Stories from the Greek Tragedians | Page 4

commended me the more if I had caused him to depart
from this house and this city? For my sorrow had not been one whit the
less, and I had lost the praise of hospitality. And a right worthy host is
he to me if ever I chance to visit the land of Argos."
And now they had finished all things for the burying of Alcestis, when
the old man Pheres, the father of the King, approached, and servants
came with him bearing robes and crowns and other adornments
wherewith to do honour to the dead. And when he was come over
against the bier whereon they had laid the dead woman, he spake to the
King, saying, "I am come to mourn with thee, my son, for thou hast lost
a noble wife. Only thou must endure, though this indeed is a hard thing.
But take these adornments, for it is meet that she should he honoured
who died for thee, and for me also, that I should not go down to the
grave childless." And to the dead he said, "Fare thou well, noble wife,
that hast kept this house from falling. May it be well with thee in the
dwellings of the dead!"
But the King answered him in great wrath, "I did not bid thee to this
burial, nor shall this dead woman be adorned with gifts of thine. Who
art thou that thou shouldest bewail her? Surely thou art not father of
mine. For being come to extreme old age, yet thou wouldst not die for
thy son, but sufferedst this woman, being a stranger in blood, to die for
me. Her therefore I count father and mother also. Yet this had been a
noble deed for thee, seeing that the span of life that was left to thee was
short. And I too had not been left to live out my days thus miserably,
being bereaved of her whom I loved. Hast thou not had all happiness,
thus having lived in kingly power from youth to age? And thou wouldst
have left a son to come after thee, that thy house should not be spoiled
by thine enemies. Have I not always done due reverence to thee and to
my mother? And, lo! this is the recompense that ye make me.
Wherefore I say to thee, make haste and raise other sons who may
nourish thee in thy old age, and pay thee due honour when thou art
dead, for I will not bury thee. To thee I am dead."
Then the old man spake, "Thinkest thou that thou art driving some
Lydian and Phrygian slave that hath been bought with money, and
forgettest that I am a freeborn man of Thessaly, as my father was

freeborn before me? I reared thee to rule this house after me; but to die
for thee, that I owed thee not. This is no custom among the Greeks that
a father should die for his son. To thyself thou livest or diest. All that
was thy due thou hast received of me; the kingdom over many people,
and, in due time, broad lands which I also received of my father. How
have I wronged thee? Of what have I defrauded thee? I ask thee not to
die for me; and I die not for thee. Thou lovest to behold this light.
Thinkest thou that thy father loveth it not? For the years of the dead are
very long; but the days of the living are short yet sweet withal. But I
say to thee that thou hast fled from thy fate in shameless fashion, and
hast slain this woman. Yea, a woman hath vanquished thee, and yet
thou chargest cowardice against me. In truth, 'tis a wise device of thine
that thou mayest live for ever, if marrying many times, thou canst still
persuade thy wife to die for thee. Be silent then, for shame's sake; and
if thou lovest life, remember that others love it also."
So King Admetus and his father reproached each other with many
unseemly words. And when the old man had departed, they carried
forth Alcestis to her burial.
But when they that bare the body had departed, there came in the old
man that had the charge of the guest-chambers, and spake, saying, "I
have seen many guests that have come from all the lands under the sun
to this palace of Admetus, but never have I given entertainment to such
evil guest as this. For first, knowing that my lord was in sore trouble
and sorrow, he forebore not to enter these gates. And then he took his
entertainment in most unseemly fashion; for if he lacked aught he
would call loudly for it; and then, taking a great cup wreathed