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213 ALCESTIS 213

Since, thou departed, I no more remain !

For in thee are we bound up, to exist

Or cease to be — so we adore thy love ! " 405

— Which hrought out truth to judgment. At this

word And j)'i'otestation, all the truth in her Claimed to assert itself: she waved away The hlue-eyed hlach-wing'' d jphantom, held in check The advancing jpageantry of Hades there^ 410

Andy with no change in her own countenance^ She fixed her eyes on the lyrotesting man. And let her lips unloch their sentence, — so !

" Admetos, — how things go with me thou seest, —

I wish to tell thee, ere I die, what things 415

I will should follow. I — to honor thee,

Secure for thee, by my own soul's exchange,

Continued looking on the daylight here —

Die for thee — yet, if so I pleased, might live,

Nay, wed what man of Thessaly I would, 420

And dwell i' the dome with pomp and queenliness.

I would not, — would not live bereft of thee,

With children orphaned, neither shrank at all.

Though having gifts of youth wherein I joyed.

Yet, who begot thee and who gave thee birth, 425

Both of these gave thee up ; no less, a term

Of life was reached when death became them well,

Ay, well — to save their child and glorious die :

Since thou wast all they had, nor hope remained

Of having other children in thy place. 430

So, I and thou had lived out oui' full time,

Nor thou, left lonely of thy wife, wouldst groan

With children reared in orphanage : but thus