I managed to download only a few pages of the Greek test of Euripides’ “Alcestis” before problems developed on the Perseus website, so the major portion of the following summary is based on a translation by Gilbert Murray presented by the Gutenberg Project. The two URLs are in the reference section below.
In the introduction, Apollo is loitering near the residence of Admetus, a lord of Thessaly whose capital city was Pherae. Apollo gives us the following background information.
Zeus had killed Asclepius, the son of Apollo, with a bolt of lightning. This made Apollo angry, so he killed the Cyclops, who made the thunderbolts of Zeus. As punishment, Apollo had to serve a mortal man. He became a herdsman for a man named Admetus.
Since Admetus was a pious man, Apollo brought prosperity to his home. When Admetus was destined to die, Apollo induced the Fates to let him live for the time being. However, there was a catch. Admetus had to find someone who was willing to die in his place. He approached many people, including his elderly father and mother, but the only person willing to die for him was his wife Alcestis.
Death was coming to take her. As Apollo saw the grim reaper approach, he decided to leave, lest he suffer defilement.
When Death saw Apollo loitering near the house of Admetus, he became alarmed. He was afraid that Apollo, who had already robbed him of one victim, was trying to deprive him of Alcestis also. He noticed that Apollo was carrying his bow and feared that he might try to prevent the death of Alcestis by force.
Apollo assured Death that he did not intend to use his bow. He had it with him only because it was his custom to carry it at all times.
Then Apollo vainly endeavored to persuade Death to spare the life of Alcestis. After his request was refused, Apollo told Death that a hero was coming to the house of Alcestis. This hero would forcefully deprive Death of his victim.
After this altercation, Apollo left, and Death entered the house of Admetus.
The chorus then entered the scene. It consisted of some citizens of Pherae. They knew that this was the day on which Alcestis was supposed to die. They were puzzled because they did not hear people beating their breasts and making other customary sounds associated with mourning.
As members of the chorus were discussing the fate of Alcestis, a maid entered the scene. She told the chorus how Alcestis rose in the morning and calmly prepared for her expected death. She prayed earnestly for her two children. She hoped that they would have a happy marriage and enjoy a long life. Then she bid farewell to her bridal bed. Her children entered and embraced her weeping. Alcestis said goodbye to them, and she took leave of each of her slaves.
The maid and also the chorus praised Alcestis highly. They thought that Admetus did not realize what a wonderful wife she was.
Admetus and Alcestis entered and bewailed their fate. Alcestis wanted to view the light of day one last time. She thought she saw a boatman impatiently waiting to transport her to the land of the dead. She felt a slow darkness stealing over her sight.
Alcestis was concerned about the children. He asked Admetus not to bring a stepmother into the house. She was afraid that a stepmother would cherish ill will toward her children. Perhaps Admetus could protect her son, but nothing could protect her daughter from the malice of a stepmother.
Admetus assured her that she would be his only bride. He would mourn for her all his life. He would no longer revel with friends. If he had a voice like Orpheus, he would descend to the land of the dead to reclaim her with persuasive song.
This assurance brought some consolation to Alcestis in her dying moments. She bade farewell to her husband and to her children and died.
Scenes of mourning followed. The words of her little son were filled with pathos. The use of a different Greek dialect makes the child’s words more striking.
After the little boy expressed his grief, he and his sister were taken from the scene.
Admetus commanded that the queen be given due burial rites. He also commanded all his Thessalian subjects to mourn for her.
In obedience to this command, the body of Alcestis was carried from the scene, with Admetus following.
Members of the chorus praised Alcestis for her willingness to give up her life for her husband. While chorus members were expressing this and other thoughts, Hercules entered the scene with a lion’s skin and club.
Hercules was engaged in one of his twelve labors. He was on his way to Thrace to deal with the flesh-eating horses of Diomede. He was hoping to visit Admetus for a while and then continue his journey.
As Hercules was discussing his mission with the chorus, Admetus entered the scene. When Hercules asked why he was wearing mourning garb, Admetus adroitly evaded the issue. Hercules knew that Alcestis was doomed to die for Admetus, but he did not know that she was dead already. From the evasive remarks of Admetus, Hercules concluded that the dead person was practically a stranger to the family.
Hercules decided to leave. He did not want to revel when people around him were mourning. However, Admetus told him that the guest room was in a separate part of the house, so he would not be bothered with the mourning.
He commanded that Hercules be led to the guest room, that a feast be prepared, and that the doors be carefully closed so that Hercules would not be able to hear any expression of grief.
The leader of the chorus criticized Admetus for entertaining a guest and for failing to tell him of the death of Alcestis. In reply, Admetus stressed the importance of giving hospitality to a friend. He had not told Hercules of his wife’s death because Hercules would not have entered the house if he knew about it. After thus defending his actions, Admetus entered the house.
After a choral interlude, Admetus reentered the scene. At the same time, Pheres, the father of Admetus, came with gifts that were to be buried with Alcestis. Admetus refused the gifts. He blamed his parents for refusing to die for him, even though they could not hope to live much longer. Admetus refused to be called the son of Pheres any longer.. When Pheres died, Admetus would not bury him.
Pheres said that it was not a father’s duty to die for his son. He pointed out that Admetus loved life and did not want to die. Why should he blame his father because he also loved life? Moreover, Pheres accused Admetus of killing his wife. Admetus was a coward who was so afraid of death that he allowed a woman to face death for him. He mockingly suggested that Admetus keep marrying wives so that they could keep dying for him. (In my judgment, Pheres effectively proved his point, at least judging from Murray’s imaginative translation.)
After the altercation reached its conclusion, Pheres left the scene. Then the funeral procession bore away the body of Alcestis, leaving the stage empty.
A servant entered and complained about the conduct of Hercules. He was a very demanding guest. He drank too much wine, became tipsy, and sang boisterously. The servant was deeply grieved by the death of his kind mistress, but he was commanded not to let Hercules see any tears.
Hercules entered with a garland on his head. He noticed the sadness of the servant and tried to persuade him to join in his revels. He offered the servant a glass of wine, but the servant refused.
Because of the servant’s persistent grief, Hercules began to realize that Admetus had not told him the whole truth. After questioning the servant, Hercules learned that the deceased was none other than Alcestis.
Hercules was ashamed that he had been feasting while his friend was suffering this dire calamity. He learned from the servant where Alcestis was going to be buried and hastened to the spot. He appreciated the fact that Admetus had not sent him away, even though he had suffered such a great tragedy. He thought that he could find Death consuming the sacrifices that were offered during the burial. He planned to ambush Death and bring the queen back home.
After Hercules left, Admetus and the chorus returned from the burial. He now realized that he had brought shame upon himself by letting his wife die in his place. He saw the folly of blaming his parents for refusing to sacrifice themselves while he himself did not dare to die. He considered his future life unprofitable because he had plenty of grief and his honor was gone.
After a choral interlude, Hercules returned with Alcestis, who was veiled. Hercules scolded Admetus for not telling him about his loss. At first, Hercules pretended that the veiled woman was a maiden whom Hercules wanted Admetus to keep for him until he returned from his mission in Thrace. Admetus did not like the idea. Hercules continued to converse playfully with Admetus for a while, but eventually he took off the veil and assured Admetus that she was Alcestis in the flesh.
Alcestis was standing still without a word. Hercules explained that she would not be able to speak until she paid due cleansing to the gods below.
Hercules left for Thrace, and Admetus led Alcestis into the house.
In the subtitle of my summary, I called this work a tragedy, after considerable deliberation. A tragedy usually does not have a happy ending, but there are exceptions, such as “Eumenides” by Aeschylus.
There is a tragic element of a psychological nature in “Alcestis,” namely, the disgrace of Admetus. In the early part of the play, Admetus tries to portray himself as a good husband, and he seems to think that he is a good man in general – a good man for whom everyone ought to be willing to die, even his parents. This tragic element reaches its climax in the altercation between Admetus and his father. In this scene, the base nature of his refusal to meet death at the appointed time is clearly exposed. Admetus does not admit it immediately, but in the denouement he feels compelled to admit that he has lost his honor.
It is true that he enjoys a happy reunion with his wife. However, this does not restore his honor.
Even the almost comic scene at the end of the drama might be interpreted as an intensification of this psychological tragedy. Admetus took pride in his hospitality and boasted that Alcestis would be his only bride. So his self-esteem probably suffered when his guest rebuked him for failing to tell him about his wife’s death and when Admetus found himself drawn to the veiled woman before he knew that it was Alcestis.
References:
Perseus: Euripides, Alcestis
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0087
Gutenberg Project: Alcestis by Euripides
http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1477015
