Epeisodion 4
Pheres
For weal or woe, thy life must be thine own; whate’er was due from me to thee, thou hast. Dominion wide is thine, and acres broad I will leave to thee, for from my father did I inherit them. How, pray, have I wronged thee? of what am I robbing thee?
685
Die not thou for me, nor I for thee. Thy joy is in the light; think’st thou thy sire’s is not? By Heaven! ’tis a weary while, I trow, that time beneath the earth, and life, though short, is sweet. Thou at least didst struggle hard to ’scape thy death,
690
lost to shame, and by her death dost live beyond thy destined term. Dost thou then speak of cowardice in me, thou craven heart! no match for thy wife, who hath died for thee, her fine young lord? A clever scheme hast thou devised to stave off death for ever,
695
if thou canst persuade each new wife to die instead of thee; and dost thou then taunt thy friends, who will not do the like, coward as thou art thyself? Hold thy peace; reflect, if thou dost love thy life so well, this love by all is shared; yet if thou wilt speak ill of me,
700
thyself shalt hear a full and truthful list of thy own crimes.
705
Chorus
Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.
Admetus
Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.
Pheres
My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee.
710
Admetus
What! is it all one for young or old to die?
Pheres
To live one life, not twain, is all our due.
Admetus
Outlive then Zeus himself!
Pheres
Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?
Admetus
Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days.
715
Pheres
Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?
Admetus
A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!
Pheres
At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.
Admetus
Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!
Pheres
Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die.
720
Admetus
That is thy reproach, for thou didst refuse to die.
Pheres
Dear is the light of the sun-god, dear to all.
