ALCESTIS
meeting my married friends in Thessaly, the sight
of their wives will drive me back, for I cannot endure
to look at my wife's agemates and the friends of her
youth.
And anyone who hates me will say this of me.r
"Look at the man, disgracefully alive, who dared 955
not die, but like a coward gave his wife instead
and so escaped death. Do you call him a man at all?
He turns on his own parents, but he would not die
himself." Besides my other troubles, they will speak
about me thus. What have I gained by living, friends, 960
when reputation, life, and action all are bad?
Chorus
I myself, in the transports
of mystic verses, as in study
of history and science, have found
nothing so strong as Compulsion, 965
nor any means to combat her,
not in the Thracian books set down
in verse by the school of Orpheus,
not in all the remedies Phoebus has given the heirs 970
of Asclepius to fight the many afflictions of man.
She alone is a goddess
without altar or image to pray
before. She heeds no sacrifice. 975
Majesty, bear no harder
on me than you have in my life before!
All Zeus even ordains
only with you is accomplished.
By strength you fold and crumple the steel of the
Chalybes. 980
There is no pity in the sheer barrier of your will.
(They turn and speak directly to Admetus, who
remains in the background.)
55