ff., or my _Four Stages of Greek Religion_, pp. 46 f. This tradition
explains, to start with, what Heracles--and this particular sort of
revelling Heracles--has to do in a resurrection scene. Heracles bringing
back the dead is a datum of the saga. There remain then the more purely
dramatic questions about our poet's treatment of the datum.

Why, for instance, does Heracles mystify Admetus with the Veiled Woman? To
break the news gently, or to retort his own mystification upon him? I
think, the latter. Admetus had said that "a woman" was dead; Heracles
says: "All right: here is 'a woman' whom I want you to look after."

Again, what are the feelings of Admetus himself? First, mere indignation
and disgust at the utterly tactless proposal: then, I think, in 1061 ff.
("I must walk with care" ... end of speech), a strange discovery about
himself which amazes and humiliates him. As he looks at the woman he finds
himself feeling how exactly like Alcestis she is, and then yearning
towards her, almost falling in love with her. A most beautiful and
poignant touch. In modern language one would say that his subconscious
nature feels Alcestis there and responds emotionally to her presence; his
conscious nature, believing the woman to be a stranger, is horrified at
his own apparent baseness and inconstancy.

P. 57, l. 1051, Where in my castle, etc.]--The castle is divided into two
main parts: a public _megaron_ or great hall where the men live
during; the day and sleep at night, and a private region, ruled by the
queen and centring in the _thalamos_ or royal bed-chamber. If the new
woman were taken into this "harem," even if Admetus never spoke to her,
the world outside would surmise the worst and consider him dishonoured.

P. 66, l. 1148, Be righteous to thy guest, As he would have thee be.]--
Does this mean "Go on being hospitable, as you have been," or "Learn after
this not to take liberties with other guests"? It is hard to say.

P. 66, l. 1152, The feasting day shall surely come; now I must needs
away.]--A fine last word for Heracles. We have seen him feasting, but that
makes a small part in his life. His main life is to perform labour upon
labour in service to his king. Euripides occasionally liked this method of
ending a play, not with a complete finish (Greek _catastrophe_), but
with the opening of a door into some further vista of endurance or
adventure. The _Trojan Women_ ends by the women going out to the
Greek ships t