  How Admetus was saved from the disagreeable necessity of dying by his wife Alcestis, who was permitted to die in his stead, and how Heracles, in gratitude for Admetus’ hospitality, wrestled with Death for her and restored her to her husband, has been narrated by Euripides. What Euripides did not do was to give us any hint of the subsequent history of the reunited couple. Did they live happily ever afterwards, or——? But the sequel must show. It is written in the woman-hating vein so often seen in Euripides, and its title has been Latinized for the benefit of those who have forgotten their Greek. HERCULES VICTUS.Scene.—Before Admetus’ Palace. That worthy enters hurriedly through the Royal doors, which he bangs behind him with a slight want of dignity. He soliloquises. Admetus. Ye gods, how long must I endure all this, The ceaseless clamour of a woman’s tongue? Was it for this ye granted me the boon That she might give her life in place of mine, Only that Heracles might bring her back, Torn from the arms of Death to plague me thus? This was your boon, in sooth no boon to me. How blind is man, not knowing when he is blest! Fool that I was, I mourned Alcestis’ death Almost as much as I should mourn my own. Indeed I thought, so great my grief appeared, I would almost have laid my own life down —Almost I say—to bring her back to earth. Yet, now she lives once more she makes me weep When I believed her gone beyond recall. [Weeps bitterly. Chorus. First Semichorus. Oh, what a doubtful blessing is a wife Who saves your life And then doth make it doubly hard to live! Alas, she doth but give A gift we cannot prize But count it in our eyes As nothing worth—a thing to spurn, to cast away, To form the theme of this depreciatory lay! Second Semichorus. Alcestis, what a shame it is to find This kingly mind So much disturbed, this kingly heart so wrung, By thy too active tongue Thou gav’st thy life for his But oh, how wrong it is To make that life which thou so nobly didst restore A thing he values not at all, in fact a bore! First Semichorus. O wretched race of men, When shall we see again The peace that once ye had Ere woman bad, Or mad, Did cross your happy path In wrath, And doom you to a tedious life of fear and fret, Of unavailing tears and unconcealed regret! Second Semichorus. O Heracles, what shame Shall cloud thy previous fame Who brought this lady back Along the black Steep track, Where Death and she did fare, A pair (At least, as far as we can ascertain) content To those Tartarean halls which hear no argument! [Enter Alcestis. She is in a bad temper, and is weeping as only Euripides’ characters can. Alcestis. Ah! woe is me! Why was I ever born? And why, once dead, did I return again To this distressful earth? Oh, Heracles, Why did you bear me back to this sad place, This palace where Admetus sits enthroned? Oh, what a disagreeable fate it is To live with such a husband—hear his voice Raised ever in complaint, and have no word Of gratitude for all I did for him! Was there another creature in the world Who willingly would die for such a man? Not one! His father, aged though he was, Scouted the proposition as absurd. His mother, when approached, declined in terms Which I should hesitate to reproduce, So frank and so unflattering they were. But I, I gave my life instead of his, And what is my reward? A few cold words Of thanks, a complimentary phrase or two, And then he drops the subject, thinks no more About the matter and is quite annoyed When, as may happen once or twice a day, I accidentally allude to it! E. J. Wheeler. “His father, aged though he was, Scouted the proposition as absurd.”
Admetus. [Bursting into indignant stichomuthia.] Not once or twice but fifty times a day. Alcestis. Nay, you can have too much of a good thing. Admetus. I don’t agree. Speech is a good to men.... Alcestis. Your drift, as yet, I do not well perceive. Admetus. ... Yet too much speech is an undoubted ill. Alcestis. Ah, you rail ever at a woman’s tongue. Admetus. Where the cap fits, why, let it there be worn. Alcestis. You spoke not thus when I redeemed your life. Admetus. No, for I thought you gone ne’er to return. Alcestis. ’Twas not of mine own will that I came back. Admetus. I’m very certain that ’twas not of mine! Alcestis. Tell that to Heracles who rescued me. Admetus. I will, next time he comes to stay with us. Alcestis. You say that, knowing that he cannot come. Admetus. Why should he not? What keeps him then away? Alcestis. Cleansing Augean stables: a good work! Admetus. Idiot! He never will let well alone. Alcestis. [Tired of only getting in one line at a time.] Iou! Iou! What thankless things are men! We cook their dinners, sew their buttons on, And even on occasion darn their socks, And they repay us thus! But see where comes Great Heracles himself. ’Tis ever thus With heroes. Mention them, and they appear. [Enter Heracles in the opportune manner customary in Greek tragedy. Heracles. [Preparing to salute the gods at great length.] Great Zeus, and thou, Apollo, and thou too—— Admetus. [Interrupting hurriedly.] Oh, Heracles, you come in fitting time To this afflicted and much suffering house. Heracles. Wherefore afflicted? Anybody dead? Admetus. Not dead, but living. That the grievance is. Heracles. A plague on riddles! Make your meaning clear. Admetus. Six months, six little months, six drops of time! Heracles. You still remain unwontedly obscure. Admetus. Six months ago you tore my wife from Death. Heracles. Well, what of that? What’s all the fuss about? Admetus. I know you did it, meaning to be kind, But, oh, it was a terrible mistake. Indeed, I think it positively wrong That you should interfere with Nature’s laws In this extremely inconsiderate way. Depend upon it when a lady dies It’s most unwise to call her back again. You should have left Alcestis to the shades And me to live a happy widower. Heracles. Ungrateful man, what words are these you speak? Were you not glad when I did bring her back? Admetus. I was. But that was several months ago. And in the interval I have found cause, A dozen times a day, to change my mind. Heracles. What cause so strong that you should wish her dead? Admetus. Well, if you must be told, she’s sadly changed; Dying has not at all agreed with her. Before Death took her she was kind and mild, As good a wife as any man could wish, How altered is her disposition now! She scolds the servants, sends away the cook, —A man I’ve had in my employ for years— And actually criticises ME! Heracles. I’m really very much distressed to hear This mournful news. But what am I to do? Admetus. Make Death receive her back: an easy task. Heracles. But will Alcestis see it, do you think? Alcestis. Please, don’t distress yourself on her account; She’d leave her husband upon any terms. Is there a woman in the whole wide world That would not rather die a dozen times Rather than live her life out with this man, This puling, miserable, craven thing, Who lets his wife lay down her life for him And, when by miracle she is restored To earth again and claims his gratitude, Has the bad taste to grumble at the fact? Admetus. I told you, Heracles, she had a tongue. Heracles. Indeed, she’s well equipped in that respect. Alcestis. To such a man the stones themselves would speak. Heracles. Well, lady, are you then content to die? Alcestis. I’m positively anxious to be off. Heracles. Then will I go and make Death take you hence. Alcestis. I’m sure I shall be very much obliged. Admetus. But, oh! not half so much obliged as I. Heracles. So be it, then. Death won’t be far away. And when I’ve found him and have punched his head, I’ll make him come and take you off at once. [Exit Heracles. The Chorus, who appear to have borrowed their metre from “Atalanta in Calydon,” sing as follows:— Chorus. Is this really to put An end to our cares, To the toils where our foot Was caught unawares? Will Heracles really put straight this unfortunate state of affairs? Will he overthrow Death For the second time here? Will he do as he saith And in due time appear With the news which will lay fair Alcestis a second time out on her bier? She will die, she proclaims, With the utmost good-will, And she calls us all names In a voice that is shrill While she vows that the sight of Admetus, her husband, is making her ill! It hardly seems wise To spurn and reject Your husband with cries— To which all men object, But Admetus is scarcely the husband to inspire any wife with respect. Lo, Heracles comes, A hero confessed! But he twiddles his thumbs And looks somewhat depressed. Can it be that at last he’s been conquered? Well, all I can say is, I’m blest! [The Chorus sit down in dejection. Enter Heracles. Heracles. First I salute the gods, great Zeus in chief.... Admetus. [Interrupting.] Oh, skip all that. Tell us about the fight. Heracles. Iou! Iou! Admetus. Don’t yap like that. Speak up. What is your news? Heracles. My friends, I saw Death slinking down the drive. I stopped him, told him that this lady here Was anxious for his escort to the Shades, Reminded him that I had once before Rescued her from his grasp, and pointed out How generous I was thus to restore What then I took. In fact, I put the best Complexion on the matter that I could. Alcestis. Well? Did he say that he would take me back? Heracles. By no means. He declined emphatically. He will not take you upon any terms. Death is no fool; he knows what he’s about! Admetus. But did you not compel him to consent? Heracles. I did my best. We had a bout or two Of wrestling, but he threw me every time. Finally, out of breath, and sadly mauled, I ran away—and here I am, in fact. Alcestis. You stupid, clumsy, fat, degenerate lout, I positively hate the sight of you! Out of my way, or I shall scratch your face! If Dejanira feels at all like me, She’ll borrow Nessus’ shirt and make you smart! [Exit angrily. Heracles. Oh, what a vixen! Can you wonder Death, When I approached him, would not take her back? Admetus. I can’t pretend I’m very much surprised Although, if you will pardon the remark, I think you might have made a better fight. Better not stay to dine. It’s hardly safe. Alcestis isn’t to be trifled with, And if she murdered you I should be blamed! [Exit sorrowfully. Chorus. [Rising fussily.] How ill-natured of Death! What a horrible thing! It quite takes my breath And I pant as I sing. If Alcestis is really immortal, what a terrible blow for the King!
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