[PHERES is now out of sight; ADMETUS drops his defiance and seems like a broken man.]

But we—­our sorrow is upon us; come
With me, and let us bear her to the tomb.

CHORUS. 
        Ah me! 
Farewell, unfalteringly brave! 
  Farewell, thou generous heart and true! 
  May Pluto give thee welcome due,
And Hermes love thee in the grave. 
Whate’er of blessed life there be
  For high souls to the darkness flown,
  Be thine for ever, and a throne
Beside the crowned Persephone.

[The funeral procession has formed and moves slowly out, followed by ADMETUS and the CHORUS. The stage is left empty, till a side door of the Castle opens and there comes out a SERVANT, angry and almost in tears.]

SERVANT. 
Full many a stranger and from many a land
Hath lodged in this old castle, and my hand
Served them; but never has there passed this way
A scurvier ruffian than our guest to-day. 
He saw my master’s grief, but all the more
In he must come, and shoulders through the door. 
And after, think you he would mannerly
Take what was set before him?  No, not he! 
If, on this day of trouble, we left out
Some small thing, he must have it with a shout. 
Up, in both hands, our vat of ivy-wood
He raised, and drank the dark grape’s burning blood,
Strong and untempered, till the fire was red
Within him; then put myrtle round his head
And roared some noisy song.  So had we there
Discordant music.  He, without a care
For all the affliction of Admetus’ halls,
Sang on; and, listening, one could hear the thralls
In the long gallery weeping for the dead. 
  We let him see no tears.  Our master made
That order, that the stranger must not know. 
  So here I wait in her own house, and do
Service to some black thief, some man of prey;
And she has gone, has gone for ever away. 
I never followed her, nor lifted high
My hand to bless her; never said good-bye.... 
I loved her like my mother.  So did all
The slaves.  She never let his anger fall
Too hard.  She saved us alway....  And this wild beast
Comes in our sorrow when we need him least!

[During the last few lines HERACLES has entered, unperceived by the SERVANT. He has evidently bathed and changed his garments and drunk his fill, and is now revelling, a garland of flowers on his head.  He frightens the SERVANT a little from time to time during the following speech.]

HERACLES. 
Friend, why so solemn and so cranky-eyed? 
’Tis not a henchman’s office, to show pride
To his betters.  He should smile and make good cheer. 
  There comes a guest, thy lord’s old comrade, here;
And thou art all knitted eyebrows, scowls and head
Bent, because somebody, forsooth, is dead! 
  Come close!  I mean to make thee wiser.

[The SERVANT reluctantly comes close.]