I praise thee, yes; but still thou bringest on thyself the charge of folly.AdmetusSo that thou never call’st me bridegroom, praise me if thou wilt.HeraclesI praise thee for thy loyalty to thy wife.AdmetusCome death! if ever I betray her, dead though she be.HeraclesWell, take this maiden to the shelter of thy noble house.AdmetusSpare me, I entreat thee by Zeus, thy sire.HeraclesBe sure, if thou refuse, ’twill be a sad mistake.AdmetusIf I comply, remorse will gnaw my heart.HeraclesYield; for in god’s good time maybe thou wilt give me thanks.AdmetusAh! would thou hadst never won her in the games!HeraclesYet thou too sharest in my victory.AdmetusTrue; still let this maiden go away.HeraclesGo she shall, if go she must; but first see if this is needful.AdmetusI needs must, else wilt thou be wroth with me.HeraclesI have a reason good to press the matter thus.AdmetusHave thy way then. Yet know well thy deed I disapprove.HeraclesA 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.HeraclesTo thy servants will I not hand her over.AdmetusConduct her then thyself within, if so thou thinkest good.HeraclesNay, but into thy hands shall mine consign her.AdmetusI will not touch her, though she is free to go within my halls.HeraclesTo thy hand, and thine alone I her entrust.AdmetusPrince, against my will thou dost constrain me to this deed.HeraclesBoldly stretch out thy hand and touch the stranger maid.AdmetusThere, 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.HeraclesHast hold of her?AdmetusI 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.