Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/255

225 ALCESTIS 225

'* The guest-rooms, whither we shall lead thee, lie Apart from ours."

" Nay, let me go my way ! Ten thousandfold the favor I shall thank ! "

" It may not be thou goest to the hearth

Of any man but me ! " so made an end eao

Admetos, softly and decisively.

Of the altercation. Herahles forbore :

And the king hade a servant lead the way^

Open the guestrooms ranged remote from view

O' the main hall ; tell the functionaries, next, 835

They had to furnish forth a plenteous feast.

And then shut close the doors o' the hall, midway,

" Because it is not proper friends who feast

Should hear a groaning or be grieved," quoth he.

The Icing, too, watched great Herahles go off 860

All faith, love, and obedience to a friend.

And when they questioned him, the simple ones,

" What dost thou ? Such calamity to face,

Lies full before thee — and thou art so bold

As play the host, Admetos ? Hast thy wits ? " 865

He replied calmly to each chiding tongue :

" But if from house and home I forced away

A coming guest, wouldst thou have praised me more ?

No, truly ! since calamity were mine.

Nowise diminished ; while I showed myself sto

Unhappy and inhospitable too :

So adding to my ills this other ill.

That mine were styled a stranger-hating house.

Myself have ever found this man the best

Of entertainers when I went his way 875

To parched and thirsty Argos."