ALCESTIS 213
Since, thou departed, I no more remain !
For in thee are we bound up, to exist
Or cease to be — so we adore thy love ! " 405
— Which hrought out truth to judgment. At this
word And j)'i'otestation, all the truth in her Claimed to assert itself: she waved away The hlue-eyed hlach-wing d jphantom, held in check The advancing jpageantry of Hades there^ 410
Andy with no change in her own countenance^ She fixed her eyes on the lyrotesting man. And let her lips unloch their sentence, — so !
" Admetos, — how things go with me thou seest, —
I wish to tell thee, ere I die, what things 415
I will should follow. I — to honor thee,
Secure for thee, by my own soul's exchange,
Continued looking on the daylight here —
Die for thee — yet, if so I pleased, might live,
Nay, wed what man of Thessaly I would, 420
And dwell i' the dome with pomp and queenliness.
I would not, — would not live bereft of thee,
With children orphaned, neither shrank at all.
Though having gifts of youth wherein I joyed.
Yet, who begot thee and who gave thee birth, 425
Both of these gave thee up ; no less, a term
Of life was reached when death became them well,
Ay, well — to save their child and glorious die :
Since thou wast all they had, nor hope remained
Of having other children in thy place. 430
So, I and thou had lived out oui' full time,
Nor thou, left lonely of thy wife, wouldst groan
With children reared in orphanage : but thus