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Admetus
With what intent dost thou devise this speech?
With what intent dost thou devise this speech?
Heracles
I will seek some other friendly hearth.
I will seek some other friendly hearth.
Admetus
Never, O prince! Heaven forefend such dire disgrace!
Never, O prince! Heaven forefend such dire disgrace!
Heracles
A guest is a burden to sorrowing friends, if come he should.
540
A guest is a burden to sorrowing friends, if come he should.
540
Admetus
The dead are dead. Come in.
The dead are dead. Come in.
Heracles
To feast in a friend’s house of sorrow is shameful.
To feast in a friend’s house of sorrow is shameful.
Admetus
The guest chambers lie apart, whereto we will conduct thee.
The guest chambers lie apart, whereto we will conduct thee.
Heracles
Let me go; ten thousandfold shall be my thanks to thee.
Let me go; ten thousandfold shall be my thanks to thee.
Admetus
Thou must not go to any other hearth.
(To a Servant.) Go before, open the guest-rooms that face not these chambers, and bid my stewards see there is plenty of food; then shut the doors that lead into the courtyard; for ’tis not seemly that guests when at their meat
545
should hear the voice of weeping or be made sad.
[Exit HERACLES.
550
Thou must not go to any other hearth.
(To a Servant.) Go before, open the guest-rooms that face not these chambers, and bid my stewards see there is plenty of food; then shut the doors that lead into the courtyard; for ’tis not seemly that guests when at their meat
545
should hear the voice of weeping or be made sad.
[Exit HERACLES.
550
Chorus
What doest thou? With such calamity before thee, hast thou the heart, Admetus, to welcome visitors? What means this folly?
What doest thou? With such calamity before thee, hast thou the heart, Admetus, to welcome visitors? What means this folly?
Admetus
Well, and if I had driven him from my house and city when he came to be my guest, wouldst thou have praised me more?
No indeed! for my calamity would have been no whit less, while I should have been more churlish. And this would have been another woe to add to mine, that my house should be called no friend to guests. Yea, and I find him myself the best of hosts
555
whene’er to Argos’ thirsty land I come.
560
Well, and if I had driven him from my house and city when he came to be my guest, wouldst thou have praised me more?
No indeed! for my calamity would have been no whit less, while I should have been more churlish. And this would have been another woe to add to mine, that my house should be called no friend to guests. Yea, and I find him myself the best of hosts
555
whene’er to Argos’ thirsty land I come.
560
Chorus
Why then didst thou conceal thy present misfortune, if, as thy own lips declare, it was a friend that came?
Why then didst thou conceal thy present misfortune, if, as thy own lips declare, it was a friend that came?
Admetus
He would never have entered my house, had he known aught of my distress.
Maybe there are who think me but a fool for acting thus, and these will blame me; but my halls have never learnt to drive away or treat with scorn my guests.
565
He would never have entered my house, had he known aught of my distress.
Maybe there are who think me but a fool for acting thus, and these will blame me; but my halls have never learnt to drive away or treat with scorn my guests.
565
Alcestis. Euripides. Edward P. Coleridge (Translator). London. 1906.
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