O mansions of Admetus, wherein I endured to acquiesce in the slave’s table,[1] though a God; for Jove was the cause, by slaying my son AEsculapius, hurling the lightning against his breast:  whereat enraged, I slay the Cyclops, forgers of Jove’s fire; and me my father compelled to serve for hire with a mortal, as a punishment for these things.  But having come to this land, I tended the herds of him who received me, and have preserved this house until this day:  for being pious I met with a pious man,[2] the son of Pheres, whom I delivered from dying by deluding the Fates:  but those Goddesses granted me that Admetus should escape the impending death, could he furnish in his place another dead for the powers below.  But having tried and gone through all his friends, his father and his aged mother who bore him, he found not, save his wife, one who was willing to die for him, and view no more the light:  who now within the house is borne in their hands, breathing her last; for on this day is it destined for her to die, and to depart from life.  But I, lest the pollution[3] come upon me in the house, leave this palace’s most dear abode.  But already I behold Death near, priest of the dead, who is about to bear her down to the mansions of Pluto; but he comes at the right time, observing this day, in the which it was destined for her to die.

DEATH,[4] APOLLO.

DEA.  Ah!  Ah!  Ah!  Ah!  What dost thou at the palace? why tamest here, Phoebus?  Art thou again at thy deeds of injustice, taking away and putting an end to the honors of the powers beneath?  Did it not suffice thee to stay the death of Admetus, when thou didst delude the Fates by fraudful artifice?[5] But now too dost thou keep guard for her, having armed thine hand with thy bow, who then promised, in order to redeem her husband, herself, the daughter of Pelias, to die for him?

AP.  Fear not, I cleave to justice and honest arguments.

DEA.  What business then has your bow, if you cleave to justice?

AP.  It is my habit ever to bear it.

DEA.  Yes, and without regard to justice to aid this house.

AP. Ay, for I am afflicted at the misfortunes of a man that is dear to me.

DEA.  And wilt thou deprive me of this second dead?

AP.  But neither took I him from thee by force.

DEA.  How then is he upon earth, and not beneath the ground?

AP.  Because he gave in his stead his wife, after whom thou art now come.

DEA.  Yes, and will bear her off to the land beneath.

AP.  Take her away, for I know not whether I can persuade thee.

DEA.  What? to slay him, whom I ought? for this was I commanded.

AP.  No:  but to cast death upon those about to die.

DEA.  Yes, I perceive thy speech, and what thou aim’st at.

AP.  Is it possible then for Alcestis to arrive at old age?

DEA.  It is not:  consider that I too am delighted with my due honors.