going in his stead with Death. Heracles thought upon
the sorrow of his friend, and of the great sacrifice that his wife was
making for him. How noble it was of Admetus to bring him into his house
and give entertainment to him while such sorrow was upon him. And then
Heracles felt that another labor was before him.

"I have dragged up from the Underworld," he thought, "the hound that
guards those whom Death brings down into the realm of the god of the
Underworld. Why should I not strive with Death? And what a noble thing
it would be to bring back this faithful woman to her house and to her
husband! This is a labor that has not been laid upon me, and it is a
labor I will undertake." So Heracles said to himself.

He left the palace of Admetus and he went to the temple of the gods. He
stood inside the temple and he saw the bier on which Alcestis was laid.
He looked upon the queen. Death had not touched her yet, although she
lay so still and so silent. Heracles would watch beside her and strive
with Death for her.

Heracles watched and Death came. When Death entered the temple Heracles
laid hands upon him. Death had never been gripped by mortal hands and
he strode on as if that grip meant nothing to him. But then he had to
grip Heracles. In Death's grip there was a strength beyond strength.
And upon Heracles a dreadful sense of loss came as Death laid hands
upon him a sense of the loss of light and the loss of breath and the
loss of movement. But Heracles struggled with Death although his breath
went and his strength seemed to go from him. He held that stony body to
him, and the cold of that body went through him, and its stoniness
seemed to turn his bones to stone, but still Heracles strove with him,
and at last he overthrew him and he held Death down upon the ground.

"Now you are held by me, Death," cried Heracles. "You are held by me,
and the god of the Underworld will be--made angry because you cannot go
about his business--either this business or any other business. You are
held by me, Death, and you will not be let go unless you promise to go
forth from this temple without bringing one with you." And Death,
knowing that Heracles could hold him there, and that the business of
the god of the Underworld would be left undone if he were held,
promised that he would leave the temple without bringing one with him.
Then Heracles took his grip off Death, and that stony shape went from
the temple.

Soon a flush came into