O my much-daring heart and my soul, now show what manner of son the
Tirynthian Alcmena, daughter of Electryon, bare thee to Jove. For I must
rescue the woman lately dead, Alcestis, and place her again in this house,
and perform this service for Admetus. And going I will lay wait for the
sable-vested king of the departed, Death, and I think that I shall find him
drinking of the libations near the tomb. And if having taken him by lying
in wait, rushing from my ambush, I shall seize hold of him, and make a
circle around him with mine arms, there is not who shall take him away
panting as to his sides, until he release me the woman. But if however I
fail of this capture, and he come not to the clottered mass of blood, I
will go a journey beneath to the sunless mansions of Cora and her king, and
will prefer my request; and I trust that I shall bring up Alcestis, so as
to place her in the hands of that host, who received me into his house, nor
drove me away, although struck with a heavy calamity, but concealed it,
noble as he was, having respect unto me. Who of the Thessalians is more
hospitable than he? Who that dwelleth in Greece? Wherefore he shall not
say, that he did a service to a worthless man, himself being noble.