ERCULES.

O my much-daring heart and my soul, now show what manner of son the
Tirynthian Alcmena, daughter of Electryon, bare thee to Jove. For I must
rescue the woman lately dead, Alcestis, and place her again in this house,
and perform this service for Admetus. And going I will lay wait for the
sable-vested king of the departed, Death, and I think that I shall find him
drinking of the libations near the tomb. And if having taken him by lying
in wait, rushing from my ambush, I shall seize hold of him, and make a
circle around him with mine arms, there is not who shall take him away
panting as to his sides, until he release me the woman. But if however I
fail of this capture, and he come not to the clottered mass of blood, I
will go a journey beneath to the sunless mansions of Cora and her king, and
will prefer my request; and I trust that I shall bring up Alcestis, so as
to place her in the hands of that host, who received me into his house, nor
drove me away, although struck with a heavy calamity, but concealed it,
noble as he was, having respect unto me. Who of the Thessalians is more
hospitable than he? Who that dwelleth in Greece? Wherefore he shall not
say, that he did a service to a worthless man, himself being noble.

ADMETUS, CHORUS.

ADM. Alas! alas! O hateful approach, and hateful prospect of this widowed
house. Oh me! Alas! alas! whither can I go! where rest! what can I say! and
what not! would that I could perish! Surely my mother brought me forth to
heavy fortune. I count the dead happy, them I long for! those houses I
desire to dwell in: for neither delight I in viewing the sunbeams, nor
treading with my foot upon the earth; of such a hostage has death robbed
me, and delivered up to Pluto.

CHOR. Advance, advance; go into the recesses of the house.

(ADM. Oh! Oh!)

Thou hast suffered things that demand groans.

(ADM. Alas! alas!)

Thou hast gone through grief, I well know.

(ADM. Woe! Woe!)

Thou nothing aidest her that is beneath.

(ADM. Ah me! me!)

Never to see thy dear wife's face again before thee, is severe.

ADM. Thou hast made mention of that which ulcerated my soul; for what can
be greater ill to man than to lose his faithful wife? Would that I never
had married and dwelt with her in the palace. But I judge happy those, who
are unmarried and childless; for theirs is one only life, for this to
grieve is a moderate burden: but to behold the diseases of children, and
the bridal bed w