CHOR. But here comes one of the female attendants from the house, in tears;
what shall I hear has happened? To mourn indeed, if any thing happens to
our lords, is pardonable: but whether the lady be still alive, or whether
she be dead, we would wish to know.
ATT. You may call her both alive and dead.
CHOR. And how can the same woman be both alive and dead?
ATT. Already she is on the verge of death,[12] and breathing her life away.
CHOR. Oh wretched man, being what thyself of what a wife art thou bereft!
ATT. My master knows not this yet, until he suffer.
CHOR. Is there no longer hope that she may save her life?
ATT. No, for the destined day makes its attack upon her.
CHOR. Are not then suitable preparations made for these events?
ATT. Yes, the adornments[13] are ready, wherewith her husband will bury
her.
CHOR. Let her know then that she will die glorious, and by far the best of
women under the sun.
ATT. And how not the best? who will contest it? What must the woman be, who
has surpassed her? and how can any give greater proof of esteeming her
husband, than by being willing to die for him? And these things indeed the
whole city knoweth. But what she did in the house you will marvel when you
hear. For, when she perceived that the destined day was come, she washed
her fair skin with water from the river; and having taken from her closets
of cedar vesture and ornaments, she attired herself becomingly; and
standing before the altar she prayed: "O mistress, since I go beneath the
earth, adoring thee for the last time, I will beseech thee to protect my
orphan children, and to the one join a loving wife, and to the other a
noble husband: nor, as their mother perishes, let my children untimely die,
but happy in their paternal country let them complete a joyous life."--But
all the altars, which are in the house of Admetus, she went to, and
crowned, and prayed, tearing the leaves from off the myrtle boughs,
tearless, without a groan, nor did the approaching evil change the natural
beauty of her skin. And then rushing to her chamber, and her bed, there
indeed she wept and spoke thus: "O bridal bed, whereon I loosed my virgin
zone with this man, for whom I die, farewell! for I hate thee not; but me
alone hast thou lost; for dreading to betray thee, and my husband, I die;
but thee some other woman will possess, more chaste there can not, but
perchance more fortunate."[14]--And falling on it she kissed it; but all
the bed was bathed with the flood that issued from her eyes. But when she
had satiety of much weeping, she goes hastily forward,[15] rushing from the
bed. And ofttimes having left her chamber, she oft returned, and threw
herself upon the bed again. And her children, hanging to the garments of
their mother, wept; but she, taking them in her arms, embraced them, first
one and then the other, as about to die. But all the domestics wept
throughout the house, bewailing their mistress, but she stretched out her
right hand to each, and there was none so mean, whom she addressed not, and
was answered in return. Such are the woes in the house of Admetus. And had
he died indeed, he would have perished; but now that he has escaped death,
he has grief to that degree which he will never forget.
CHOR. Surely Admetus groans at these evils, if he must be deprived of so
excellent a wife.
ATT. Yes, he weeps, holding his dear wife in his hands, and prays her not
to leave him, asking impossibilities; for she wastes away, and is consumed
by sickness, but fainting a wretched burden in his arms, yet still though
but feebly breathing, she fain would glance toward the rays of the sun; as
though never again, but now for the last time she is to view the sun's beam
and his orb. But I will go and announce your presence, for it is by no
means all that are well-wishers to their lords, so as to come kindly to
them in their misfortunes; but you of old are friendly to my master.
SEMICH. O Jove, what means of escape can there in any way be, and what
method to rid us of the fortune which attends my master?
SEMICH. Will any appear? or must I cut my locks, and clothe me even now in
black array of garments?
SEMICH. 'Tis plain, my friends, too plain; but still let us pray to the
Gods, for the power of the Gods is mightiest.
SEMICH. O Apollo, king of healing, find out some remedy for the evils of
Admetus, procure it, O! procure it. For before this also thou didst find
_remedy_, and now become our deliverer from death, and stop the murderous
Pluto.
SEMICH. Alas! alas! woe! woe! O son of Pheres, how didst thou fare when
thou wert deprived of thy wife?
SEMICH. Alas! alas! these things would even justify self-slaughter, and
there is more, than whereat one might thrust one's neck in the suspending
noose.[16]
SEMICH. For not a dear, but a most dear wife, wilt thou see dead this day.
SEMICH. Behold, behold; lo! she doth come from the house, and her husband
with her. Cry out, O groan, O land of Pheres, for the most excellent woman,
wasting with sickness, _departing_ beneath the earth to the infernal Pluto.
Never will I aver that marriage brings more joy than grief, forming my
conjectures both from former things, and beholding this fortune of the
king; who, when he has lost this most excellent wife, will thenceforward
pass a life not worthy to be called life.[17]