HERACLES. 
                                  Thou wilt stay
Unwed for ever, lonely night and day?

ADMETUS. 
No other bride in these void arms shall lie.

HERACLES. 
What profit will thy dead wife gain thereby?

ADMETUS. 
Honour; which finds her wheresoe’er she lies.

HERACLES. 
Most honourable in thee:  but scarcely wise!

ADMETUS. 
God curse me, if I betray her in her tomb!

HERACLES. 
So be it!... 
And this good damsel, thou wilt take her home?

ADMETUS. 
No, in the name of Zeus, thy father!  No!

HERACLES. 
I swear, ’tis not well to reject her so.

ADMETUS. 
’Twould tear my heart to accept her.

HERACLES. 
                                      Grant me, friend,
This one boon!  It may help thee in the end.

ADMETUS. 
Woe’s me! 
Would God thou hadst never won those victories!

HERACLES. 
Thou sharest both the victory and the prize.

ADMETUS. 
Thou art generous....  But now let her go.

HERACLES. 
                                           She shall,
If go she must.  Look first, and judge withal.

[He takes the veil off ALCESTIS.]

ADMETUS (steadily refusing to look). 
She must.—­And thou, forgive me!

HERACLES. 
                                  Friend, there is
A secret reason why I pray for this.

ADMETUS (surprised, then reluctantly yielding). 
I grant thy boon then—­though it likes me ill.

HERACLES. 
’Twill like thee later.  Now ... but do my will.

ADMETUS (beckoning to an Attendant). 
Take her; find her some lodging in my hall.

HERACLES. 
I will not yield this maid to any thrall.

ADMETUS. 
Take her thyself and lead her in.

HERACLES. 
                                   I stand
Beside her; take her; lead her to thy hand.

[He brings the Woman close to ADMETUS, who looks determinedly away.  She reaches out her arms.]

ADMETUS. 
I touch her not.—­Let her go in!

HERACLES. 
                                  I am loth
To trust her save to thy pledged hand and oath.

[He lays his hand on ADMETUS’S shoulder.]

ADMETUS (desperately). 
Lord, this is violence ... wrong ...

HERACLES. 
                                     Reach forth thine hand
And touch this comer from a distant land.

ADMETUS (holding out his hand without looking). 
Like Perseus when he touched the Gorgon, there!

HERACLES. 
Thou hast touched her?

ADMETUS (at last taking her hand). 
                        Touched her?...  Yes.

HERACLES (a hand on the shoulder of each). 
                        Then cling to her;
And say if thou hast found a guest of grace
In God’s son, Heracles!  Look in her face;
Look; is she like...?