Alcestis was Euripides’ earliest dated surviving play, produced in 438 BC for the City Dionysia.
Setting:
Outside the palace of Admetus [represented by the skene] at Pherae , Thessaly
Dramatis Personae:
Apollo – [god of prophecy and shepherd to Admetus]Thanatos [Death]
Chorus [Elders of Pherae]
Maid [Alcestis’ attendant]
Alcestis [Wife of Admetus and daughter of Pelias, ruler of Iolcus in Thessaly]
Admetus [Husband of Alcestis and son of Pheres, king of Pherae, in Thessaly]
Boy [son of Alcestis and Admetus – named Eumelus in Homer]
Sister [of Eumelus]
Heracles [house guest of Admetus]
Pheres [Admetus’ father, retired king of Pherae]
Slave [Admetus' slave]
Summary:
Prologue [Lines 1–76]
Apollo enters. The god tells the audience that in revenge for the death of his son Asclepius who had been slain by Zeus's lightning bolts and he, in turn, had killed the Cyclopes which had forged them. For this crime Zeus forced him to become a shepherd in the service of King Admetus. Apollo continues telling the audience that, because Admetus has been such an excellent and hospitable friend, and such a pious person, he has decided to reward him. He tricked the Fates to allow him to live and to have a replacement mortal human to die in his stead when his time was due. There was, however, one condition: the substitute mortal human must be willing to become this victim. However, only his wife Alcestis had consented to be his replacement.
Thanatos enters. But Apollo cannot persuade him to put off the date of Alcestis' death. However, he does foresee that Heracles will save the day. Thanatos exits the stage into the palace. Apollo disappears.
The Chorus march into the orchestra singing an ode wondering if Alcestis was still alive and praising her for her willingness to die in her husband's stead. They know not whether they should weep or not, and question the silence in the palace. They remark that Admetus has slain beasts on all the altars of the gods.
Episode 1 [Lines 136–212]
Alcestis’ slave woman enters. She describes how her mistress had made preparations for her death, saying that she has bathed and dressed herself, and hung garlands on all the altars in the house. She prayed before them and flung herself down upon her marriage bed, and wept; she kissed her children goodbye, and all the servants in the house had wept with compassion for their queen and she had given her hand to each of them.
Episode 2 [Lines 238–434]
As Alcestis is about to die, Admetus laments his impending loneliness. She makes him promise never to remarry. She bids her farewells to her children and he promises to mourn her for the rest of his life. She dies. The body of Alcestis carried into the palace, followed by her children and the servants.)
Admetus imposes a year of mourning on the people under his rule, to be observed with shaving of the head and the wearing of black robes.
Stasimon 2 [Lines 435–475]
The Chorus sings an ode in praise of Alcestis, imagining how she will become renowned in choral song all across the Hellenic world, and that she had been the bravest of wives ever to have crossed the lake with Charon in his ferry.
Episode 3 [Lines 476–567]
Heracles stops by at Admetus’ palace. He is on his way to Thrace to steal the man-eating horses of Diomedes, one of his Labours. [The very nature of the play seems to change from being one of tragedy to one now of being a satyr play.] When Heracles asks him why he is mourning, Admetus does not immediately reveal to him that it is Alcestis who has died. Heracles tells Admetus that he knows that Alcestis had undertaken to die in his stead. Admetus says that the person who has died is not Alcestis, but an outsider. Heracle tells Admetus not to mourn her before she dies, but to await for the time. When Heracles suggests he should stay with someone else, Admetus refuses to let him go, telling Heracles that the dead are dead and he was to go on in. Ademtus orders his servants to entertain Heracles in the guest quarters, a part of the palace which is not in mourning. When the Chorus questions his decision, Admetus responds to them that he cannot afford to lose a friend.
Stasimon 3 [Lines 568–605]
The Chorus sing the praises of Admetus’ hospitality towards Apollo and how pleased that god had been to have lived in his house, that the noble and good must both be wise and predisposed to do the right thing. And how Admetus had continued to remain hospitable accepting other guests despite the recent death of his wife.
Episode 4 [Lines 606–961]
Admetus' father, Pheres, enters. Admetus and his father argue [agon]. Pheres and Admetus both accuse one other of hanging onto life for too long. They each call one other cowards for having let Alcestis die too young. Admetus refuses the gift from his father of funeral goods for her. Pheres exits, and then Admetus exits with the Chorus to attend to Alcestis' funeral.
A servant enters and remarks how rude Heracles had been to stay as a guest when he had seen his master, Admetus, was in mourning, and how raucous and drunk he had become after having a few cups of wine. Heracles enters. He finally learns from the Servant that it is Alcestis who has died. The Servant exits. Heracles makes a speech and exits the stage saying he will now to go down into the Underworld, and talk to the master and mistress of that realm; and bring her back.
Stasimon 4 [Lines 962–1005]
The Chorus sing of the inevitability of death. And describe Alcestis as the best of all women to whom Admetus had been joined in marriage. And that Admetus can still love and honour the memory of her.
Exodos [Lines 1006–1163]
Heracles comes back on stage leading in with him a veiled but silent woman. He claims he won her in an athletic competition. He describes her as Admetus' new woman. He allows Admetus gradually to realise and learn [recognition scene] that she is in fact, his wife, Alcestis who has been brought back from the dead. Heracles departs, Admetus and Alcestis enter the palace. The Chorus sing out the the surprise ending.
References
Euripides: Alcestis (Ἄλκηστις) - - Major Reference Works - Wiley Online Library
Alcestis - Course Hero
Alcestis by Euripides - GreekMythology.com
ALCESTIS - EURIPIDES : PLAY, SUMMARY & ANALYSIS - Greek Mythology - Classical Literature
Alcestis - Ancient History Encyclopedia
Alcestis (play) - WikipediaAlcestis - Wikipedia
Alcestis - GreekMythology.com
Admetus - GreekMythology.com
Heracles - Wikipedia
Donald J. Mastronarde (1 April 2010). The Art of Euripides: Dramatic Technique and Social Context. Cambridge University Press. pp. 227–. ISBN 978-1-139-48688-0.
Laura K. McClure (17 January 2017). A Companion to Euripides. The Alcestis and Genre: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 62–. ISBN 978-1-119-25750-9.
GREGORY, J. (2006). GENRE AND INTERTEXTUALITY: SOPHOCLES' ANTIGONE AND EURIPIDES' ALCESTIS. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement, (87), 113-127. from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43768113
Ancient Greek Versions
Euripides Alcestis - Internet Archive editit A. Garzya
Alcestis: D.J. Conacher - Internet Archive Aris & Phillips Classical Texts
Euripides, John Milner, and Wilhelm Dindorf. The Alcestis of Euripides: Chiefly From the Text of Dindorf, With English Notes, Critical And Explanatory, for the Use of Schools. A new ed. London: Lockwood & co., 1875.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.$b257373&view=1up&seq=7
Euripides, Alcestis - Perseus Digital Library
Alcestis : D.J. Conacher - Internet Archive
Euripides (2003). Euripides' Alcestis. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3458-1.
Translations
Euripides, Alcestis - tr David Kovacs - Perseus Digital Library
Euripides (19 April 2013); ed. David Grene and Richard Lattimore (tr). Euripides I: Alcestis, Medea, The Children of Heracles, Hippolytus. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-30934-7.
Alcestis by Euripides - Project Gutenberg
The Alcestis of Euripides, Translated by Gilbert Murray into English Rhyming Verse
The Internet Classics Archive - Alcestis by Euripides
Euripides; Edward Philip Coleridge (tr.) (18 October 2018). The Plays of Euripides: Rhesus. Medea. Hippolytus. Alcestis. Heracleidae. the Suppliants. the Trojan Women. Ion. Helen. Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-0-343-76911-6.
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