Euripides Alcestis 973

Chorus

But see, Admetus! yonder, I believe, comes Alcmena’s son toward thy hearth.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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?

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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.

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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;

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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;

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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.

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Chorus

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

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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!

Admetus

Right well I know thou wouldst. But what of that? The dead can never come to life again.

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Heracles

Do not exceed the mark, but bear thy grief with moderation.

Admetus

’Tis easier to advise than to suffer and endure.

Heracles

Yet what thy gain, if thou for aye wilt mourn?

Admetus

I too know that myself, but some strange yearning leads me on.

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Heracles

Love for the dead compels a tear.

Admetus

Her death was mine, more than any words of mine can tell.

Heracles

Thou hast lost a noble wife; who shall gainsay it?

Admetus

Life henceforth hath lost all charm for me.

Heracles

Time will soothe the smart; as yet thy grief is young.

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Admetus

Time! use that word, if death and time are one.

Heracles

A new wife and a longing for a fresh marriage will stay thy sorrow.

Admetus

Peace! What words are thine? I ne’er of thee had thought it.

Heracles

What! wilt never wed, but preserve thy widowed state?

Admetus

There is no woman living that shall share my couch.

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Heracles

Dost think that this will help the dead at all?

Admetus

My reverence she deserves, where’er she is.

Heracles

I praise thee, yes; but still thou bringest on thyself the charge of folly.

Admetus

So that thou never call’st me bridegroom, praise me if thou wilt.

Heracles

I praise thee for thy loyalty to thy wife.

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Admetus

Come death! if ever I betray her, dead though she be.

Heracles

Well, take this maiden to the shelter of thy noble house.

Admetus

Spare me, I entreat thee by Zeus, thy sire.

Heracles

Be sure, if thou refuse, ’twill be a sad mistake.

Admetus

If I comply, remorse will gnaw my heart.

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Heracles

Yield; for in god’s good time maybe thou wilt give me thanks.

Admetus

Ah! would thou hadst never won her in the games!

Heracles

Yet thou too sharest in my victory.

Admetus

True; still let this maiden go away.

Heracles

Go she shall, if go she must; but first see if this is needful.

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Admetus

I needs must, else wilt thou be wroth with me.

Heracles

I have a reason good to press the matter thus.

Admetus

Have thy way then. Yet know well thy deed I disapprove.

Heracles

A day will come that thou wilt praise me; only yield.

Admetus

(to his servants). Take her in, if I needs must give her welcome in my house.

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Heracles

To thy servants will I not hand her over.

Admetus

Conduct her then thyself within, if so thou thinkest good.

Heracles

Nay, but into thy hands shall mine consign her.

Admetus

I will not touch her, though she is free to go within my halls.

Heracles

To thy hand, and thine alone I her entrust.

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Admetus

Prince, against my will thou dost constrain me to this deed.

Heracles

Boldly stretch out thy hand and touch the stranger maid.

Admetus

There, then, I stretch it out as toward the Gorgon’s severed head. ¹

Heracles

Hast hold of her?

Admetus

I have.

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.

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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?

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Heracles

No, no; ’tis thy own wife thou seest here.

Admetus

Beware it be not a phantom from that nether world.

Heracles

No necromancer was this guest whom thou didst welcome.

Admetus

Do I behold my wife, her whom I buried?

Heracles

Be well assured thereof; still I marvel not thou dost distrust thy luck.

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Admetus

May I touch her, may I speak to her as my living wife?

Heracles

Speak to her. For thou hast all thy heart’s desire.

Admetus

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

Heracles

So thou dost; may no jealous god rise against thee!

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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?

Heracles

By encountering the god ² who had her in his power.

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Admetus

Where didst thou engage with Death? tell me this.

Heracles

Just by the tomb I from my ambush sprang and caught him in my grip.

Admetus

But why thus speechless stands my wife?

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

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for the lordly son of Sthenelus.

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Admetus

Abide with us and be our welcome guest.

Heracles

Another time; now must I use all haste.

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.

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