or ALCESTE ( or ), a daughter of Pelias and Anaxibia, and mother of Eumelus and Admetus.
(ADMETUS. The
sacrifice of herself for Admetus was highly celebrated in antiquity. (Aelian, Animal. 1.15; Philostr. Her. 2.4; Ov. Ars Am. 3.19; Eurip. Alcestis.) Towards her father, too, she shewed her filial affection, for, at least,
according to Diodorus (De incredib. 41), she did not share in the crime of her sisters, who
murdered their father.
Ancient as well as modern critics have attempted to explain the return of Alcestis to life
in a rationalistic manner, by supposiung that during a severe illness she was restored to life
in a physician of the name of Heracles. (Palaeph. l.c. ; Plut. Amator. p. 761.) Alcestis was represented on the chest of Cypselus, in a
group shewing the funeral solemnities of Pelias. (Gesch. der bildend.
Künste, i. p. 162, 2.159.)