Alcestis 747-871
Jiyoung Song /
- Created on 2017-04-25 16:53:57
- Modified on 2017-04-26 15:36:32
- Translated by David Kovacs
- Aligned by Jiyoung Song
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Θεράπων
πολλοὺς μὲν ἤδη κἀπὸ παντοίας χθονὸς
ξένους μολόντας οἶδ᾽ ἐς Ἀδμήτου δόμους ,
οἷς δεῖπνα προύθηκ᾽ : ἀλλὰ τοῦδ᾽ οὔπω ξένον
κακίον᾽ ἐς τήνδ᾽ ἑστίαν ἐδεξάμην .
ὃς πρῶτα μὲν πενθοῦντα δεσπότην ὁρῶν
ἐσῆλθε κἀτόλμησ᾽ ἀμείψασθαι πύλας .
ἔπειτα δ᾽ οὔτι σωφρόνως ἐδέξατο
τὰ προστυχόντα ξένια , συμφορὰν μαθών ,
ἀλλ᾽ , εἴ τι μὴ φέροιμεν , ὤτρυνεν φέρειν .
ποτῆρα δ᾽ †ἐν χείρεσσι† κίσσινον λαβὼν
πίνει μελαίνης μητρὸς εὔζωρον μέθυ ,
ἕως ἐθέρμην᾽ αὐτὸν ἀμφιβᾶσα φλὸξ
οἴνου . στέφει δὲ κρᾶτα μυρσίνης κλάδοις ,
ἄμουσ᾽ ὑλακτῶν : δισσὰ δ᾽ ἦν μέλη κλύειν :
ὁ μὲν γὰρ ᾖδε , τῶν ἐν Ἀδμήτου κακῶν
οὐδὲν προτιμῶν , οἰκέται δ᾽ ἐκλαίομεν
δέσποιναν , ὄμμα δ᾽ οὐκ ἐδείκνυμεν ξένῳ
τέγγοντες : Ἄδμητος γὰρ ὧδ᾽ ἐφίετο .
καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν ἐν δόμοισιν ἑστιῶ
ξένον , πανοῦργον κλῶπα καὶ λῃστήν τινα ,
ἡ δ᾽ ἐκ δόμων βέβηκεν , οὐδ᾽ ἐφεσπόμην
οὐδ᾽ ἐξέτεινα χεῖρ᾽ ἀποιμώζων ἐμὴν
δέσποιναν , ἣ ' μοὶ πᾶσί τ᾽ οἰκέταισιν ἦν
μήτηρ : κακῶν γὰρ μυρίων ἐρρύετο ,
ὀργὰς μαλάσσουσ᾽ ἀνδρός . ἆρα τὸν ξένον
στυγῶ δικαίως , ἐν κακοῖς ἀφιγμένον ;
Ἡρακλῆς
οὗτος , τί σεμνὸν καὶ πεφροντικὸς βλέπεις ;
οὐ χρὴ σκυθρωπὸν τοῖς ξένοις τὸν πρόσπολον
εἶναι , δέχεσθαι δ᾽ εὐπροσηγόρῳ φρενί .
σὺ δ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἑταῖρον δεσπότου παρόνθ᾽ ὁρῶν
στυγνῷ προσώπῳ καὶ συνωφρυωμένῳ
δέχῃ , θυραίου πήματος σπουδὴν ἔχων .
δεῦρ᾽ ἔλθ᾽ , ὅπως ἂν καὶ σοφώτερος γένῃ .
τὰ θνητὰ πράγμαθ᾽ ἥντιν᾽ οἶσθ᾽ ἔχει φύσιν ;
οἶμαι μὲν οὔ : πόθεν γάρ ; ἀλλ᾽ ἄκουέ μου .
βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται ,
κοὐκ ἔστι θνητῶν ὅστις ἐξεπίσταται
τὴν αὔριον μέλλουσαν εἰ βιώσεται :
τὸ τῆς τύχης γὰρ ἀφανὲς οἷ προβήσεται ,
κἄστ᾽ οὐ διδακτὸν οὐδ᾽ ἁλίσκεται τέχνῃ .
ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἀκούσας καὶ μαθὼν ἐμοῦ πάρα
εὔφραινε σαυτόν , πῖνε , τὸν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν
βίον λογίζου σόν , τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα τῆς τύχης .
τίμα δὲ καὶ τὴν πλεῖστον ἡδίστην θεῶν
Κύπριν βροτοῖσιν : εὐμενὴς γὰρ ἡ θεός .
τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ἔασον πάντα καὶ πιθοῦ λόγοις
ἐμοῖσιν , εἴπερ ὀρθά σοι δοκῶ λέγειν .
οἶμαι μέν . οὔκουν τὴν ἄγαν λύπην ἀφεὶς
πίῃ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν [ τάσδ᾽ ὑπερβαλὼν τύχας ,
στεφάνοις πυκασθείς ] ; καὶ σάφ᾽ οἶδ᾽ ὁθούνεκα
τοῦ νῦν σκυθρωποῦ καὶ ξυνεστῶτος φρενῶν
μεθορμιεῖ σε πίτυλος ἐμπεσὼν σκύφου .
ὄντας δὲ θνητοὺς θνητὰ καὶ φρονεῖν χρεών :
ὡς τοῖς γε σεμνοῖς καὶ συνωφρυωμένοις
ἅπασίν ἐστιν , ὥς γ᾽ ἐμοὶ χρῆσθαι κριτῇ ,
οὐ βίος ἀληθῶς ὁ βίος ἀλλὰ συμφορά .
Θεράπων
ἐπιστάμεσθα ταῦτα : νῦν δὲ πράσσομεν
οὐχ οἷα κώμου καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια .
Ἡρακλῆς
γυνὴ θυραῖος ἡ θανοῦσα : μὴ λίαν
πένθει : δόμων γὰρ ζῶσι τῶνδε δεσπόται .
Θεράπων
τί ζῶσιν ; οὐ κάτοισθα τἀν δόμοις κακά ;
Ἡρακλῆς
εἰ μή τι σός με δεσπότης ἐψεύσατο .
Θεράπων
ἄγαν ἐκεῖνός ἐστ᾽ ἄγαν φιλόξενος .
Ἡρακλῆς
οὐ χρῆν μ᾽ ὀθνείου γ᾽ οὕνεκ᾽ εὖ πάσχειν νεκροῦ ;
Θεράπων
ἦ κάρτα μέντοι καὶ λίαν οἰκεῖος ἦν .
Ἡρακλῆς
μῶν ξυμφοράν τιν᾽ οὖσαν οὐκ ἔφραζέ μοι ;
Θεράπων
χαίρων ἴθ᾽ : ἡμῖν δεσποτῶν μέλει κακά .
Ἡρακλῆς
ὅδ᾽ οὐ θυραίων πημάτων ἄρχει λόγος .
Θεράπων
οὐ γάρ τι κωμάζοντ᾽ ἂν ἠχθόμην σ᾽ ὁρῶν .
Ἡρακλῆς
ἀλλ᾽ ἦ πέπονθα δείν᾽ ὑπὸ ξένων ἐμῶν ;
Θεράπων
οὐκ ἦλθες ἐν δέοντι δέξασθαι δόμοις .
[ πένθος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι : καὶ στολμοὺς βλέπεις
μελαμπέπλους κουράν τε . ]
Ἡρακλῆς
[ τίς δ᾽ ὁ κατθανών ; ]
μῶν ἢ τέκνων τι φροῦδον ἢ γέρων πατήρ ;
Θεράπων
γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου , ξένε .
Ἡρακλῆς
τί φῄς ; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ᾽ ἐξενίζετε ;
Θεράπων
ᾐδεῖτο γάρ σε τῶνδ᾽ ἀπώσασθαι δόμων .
Ἡρακλῆς
ὦ σχέτλι᾽ , οἵας ἤμπλακες ξυναόρου .
Θεράπων
ἀπωλόμεσθα πάντες , οὐ κείνη μόνη .
Ἡρακλῆς
ἀλλ᾽ ᾐσθόμην μὲν ὄμμ᾽ ἰδὼν δακρυρροοῦν
κουράν τε καὶ πρόσωπον : ἀλλ᾽ ἔπειθέ με
λέγων θυραῖον κῆδος ἐς τάφον φέρειν .
βίᾳ δὲ θυμοῦ τάσδ᾽ ὑπερβαλὼν πύλας
ἔπινον ἀνδρὸς ἐν φιλοξένου δόμοις
πράσσοντος οὕτω . κᾆτα κωμάζω κάρα
στεφάνοις πυκασθείς ; ἀλλὰ σοῦ τὸ νῦν φράσαι ,
κακοῦ τοσούτου δώμασιν προσκειμένου ,
ποῦ καί σφε θάπτει , ποῦ νιν εὑρήσω μολών .
Θεράπων
ὀρθὴν παρ᾽ οἶμον ἣ ' πὶ Λάρισαν φέρει
τύμβον κατόψῃ ξεστὸν ἐκ προαστίου .
Ἡρακλῆς
ὦ πολλὰ τλᾶσα καρδία καὶ χεὶρ ἐμή ,
νῦν δεῖξον οἷον παῖδά σ᾽ ἡ Τιρυνθία
ἐγείνατ᾽ Ἠλεκτρύωνος Ἀλκμήνη Διί .
δεῖ γάρ με σῶσαι τὴν θανοῦσαν ἀρτίως
γυναῖκα κἀς τόνδ᾽ αὖθις ἱδρῦσαι δόμον
Ἄλκηστιν Ἀδμήτῳ θ᾽ ὑπουργῆσαι χάριν .
ἐλθὼν δ᾽ ἄνακτα τὸν μελάμπεπλον νεκρῶν
Θάνατον φυλάξω , καί νιν εὑρήσειν δοκῶ
πίνοντα τύμβου πλησίον προσφαγμάτων .
κἄνπερ λοχαίας αὐτὸν ἐξ ἕδρας συθεὶς
μάρψω , κύκλον δὲ περιβάλω χεροῖν ἐμαῖν ,
οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις αὐτὸν ἐξαιρήσεται
μογοῦντα πλευρά , πρὶν γυναῖκ᾽ ἐμοὶ μεθῇ .
ἢν δ᾽ οὖν ἁμάρτω τῆσδ᾽ ἄγρας καὶ μὴ μόλῃ
πρὸς αἱματηρὸν πέλανον , εἶμι τῶν κάτω
Κόρης Ἄνακτός τ᾽ εἰς ἀνηλίους δόμους ,
αἰτήσομαί τε καὶ πέποιθ᾽ ἄξειν ἄνω
Ἄλκηστιν , ὥστε χερσὶν ἐνθεῖναι ξένου ,
ὅς μ᾽ ἐς δόμους ἐδέξατ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἀπήλασεν ,
καίπερ βαρείᾳ συμφορᾷ πεπληγμένος ,
ἔκρυπτε δ᾽ ὢν γενναῖος , αἰδεσθεὶς ἐμέ .
τίς τοῦδε μᾶλλον Θεσσαλῶν φιλόξενος ,
τίς Ἑλλάδ᾽ οἰκῶν ; τοιγὰρ οὐκ ἐρεῖ κακὸν
εὐεργετῆσαι φῶτα γενναῖος γεγώς .
Ἄδμητος
ἰώ ,
στυγναὶ πρόσοδοι , στυγναὶ δ᾽ ὄψεις
χήρων μελάθρων .
ἰώ μοί μοι . αἰαῖ αἰαῖ .
ποῖ βῶ ; ποῖ στῶ ; τί λέγω ; τί δὲ μή ;
πῶς ἂν ὀλοίμην ;
ἦ βαρυδαίμονα μήτηρ μ᾽ ἔτεκεν .
ζηλῶ φθιμένους , κείνων ἔραμαι ,
κεῖν᾽ ἐπιθυμῶ δώματα ναίειν .
οὔτε γὰρ αὐγὰς χαίρω προσορῶν
οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίας πόδα πεζεύων :
τοῖον ὅμηρόν μ᾽ ἀποσυλήσας
Ἅιδῃ Θάνατος παρέδωκεν .
πολλοὺς μὲν ἤδη κἀπὸ παντοίας χθονὸς
ξένους μολόντας οἶδ᾽ ἐς Ἀδμήτου δόμους ,
οἷς δεῖπνα προύθηκ᾽ : ἀλλὰ τοῦδ᾽ οὔπω ξένον
κακίον᾽ ἐς τήνδ᾽ ἑστίαν ἐδεξάμην .
ὃς πρῶτα μὲν πενθοῦντα δεσπότην ὁρῶν
ἐσῆλθε κἀτόλμησ᾽ ἀμείψασθαι πύλας .
ἔπειτα δ᾽ οὔτι σωφρόνως ἐδέξατο
τὰ προστυχόντα ξένια , συμφορὰν μαθών ,
ἀλλ᾽ , εἴ τι μὴ φέροιμεν , ὤτρυνεν φέρειν .
ποτῆρα δ᾽ †ἐν χείρεσσι† κίσσινον λαβὼν
πίνει μελαίνης μητρὸς εὔζωρον μέθυ ,
ἕως ἐθέρμην᾽ αὐτὸν ἀμφιβᾶσα φλὸξ
οἴνου . στέφει δὲ κρᾶτα μυρσίνης κλάδοις ,
ἄμουσ᾽ ὑλακτῶν : δισσὰ δ᾽ ἦν μέλη κλύειν :
ὁ μὲν γὰρ ᾖδε , τῶν ἐν Ἀδμήτου κακῶν
οὐδὲν προτιμῶν , οἰκέται δ᾽ ἐκλαίομεν
δέσποιναν , ὄμμα δ᾽ οὐκ ἐδείκνυμεν ξένῳ
τέγγοντες : Ἄδμητος γὰρ ὧδ᾽ ἐφίετο .
καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν ἐν δόμοισιν ἑστιῶ
ξένον , πανοῦργον κλῶπα καὶ λῃστήν τινα ,
ἡ δ᾽ ἐκ δόμων βέβηκεν , οὐδ᾽ ἐφεσπόμην
οὐδ᾽ ἐξέτεινα χεῖρ᾽ ἀποιμώζων ἐμὴν
δέσποιναν , ἣ ' μοὶ πᾶσί τ᾽ οἰκέταισιν ἦν
μήτηρ : κακῶν γὰρ μυρίων ἐρρύετο ,
ὀργὰς μαλάσσουσ᾽ ἀνδρός . ἆρα τὸν ξένον
στυγῶ δικαίως , ἐν κακοῖς ἀφιγμένον ;
Ἡρακλῆς
οὗτος , τί σεμνὸν καὶ πεφροντικὸς βλέπεις ;
οὐ χρὴ σκυθρωπὸν τοῖς ξένοις τὸν πρόσπολον
εἶναι , δέχεσθαι δ᾽ εὐπροσηγόρῳ φρενί .
σὺ δ᾽ ἄνδρ᾽ ἑταῖρον δεσπότου παρόνθ᾽ ὁρῶν
στυγνῷ προσώπῳ καὶ συνωφρυωμένῳ
δέχῃ , θυραίου πήματος σπουδὴν ἔχων .
δεῦρ᾽ ἔλθ᾽ , ὅπως ἂν καὶ σοφώτερος γένῃ .
τὰ θνητὰ πράγμαθ᾽ ἥντιν᾽ οἶσθ᾽ ἔχει φύσιν ;
οἶμαι μὲν οὔ : πόθεν γάρ ; ἀλλ᾽ ἄκουέ μου .
βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται ,
κοὐκ ἔστι θνητῶν ὅστις ἐξεπίσταται
τὴν αὔριον μέλλουσαν εἰ βιώσεται :
τὸ τῆς τύχης γὰρ ἀφανὲς οἷ προβήσεται ,
κἄστ᾽ οὐ διδακτὸν οὐδ᾽ ἁλίσκεται τέχνῃ .
ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἀκούσας καὶ μαθὼν ἐμοῦ πάρα
εὔφραινε σαυτόν , πῖνε , τὸν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν
βίον λογίζου σόν , τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα τῆς τύχης .
τίμα δὲ καὶ τὴν πλεῖστον ἡδίστην θεῶν
Κύπριν βροτοῖσιν : εὐμενὴς γὰρ ἡ θεός .
τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ἔασον πάντα καὶ πιθοῦ λόγοις
ἐμοῖσιν , εἴπερ ὀρθά σοι δοκῶ λέγειν .
οἶμαι μέν . οὔκουν τὴν ἄγαν λύπην ἀφεὶς
πίῃ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν [ τάσδ᾽ ὑπερβαλὼν τύχας ,
στεφάνοις πυκασθείς ] ; καὶ σάφ᾽ οἶδ᾽ ὁθούνεκα
τοῦ νῦν σκυθρωποῦ καὶ ξυνεστῶτος φρενῶν
μεθορμιεῖ σε πίτυλος ἐμπεσὼν σκύφου .
ὄντας δὲ θνητοὺς θνητὰ καὶ φρονεῖν χρεών :
ὡς τοῖς γε σεμνοῖς καὶ συνωφρυωμένοις
ἅπασίν ἐστιν , ὥς γ᾽ ἐμοὶ χρῆσθαι κριτῇ ,
οὐ βίος ἀληθῶς ὁ βίος ἀλλὰ συμφορά .
Θεράπων
ἐπιστάμεσθα ταῦτα : νῦν δὲ πράσσομεν
οὐχ οἷα κώμου καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια .
Ἡρακλῆς
γυνὴ θυραῖος ἡ θανοῦσα : μὴ λίαν
πένθει : δόμων γὰρ ζῶσι τῶνδε δεσπόται .
Θεράπων
τί ζῶσιν ; οὐ κάτοισθα τἀν δόμοις κακά ;
Ἡρακλῆς
εἰ μή τι σός με δεσπότης ἐψεύσατο .
Θεράπων
ἄγαν ἐκεῖνός ἐστ᾽ ἄγαν φιλόξενος .
Ἡρακλῆς
οὐ χρῆν μ᾽ ὀθνείου γ᾽ οὕνεκ᾽ εὖ πάσχειν νεκροῦ ;
Θεράπων
ἦ κάρτα μέντοι καὶ λίαν οἰκεῖος ἦν .
Ἡρακλῆς
μῶν ξυμφοράν τιν᾽ οὖσαν οὐκ ἔφραζέ μοι ;
Θεράπων
χαίρων ἴθ᾽ : ἡμῖν δεσποτῶν μέλει κακά .
Ἡρακλῆς
ὅδ᾽ οὐ θυραίων πημάτων ἄρχει λόγος .
Θεράπων
οὐ γάρ τι κωμάζοντ᾽ ἂν ἠχθόμην σ᾽ ὁρῶν .
Ἡρακλῆς
ἀλλ᾽ ἦ πέπονθα δείν᾽ ὑπὸ ξένων ἐμῶν ;
Θεράπων
οὐκ ἦλθες ἐν δέοντι δέξασθαι δόμοις .
[ πένθος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι : καὶ στολμοὺς βλέπεις
μελαμπέπλους κουράν τε . ]
Ἡρακλῆς
[ τίς δ᾽ ὁ κατθανών ; ]
μῶν ἢ τέκνων τι φροῦδον ἢ γέρων πατήρ ;
Θεράπων
γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου , ξένε .
Ἡρακλῆς
τί φῄς ; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ᾽ ἐξενίζετε ;
Θεράπων
ᾐδεῖτο γάρ σε τῶνδ᾽ ἀπώσασθαι δόμων .
Ἡρακλῆς
ὦ σχέτλι᾽ , οἵας ἤμπλακες ξυναόρου .
Θεράπων
ἀπωλόμεσθα πάντες , οὐ κείνη μόνη .
Ἡρακλῆς
ἀλλ᾽ ᾐσθόμην μὲν ὄμμ᾽ ἰδὼν δακρυρροοῦν
κουράν τε καὶ πρόσωπον : ἀλλ᾽ ἔπειθέ με
λέγων θυραῖον κῆδος ἐς τάφον φέρειν .
βίᾳ δὲ θυμοῦ τάσδ᾽ ὑπερβαλὼν πύλας
ἔπινον ἀνδρὸς ἐν φιλοξένου δόμοις
πράσσοντος οὕτω . κᾆτα κωμάζω κάρα
στεφάνοις πυκασθείς ; ἀλλὰ σοῦ τὸ νῦν φράσαι ,
κακοῦ τοσούτου δώμασιν προσκειμένου ,
ποῦ καί σφε θάπτει , ποῦ νιν εὑρήσω μολών .
Θεράπων
ὀρθὴν παρ᾽ οἶμον ἣ ' πὶ Λάρισαν φέρει
τύμβον κατόψῃ ξεστὸν ἐκ προαστίου .
Ἡρακλῆς
ὦ πολλὰ τλᾶσα καρδία καὶ χεὶρ ἐμή ,
νῦν δεῖξον οἷον παῖδά σ᾽ ἡ Τιρυνθία
ἐγείνατ᾽ Ἠλεκτρύωνος Ἀλκμήνη Διί .
δεῖ γάρ με σῶσαι τὴν θανοῦσαν ἀρτίως
γυναῖκα κἀς τόνδ᾽ αὖθις ἱδρῦσαι δόμον
Ἄλκηστιν Ἀδμήτῳ θ᾽ ὑπουργῆσαι χάριν .
ἐλθὼν δ᾽ ἄνακτα τὸν μελάμπεπλον νεκρῶν
Θάνατον φυλάξω , καί νιν εὑρήσειν δοκῶ
πίνοντα τύμβου πλησίον προσφαγμάτων .
κἄνπερ λοχαίας αὐτὸν ἐξ ἕδρας συθεὶς
μάρψω , κύκλον δὲ περιβάλω χεροῖν ἐμαῖν ,
οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις αὐτὸν ἐξαιρήσεται
μογοῦντα πλευρά , πρὶν γυναῖκ᾽ ἐμοὶ μεθῇ .
ἢν δ᾽ οὖν ἁμάρτω τῆσδ᾽ ἄγρας καὶ μὴ μόλῃ
πρὸς αἱματηρὸν πέλανον , εἶμι τῶν κάτω
Κόρης Ἄνακτός τ᾽ εἰς ἀνηλίους δόμους ,
αἰτήσομαί τε καὶ πέποιθ᾽ ἄξειν ἄνω
Ἄλκηστιν , ὥστε χερσὶν ἐνθεῖναι ξένου ,
ὅς μ᾽ ἐς δόμους ἐδέξατ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἀπήλασεν ,
καίπερ βαρείᾳ συμφορᾷ πεπληγμένος ,
ἔκρυπτε δ᾽ ὢν γενναῖος , αἰδεσθεὶς ἐμέ .
τίς τοῦδε μᾶλλον Θεσσαλῶν φιλόξενος ,
τίς Ἑλλάδ᾽ οἰκῶν ; τοιγὰρ οὐκ ἐρεῖ κακὸν
εὐεργετῆσαι φῶτα γενναῖος γεγώς .
Ἄδμητος
ἰώ ,
στυγναὶ πρόσοδοι , στυγναὶ δ᾽ ὄψεις
χήρων μελάθρων .
ἰώ μοί μοι . αἰαῖ αἰαῖ .
ποῖ βῶ ; ποῖ στῶ ; τί λέγω ; τί δὲ μή ;
πῶς ἂν ὀλοίμην ;
ἦ βαρυδαίμονα μήτηρ μ᾽ ἔτεκεν .
ζηλῶ φθιμένους , κείνων ἔραμαι ,
κεῖν᾽ ἐπιθυμῶ δώματα ναίειν .
οὔτε γὰρ αὐγὰς χαίρω προσορῶν
οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίας πόδα πεζεύων :
τοῖον ὅμηρόν μ᾽ ἀποσυλήσας
Ἅιδῃ Θάνατος παρέδωκεν .
Serving-man
I have known many men from all manner of lands to come as guests to Admetus ' house , and I have served them dinner . But never yet have I welcomed a worse guest to our hearth than this one . In the first place , though he saw that our master was in mourning , he was shameless enough to enter our doors . Then he did not soberly accept the fare that was set before him , as he might in view of our misfortunes , but if we failed to bring anything , he ordered it brought . Then taking an ivy-wood drinking-bowl in his hands and drinking unmixed wine , offspring of the dark grape , until the fire in it enveloped and warmed his heart , he garlanded his head with sprays of myrtle and howled songs out of tune . There were two sorts of melody one could hear . He was singing , paying no attention to the trouble in Admetus ' house , while we servants were bewailing our mistress . But we did not show our faces in tears to the stranger , for those were Admetus ' orders . And now I must feast the stranger in our house , some knavish thief or brigand , while my mistress has left the house without my following or holding out my hand in mourning for her . She was like a mother to me and to the other servants , rescuing us from countless troubles and softening her husband ' s temper . Do I not have reason to hate the guest , who has arrived in our hour of misfortune ?
Heracles
You there , why do you look so grave and care-worn ? A servant ought not to scowl at the guest but welcome him with an affable air . But you , though you see an old friend of your master arrive , receive him with an unfriendly face and with your brows knit together , worrying about a grief that does not concern your house .
Come here so that you may be made wiser ! Do you know the nature of our mortal life ? I think not . How could you ? But listen to me . Death is a debt all mortals must pay , and no man knows for certain whether he will still be living on the morrow . The outcome of our fortune is hid from our eyes , and it lies beyond the scope of any teaching or craft . So now that you have learned this from me , cheer your heart , drink , regard this day ' s life as yours but all else as Fortune ' s ! Honor Aphrodite , too , sweetest of the gods to mortals , for she is a kindly goddess . Forget all else and take my advice , if you think what I say is correct , as I suppose you do . Lay aside your excessive grief and have some wine with me [ overcoming these misfortunes , head crowned with garlands ] ! I am quite sure that when the fit of drinking is upon you , it will bring you round from your clotted and gloomy state of mind . Being mortal we ought to think mortal thoughts . As for those who are solemn and knit their brows together , their life , in my judgement , is no life worthy of the name but merely a disaster .
Serving-man
We understand this . But our present circumstances do not call for carousing and laughter .
Heracles
The woman who died is no relation . Do not grieve so excessively . The lord and lady of this house are living .
Serving-man
How do you mean living ? Do you not know of the grief in our house ?
Heracles
Yes , unless your master has deceived me .
Serving-man
My master is too , too hospitable !
Heracles
Should I not enjoy myself just because someone not your own has died ?
Serving-man
But she was very much our own , too much so .
Heracles
Did he conceal from me some misfortune ?
Serving-man
Pay it no heed . The master ' s troubles are our concern .
Heracles
It is no foreign grief these words prelude .
Serving-man
No , for otherwise I would not have been vexed at seeing you carousing .
Heracles
But has my host done a terrible thing to me ?
Serving-man
You have not come at the proper time for the house to receive you . [ For we are in mourning , and you see our shorn hair and our black garb . ]
Heracles
[ Who is it that has died ? ] Is one of his children or his aged father gone ?
Serving-man
No , stranger , it is Admetus ' wife who has died .
Heracles
What are you saying ? And yet you still entertained me ?
Serving-man
Yes , for his sense of honor kept him from thrusting you from his house .
Heracles
O poor man , what a help-meet you have lost !
Serving-man
We have all perished , not she alone .
Heracles
I noticed the weeping eyes and the shorn hair and the expression of grief , but he convinced me that he was burying someone unrelated . And against my better judgement I passed through these gates and caroused in the house of this hospitable man in his hour of grief . And can I now go on revelling , my head garlanded ? But it is your task now , with such a great misfortune brought on the house , to tell me , where he is burying her , where I must go to find her .
Serving-man
Next to the straight road that leads to Larisa you will see from the outskirts of the city a sculpted tomb .
Heracles
O heart and hand that have endured so much , now show what kind of son Tirynthian Alcmene , daughter of Electryon , bore to Zeus . For I must save the woman who has just died and show my gratitude to Admetus by restoring Alcestis once more to this house . I shall go and look out for the black-robed lord of the dead , Death himself , and I think I shall find him drinking from the offerings near the tomb . And if once I rush from ambush and catch and encircle him in my side-crushing grip , no one shall take him from me until he releases the woman to me . But if I fail to catch this quarry and he does not come to the blood offering , I shall go down to the sunless house of Persephone and her lord in the world below and shall ask for Alcestis , and I think I shall bring her up and put her in the hands of my friend . He welcomed me into his house and did not drive me away , though smitten with a heavy misfortune . In his nobility he concealed it , out of respect for me . What Thessalian is more hospitable than he , what Greek ? Therefore he must never be able to say that in his nobility he has done a kindness to a man who is ungrateful .
Admetus
Oh , how hateful the approach , how hateful the sight of this bereaved house . Ah , woe is me ! Where shall I go , where stay ? What shall I say , what conceal ? I wish I could die ! It was to an ill fate that my mother bore me . I envy the dead , I long for their state , I yearn to dwell in those halls below . For I take no joy in looking on the light or in walking about on the earth . Such is the hostage Death took from me and handed over to Hades .
I have known many men from all manner of lands to come as guests to Admetus ' house , and I have served them dinner . But never yet have I welcomed a worse guest to our hearth than this one . In the first place , though he saw that our master was in mourning , he was shameless enough to enter our doors . Then he did not soberly accept the fare that was set before him , as he might in view of our misfortunes , but if we failed to bring anything , he ordered it brought . Then taking an ivy-wood drinking-bowl in his hands and drinking unmixed wine , offspring of the dark grape , until the fire in it enveloped and warmed his heart , he garlanded his head with sprays of myrtle and howled songs out of tune . There were two sorts of melody one could hear . He was singing , paying no attention to the trouble in Admetus ' house , while we servants were bewailing our mistress . But we did not show our faces in tears to the stranger , for those were Admetus ' orders . And now I must feast the stranger in our house , some knavish thief or brigand , while my mistress has left the house without my following or holding out my hand in mourning for her . She was like a mother to me and to the other servants , rescuing us from countless troubles and softening her husband ' s temper . Do I not have reason to hate the guest , who has arrived in our hour of misfortune ?
Heracles
You there , why do you look so grave and care-worn ? A servant ought not to scowl at the guest but welcome him with an affable air . But you , though you see an old friend of your master arrive , receive him with an unfriendly face and with your brows knit together , worrying about a grief that does not concern your house .
Come here so that you may be made wiser ! Do you know the nature of our mortal life ? I think not . How could you ? But listen to me . Death is a debt all mortals must pay , and no man knows for certain whether he will still be living on the morrow . The outcome of our fortune is hid from our eyes , and it lies beyond the scope of any teaching or craft . So now that you have learned this from me , cheer your heart , drink , regard this day ' s life as yours but all else as Fortune ' s ! Honor Aphrodite , too , sweetest of the gods to mortals , for she is a kindly goddess . Forget all else and take my advice , if you think what I say is correct , as I suppose you do . Lay aside your excessive grief and have some wine with me [ overcoming these misfortunes , head crowned with garlands ] ! I am quite sure that when the fit of drinking is upon you , it will bring you round from your clotted and gloomy state of mind . Being mortal we ought to think mortal thoughts . As for those who are solemn and knit their brows together , their life , in my judgement , is no life worthy of the name but merely a disaster .
Serving-man
We understand this . But our present circumstances do not call for carousing and laughter .
Heracles
The woman who died is no relation . Do not grieve so excessively . The lord and lady of this house are living .
Serving-man
How do you mean living ? Do you not know of the grief in our house ?
Heracles
Yes , unless your master has deceived me .
Serving-man
My master is too , too hospitable !
Heracles
Should I not enjoy myself just because someone not your own has died ?
Serving-man
But she was very much our own , too much so .
Heracles
Did he conceal from me some misfortune ?
Serving-man
Pay it no heed . The master ' s troubles are our concern .
Heracles
It is no foreign grief these words prelude .
Serving-man
No , for otherwise I would not have been vexed at seeing you carousing .
Heracles
But has my host done a terrible thing to me ?
Serving-man
You have not come at the proper time for the house to receive you . [ For we are in mourning , and you see our shorn hair and our black garb . ]
Heracles
[ Who is it that has died ? ] Is one of his children or his aged father gone ?
Serving-man
No , stranger , it is Admetus ' wife who has died .
Heracles
What are you saying ? And yet you still entertained me ?
Serving-man
Yes , for his sense of honor kept him from thrusting you from his house .
Heracles
O poor man , what a help-meet you have lost !
Serving-man
We have all perished , not she alone .
Heracles
I noticed the weeping eyes and the shorn hair and the expression of grief , but he convinced me that he was burying someone unrelated . And against my better judgement I passed through these gates and caroused in the house of this hospitable man in his hour of grief . And can I now go on revelling , my head garlanded ? But it is your task now , with such a great misfortune brought on the house , to tell me , where he is burying her , where I must go to find her .
Serving-man
Next to the straight road that leads to Larisa you will see from the outskirts of the city a sculpted tomb .
Heracles
O heart and hand that have endured so much , now show what kind of son Tirynthian Alcmene , daughter of Electryon , bore to Zeus . For I must save the woman who has just died and show my gratitude to Admetus by restoring Alcestis once more to this house . I shall go and look out for the black-robed lord of the dead , Death himself , and I think I shall find him drinking from the offerings near the tomb . And if once I rush from ambush and catch and encircle him in my side-crushing grip , no one shall take him from me until he releases the woman to me . But if I fail to catch this quarry and he does not come to the blood offering , I shall go down to the sunless house of Persephone and her lord in the world below and shall ask for Alcestis , and I think I shall bring her up and put her in the hands of my friend . He welcomed me into his house and did not drive me away , though smitten with a heavy misfortune . In his nobility he concealed it , out of respect for me . What Thessalian is more hospitable than he , what Greek ? Therefore he must never be able to say that in his nobility he has done a kindness to a man who is ungrateful .
Admetus
Oh , how hateful the approach , how hateful the sight of this bereaved house . Ah , woe is me ! Where shall I go , where stay ? What shall I say , what conceal ? I wish I could die ! It was to an ill fate that my mother bore me . I envy the dead , I long for their state , I yearn to dwell in those halls below . For I take no joy in looking on the light or in walking about on the earth . Such is the hostage Death took from me and handed over to Hades .