδρεύοις.

[¶37] Attendant:
Many the guests ere now from every comer of the world I have seen come to the halls of Admetus, for whom I have spread the board, but never yet
have I welcomed to this hearth a guest so shameless as this; a man who, in the first place, though he saw my master’s grief, yet entered and presumed to pass the gates, then took what cheer we had in no sober spirit, though he knew our sorrow;
no! was there aught we failed to bring? he called for it. Next in his hands he took a goblet of ivy-wood and drank the pure juice of the black grape, till the mounting fumes of wine heated him, and he crowned his head with myrtle-sprays,
howling discordantly, while two-fold strains were there to hear, for he would sing without a thought for the troubles in Admetus’ halls, while we servants mourned our mistress, though we did not let the stranger see our streaming eyes, for such was the bidding of Admetus.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
πολλοὺς μὲν ἤδη κἀπὸ παντοίας χθονὸς
ξένους μολόντας οἶδ’ ἐς Ἀδμήτου δόμους,
οἷς δεῖπνα προύθηκʼ· ἀλλὰ τοῦδ’ οὔπω ξένου
κακίον’ ἐς τήνδ’ ἑστίαν ἐδεξάμην.
ὃς πρῶτα μὲν πενθοῦντα δεσπότην ὁρῶν
ἐσῆλθε κἀτόλμησ’ ἀμείψασθαι πύλας.
ἔπειτα δ’ οὔτι σωφρόνως ἐδέξατο
τὰ προστυχόντα ξένια, συμφορὰν μαθών,
ἀλλʼ, εἴ τι μὴ φέροιμεν, ὤτρυνεν φέρειν.
ποτῆρα δ’ ἐν χείρεσσι κίσσινον λαβὼν
πίνει μελαίνης μητρὸς εὔζωρον μέθυ,
ἕως ἐθέρμην’ αὐτὸν ἀμφιβᾶσα φλὸξ
οἴνου· στέφει δὲ κρᾶτα μυρσίνης κλάδοις
ἄμουσ’ ὑλακτῶν· δισσὰ δ’ ἦν μέλη κλύειν·
ὃ μὲν γὰρ ᾖδε, τῶν ἐν Ἀδμήτου κακῶν
οὐδὲν προτιμῶν, οἰκέται δ’ ἐκλαίομεν
δέσποιναν· ὄμμα δ’ οὐκ ἐδείκνυμεν ξένῳ
τέγγοντες· Ἄδμητος γὰρ ὧδ’ ἐφίετο.

[¶38] So now here am I entertaining as a guest some miscreant thief maybe, or robber, while she is gone forth from the house, nor did I follow her nor stretch my hand towards her bier, in mourning for my lady, who, to me, and all her servants,
was a mother, for she would save us from countless trouble, appeasing her husband’s angry mood. Have I not good cause then to loathe this guest who cometh in our hour of woe?

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν ἐν δόμοισιν ἑστιῶ
ξένον, πανοῦργον κλῶπα καὶ λῃστήν τινα,
ἣ δ’ ἐκ δόμων βέβηκεν, οὐδ’ ἐφεσπόμην
οὐδ’ ἐξέτεινα χεῖρʼ, ἀποιμώζων ἐμὴν
δέσποιναν, ἣ ’μοὶ πᾶσί τ’ οἰκέταισιν ἦν
μήτηρ· κακῶν γὰρ μυρίων ἐρρύετο,
ὀργὰς μαλάσσουσ’ ἀνδρός. ἆρα τὸν ξένον
στυγῶ δικαίως, ἐν κακοῖς ἀφιγμένον;

[¶39] Heracles:
Ho! sirrah, why that solemn, thoughtful look?’Tis not the way for servants to scowl on guests,
but with courteous soul to welcome them. But thou, seeing a friend of thy master arrive, receivest him with sullen, lowering brow, though ’tis but a stranger that is the object of thy mourning. Come hither, that thou too mayst learn more wisdom.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὗτος, τί σεμνὸν καὶ πεφροντικὸς βλέπεις;
οὐ χρὴ σκυθρωπὸν τοῖς ξένοις τὸν πρόσπολον
εἶναι, δέχεσθαι δ’ εὐπροσηγόρῳ φρενί.
σὺ δ’ ἄνδρ’ ἑταῖρον δεσπότου παρόνθ’ ὁρῶν,
στυγνῷ προσώπῳ καὶ συνωφρυωμένῳ
δέχῃ, θυραίου πήματος σπουδὴν ἔχων.
δεῦρ’ ἔλθʼ, ὅπως ἂν καὶ σοφώτερος γένῃ.

[¶40] Dost know the nature of this mortal state? I trow not; how shouldst thou? Well, lend an ear to me. Death is the common debt of man; no mortal really knows if he will live to see the morrow’s light;

> Greek: τὰ θνητὰ πράγματ’ οἶδας ἣν ἔχει φύσιν;
οἶμαι μὲν οὔ· πόθεν γάρ; ἀλλ’ ἄκουέ μου.
βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται,
κοὐκ ἔστι θνητῶν ὅστις ἐξεπίσταται
τὴν αὔριον μέλλουσαν εἰ βιώσεται·

[¶41] for Fortune’s issues are not in our ken, beyond the teacher’s rule they lie, no art can master them. Hearken then to this and learn of me, be merry, drink thy cup, and count the present day thine own, the rest to Fortune yield.

> Greek: τὸ τῆς τύχης γὰρ ἀφανὲς οἷ προβήσεται,
κἄστ’ οὐ διδακτὸν οὐδ’ ἁλίσκεται τέχνῃ.
ταῦτ’ οὖν ἀκούσας καὶ μαθὼν ἐμοῦ πάρα,
εὔφραινε σαυτόν, πῖνε, τὸν καθ’ ἡμέραν
βίον λογίζου σόν, τὰ δ’ ἄλλα τῆς τύχης.

[¶42] And to Cypris too, sweetest of the gods by far to man, thy tribute pay, for kindly is her mood. Let be those other cares, and heed my counsel if thou think’st I speak aright; methinks I do. Come, banish this excessive grief,
and drink a cup with me when thou hast passed beyond these doors and wreathed thy brow; and I feel sure the plash of wine within the cup will bring thee to a better haven from this crabbed mood, this cabined state of mind. Mortals we are, and mortals’ thoughts should have;

> Greek: τίμα δὲ καὶ τὴν πλεῖστον ἡδίστην θεῶν
Κύπριν βροτοῖσιν· εὐμενὴς γὰρ ἡ θεός.
τὰ δ’ ἄλλ’ ἔασον ταῦτα καὶ πιθοῦ λόγοις
ἐμοῖσιν—εἴπερ ὀρθά σοι δοκῶ λέγειν;
οἶμαι μέν. οὔκουν τὴν ἄγαν λύπην ἀφεὶς
πίῃ μεθ’ ἡμῶν τάσδ’ ὑπερβαλὼν τύχας,
στεφάνοις πυκασθείς; καὶ σάφ’ οἶδ’ ὁθούνεκα
τοῦ νῦν σκυθρωποῦ καὶ ξυνεστῶτος φρενῶν
μεθορμιεῖ σε πίτυλος ἐμπεσὼν σκύφου.
ὄντας δὲ θνητοὺς θνητὰ καὶ φρονεῖν χρεών·

[¶43] for all they who frown and scowl do miss,—leastways I think so,—the true life and get themselves misfortune.

> Greek: ὡς τοῖς γε σεμνοῖς καὶ συνωφρυωμένοις
ἅπασίν ἐστιν, ὥς γ’ ἐμοὶ χρῆσθαι κριτῇ,
οὐ βίος ἀληθῶς ὁ βίος, ἀλλὰ συμφορά.

[¶44] Attendant:
I know all that, but our present state has little claim on revelry or laughter.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἐπιστάμεσθα ταῦτα· νῦν δὲ πράσσομεν
οὐχ οἷα κώμου καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια.

[¶45] Heracles:
The dead was a stranger woman; grieve not to excess; for the rulers of thy house are living.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
γυνὴ θυραῖος ἡ θανοῦσα· μὴ λίαν
πένθει· δόμων γὰρ ζῶσι τῶνδε δεσπόται.

[¶46] Attendant:
How, living? Thou knowest not the trouble in the house.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί ζῶσιν; οὐ κάτοισθα τἀν δόμοις κακά;

[¶47] Heracles:
I do, unless thy master did in aught deceive me.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
εἰ μή τι σός με δεσπότης ἐψεύσατο.

[¶48] Attendant:
Too hospitable is he.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἄγαν ἐκεῖνός ἐστ’ ἄγαν φιλόξενος.

[¶49] Heracles:
Was I to miss good cheer because a stranger had died?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐ χρῆν μ’ ὀθνείου γ’ οὕνεκ’ εὖ πάσχειν νεκροῦ;

[¶50] Attendant:
A stranger surely! quite a stranger she!

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἦ κάρτα μέντοι καὶ λίαν θυραῖος ἦν.

[¶51] Heracles:
Is there some trouble that he withheld from me?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μῶν ξυμφοράν τιν’ οὖσαν οὐκ ἔφραζέ μοι;

[¶52] Attendant:
Farewell, go thy way! my master’s troubles are my care.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
χαίρων ἴθʼ· ἡμῖν δεσποτῶν μέλει κακά.

[¶53] Heracles:
This word of thine heralds not a grief for strangers felt.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ὅδ’ οὐ θυραίων πημάτων ἄρχει λόγος.

[¶54] Attendant:
Had it been, the sight of thy merriment had not grieved me so.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐ γάρ τι κωμάζοντ’ ἂν ἠχθόμην σ’ ὁρῶν.

[¶55] Heracles:
Can it be mine host hath strangely wronged me?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀλλ’ ἦ πέπονθα δείν’ ὑπὸ ξένων ἐμῶν;

[¶56] Attendant:
Thou earnest at no proper time for our house to welcome thee, for sorrow is come upon us; lo! thou seest our shorn heads and robes of sable hue.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐκ ἦλθες ἐν δέοντι δέξασθαι δόμοις.
πένθος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι· καὶ στολμοὺς βλέπεις
μελαμπέπλους κουράν τε.

[¶57] Heracles:
Who is it that is dead?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τίς δ’ ὁ κατθανών;

[¶58] Is it a child or his aged sire that hat hath passed away?

> Greek: μῶν ἢ τέκνων τι φροῦδον ἢ γέρων πατήρ;

[¶59] Attendant:
Nay, sir guest,’tis Admetus’ wife that is no more.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου, ξένε.

[¶60] Heracles:
What sayest thou? and did ye then in spite of that admit me to your cheer?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί φῄς; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ’ ἐξενίζετε;

[¶61] Attendant:
Yes, for his regard would not let him send thee from his door.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ᾐδεῖτο γάρ σε τῶνδ’ ἀπώσασθαι δόμων.

[¶62] Heracles:
Unhappy husband, what a wife hast thou lost!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ὦ σχέτλιʼ, οἵας ἤμπλακες ξυναόρου.

[¶63] Attendant:
We are all undone, not she alone.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἀπωλόμεσθα πάντες, οὐ κείνη μόνη.

[¶64] Heracles:
I knew it when I saw his streaming eye, shorn head and downcast look, yet did he persuade me, saying it was a stranger he was bearing to burial. So I did constrain myself and passed his gates
and sat drinking in his hospitable halls, when he was suffering thus. And have I wreathed my head and do I revel still? But—thou to hold thy peace when such a crushing sorrow lay upon the house! Where is he burying her? Whither shall I go to find her?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀλλ’ ᾐσθόμην μὲν ὄμμ’ ἰδὼν δακρυρροοῦν
κουράν τε καὶ πρόσωπον· ἀλλ’ ἔπειθέ με
λέγων θυραῖον κῆδος ἐς τάφον φέρειν.
βίᾳ δὲ θυμοῦ τάσδ’ ὑπερβαλὼν πύλας
ἔπινον ἀνδρὸς ἐν φιλοξένου δόμοις,
πράσσοντος οὕτω. κᾆτ’ ἐκώμαζον κάρα
στεφάνοις πυκασθείς; ἀλλὰ σοῦ τὸ μὴ φράσαι,
κακοῦ τοσούτου δώμασιν προκειμένου.
ποῦ καί σφε θάπτει; ποῦ νιν εὑρήσω μολών;

[¶65] Attendant:
Beside the road that leadeth straight to Larissa, shalt thou see her carved tomb outside the suburb.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὀρθὴν παρ’ οἶμον, ἣ ’πὶ Λάρισαν φέρει,
τύμβον κατόψῃ ξεστὸν ἐκ προαστίου.

[¶66] Heracles:
O heart, O soul, both sufferers oft, now show the mettle of that son Tirynthian Alcmena, daughter of Electryon, bare to Zeus.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ὦ πολλὰ τλᾶσα καρδία καὶ χεὶρ ἐμή,
νῦν δεῖξον οἷον παῖδά σ’ ἡ Τιρυνθία
Ἠλεκτρύωνος γείνατ’ Ἀλκμήνη Διί.

[¶67] For I must save this woman, dead but now, setting Alcestis once again within this house, and to Admetus this kind service render. So I will go and watch for death the black-robed monarch of the dead, and him methinks I shall find
as he drinks of the blood-offering near the tomb. And if, from ambush rushing, once I catch and fold him in my arms’ embrace, none shall ever wrest him thence with smarting ribs, ere he give up the woman unto me.

> Greek: δεῖ γάρ με σῶσαι τὴν θανοῦσαν ἀρτίως
γυναῖκα κἀς τόνδ’ αὖθις ἱδρῦσαι δόμον
Ἄλκηστιν, Ἀδμήτῳ θ’ ὑπουργῆσαι χάριν.
ἐλθὼν δ’ ἄνακτα τὸν μελάμπεπλον νεκρῶν
Θάνατον φυλάξω, καί νιν εὑρήσειν δοκῶ
πίνοντα τύμβου πλησίον προσφαγμάτων.
κἄνπερ λοχαίας αὐτὸν ἐξ ἕδρας συθεὶς
μάρψω, κύκλον δὲ περιβάλω χεροῖν ἐμαῖν,
οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις αὐτὸν ἐξαιρήσεται
μογοῦντα πλευρά, πρὶν γυναῖκ’ ἐμοὶ μεθῇ.

[¶68] But should I fail to find my prey and he come not to the clotted blood, I will go to the sunless home of those beneath the earth, to Persephone and her king, and make to them my prayer, sure that I shall bring Alcestis up again, to place her in the hands of him, my host,
who welcomed me to his house nor drove me thence, though fortune smote him hard, but this his noble spirit strove to hide out of regard for me. What host more kind than him in Thessaly? or in in the homes of Hellas? Wherefore shall he never say
his generous deeds were lavished on a worthless wretch. [Exeunt HERACLES and Servant.

> Greek: ἢν δ’ οὖν ἁμάρτω τῆσδ’ ἄγρας, καὶ μὴ μόλῃ
πρὸς αἱματηρὸν πέλανον, εἶμι τῶν κάτω
Κόρης Ἄνακτός τ’ εἰς ἀνηλίους δόμους
αἰτήσομαί τε· καὶ πέποιθ’ ἄξειν ἄνω
Ἄλκηστιν, ὥστε χερσὶν ἐνθεῖναι ξένου,
ὅς μ’ ἐς δόμους ἐδέξατ’ οὐδ’ ἀπήλασε,
καίπερ βαρείᾳ συμφορᾷ πεπληγμένος,
ἔκρυπτε δ’ ὢν γενναῖος, αἰδεσθεὶς ἐμέ.
τίς τοῦδε μᾶλλον Θεσσαλῶν φιλόξενος,
τίς Ἑλλάδ’ οἰκῶν; τοιγὰρ οὐκ ἐρεῖ κακὸν
εὐεργετῆσαι φῶτα γενναῖος γεγώς.

[¶69] Admetus:
Ah me! I loathe this entering in, and loathe to see my widowed home. Woe, woe is me! Whither shall I go? Where stand? what say? or what suppress? Would God that I were dead!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἰώ, στυγναὶ
πρόσοδοι, στυγναὶ δ’ ὄψεις χήρων
μελάθρων. ἰώ μοί μοι. αἶ αἶ.
ποῖ βῶ; ποῖ στῶ; τί λέγω; τί δὲ μή;
πῶς ἂν ὀλοίμαν;

[¶70] Surely in an evil hour my mother gave me birth. The dead I envy, and would fain be as they, and long to dwell within their courts. No joy to me to see the light, no joy to tread the earth;

> Greek: ἦ βαρυδαίμονα μήτηρ μ’ ἔτεκεν.
ζηλῶ φθιμένους, κείνων ἔραμαι,
κεῖν’ ἐπιθυμῶ δώματα ναίειν.
οὔτε γὰρ αὐγὰς χαίρω προσορῶν
οὔτ’ ἐπὶ γαίας πόδα πεζεύων·

[¶71] such a hostage death hath reft me of and handed o’er to Hades.

> Greek: τοῖον ὅμηρόν μ’ ἀποσυλήσας
Ἅιδῃ Θάνατος παρέδωκεν.

[¶72] Chorus:
Move forward, go within the shelter of thy house.

> Greek: Χορός:
—πρόβα, πρόβα· βᾶθι κεῦθος οἴκων.

[¶73] Admetus:
Woe is me!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
αἰαῖ.

[¶74] Chorus:
Thy sufferings claim these cries of woe.

> Greek: Χορός:
—πέπονθας ἄξι’ αἰαγμάτων.

[¶75] Admetus:
Ah me!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἒ ἔ.

[¶76] Chorus:
Through anguish hast thou gone, full well I know.

> Greek: Χορός:
—δι’ ὀδύνας ἔβας, σάφ’ οἶδα...

[¶77] Admetus:
Alas! alas!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
φεῦ φεῦ.

[¶78] Chorus:
Thou wilt not help the dead one whit.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τὰν νέρθε δ’ οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖς.

[¶79] Admetus:
O misery!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἰώ μοί μοι.

[¶80] Chorus:
Nevermore to see thy dear wife face to face is grief indeed.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τὸ μήποτ’ εἰσιδεῖν φιλίας ἀλόχου
πρόσωπόν ἄντα λυπρόν.

[¶81] Admetus:
Thy words have probed the sore place in my heart. What greater grief can come to man
than the loss of a faithful wife? Would I had never married or shared with her my home! I envy those ’mongst men who have nor wife nor child. Theirs is but one life; to grieve for that is no excessive burden;

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἔμνησας ὅ μου φρένας ἥλκωσεν·
τί γὰρ ἀνδρὶ κακὸν μεῖζον ἁμαρτεῖν
πιστῆς ἀλόχου; μή ποτε γήμας
ὤφελον οἰκεῖν μετὰ τῆσδε δόμους.
ζηλῶ δ’ ἀγάμους ἀτέκνους τε βροτῶν·
μία γὰρ ψυχή, τῆς ὑπεραλγεῖν
μέτριον ἄχθος·

[¶82] but to see children fall ill and bridal beds emptied by death’s ravages is too much to bear, when one might go through life without wife or child.

> Greek: παίδων δὲ νόσους καὶ νυμφιδίους
εὐνὰς θανάτοις κεραϊζομένας
οὐ τλητὸν ὁρᾶν, ἐξὸν ἀτέκνους
ἀγάμους τ’ εἶναι διὰ παντός.

[¶83] Chorus:
A fate we cannot cope with is come upon us.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τύχα τύχα δυσπάλαιστος ἥκει·

[¶84] Admetus:
Woe is me!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
αἰαῖ.

[¶85] Chorus:
But thou to sorrow settest no limit.

> Greek: Χορός:
—πέρας δέ γ’ οὐδὲν ἀλγέων τίθης.

[¶86] Admetus:
Ah! ah!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἒ ἔ.

[¶87] Chorus:’Tis hard to bear, but still—
Admetus:
Woe is me!

> Greek: Χορός:
—βαρέα μὲν φέρειν, ὅμως δὲ...
Ἄδμητος:
φεῦ φεῦ.

[¶88] Chorus:
Thou art not the first to lose—

> Greek: Χορός:
—τλᾶθʼ· οὐ σὺ πρῶτος ὤλεσας...

[¶89] Admetus:
O! woe is me!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἰώ μοί μοι.

[¶90] Chorus:
A wife; misfortune takes a different shape for every man she plagues.

> Greek: Χορός:
—γυναῖκα· συμφορὰ δ’ ἑτέρους ἑτέρα
πιέζει φανεῖσα θνατῶν.

[¶91] Admetus:
O the weary sorrow! O the grief for dear ones dead and gone! Why didst thou hinder me from plung-ing into the gaping grave, there to lay me down and die with her, my peerless bride?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὦ μακρὰ πένθη λῦπαί τε φίλων
τῶν ὑπὸ γαῖαν.
τί μ’ ἐκώλυσας ῥῖψαι τύμβου
τάφρον ἐς κοίλην καὶ μετ’ ἐκείνης
τῆς μέγ’ ἀρίστης κεῖσθαι φθίμενον;

[¶92] Then would Hades for that one have gotten these two faithful souls at once, crossing the nether lake together.

> Greek: δύο δ’ ἀντὶ μιᾶς Ἅιδης ψυχὰς
τὰς πιστοτάτας σὺν ἂν ἔσχεν, ὁμοῦ
χθονίαν λίμνην διαβάντε.

[¶93] Chorus:
I had a kinsman once, within whose home died
his only son, worthy of a father’s tears; yet in spite of that he bore his grief resignedly, childless though he was, his hair already turning grey, himself far on in years, upon
life’s downward track.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐμοί τις ἦν
ἐν γένει, ᾧ κόρος ἀξιόθρηνος
ὤλετ’ ἐν δόμοισιν
μονόπαις· ἀλλ’ ἔμπας
ἔφερε κακὸν ἅλις, ἄτεκνος ὤν,
πολιὰς ἐπὶ χαίτας
ἤδη προπετὴς ὢν
βιότου τε πόρσω.

[¶94] Admetus:
O house of mine, how can I enter thee? how can I live here, now that fortune turns against me? Ah me! How wide the gulf ’twixt then and now!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὦ σχῆμα δόμων, πῶς εἰσέλθω;
πῶς δ’ οἰκήσω μεταπίπτοντος
δαίμονος; οἴμοι. πολὺ γὰρ τὸ μέσον·

[¶95] Then with torches cut from Pelion’s pines, with marriage hymns I entered in, holding my dear wife’s hand; and at our back a crowd of friends with cheerful cries, singing the happy lot of my dead wife and me,
calling us a noble pair made one, children both of highborn lineage; but now the voice of woe instead of wedding hymns, and robes of black instead of snowy white usher me
into my house to my deserted couch.

> Greek: τότε μὲν πεύκαις σὺν Πηλιάσιν
σύν θ’ ὑμεναίοις ἔστειχον ἔσω,
φιλίας ἀλόχου χέρα βαστάζων,
πολυάχητος δ’ εἵπετο κῶμος,
τήν τε θανοῦσαν κἄμ’ ὀλβίζων,
ὡς εὐπατρίδαι καὶ ἀπ’ ἀμφοτέρων
ὄντες ἀρίστων σύζυγες εἶμεν·
νῦν δ’ ὑμεναίων γόος ἀντίπαλος
λευκῶν τε πέπλων μέλανες στολμοὶ
πέμπουσί μ’ ἔσω
λέκτρων κοίτας ἐς ἐρήμους.

[¶96] Chorus:
Hard upon prosperous fortune came this sorrow to thee, a stranger to adversity; yet hast thou saved thy soul alive.

> Greek: Χορός:
παρ’ εὐτυχῆ
σοὶ πότμον ἦλθεν ἀπειροκάκῳ τόδ’
ἄλγος· ἀλλ’ ἔσωσας
βίοτον καὶ ψυχάν.

[¶97] Thy wife is dead and gone; her love she leaves with thee. What new thing is here? Death ere now from many a man hath torn a wife.

> Greek: ἔθανε δάμαρ, ἔλιπε φιλίαν·
τί νέον τόδε; πολλοῖς
ἤδη παρέλυσεν
θάνατος δάμαρτας.

[¶98] Admetus:
My friends, I count my dead wife’s lot more blest than mine, for all it seems not so; for nevermore can sorrow touch her for ever; all her toil is over, and glorious is her fame. While I, who had no right to live, have passed the bounds of fate
only to live a life of misery; I know it now. For how shall I endure to enter this my house? Whom shall I address, by whom be answered back, to find aught joyful in my entering in? Whither shall I turn? Within, the desolation will drive me forth,
whensoe’er I see my widowed couch, the seat whereon she sat, the floor ail dusty in the house, and my babes falling at my knees with piteous tears for their mother, while my servants mourn the good mistress their house hath lost.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
φίλοι, γυναικὸς δαίμον’ εὐτυχέστερον
τοὐμοῦ νομίζω, καίπερ οὐ δοκοῦνθ’ ὅμως·
τῆς μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἄλγος ἅψεταί ποτε,
πολλῶν δὲ μόχθων εὐκλεὴς ἐπαύσατο.
ἐγὼ δʼ, ὃν οὐ χρῆν ζῆν, παρεὶς τὸ μόρσιμον
λυπρὸν διάξω βίοτον· ἄρτι μανθάνω.
πῶς γὰρ δόμων τῶνδ’ εἰσόδους ἀνέξομαι;
τίν’ ἂν προσειπών, τοῦ δὲ προσρηθεὶς ὕπο,
τερπνῆς τύχοιμ’ ἂν ἐξόδου; ποῖ τρέψομαι;
ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἔνδον ἐξελᾷ μ’ ἐρημία,
γυναικὸς εὐνὰς εὖτ’ ἂν εἰσίδω κενὰς
θρόνους τ’ ἐν οἷσιν ἷζε, καὶ κατὰ στέγας
αὐχμηρὸν οὖδας, τέκνα δ’ ἀμφὶ γούνασι
πίπτοντα κλαίῃ μητέρʼ, οἳ δὲ δεσπότιν
στένωσιν οἵαν ἐκ δόμων ἀπώλεσαν.

[¶99] These are the sorrows in my home, while abroad the marriages among Thessalians and the thronging crowds of women will drive me mad, for I can never bear to gaze upon the compeers of my wife. And whoso is my foe will taunt me thus,
“Behold him living in his shame, a wretch who quailed at death himself, but of his coward heart gave up his wedded wife instead, and escaped from Hades; doth he deem himself a man after that? And he loathes his parents, though himself refused to die.” Such ill report shall I to my evils add.
What profit, then, my friends, for me to live, in fame and fortune ruined.

> Greek: τὰ μὲν κατ’ οἴκους τοιάδʼ· ἔξωθεν δέ με
γάμοι τ’ ἐλῶσι Θεσσαλῶν καὶ ξύλλογοι
γυναικοπληθεῖς· οὐ γὰρ ἐξανέξομαι
λεύσσων δάμαρτος τῆς ἐμῆς ὁμήλικας.
ἐρεῖ δέ μ’ ὅστις ἐχθρὸς ὢν κυρεῖ τάδε·
Ἰδοῦ τὸν αἰσχρῶς ζῶνθʼ, ὃς οὐκ ἔτλη θανεῖν,
ἀλλ’ ἣν ἔγημεν ἀντιδοὺς ἀψυχίᾳ
πέφευγεν Ἅιδην· εἶτ’ ἀνὴρ εἶναι δοκεῖ;
στυγεῖ δὲ τοὺς τεκόντας, αὐτὸς οὐ θέλων
θανεῖν. τοιάνδε πρὸς κακοῖσι κληδόνα
ἕξω. τί μοι ζῆν δῆτα κέρδιον, φίλοι,
κακῶς κλύοντι καὶ κακῶς πεπραγότι;

[¶100] Chorus:
Myself have traced the Muses’ path, have soared amid the stars, have laid my hold on many a theme,
and yet have found naught stronger than necessity, no spell inscribed on Thracian tablets written there by Orpheus, the sweet singer,
no! nor aught among the simples culled by Phoebus for the toiling race of men, and given to Asclepius’ sons.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐγὼ καὶ διὰ μούσας
καὶ μετάρσιος ᾖξα, καὶ
πλείστων ἁψάμενος λόγων
κρεῖσσον οὐδὲν Ἀνάγκας
ηὗρον, οὐδέ τι φάρμακον
Θρῄσσαις ἐν σανίσιν, τὰς
Ὀρφεία κατέγραψεν
γῆρυς, οὐδ’ ὅσα Φοῖβος Ἀσκληπιάδαις ἔδωκε
φάρμακα πολυπόνοις ἀντιτεμὼν βροτοῖσιν.

[¶101] Chorus:
The only goddess she, whose altar or whose image man cannot approach;
victims she heedeth not. O come not to me, dread goddess, in greater might than heretofore in my career. Even Zeus requires thy aid to bring to pass whatso he wills.

> Greek: Χορός:
μόνας δ’ οὔτ’ ἐπὶ βωμοὺς
ἔστιν οὔτε βρέτας θεᾶς
ἐλθεῖν, οὐ σφαγίων κλύει.
μή μοι, πότνια, μείζων
ἔλθοις ἢ τὸ πρὶν ἐν βίῳ.
καὶ γὰρ Ζεὺς ὅ τι νεύσῃ,
σὺν σοὶ τοῦτο τελευτᾷ.

[¶102] Thou too it is that by sheer force dost bend the steel among the Chalybes; nor is there any pity in thy relentless nature.

> Greek: καὶ τὸν ἐν Χαλύβοις δαμάζεις σὺ βίᾳ σίδαρον,
οὐδέ τις ἀποτόμου λήματός ἐστιν αἰδώς.

[¶103] Chorus:
This is the goddess that hath gripped thee too in chains thou canst not ’scape;

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ σ’ ἐν ἀφύκτοισι χερῶν εἷλε θεὰ δεσμοῖς.

[¶104] yet steel thy heart, for all thy weeping ne’er will bring to light again the dead from the realms below. Even sons of gods perish in darkness
in the hour of death. We loved her while she was with us, we love her still though dead; noblest of her sex was she, the wife thou tookest to thy bed.

> Greek: τόλμα δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀνάξεις ποτ’ ἔνερθεν
κλαίων τοὺς φθιμένους ἄνω.
καὶ θεῶν σκότιοι φθίνουσι
παῖδες ἐν θανάτῳ.
φίλα μὲν ὅτ’ ἦν μεθ’ ἡμῶν,
φίλα δὲ καὶ θανοῦσ’ ἔσται,
γενναιοτάταν δὲ πασᾶν ἐζεύξω κλισίαις ἄκοιτιν.

[¶105] Chorus:
Her tomb let none regard as the graves of those who die and are no more, but let her have honours equal with the gods, revered by every traveller;

> Greek: Χορός:
μηδὲ νεκρῶν ὡς φθιμένων χῶμα νομιζέσθω
τύμβος σᾶς ἀλόχου, θεοῖσι δ’ ὁμοίως
τιμάσθω, σέβας ἐμπόρων.

[¶106] and many a one will cross the road and read this verse aloud, “This is she that died in days gone by to save her lord; now is she a spirit blest. Hail, lady revered; be kind to us!”
Such glad greeting shall she have.

> Greek: καί τις δοχμίαν κέλευθον
ἐκβαίνων τόδ’ ἐρεῖ·
Αὕτα ποτὲ προύθαν’ ἀνδρός,
νῦν δ’ ἐστὶ μάκαιρα δαίμων·
χαῖρʼ, ὦ πότνι’, εὖ δὲ δοίης. τοῖαί νιν προσεροῦσι
φῆμαι.

[¶107] Chorus:
But see, Admetus! yonder, I believe, comes Alcmena’s son toward thy hearth.

> Greek: Χορός:
—καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ, ὡς ἔοικεν, Ἀλκμήνης γόνος,
Ἄδμητε, πρὸς σὴν ἑστίαν πορεύεται.

[¶108] Heracles:
Admetus, to a friend we should speak freely, not hold our peace and harbour in our hearts complaints.
I came to thee in thy hour of sorrow and claimed the right to prove myself thy friend, but thou wouldst not tell me that she, thy wife, lay stretched in death; but didst make me a welcome guest in thy halls, as though thy whole concern was centred on a stranger’s loss.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
φίλον πρὸς ἄνδρα χρὴ λέγειν ἐλευθέρως,
Ἄδμητε, μομφὰς δ’ οὐχ ὑπὸ σπλάγχνοις ἔχειν
σιγῶντʼ. ἐγὼ δὲ σοῖς κακοῖσιν ἠξίουν
ἐγγὺς παρεστὼς ἐξετάζεσθαι φίλος·
σὺ δ’ οὐκ ἔφραζες σῆς προκείμενον νέκυν
γυναικός, ἀλλά μ’ ἐξένιζες ἐν δόμοις.
ὡς δὴ θυραίου πήματος σπουδὴν ἔχων.

[¶109] So I crowned my head and poured drink-offerings to the gods in that thy house of sorrow. Wherefore I do blame thee for this treatment of me, yet would not grieve thee in thy trouble. So now the reason I have turned my steps and come hither again, I will tell.
This lady take and keep for me until I come bringing hither the steeds of Thrace, after I have slain the lord of the Bistones. But should I fare as fare I fain would not, I give her to thee to serve within thy halls.

> Greek: κἄστεψα κρᾶτα καὶ θεοῖς ἐλειψάμην
σπονδὰς ἐν οἴκοις δυστυχοῦσι τοῖσι σοῖς.
καὶ μέμφομαι μέν, μέμφομαι, παθὼν τάδε,
οὐ μήν σε λυπεῖν ἐν κακοῖσι βούλομαι.
ὧν δ’ οὕνεχ’ ἥκω δεῦρ’ ὑποστρέψας πάλιν
λέξω. γυναῖκα τήνδε μοι σῷσον λαβών,
ἕως ἂν ἵππους δεῦρο Θρῃκίας ἄγων
ἔλθω, τύραννον Βιστόνων κατακτανών.
πράξας δ’ ὃ μὴ τύχοιμι—νοστήσαιμι γάρ—
τήνδε σοῖσι προσπολεῖν δόμοις.

[¶110] With no small toil she came into my hands.’Twas thus: I found folk just appointing an open contest for athletes, well worth a struggle, and there I won her as a prize and brought her thence; now those who were successful in the lighter contests had
horses for their prize, but those who conquered in severer feats, in boxing and wrestling, won herds of oxen, and this woman was to be added thereto; with such a chance ’twere shame indeed to pass so fair a guerdon by.

> Greek: πολλῷ δὲ μόχθῳ χεῖρας ἦλθεν εἰς ἐμάς·
ἀγῶνα γὰρ πάνδημον εὑρίσκω τινὰς
τιθέντας, ἀθληταῖσιν ἄξιον πόνον,
ὅθεν κομίζω τήνδε νικητήρια
λαβών· τὰ μὲν γὰρ κοῦφα τοῖς νικῶσιν ἦν
ἵππους ἄγεσθαι, τοῖσι δ’ αὖ τὰ μείζονα
νικῶσι, πυγμὴν καὶ πάλην, βουφόρβια·
γυνὴ δ’ ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς εἵπετʼ· ἐντυχόντι δὲ
αἰσχρὸν παρεῖναι κέρδος ἦν τόδ’ εὐκλεές.
ἀλλʼ, ὥσπερ εἶπον, σοὶ μέλειν γυναῖκα χρή·

[¶111] So thou must take her in thy charge, as I said; for not by theft but honest toil I won the prize I bring; and maybe e’en thou in time wilt thank me.

> Greek: οὐ γὰρ κλοπαίαν, ἀλλὰ σὺν πόνῳ λαβὼν
ἥκω· χρόνῳ δὲ καὶ σύ μ’ αἰνέσεις ἴσως.

[¶112] Admetus:’Twas not because of any slight or unkind thought of thee that I concealed my wife’s sad fate; but this were adding grief to grief
if thou hadst gone from hence to the halls of some other friend; and it sufficed that I should mourn my sorrow. But I do beseech thee, prince, if ’tis possible, bid some other Thessalian, one who hath not suffered as I have, keep the maiden for thee,—and thou hast many
friends in Pherae; remind me not of my misfortune. For I could not see her in my house and stay my tears. Oh! add not new affliction to my stricken heart, for sure by sorrow am I bowed enough. And where within my halls could a tender maiden live?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
οὔτοι σ’ ἀτίζων οὐδ’ ἐν αἰσχροῖσιν τιθεὶς
ἔκρυψ’ ἐμῆς γυναικὸς ἀθλίου τύχας·
ἀλλ’ ἄλγος ἄλγει τοῦτ’ ἂν ἦν προσκείμενον,
εἴ του πρὸς ἄλλου δώμαθ’ ὡρμήθης ξένου·
ἅλις δὲ κλαίειν τοὐμὸν ἦν ἐμοὶ κακόν.
γυναῖκα δʼ, εἴ πως ἔστιν, αἰτοῦμαί σʼ, ἄναξ,
ἄλλον τιν’ ὅστις μὴ πέπονθεν οἷ’ ἐγὼ
σῴζειν ἄνωχθι Θεσσαλῶν· πολλοὶ δέ σοι
ξένοι Φεραίων· μή μ’ ἀναμνήσῃς κακῶν.
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην τήνδ’ ὁρῶν ἐν δώμασιν
ἄδακρυς εἶναι· μὴ νοσοῦντί μοι νόσον
προσθῇς· ἅλις γὰρ συμφορᾷ βαρύνομαι.
ποῦ καὶ τρέφοιτ’ ἂν δωμάτων νέα γυνή;

[¶113] for such she is, as her dress and vesture show. Is she to dwell where men consort? Then how shall she retain her maiden purity, if ’mid our youths she come and go? O Heracles, it is no easy task to check a young man’s fancy, and I am anxious for thy sake.

> Greek: νέα γάρ, ὡς ἐσθῆτι καὶ κόσμῳ πρέπει.
πότερα κατ’ ἀνδρῶν δῆτ’ ἐνοικήσει στέγην;
καὶ πῶς ἀκραιφνὴς ἐν νέοις στρωφωμένη
ἔσται; τὸν ἡβῶνθʼ, Ἡράκλεις, οὐ ῥᾴδιον
εἴργειν· ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ προμηθίαν ἔχω.

[¶114] Or am I to take her to my dead wife’s bower and care for her? How can I bring her there to fill the other’s bed? Twofold reproach I fear; first, some fellow-townsman may taunt me with betraying my benefactress in eagerness to wed a new young bride;
next, there is my dead wife, whom I should much regard, for she doth merit all my reverence. Thou too, lady, whosoe’er thou art, believe me, art the very counterfeit presentment of Alcestis, the picture of her form, ah me! O take this maiden, I conjure thee, from my sight;
slay me not already slain. For in her I seem once more to see my wife; and my heart is darkly troubled, and the fountains of my eyes are loosed. Ah, woe is me! Now do I taste the bitterness of this my grief.

> Greek: ἢ τῆς θανούσης θάλαμον ἐσβήσας τρέφω;
καὶ πῶς ἐπεσφρῶ τήνδε τῷ κείνης λέχει;
διπλῆν φοβοῦμαι μέμψιν, ἔκ τε δημοτῶν,
μή τίς μ’ ἐλέγξῃ τὴν ἐμὴν εὐεργέτιν
προδόντ’ ἐν ἄλλης δεμνίοις πίτνειν νέας,
καὶ τῆς θανούσης· ἀξία δέ μοι σέβειν·
πολλὴν πρόνοιαν δεῖ μ’ ἔχειν. σὺ δʼ, ὦ γύναι,
ἥτις ποτ’ εἶ σύ, ταὔτ’ ἔχουσ’ Ἀλκήστιδι
μορφῆς μέτρ’ ἴσθι· καὶ προσήιξαι δέμας.
οἴμοι. κόμιζε πρὸς θεῶν ἐξ ὀμμάτων
γυναῖκα τήνδε, μή μ’ ἕλῃς ᾑρημένον.
δοκῶ γὰρ αὐτὴν εἰσορῶν γυναῖχ’ ὁρᾶν
ἐμήν· θολοῖ δὲ καρδίαν, ἐκ δ’ ὀμμάτων
πηγαὶ κατερρώγασιν· ὦ τλήμων ἐγώ,
ὡς ἄρτι πένθους τοῦδε γεύομαι πικροῦ.

[¶115] Chorus:
Indeed I cannot call thy fortune blest, yet heaven’s gift must thou endure, whoe’er the god that comes to bring it.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔχοιμ’ ἂν εὖ λέγειν τύχην·
χρὴ δʼ, ὅστις εἶ σύ, καρτερεῖν θεοῦ δόσιν.

[¶116] Heracles:
Would I had the power to bring thy wife up to the light from the halls of death, and confer this kindness on thee!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
εἰ γὰρ τοσαύτην δύναμιν εἶχον ὥστε σὴν
ἐς φῶς πορεῦσαι νερτέρων ἐκ δωμάτων
γυναῖκα καί σοι τήνδε πορσῦναι χάριν.

[¶117] Admetus:
Right well I know thou wouldst. But what of that? The dead can never come to life again.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
σάφ’ οἶδα βούλεσθαί σ’ ἄν. ἀλλὰ ποῦ τόδε;
οὐκ ἔστι τοὺς θανόντας ἐς φάος μολεῖν.

[¶118] Heracles:
Do not exceed the mark, but bear thy grief with moderation.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μή νυν ὑπέρβαλλʼ, ἀλλ’ ἐναισίμως φέρε.

[¶119] Admetus:’Tis easier to advise than to suffer and endure.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ῥᾷον παραινεῖν ἢ παθόντα καρτερεῖν.

[¶120] Heracles:
Yet what thy gain, if thou for aye wilt mourn?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί δ’ ἂν προκόπτοις, εἰ θέλοις ἀεὶ στένειν;

[¶121] Admetus:
I too know that myself, but some strange yearning leads me on.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἔγνωκα καὐτός, ἀλλ’ ἔρως τις ἐξάγει.

[¶122] Heracles:
Love for the dead compels a tear.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τὸ γὰρ φιλῆσαι τὸν θανόντ’ ἄγει δάκρυ.

[¶123] Admetus:
Her death was mine, more than any words of mine can tell.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἀπώλεσέν με, κἄτι μᾶλλον ἢ λέγω.

[¶124] Heracles:
Thou hast lost a noble wife; who shall gainsay it?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
γυναικὸς ἐσθλῆς ἤμπλακες· τίς ἀντερεῖ;

[¶125] Admetus:
Life henceforth hath lost all charm for me.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὥστ’ ἄνδρα τόνδε μηκέθ’ ἥδεσθαι βίῳ.

[¶126] Heracles:
Time will soothe the smart; as yet thy grief is young.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
χρόνος μαλάξει, νῦν δ’ ἔθ’ ἡβάσκει κακόν.

[¶127] Admetus:
“Time!” use that word, if death and time are one.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
χρόνον λέγοις ἄν, εἰ χρόνος τὸ κατθανεῖν.

[¶128] Heracles:
A new wife and a longing for a fresh marriage will stay thy sorrow.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
γυνή σε παύσει καὶ νέου γάμου πόθοι.

[¶129] Admetus:
Peace! What words are thine? I ne’er of thee had thought it.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
σίγησον· οἷον εἶπας. οὐκ ἂν ᾠόμην.

[¶130] Heracles:
What! wilt never wed, but preserve thy widowed state?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί δʼ; οὐ γαμεῖς γάρ, ἀλλὰ χηρεύσῃ λέχος;

[¶131] Admetus:
There is no woman living that shall share my couch.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
οὐκ ἔστιν ἥτις τῷδε συγκλιθήσεται.

[¶132] Heracles:
Dost think that this will help the dead at all?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μῶν τὴν θανοῦσαν ὠφελεῖν τι προσδοκᾷς;

[¶133] Admetus:
My reverence she deserves, where’er she is.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
κείνην ὅπουπερ ἔστι τιμᾶσθαι χρεών.

[¶134] Heracles:
I praise thee, yes; but still thou bringest on thyself the charge of folly.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
αἰνῶ μὲν αἰνῶ· μωρίαν δ’ ὀφλισκάνεις.

[¶135] Admetus:
So that thou never call’st me bridegroom, praise me if thou wilt.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὡς μήποτ’ ἄνδρα τόνδε νυμφίον καλῶν.

[¶136] Heracles:
I praise thee for thy loyalty to thy wife.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἐπῄνεσ’ ἀλόχῳ πιστὸς οὕνεκ’ εἶ φίλος.

[¶137] Admetus:
Come death! if ever I betray her, dead though she be.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
θάνοιμ’ ἐκείνην καίπερ οὐκ οὖσαν προδούς.

[¶138] Heracles:
Well, take this maiden to the shelter of thy noble house.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
δέχου νυν εἴσω τήνδε γενναίων δόμων.

[¶139] Admetus:
Spare me, I entreat thee by Zeus, thy sire.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
μή, πρός σε τοῦ σπείραντος ἄντομαι Διός.

[¶140] Heracles:
Be sure, if thou refuse,’twill be a sad mistake.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
καὶ μὴν ἁμαρτήσῃ γε μὴ δράσας τάδε.

[¶141] Admetus:
If I comply, remorse will gnaw my heart.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
καὶ δρῶν γε λύπῃ καρδίαν δηχθήσομαι.

[¶142] Heracles:
Yield; for in god’s good time maybe thou wilt give me thanks.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πιθοῦ· τάχ’ ἂν γὰρ ἐς δέον πέσοι χάρις.

[¶143] Admetus:
Ah! would thou hadst never won her in the games!

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
φεῦ.
εἴθ’ ἐξ ἀγῶνος τήνδε μὴ ῎λαβές ποτε.

[¶144] Heracles:
Yet thou too sharest in my victory.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
νικῶντι μέντοι καὶ σὺ συννικᾷς ἐμοί.

[¶145] Admetus:
True; still let this maiden go away.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
καλῶς ἔλεξας· ἡ γυνὴ δ’ ἀπελθέτω.

[¶146] Heracles:
Go she shall, if go she must; but first see if this is needful.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἄπεισιν, εἰ χρή· πρῶτα δ’ εἰ χρεὼν ἄθρει.

[¶147] Admetus:
I needs must, else wilt thou be wroth with me.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
χρή, σοῦ γε μὴ μέλλοντος ὀργαίνειν ἐμοί.

[¶148] Heracles:
I have a reason good to press the matter thus.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
εἰδώς τι κἀγὼ τήνδ’ ἔχω προθυμίαν.

[¶149] Admetus:
Have thy way then. Yet know well thy deed I disapprove.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
νίκα νυν. οὐ μὴν ἁνδάνοντά μοι ποιεῖς.

[¶150] Heracles:
A day will come that thou wilt praise me; only yield.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀλλ’ ἔσθ’ ὅθ’ ἡμᾶς αἰνέσεις· πιθοῦ μόνον.

[¶151] Admetus:
(to his servants). Take her in, if I needs must give her welcome in my house.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
κομίζετʼ, εἰ χρὴ τήνδε δέξασθαι δόμοις.

[¶152] Heracles:
To thy servants will I not hand her over.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐκ ἂν μεθείην τὴν γυναῖκα προσπόλοις.

[¶153] Admetus:
Conduct her then thyself within, if so thou thinkest good.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
σὺ δ’ αὐτὸς αὐτὴν εἴσαγʼ, εἰ βούλῃ, δόμους.

[¶154] Heracles:
Nay, but into thy hands shall mine consign her.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἐς σὰς μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε θήσομαι χέρας.

[¶155] Admetus:
I will not touch her, though she is free to go within my halls.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
οὐκ ἂν θίγοιμι· δῶμα δ’ εἰσελθεῖν πάρα.

[¶156] Heracles:
To thy hand, and thine alone I her entrust.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τῇ σῇ πέποιθα χειρὶ δεξιᾷ μόνῃ.

[¶157] Admetus:
Prince, against my will thou dost constrain me to this deed.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἄναξ, βιάζῃ μ’ οὐ θέλοντα δρᾶν τάδε.

[¶158] Heracles:
Boldly stretch out thy hand and touch the stranger maid.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τόλμα προτεῖναι χεῖρα καὶ θιγεῖν ξένης.

[¶159] Admetus:
There, then, I stretch it out as toward the Gorgon’s severed head.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
καὶ δὴ προτείνω, Γοργόν’ ὡς καρατομῶν.

[¶160] Heracles:
Hast hold of her?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἔχεις;

[¶161] Admetus:
I have.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἔχω; ναί.

[¶162] Heracles:
(removes the veil). So; keep her safely then, and
in days to come thou wilt confess the son of Zeus proved himself a noble guest. Look well at her, if haply to thy gaze she have a semblance of thy wife; and now that thou art blest, cease from sorrowing.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
σῷζέ νυν, καὶ τὸν Διὸς
φήσεις ποτ’ εἶναι παῖδα γενναῖον ξένον.
βλέψον πρὸς αὐτήν, εἴ τι σῇ δοκεῖ πρέπειν
γυναικί· λύπης δ’ εὐτυχῶν μεθίστασο.

[¶163] Admetus:
Great gods, what shall I say? a marvel past all hope is here! My wife, my own true wife I see,
or is some mocking rapture sent by heaven to drive me mad?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὦ θεοί, τί λέξω—θαῦμ’ ἀνέλπιστον τόδε—
γυναῖκα λεύσσων τήνδʼ; —ἐμὴν ἐτητύμως;
ἢ κέρτομός με θεοῦ τις ἐκπλήσσει χαρά;

[¶164] Heracles:
No, no;’tis thy own wife thou seest here.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ τήνδ’ ὁρᾷς δάμαρτα σήν.

[¶165] Admetus:
Beware it be not a phantom from that nether world.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὅρα γε μή τι φάσμα νερτέρων τόδ’ ᾖ.

[¶166] Heracles:
No necromancer was this guest whom thou didst welcome.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐ ψυχαγωγὸν τόνδ’ ἐποιήσω ξένον.

[¶167] Admetus:
Do I behold my wife, her whom I buried?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἀλλ’ ἣν ἔθαπτον εἰσορῶ δάμαρτ’ ἐμήν;

[¶168] Heracles:
Be well assured thereof; still I marvel not thou dost distrust thy luck.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
σάφ’ ἴσθʼ. ἀπιστεῖν δ’ οὔ σε θαυμάζω τύχην.

[¶169] Admetus:
May I touch her, may I speak to her as my living wife?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
θίγω, προσείπω ζῶσαν ὡς δάμαρτ’ ἐμήν;

[¶170] Heracles:
Speak to her. For thou hast all thy heart’s desire.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πρόσειπʼ. ἔχεις γὰρ πᾶν ὅσονπερ ἤθελες.

[¶171] Admetus:
O form and features of my well-loved wife! past all hope I hold thee, never expecting to see thee again.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὦ φιλτάτης γυναικὸς ὄμμα καὶ δέμας,
ἔχω σ’ ἀέλπτως, οὔποτ’ ὄψεσθαι δοκῶν.

[¶172] Heracles:
So thou dost; may no jealous god rise against thee!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἔχεις· φθόνος δὲ μὴ γένοιτό τις θεῶν.

[¶173] Admetus:
O noble son of almighty Zeus, good luck to thee! may the father that begat thee hold thee in his keeping; for thou and none else hast raised my fallen fortunes. How didst thou bring her from the world below to this light of day?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ὦ τοῦ μεγίστου Ζηνὸς εὐγενὲς τέκνον,
εὐδαιμονοίης, καί σ’ ὁ φιτύσας πατὴρ
σῴζοι· σὺ γὰρ δὴ τἄμ’ ἀνώρθωσας μόνος.
πῶς τήνδ’ ἔπεμψας νέρθεν ἐς φάος τόδε;

[¶174] Heracles:
By encountering the god who had her in his power.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μάχην συνάψας δαιμόνων τῷ κυρίῳ.

[¶175] Admetus:
Where didst thou engage with Death? tell me this.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ποῦ τόνδε Θανάτῳ φῂς ἀγῶνα συμβαλεῖν;

[¶176] Heracles:
Just by the tomb I from my ambush sprang and caught him in my grip.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τύμβον παρ’ αὐτὸν ἐκ λόχου μάρψας χεροῖν.

[¶177] Admetus:
But why thus speechless stands my wife?

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
τί γάρ ποθ’ ἥδ’ ἄναυδος ἕστηκεν γυνή;

[¶178] Heracles:’Tis not lawful yet for thee to hear her speak,
ere she be purified from the gods below and the third day be come. So lead her in; and hereafter, e’en as now, be just and kind to guests, Admetus. Now farewell! for I must go to perform my appointed task
for the lordly son of Sthenelus.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὔπω θέμις σοι τῆσδε προσφωνημάτων
κλύειν, πρὶν ἂν θεοῖσι τοῖσι νερτέροις
ἀφαγνίσηται καὶ τρίτον μόλῃ φάος.
ἀλλ’ εἴσαγ’ εἴσω τήνδε· καὶ δίκαιος ὢν
τὸ λοιπόν, Ἄδμητʼ, εὐσέβει περὶ ξένους.
καὶ χαῖρʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν προκείμενον πόνον
Σθενέλου τυράννῳ παιδὶ πορσυνῶ μολών.

[¶179] Admetus:
Abide with us and be our welcome guest.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
μεῖνον παρ’ ἡμῖν καὶ ξυνέστιος γενοῦ.

[¶180] Heracles:
Another time; now must I use all haste.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
αὖθις τόδ’ ἔσται, νῦν δ’ ἐπείγεσθαί με δεῖ.

[¶181] Admetus:
Good luck to thee! and mayst thou come again! To the citizens and ail my realm
I make this proclamation, that they institute dances in honour of the glad event, and make the altars steam with sacrifice, and offer prayers; for now have I moored my bark of life in a happier haven than before, and so will own myself a happy man.

> Greek: Ἄδμητος:
ἀλλ’ εὐτυχοίης, νόστιμον δ’ ἔλθοις δόμον.
ἀστοῖς δὲ πάσῃ τ’ ἐννέπω τετραρχίᾳ,
χοροὺς ἐπ’ ἐσθλαῖς συμφοραῖσιν ἱστάναι
βωμούς τε κνισᾶν βουθύτοισι προστροπαῖς.
νῦν γὰρ μεθηρμόσμεσθα βελτίω βίον
τοῦ πρόσθεν· οὐ γὰρ εὐτυχῶν ἀρνήσομαι.

[¶182] Chorus:
Many are the shapes that fortune takes,
and oft the gods bring things to pass beyond our expectation. That which we deemed so sure is not fulfilled, while for that we never thought would be, God finds out a way. And such hath been the issue in the present case.

> Greek: Χορός:
πολλαὶ μορφαὶ τῶν δαιμονίων,
πολλὰ δ’ ἀέλπτως κραίνουσι θεοί·
καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντ’ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,
τῶν δ’ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.
τοιόνδ’ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα.