reign, a son to inherit his state
and who ever did him honor. But let him beget him new sons to cherish
his age and attend him in death: Admetus's hand shall never do such
offices for him. And this is all that comes of old age's longing for
death: let death show itself, and the old complaints of life are all
silenced!

_Cho._ Forbear! Enough the present weight of woe: {710}
My son, exasperate not a father's mind.

To this long rhesis _Pheres_ answers in a set speech of similar length.
Is he a slave to be so rated by his own son? And for what? He has
given his son birth and nurture, he has already handed over to him a
kingdom and will bequeath him yet more wide lands; all that fathers owe
to sons he gives. What new obligation is this for Greece to submit to,
that a father should die for his son?

It is a joy to thee {730}
To view the light of heaven, and dost thou think
Thy father joys not in it? Long I deem
Our time in death's dark regions: short the space
Of life, yet sweet! So thought thy coward heart
And struggled not to die: and thou dost live,
Passing the bounds of life assign'd by fate,
By killing _her_! My mean and abject spirit
Dost thou rebuke, O timidest of all,
Vanquish'd e'en by a woman, her who gave
For thee, her young fair husband, her own life! {740}
A fine device that thou mightst never die,
Couldst thou persuade--who at the time might be
Thy wife--to die for thee!

If such a man takes to heaping reproaches on his own kin he shall at
least hear the truth told him to his face!

_Cho._ Too much of ill already hath been spoken: {750}
Forbear, old man, nor thus revile thy son.

_Admetus_ says if his father does not like to hear the truth he should
not have done the wrong.

_Pher._ Had I died for thee, greater were the wrong.
_Adm._ Is death alike then to the young and old?
_Pher._ Man's due is one life, not to borrow more.
_Adm._ Thine drag thou on and out-tire heaven's age!
_Pher._ Darest thou to curse thy parents, nothing wrong'd?
_Adm._ Parents in dotage lusting still to live! {760}
_Pher._ And thou--what else but life with this corpse buyest?
_Adm._ This corpse--the symbol of thy infamy!
_Pher._ For us she died not; that thou canst not say!
_Adm._ Ah! mayst thou some time come to