I praise thee, yes; but still thou bringest on thyself the charge of folly. Admetus So that thou never call’st me bridegroom, praise me if thou wilt. Heracles I praise thee for thy loyalty to thy wife. Admetus Come death! if ever I betray her, dead though she be. Heracles Well, take this maiden to the shelter of thy noble house. Admetus Spare me, I entreat thee by Zeus, thy sire. Heracles Be sure, if thou refuse, ’twill be a sad mistake. Admetus If I comply, remorse will gnaw my heart. Heracles Yield; for in god’s good time maybe thou wilt give me thanks. Admetus Ah! would thou hadst never won her in the games! Heracles Yet thou too sharest in my victory. Admetus True; still let this maiden go away. Heracles Go she shall, if go she must; but first see if this is needful. Admetus I needs must, else wilt thou be wroth with me. Heracles I have a reason good to press the matter thus. Admetus Have thy way then. Yet know well thy deed I disapprove. Heracles A day will come that thou wilt praise me; only yield. Admetus (to his servants). Take her in, if I needs must give her welcome in my house. Heracles To thy servants will I not hand her over. Admetus Conduct her then thyself within, if so thou thinkest good. Heracles Nay, but into thy hands shall mine consign her. Admetus I will not touch her, though she is free to go within my halls. Heracles To thy hand, and thine alone I her entrust. Admetus Prince, against my will thou dost constrain me to this deed. Heracles Boldly stretch out thy hand and touch the stranger maid. Admetus There, then, I stretch it out as toward the Gorgon’s severed head. Lobeck, whom Nauck follows, to avoid the elision of the final ι of the dative singular, conjectured Γοργόν’ ὡς καρατομῶν as if beheading a Gorgon, i.e. with averted gaze, thus gaining very considerable point. Paley notices the clever suggestion, without however adopting it. Heracles Hast hold of her? Admetus I have. Heracles (removes the veil). So; keep her safely then, and in days to come thou wilt confess the son of Zeus proved himself a noble guest. Look well at her, if haply to thy gaze she have a semblance of thy wife; and now that thou art blest, cease from sorrowing.