«rt tM °TE STORAGE «EMo- . ' . -30* J THE Alcestis of Euripides TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE BY The Class of 1 900 of Beloit College REVISED BY The Committee on Publication of 1 908 FOR The Twenty-first Annual Rendition of the Classical Department. That strangest, saddest, sweetest song. — Robert Browning Beloit Daily Free Press Print 1908 \ f % J* ' s* \ THE ALCESTIS OF EURIPIDES DRAMATIS PERSONS Apollo, the Sun-god F. J. Platt Death W. D. Wollesen Alcestis, queen of Pherae Natalie Thornton Admetus, king of Pherae H. A. Arnold Eumelus, their son Master Ned Worthington Their daughter Miss Elizabeth Fox Heracles, guest of Admetus E. C. Porter Pheres, aged father of Admetus F. W. Traner Wife of Pheres Edith Emery Therapon (a man-servant) A. H. Richardson Therapaina (a maid-servant) Charlotte Richardson Choragus C. W. Howe Coryphaei W. F. Ayer and F. H. Millett Chorus of Citizens of Pherae — Messrs. Brace, Eddy, Gaines, C. W. Howe, E. Howe, Howell, Lentzner, Northrop, Powers, Putnam, Rife, L. H. Riggs, R. I. Riggs, Shepard, Spooner. The Queen’s Attendants — Misses Adams, Arthur, Douglass, G. M. Hubbard, K. W. Miller, Richards, Rowntree, DeWitt. The King’s Attendants — Messrs. Boutwell, Bunge, Brandt, Coonradt, Schur- man, Zeininger. Pheres’ Attendants — Messrs. Brown, Candy, Jeffris, Nilson, Mitchell, Schmidt. Attendants of Pheres' Wife — Misses Nellie Myers and Clarke. Harp Miss Della M. Sehrt Flute Leslie Hammill, ex-’09 Clarinet Paul Nilson, ’ll. 54954 COMMITTEES. Business Manager E. W. Hale Assistant Business Manager L. L. Maurer Committee on Publication — Meissrs. T. G. Allen and Hyde, Miss Clarke. Committee on Stage-Setting and Costumes — Messrs. Jones, Worf, Mitchell, Misses G. M. Hub- bard and Rowntree. NOT® — The music used on this occasion is that com- posed by Chas. Harford Lloyd for the performance at Ox- ford University, England, in 1887. It was on that occasion sung in the original Greek, and the translation now sung was made by the same composer, differing therefore from the paraphrases printed in this libretto. ARGUMENT. Admetus, King of Pherae, in Thessaly, once kindly received Apollo, when that god was for a while banished from Olympus and compelled to be a servant to a mortal. Afterwards, when the king was sick and at the point of death, Apollo won the consent of the Fates that the King’s life should be spared, provided that some one could be found to die in his stead. His father, his mother, and his friends declined to save him thus; but his wife, Alcestis, offered to die for the sake of her husband. The drama opens with the approach of Death to claim his victim. Just after Alcestis has died, when the funeral rites are in progress, Heracles arrives in Pherae, journeying toward Thrace upon one of his labors. Admetus receives him hospitably, hiding his own cause of grief, letting Heracles suppose that some stranger’s funeral is in pro-gress. When Heracles learns from a servant that it is Alcestis who has died, he goes to the tomb, wrestles with Death, re- covers Alcestis, and in his own crafty style restores her to the happy king. ALCESTIS SCENE. — The Grove in front of the Palace of Admetus. PROLOGUE Enter APOLLO Apollo. 0 palace of Admetus, where I deigned, Although a go-d, to take a servant’s fare! When Zeus slew Aesculapius, my son, By hurling on his breast the thunder-bolt, Then I, enraged, the mighty Cyclops slew, Who forge for Zeus his awful thunderbolts. In punishment for that, my father bade That I should serve for hire with mortal men. So coming to this land I tended herds In King Admetus’ hospitable realm And have preserved his house until today, Since . Pheres’ son I found a godly man, Whose holiness was equal to my own; And him I saved from death by cheating fate. The Fates allowed me this: that King Admetus Should have escape from his impending death If he could find a soul to take his place. But having tried and tested all his friends, His aged father and his mother too, He found not one to suffer death for him And view life’s light no more, — except his wife. So now within the house she breathes her last Supported in the arms of weeping friends; For fate decreed that she should die today. So, lest upon me in this home should come The stains of death, I leave its sheltering roof, — But nay, — near by I see the form of Death, The priest of the dead, intent on bearing down The queen to Hades’ realms. Meet time is this 8 ALCESTIS For him to come, since he observes this day On which ’tis destined that Alcestis die. Enter Death. Death. Ho! Ho! Ha! Ha! Why art thou, O Apollo, still lingering here At the front of the palace? My heart hath its fear Thou wouldst limit the rights of the gods of the dead, And stay the dread sway of our dooms and our dread. ’Tis enough that thy meddling protected Admetus, Once cheating the Fates in thy zeal to defeat us; Yet now still again with thy hand on thy bow Thou wouldst rescue Alcestis who promised to go To her death in the stead of Admetus. Ap. Fear not! Know well my cause is just and clear. Dea. What need of weapons if thy cause is just? Ap. It is my custom thus to bear this bow. Dea. It is thy custom thus to aid this King! Ap. I sorrow at the sorrows of my friend. Dea. But wilt thou rob me of a second corpse? Ap. By force I never took thy dead from thee. Dea. How is it then Admetus still lives on? Ap. He gave Alcestis as his substitute. Dea. Whom I am come to carry to my depths. Ap. Take her and go, I doubt of thy consent — Dea. To slay them whom I ought? That is my right! Ap. Nay, rather slay the old whose race is run. Dea. I know thy logic and detect thy wish. Ap. Tell me: — how may Alcestis reach old age? Dea. She never can! My honors please me too. Ap. At most thou takest but the single life. Dea. I gain more glory when the youthful die. Ap. But aged wives receive more pomp at death. Dea. Thou suitest my laws, O Phoebus, to the rich. Ap. Old Death is shrewder than I thought he was! Dea. The rich would buy the chance of dying old. ALCESTIS Ap. Then wilt thou buy my deepest gratitude? Dea. Nay, I will not; thou know’st my old-time ways — Ap. Yes, ways detested (by both gods and men! Dea. Thou canst not have all things thou oughtst not have. Ap - But yield thou shalt, though cruel be thy heart; A man of strength approacheth Pheres’ halls, Sent by his master to the land of Thrace, Snow-capped and cold, to bring for Eurystheus thence A prize of chariot and horses twain. He, while a guest within Admetus’ house, By force shall wrest this woman from thy grasp. Still thou wilt not deserve our grateful thanks; Thou dost thine ugly part and winnest my hate! Dea. too long thou art talking, nor shalt gain thereby. To Hades’ halls this woman shall descend. I go for her; my sword begins its work; That life is sacred to the gods of death Whose head and hair this blade shall consecrate. {Exeunt.) PARODOS. [Entry of the Chorus.] STROPHE A. Cho. What means this silence everywhere? Admetus’ house is still. No friend of ours comes forth to bear The news of good or ill. We know" not if Alcestis lives And sees the light of life, Or if the King already grieves For his devoted wife. ANTISTROPHE A. Canst hear the sound of wailing shrill Or hands that tear the hair? Oh Healing-God, arise and still 10 ALCESTIS The storm of our despair! Alcestis’ spirit is not fled! How know ye more than we? We see no honors for the dead In due solemnity. STROPHE B. There are no signs of Hades there, No lustral vase to stand Before the door, nor tress of hair. Nor din of mourner’s hand. And yet today is the fatal day! — What day? Sing on, we crave. The day she goes her lonely way To the dark and silent grave. ANTISTROPHE B. No messenger or ship can bring The drugs of foreign shore; The gods to whom we pray and sing Are merciful no more; For since the Son of Light delays In Hades’ darkling rooms, No hopeful hand is reached to raise The fallen from their dooms. FIRST EPISODE. Chorus-Leader. But now a servant issues from the door. (Enter a Maid- servant.) She moans and weeps! What news am I to hear? ’Tis pardonable to grieve if aught befalls Thy master or thy mistress. We would ask If still our lady liyes, or is she dead. Maid-Servant. She lives, and yet\ is dead, ’tis fair to say. Ch. How can the lady die and be alive? Maid. Even now she bows her head and breathes her last. ALCESTIS 11 Ch. Maid. Ch. Maid. Ch. Maid. Ch. Maid-Serv. Then, wretched king, of what a wife bereft! Until he suffers it, he cannot know. Is there no hope her life may yet be spared? The fated day now presses on her hard. Are all the funeral draperies prepared? Yes, all is ready for her burial-rites. Now let her know in dying she is far The best and noblest woman ’neath our sun. The best of women, surely, who disputes? To rival her, what must a woman be? How could wife better reverence her lord Than by her willingness to die for him? Now all our city knows Alcestis’ love, Yet hear and marvel at her homely ways: For when she knew the fated day was here She bathed her fair white skin in fountain floods And, taking out her lovely draperies From chests of cedar-wood, she robed herself; Then stood before the household shrine and prayed ; “Goddess, since now I go beneath the earth, “I kneel before thee with this last request — “This final favor — guard my orphaned ones. “For both of them secure a noble marriage, “And may they never share their mothers lot, “But both live out long lives of happiness “To die at last in their ancestral land.” To every altar in Admetus’ house She then approached. With leaves of myrtle boughs She garlanded them all. At each she prayed. But did not weep, as yet, nor groan, nor change Her sweet complexion for her fate’s approach; But in her chamber, prostrate on her couch, Ah, there she shed her tears, and wept, and said: “Oh couch where I gave up my maidenhood “For this man’s sake for whose sake now I die, “Farewell — I hate thee not, I love thee — but — 12 ALCESTIS “ ’ Tis only I — I feared my husband’s death “And so for him I die and he lives on. “And thee, my couch, some other wife shall know, “Perhaps no truer but — more fortunate.” She falls upon her couch and kisses it And sprinkles it with gushing tides of tears; Then, satiate with sobs, she staggers forth To leave the bed, but comes to it again And flings herself in faint prostration there. The children held their mother’s gown and cried, Until the dying woman in her arms Clasped now the boy and now the girl in love. Meantime we servants pityingly wailed. She heard, and gave her hand to each to take — No slave of us too lowly in her sight To get and give the greetings of Farewell. Such are the troubles in Admetus’ palace; If he had died — why, he would just have died; But in escaping death he gains a sorrow That must abide on him forever more. Ch. Does King Admetus mourn in misery That he is robbed of such a noble wife? Maid. Indeed he mourns. He holds her in his arms Beseeching that she leave him not, — in vain, For with disease she wastes away and dies; Her hands hang heavy and she scarcely breathes, But yet she wills to come into the sun To see once more its circle and its rays Before her palace door one dear last time. All men are not so loyal to their lords To make them kindly visits in distress. I recognize my master’s year-iong friends. FIRST STAS I MON. [Choral Song.] STROPHE. O Zeus! What release from these troubles can come? ALCESTIS 13 What escape from misfortunes that cloud the king’s home? What word from within? Must our mourning begin With the shearing of tresses And sweeping black dresses? ’Tis too certain, — too certain; — and yet, oh my friends. Let us pray to the gods, for their power never ends : Hear, Apollo, our cries, And arise! and arise To deliver the man. As a god only can! As before thou hast rescued our king from all harm. So again smite dread Death with thy champion arm! ANTISTROPHE. Alas, son of Pheres, no voice shall refuse To wail as thou wailest the wife thou must lose. When we hear of her death We would draw our last breath With the noose or the knife, — And an end to our life! For now, oh Death-Day of our Queen, as thou nearest, We call her not dear, but we call her the dearest! But behold ye! Behold! How the portals unfold Where the queen and her king Come forth while we sing: “Lamentations!” and bid the whole city reply: “Lamentations!” for her who is passing to die. Ch.Leader. Knowing the past, we are constrained to sing: Where are the pleasures that marriages bring? Is not sorrow and sighing the usual thing? 14 ALCESTIS Thus hard is the lot has befallen the king. He shall find, in the loss of so perfect a wife, That the life that he keeps has become — no life. SECOND EPISODE. Enter Alcestis, Admetus, Eumelus, and attendants . Alcestis. Adm. Alc. Adm. Alc. Adm. Alc. Adm. Alc. O Sun! Light of day! Swift cloud-whirls of sky! The Sun sees thee and me, unhappy pair Who have done the gods no wrong — and yet thou diest. Ah, Home far away! A bride there was I! Uplift thyself, poor wife, in fortitude; Beseech the powerful gods to pity thee. Death’s boat, lo, I see And a form at the oar. It is Charon waits for me To ferry me o’er. He calls: “Why delay? Nay, on! Hasten on!” With him, on my way, I soon shall be gone. A bitter boat-ride this you tell us of, Ill-fated wife; ah me, how deep our hurt! To the Death-Halls below He leads — leads me weeping; His great eye-baills glow ! His dark wings are sweeping! Unhand! Let me go! — Unfortunate and creeping My last path of woe! Path piteous for thy friends, and more than all For me and for thy children, suffering here. There! There! Let me lie; — My feet have no strength; The Death-god draws nigh; ALCESTIS 15 And night conies at length To make dark my eye. And 'children — children mine — You have no mother more! But I pray Heaven to shine Upon you, as before! Adm. Ah me! sadder than death I feel thy dying breath; Thy farewell parting tone Is leaving us alone. I care not to live When thou hast departed; All life’s praise I give To thee, my true-hearted! Alc. Admetus, since thou seest my dying state, I long to tell my wishes ere I go. To show devotion unto thee, I die, Since for thy life mine own I give, and thou Art left behind to see the light of days. In doing this I honor thee, although I might live on and get as husband one Of the Thessalian lords I might desire; And I might still be dwelling in a home Made ever happy by its lordly wealth; And yet I neither wished to live if torn Prom thee, to see my little children left As orphans desolate, nor spared my gifts Of youth and grace in which I used to joy. And yet thy father and thy mother too, In selfish love of life, gave up their son To death, though they had come unto the time When their decease might seem appropriate, And when their death might save their son and gain Unto themselves a glorious renown; For thou alone remainst to claim from them A parent’s care and love, and shouldst thou die They never can have other manly sons. If they had undertaken the sacrifice 16 ALCESTIS Then thou and I together might live on Our space of time and thou, alone, wouldst not Be mourning for thy dying wife nor see Thy children orphaned of a mother’s