SERVANT (breaking into tears). 
Oh, all is gone, all lost, not she alone!

HERACLES. 
I knew, I felt it, when I saw his tears,
And face, and shorn hair.  But he won mine ears
With talk of the strange woman and her rite
Of burial.  So in mine own heart’s despite
I crossed his threshold and sat drinking—­he
And I old friends!—­in his calamity. 
Drank, and sang songs, and revelled, my head hot
With wine and flowers!...  And thou to tell me not,
When all the house lay filled with sorrow, thou!
(A pause; then suddenly)
Where lies the tomb?—­Where shall I find her now?

SERVANT (frightened). 
Close by the straight Larissa road.  The tall
White marble showeth from the castle wall.

HERACLES. 
O heart, O hand, great doings have ye done
Of old:  up now, and show them what a son
Took life that hour, when she of Tiryns’ sod,
Electryon’s daughter, mingled with her God! 
  I needs must save this woman from the shore
Of death and set her in her house once more,
Repaying Admetus’ love....  This Death, this black
And winged Lord of corpses, I will track
Home.  I shall surely find him by the grave
A-hungered, lapping the hot blood they gave
In sacrifice.  An ambush:  then, one spring,
One grip!  These arms shall be a brazen ring,
With no escape, no rest, howe’er he whine
And curse his mauled ribs, till the Queen is mine! 
  Or if he escape me, if he come not there
To seek the blood of offering, I will fare
Down to the Houses without Light, and bring
To Her we name not and her nameless King
Strong prayers, until they yield to me and send
Alcestis home, to life and to my friend: 
Who gave me shelter, drove me not away
In his great grief, but hid his evil day
Like a brave man, because he loved me well. 
Is one in all this land more hospitable,
One in all Greece?  I swear no man shall say
He hath cast his love upon a churl away!

[He goes forth, just as he is, in the direction of the grave.  The SERVANT watches a moment and goes back into the hall.]

[The stage is empty; then ADMETUS and the CHORUS return.]

ADMETUS. 
    Alas! 
Bitter the homeward way,
  Bitter to seek
    A widowed house; ah me,
  Where should I fly or stay,
    Be dumb or speak? 
      Would I could cease to be!

            Despair, despair! 
My mother bore me under an evil star. 
  I envy them that are perished; my heart is there. 
It dwells in the Sunless Houses, afar, afar.

I take no joy in looking upon the light;
  No joy in the feel of the earth beneath my tread. 
The Slayer hath taken his hostage; the Lord of the Dead
  Holdeth me sworn to taste no more delight.

[He throws himself on the ground in despair.]

CHORUS. [Each member of the CHORUS speaks his line severally, as he passes ADMETUS, who is heard sobbing at the end of each line.]