ALCESTIS

All right, Admetus, you see what's happened to me;
before I die, let me tell you what I want.
Out of respect for you, with no thought for myself,
to guarantee that you'd live and see the light,
I, who did not have to die, am dying for you.
I could have declined, and after your death remarried
any Thessalian I wanted, and lived out my life
as the queen of this palace; but I deliberately chose
not to survive you and raise our children as orphans.
I never begrudged the sacrifice of my youth
in spite of the fact that I had so much to live for.
Your father and your mother have both deserted you;
even though death was near, they lost the chance
to save their only son by dying bravely.
I could then have gone on living, and you
would not be a widower, caring for our orphans.
Some god must have arranged for this to happen.
Anyway, now you owe me at least one favor,
and I am hereby requesting it --not that it ever
could compensate for the life I sacrifice
for you-- but you must admit my request is just:
of course, you love the children no less than I do.
The favor I ask is that they be allowed to grow up
as the masters in the home that was once my home.
Let no other lady enter my house,
no wife, no second marriage to take the place
of the one that these two children represent.
This is my last request; for like a viper,
a stepmother hates the fruit of a former marriage.

 My son, you'll have your father to be your tower;
but you, my daughter: who will care for you?
Who will take your side when your wicked stepmother
tries to ruin your happiness, time after time?
I'm afraid she would ruin your chances of marriage,
since you would have no mother to guide you at your wedding
or at the birth of your children. I won't be there for you:
I have to die, and I have to die today--

 not tomorrow, not some undetermined
time in the future --I have to face death now.
I wish you well. You'll both be able to say
that you had a very brave and courageous mother;
Admetus, you will also be able to call
your lady the best and bravest lady in Greece.

 CHORUS
Have no fear, Alcestis; I guarantee
that as long as he has the sense god gave a stone,
he'll do exactly what you ask him to do.

 ADMETUS
I'll honor your last request; I really will!
You're my only partner, dead or alive.
There's nobody rich or pretty enough
to ever take your place and be my wife.
I thank the gods that the children are still alive;
perhaps they'll provide some joy that we're losing with you.
But I shall bear the grief of your loss forever,
not for just a traditional year of mourning,
but always, as long as I live. And I'll hate the woman
who gave me birth and the man I call my father:
for they were my loved ones in word, but not in deed.
You are my only loved one, Alcestis, for only
you had the courage to give your life for mine.
And do I not have the right to lead a life
of eternal mourning and grief, since I'm losing you?
I shall henceforth ban all parties and drinking
and smiles and friendly conversation, the signs
of the happy life that once adorned my house.
No more music here, from the flute or the lyre;
and I'll get a sculptor to build me a statue of you
and stretch it out on my bed, and every night
lie down beside it and whisper your name, and pretend
that I'm with my precious wife, even though I'm not.
A cold pleasure, I know, but even so,
I might be able to drain this weight from my soul.
You could visit me now and then in my dreams,
and cheer me up, if only for a moment.
If I had the tongue and the musical talent of Orpheus,
strong enough to persuade the gods of the dead,
I'd take my music and win you back from Hades,
and nothing would stop me --not the hound of hell
or the pilot of the dead-- from rescuing you
and bringing you back to life. But, as it is,
you'll have to wait for me 'till we are united
once again in death, as we were in life.
For when I die, they will bury me in the very
tomb in which I'm about to bury you.
We'll lie there, side by side, for the rest of time,
you and the lonely man whom you loved so well.

 CHORUS
Anyway, rest assured that as your friend,
I will help you bear this heavy burden.

 ALCESTIS
Children, you have heard with your own ears
your father's words, promising not to impose
another woman on you, or insult my love.

 ADMETUS
That's what I said, and by god, that's what I'll do.

 ALCESTIS
Give me your hand, then, and I'll surrender the children.

 ADMETUS
Here is my hand, my beloved.

 ALCESTIS

And here are your children.
You have to be their mother and their father.

 ADMETUS
I suppose so, without you.

 ALCESTIS
Children, I should go on living, but I'm leaving for the dead now.

 ADMETUS
What will we do --what shall I do, without you?

 ALCESTIS
Time will bring you comfort; the dead are nothing.

 ADMETUS
Take me with you, Alcestis; take me with you!

 ALCESTIS
It is enough that I am dying for you.

 ADMETUS
God, what a wife you've stolen out of my life!

 ALCESTIS
Anyway, now it's coming: the weight of darkness.

 ADMETUS
I'm absolutely lost if you leave me, Alcestis!

 ALCESTIS
I cannot hear you...

 ADMETUS

Get up! Don't leave the children!
ALCESTIS
Children, I don't want to go, but I have to... goodbye.

 ADMETUS
What are you doing? Don't close your eyes! Look at them!

 ALCESTIS
Nothing...

 ADMETUS

No! Don't leave me all alone!
ALCESTIS
Farewell.

 ADMETUS

My life is ruined, utterly ruined!
CHORUS
She's gone; Admetus's queen is no longer with us.