HER.  Speakest thou of her as dead or as alive?

ADM.  She both is, and is no more, and she grieves me.

HER.  I know nothing more; for thou speakest things obscure.

ADM.  Knowest thou not the fate which it was doomed for her to meet with?

HER.  I know that she took upon herself to die for thee.

ADM.  How then is she any more, if that she promised this?

HER.  Ah! do not weep for thy wife before the time; wait till this happens.

ADM.  He that is about to die is dead, and he that is dead is no more.

HER.  The being and the not being is considered a different thing.

ADM.  You judge in this way, Hercules, but I in that.

HER.  Why then dost weep?  Who is he of thy friends that is dead?

ADM.  A woman, a woman we were lately mentioning.

HER.  A stranger by blood, or any by birth allied to thee?

ADM.  A stranger; but on other account dear to this house.

HER.  How then died she in thine house?

ADM.  Her father dead, she lived an orphan here.

HER.  Alas!  Would that I had found thee, Admetus, not mourning!

ADM.  As about to do what then, dost thou make use of these words?

HER.  I will go to some other hearth of those who will receive a guest.

ADM.  It must not be, O king:  let not so great an evil happen!

HER.  Troublesome is a guest if he come to mourners.

ADM.  The dead are dead—­but go into the house.

HER.  ’Tis base however to feast with weeping friends.

ADM.  The guest-chamber, whither we will lead thee, is apart.

HER.  Let me go, and I will owe you ten thousand thanks.

ADM.  It must not be that thou go to the hearth of another man.  Lead on thou, having thrown open the guest-chamber that is separate from the house:  and tell them that have the management, that there be plenty of meats; and shut the gates in the middle of the hall:  it is not meet that feasting guests should hear groans, nor should they be made sad.

CHOR.  What are you doing? when so great a calamity is before you, Admetus, hast thou the heart to receive guests? wherefore art thou foolish?

ADM.  But if I had driven him who came my guest from my house, and from the city, would you have praised me rather?  No in sooth, since my calamity had been no whit the less, but I the more inhospitable:  and in addition to my evils, there had been this other evil, that mine should be called the stranger-hating house.  But I myself find this man a most excellent host, whenever I go to the thirsty land of Argos.

CHOR.  How then didst thou hide thy present fate, when a friend, as thou thyself sayest, came?

ADM.  He never would have been willing to enter the house if he had known aught of my sufferings.  And to him[29] indeed, I ween, acting thus, I appear not to be wise, nor will he praise me; but my house knows not to drive away, nor to dishonor guests.