He would not give up, however. He went to his friends begging one after another of them to die and let him live. He evidently thought his life was so valuable that someone would surely save it even at the cost of the supreme sacrifice. But he met with an invariable refusal. At last in despair he went back to his house and there he found a substitute. His wife Alcestis offered to die for him. No one who has read so far will need to be told that he accepted the offer. He felt exceedingly sorry for her and still more for himself in having to lose so good a wife, and he stood weeping beside her as she died. When she was gone he was overwhelmed with grief and decreed that she should have the most magnificent of funerals. It was at this point that Hercules arrived, to rest and enjoy himself under a friends roof on his journey north to Diomedes. The way Admetus treated him shows more plainly than any other story we have how high the standards of

As soon as Admetus was told of Hercules arrival, he came to meet him with no appearance of mourning except in his dress. His manner was that of one gladly welcoming a friend. To Hercules question who was dead he answered quietly that a woman of his household, but no relative of his, was to be buried that day. Hercules instantly declared that he would not trouble him with his presence at such a time, but Admetus steadily refused to let him go elsewhere. I will not have you sleep under anothers roof, he told him. To his servants he said that the guest was to be taken to a distant room where he could hear no sounds of grief, and given dinner and lodging there. No one must let him know what had happened. Hercules dined alone, but he understood that Admetus must as a matter of

The servants left at home to attend to him were kept busy satisfying his enormous appetite and, still more, refilling his wine-jug. Hercules became very happy and very drunk and very noisy. He roared out songs at the top of his voice, some of them highly objectionable songs, and behaved himself in a way that was nothing less than indecent at the time of a funeral. When the servants looked their disapproval he shouted at them not to be so solemn. Couldnt they give him a smile now and then like good fellows? Their gloomy faces took away his appetite. Have a drink with me, he cried, many drinks. One of them answered timidly that it was not a time for laughter and

Why not? thundered Hercules. Because a stranger woman is dead? A stranger faltered the servant. Well, thats what Admetus told me, Hercules said angrily. I suppose you wont say he lied to me. Oh, no, the servant answered. Onlyhes too hospitable. But please have some more wine. Our trouble is only our own. He turned to fill the winecup but Hercules seized himand no one ever disregarded that grasp. Theres something strange here, he said to the frightened man. What is wrong? You see for yourself we are in mourning, the other answered. But why, man, why? Hercules cried. Has my host made a fool of me? Who is dead? Alcestis, the servant whispered. Our Queen. There was a long silence. Then Hercules threw down his cup. I might have known, he said. I saw he had been weeping. His eyes were red. But he swore it was a stranger. He made me come in. Oh, good friend and good host. And Igot drunk, made merry, in this house of sorrow. Oh, he should have told me.