Alcestis
Euripides
Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Translated into English Prose from the Text of Paley. Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.
- 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,
- thyself shalt hear a full and truthful list of thy own crimes.
- Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.
- Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.
- My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee.
- What! is it all one for young or old to die?
- To live one life, not twain, is all our due.
- Outlive then Zeus himself!
- Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?
- Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days.
- Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?
- A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!
- At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.
- Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!
- Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die.
- That is thy reproach, for thou didst refuse to die.
- Dear is the light of the sun-god, dear to all.
- A coward soul is thine, not to be reckoned among men.
- No laughing now for thee at bearing forth my aged corpse.
- Thy death will surely be a death of shame, come when it will.