. The golden fleece and the heroes who lived before Achilles. ad lain, and thought of his terrible loss. Heracles, after the bath, put on the brightly colored tunicthat the servants of Admetus brought him. He put a wreathupon his head and sat down to the feast. It was a pity, hethought, that Admetus was not feasting with him. But thiswas only the first of many feasts. And thinking of what com-panionship he would have with Admetus, Heracles left thefeasting hall and came to where the servants were standingabout in silence. Why is the house of Admetus so hushed to-day? Heraclesasked. It is becau
. The golden fleece and the heroes who lived before Achilles. ad lain, and thought of his terrible loss. Heracles, after the bath, put on the brightly colored tunicthat the servants of Admetus brought him. He put a wreathupon his head and sat down to the feast. It was a pity, hethought, that Admetus was not feasting with him. But thiswas only the first of many feasts. And thinking of what com-panionship he would have with Admetus, Heracles left thefeasting hall and came to where the servants were standingabout in silence. Why is the house of Admetus so hushed to-day? Heraclesasked. It is because of what is befalling, said one of the servants. Ah, the sacrifice that the king is making, said what god is that sacrifice due? To the god of the Underworld, said the servant. Deathis coming to Alcestis the queen where she lies on a bier in thetemple of the gods. Then the servant told Heracles the story of how Alcestis hadtaken her husbands place, going in his stead with Death. Her-acles thought upon the sorrow of his friend, and of the great. THE HEROES OF THE QUEST 265 sacrifice that his wife was making for him. How noble it wasof Admetus to bring him into his house and give entertainmentto him while such sorrow was upon him. And then Heraclesfelt that another labor was before him. I have dragged up from the Underworld, he thought,the hound that guards those whom Death brings down intothe realm of the god of the Underworld. Why should I notstrive with Death? And what a noble thing it would be tobring back this faithful woman to her house and to her hus-band! This is a labor that has not been laid upon me, andit is a labor I will undertake. So Heracles said to himself. He left the palace of Admetus and he went to the temple ofthe gods. He stood inside the temple and he saw the bier onwhich Alcestis was laid. He looked upon the queen. Deathhad not touched her yet, although she lay so still and so would watch beside her and strive with Death for he
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