ALCESTIS.

ADMETUS and Alcestis were nearly related before their marriage. Eolus, the third in descent from Prometheus, was the father of Cretheus and Salmoneus; Æson the father of Jason, and Pheres the father of Admetus, were sons of Cretheus : Tyro, the daughter of Salmoneus, was by Neptune mother to Pelias, whose eldest daughter Alcestis was. The historian, who relates the arts by which Medea induced the daughters of Pelias to cut their father in pieces in expectation of seeing him restored to youth, tells us that Alcestis alone, through the tenderness of her filial piety, concurred not with her sisters in that fatal deed. Diodor. Sic.

Pheres, now grown old, had resigned his kingdom to his son, and retired to his paternal estate, as was usual in those states where the sceptre was a spear. Admetus, on his first accession to the regal power, had kindly received Apollo, who was banished from heaven, and compelled for the space of a year to be a slave to a mortal; and the god,

after he was restored to his celestial honours, did not forget that friendly house; but, when Admetus lay ill of a disease from which there was no recovery, prevailed upon the Fates to spare his life, on condition that some near relation would consent to die for him; but neither his father, nor his mother, nor any of his friends, was willing to pay this ransom: Alcestis, hearing this, generously devoted her own life to save her husband's.

Upon this wild and unpromising fable the Poet has built this pleasing drama. With a beautiful simplicity which characterises the compositions of the ancients, and with a tenderness of which his own heart was peculiarly susceptible, he has given these scenes of domestic sensibility and distress their full effect. The interview indeed between Pheres and Admetus is harsh and indelicate; the Chorus acknowledges it to be so, and rebukes them both; but it is the natural result of the manners and ideas of the times, and therefore not offensive to an Athenian audience, though to us it must appear indecent it shows, what it was intended to show, the impassioned grief of Admetus, and in those times the passions spoke their own natural language without reserve; and according to the ideas of those times Pheres must be considered as guilty of the basest and most unnatural pusillanimity. Virgil, the most accurate observer of nature, gives even the unfeeling and savage Mezentius the soften

ing of parental affection, and makes him exclaim, on the sight of his son, who died to save his father,

Tantane me tenuit vivendi, nate, voluptas,

Ut

pro me hostili paterer succedere dextræ Quem genui? tuane hæc genitor per vulnera servor, Morte tua vivens?

The design of this tragedy is to recommend the virtue of hospitality, so sacred among the Grecians, and encouraged on political views, as well as to keep alive a generous and social benevolence: the refinement of a double moral ill agrees with the simplicity of the ancients.

The scene is in the vestibule of the house of Admetus.

Palæphatus has given this explanation of the fable. After the death of Pelias, Acastus pursued the unhappy daughters to punish them for destroying their father. Alcestis fled to Pheræ ; Acastus demanded her of Admetus, who refused to give her up; he therefore advanced towards Phera with a great army, laying the country waste with fire and sword. Admetus marched out of the city to check these devastations, fell into an ambush, and was taken prisoner. Acastus threatened to put him to death. When Alcestis understood that the life of Admetus was in this danger on her account, she went voluntarily and surrendered herself to

Acastus, who discharged Admetus, and detained her in custody. At this critical time Hercules, on his expedition to Thrace, arrives at Pheræ, is hospitably entertained by Admetus, and, being informed of the distress and danger of Alcestis, immediately attacks Acastus, defeats his army, recovers the lady, and restores her to Admetus.

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA,

APOLLO

ORCUS

ALCESTIS

ADMETUS

EUMELUS

HERCULES

PHERES

ATTENDANTS

CHORUS OF PHEREANS.

ALCESTIS.

APOLLO.

THY royal house, Admetus, yet again

I visit, where a slave among thy slaves

Thy table, though a god, I deign'd to praise;
To this compell'd by Jove, who slew my son
The healing sage, launching against his breast
The flaming thunder; hence enraged I kill'd
The Cyclops, that prepared his fiery bolts.
For this a penal task my vengeful sire
Assign'd me, to a mortal doom'd a slave
Perforce; I hither came, and fed his herds,
Who friendly entertain'd me, guarding then,
And to this day, his hospitable house.
Holy the house, and holy is its lord,

The son of Pheres; him from death I saved
The Fates beguiling; for those ancient pow'rs
Assented that Admetus should escape

Death then approaching, would some other go,
Exchang❜d for him, to the dark realms beneath,
His friends, his father, e'en the aged dame
That gave him birth, were ask'd in vain; not one
Was found, his wife except; for him she will'd