(enter HERACLES stage right)


 HERACLES
Hail, good citizens of this land of Pherae!
Can anyone tell me --is King Admetus at home?

 CHORUS
He is in the palace; but tell us, Heracles,
what brings you here? Are you on another labor?

 HERACLES
I'm still slaving away for Eurystheus.

 CHORUS
That is a heavy yoke to wear.

 HERACLES
Yes; I'm after the horses of Diomedes.

 CHORUS
You're joking, of course... have you ever met the man?

 HERACLES
Nope. I've never been to Thrace before.

 CHORUS
You'll never get those horses without a battle.

 HERACLES
Well, it's my job, and a man has to do his job.

 CHORUS
What if you have to come face to face with death?

 HERACLES
It won't be the only fight I ever had.

 CHORUS
Why should you bother?

 HERACLES
I take them back to Eurystheus and my job's done.

 CHORUS
Breaking those horses isn't easy!

 HERACLES
Sure it is. Unless they breathe fire or something.

 CHORUS
But these horses eat people!

 HERACLES
Sound more like wild animals than horses.

CHORUS
You'll see-- their stalls are covered with blood!

 HERACLES
And who's the guy in charge of these vicious beasts?

 CHORUS
A warrior-king, the son of the war-god himself.

 HERACLES
That's the kind of job I always draw.
But it's okay; I never backed down from a fight
and I'm not about to become a coward today.
 
 

(enter ADMETUS from the palace, attended by his SERVANT)
CHORUS
Anyway, here is our king!

 ADMETUS

Welcome, my friend!
HERACLES
Greetings, Admetus! How're you doing, man?

 ADMETUS
Things have been better, I must admit; I'm sorry.

 HERACLES
What's the matter? Why's everybody so sad?

 ADMETUS
I have to bury... someone who died today.

 HERACLES
I hope it's not one of your children.

 ADMETUS

No. They're all right.
HERACLES
If it was your father, he was getting on, anyway.

 ADMETUS

No, my parents are fine, too.
HERACLES
I hope you're not saying your wife, Alcestis, is dead!

 ADMETUS
She is and she isn't; and I'm in absolute misery.

 HERACLES
What does that mean? I'm not very good at riddles.

 ADMETUS
You know what she promised?

 HERACLES

To give her life for yours?
ADMETUS
Well, how can she still be alive, when she's offered to die?

 HERACLES
Hey --don't cry for her now; wait 'till she's dead.

 ADMETUS
One who's waiting to die is as good as dead.

 HERACLES
No, man --they're as different as life and death.

 ADMETUS
I don't think so.

 HERACLES

Well, who do you have to bury?
ADMETUS
My... I have to bury a very dear lady.

 HERACLES
A relative? Stranger? One of the family? Who?

 ADMETUS
She... came here as a stranger. She wasn't one
of my blood relations...

 HERACLES

Then how did she die in your house?
ADMETUS
When her father died, she had nowhere to go.
We took her in and... made her feel at home.

 HERACLES
Man, I wish I'd come at a better time.

 ADMETUS
But of course you'll stay?

 HERACLES

No, I think I'll hit the road.
ADMETUS
Don't leave; I couldn't bear it!

 HERACLES

Hey, I can always
stay with some other friends. Nobody ought to be
weighing you down with a guest at a time like this.

 ADMETUS
The dead are already dead: please, come inside.

 HERACLES
Man, I can't be taking your food and drink
with the house in mourning; it just wouldn't be right!

 ADMETUS
You could stay in the guest house, for heaven's sake.

 HERACLES
Let me go someplace else...

 ADMETUS

You will not go "someplace";
you will stay with me. (to the SERVANT) Take him inside
and prepare the private quarters across the court.
Make certain he has enough to eat and drink,
and close the doors to the central rooms of the palace:
I won't have his meal interrupted by weeping and wailing.
(exeunt HERACLES and SERVANT into the palace)
CHORUS
Have you lost your mind? How dare you bring company
into the room across from your dead wife's coffin?

 ADMETUS
Would you prefer that I run him out of town?
Then I'd be not only sad, but a terrible host!
Can you imagine the trouble, the compound trouble?
He always welcomes me, but when it's my turn,
I violate the sacred guest/host law?

 CHORUS
If he's your friend, why did you keep this a secret?

 ADMETUS
He wouldn't have wanted to stay here, don't you see?
I may not seem very smart, but the house of Admetus
shall never fail the test of hospitality.

(exit into the palace)