y knees weep their mother, and they lament their
mistress, _thinking_ what a lady they have lost from out of the house. Such
things within the house; but abroad the nuptials of the Thessalians and the
assemblies full of women will torture me: for I shall not be able to look
on the companions of my wife. But whoever is mine enemy will say thus of
me: "See that man, who basely lives, who dared not to die, but giving in
his stead her, whom he married, escaped Hades, (and then does he seem to be
a man?) and hates his parents, himself not willing to die."--Such report
shall I have in addition to my woes; why then is it the more honorable
course for me to live, my friends, having an evil character and an evil
fortune?

CHOR. I too have both been borne aloft through song, and having very much
handled arguments have found nothing more powerful than Necessity: nor is
there any cure in the Thracian tablets which Orpheus[43] wrote, nor among
those medicines, which Phoebus gave the sons of AEsculapius, dispensing[44]
them to wretched mortals. But neither to the altars nor to the image of
this Goddess alone, is it lawful to approach, she hears not victims. Do
not, O revered one, come on me more severe, than hitherto in my life. For
Jove, whatever he have assented to, with thee brings this to pass. Thou too
perforce subduest the iron among the Chalybi; nor has thy rugged spirit any
remorse.

And thee, _Admetus_, the Goddess hath seized in the inevitable grasp of her
hand; but bear it, for thou wilt never by weeping bring back on earth the
dead from beneath. Even the sons of the Gods by stealth begotten perish in
death. Dear she was while she was with us, and dear even now when dead. But
thou didst join to thy bed[45] the noblest wife of all women. Nor let the
tomb of thy wife be accounted as the mound over the dead that perish, but
let it be honored equally with the Gods, a thing for travelers to
adore:[46] and some one, going out of his direct road, shall say thus: "She
in olden time died for her husband, but now she is a blest divinity: Hail,
O adored one, and be propitious!" Such words will be addressed to her.--And
lo! here comes, as it seems, the son of Alcmena to thy house, Admetus.

HERCULES, ADMETUS, CHORUS.

HER. One should speak freely to a friend, Admetus, and, not in silence keep
within our bosoms what we blame. Now I thought myself worthy as a friend to
stand near thy calamities, and to search them out;[47] but thou di