Chapter 20 The Tale of Hercules - 20

Hercules sadly left the palace of Ocaria and wandered around. At this time, a strange thing happened.In the city of Phrai in Thessaly lived the noble king Admetus, and his wife Alcestis was young and beautiful, and she was very loyal to her husband, loving her husband more than anything else.Once, Zeus struck the genius doctor Asclepius to death with lightning, because Zeus feared that he could even revive the dead.Asclepius was the son of Apollo.In grief, Apollo killed the Cyclops who forged the lightning rod for the god Zeus.Worried that Zeus would get angry and retaliate, he hastily escaped from the holy mountain of Olympus and sought refuge in the world.At that time, Admetus, the son of Pheres, received him kindly and asked Apollo to guard the cattle for him.Zeus later pardoned him, so he became the patron saint of Admetus.Admetus is old and frail, and his life is about to end. Because Apollo is a god, he knew it in advance, so he persuaded the goddess of fate to save Admetus and save him from hell.The goddess of fate promised that if someone was willing to die for him and go to the underworld on his behalf, he could escape death.Apollo left the sacred mountain of Olympus and came to Frei, told his old friend that his life was dying, but revealed to him the way to avoid death.

Admetus was a righteous man, but he was attached to life.His family and servants were startled to hear that their king's life was coming to an end.Admetus wanted to find someone who would die in his place, but no one would.Although they will lose such a virtuous king as Admetus, none of them would like to fulfill such an obligation.Even the king's elderly father Ferris and elderly mother knew that the god of death was waving to them, and they would leave the world at any time, but they were still unwilling to give up a little life to save their son.Only his wife Alcestis, a woman in her prime, was willing to die in her husband's place.As soon as she had finished speaking, Thanatos, the god of death, came to the palace to take her to the underworld.Seeing the approach of the god of death, Apollo hurriedly left the king's palace, lest the god of death defile his holiness.The loyal Alcestis bathed and changed her clothes immediately. She put on festive costumes and jewelry, and then prayed to the goddess of the underworld in front of the altar at home, willing to serve as a sacrifice to the god of death.After speaking, she hugged the child and her husband one by one, and then walked into the small room, where she was ready to meet the messengers from the underworld.

"I will tell you frankly," she said to her husband, "that your life is more valuable than mine, and that I would die for you. I would not live without you. But your father and mother betrayed you , they should actually make sacrifices for you. That way, you will not live alone to raise children who have lost their mothers. But since God has made such an arrangement, then, I can only ask you, don't forget that I give you What to do, and, besides, you should promise me not to give the children we like to a stepmother, because she will abuse these poor children." With tears in his eyes, Admetus swore to his wife that she was his wife in life, and that she would remain his wife after her death.Alcestis handed the crying child to Admetus, and then fainted.

While preparations were being made for the funeral in the palace, Hercules happened to arrive at Frei, and came before the palace.Admetus suppressed his grief and warmly welcomed his friend from afar.Seeing him in mourning, Hercules asked what happened at the palace.In order not to upset his friend, Admetus deliberately evaded his words and did not answer directly, so Hercules thought that an insignificant distant woman had died in the palace, and did not show sadness.He asked a servant to accompany him to the dining room and gave him wine.Seeing that the servant was very sad, he scolded him and said, "Why are you staring at me so seriously? A servant must receive guests in a friendly way! You just died here, a woman from a foreign country, so what's the big deal. Death is common to all. Destiny. Sorrow can only ruin the body. Go, wear a wreath on your head like me and come to the bar with me. A full glass of fine wine will erase the wrinkles on your forehead." The servant turned away sadly. "We've had misfortune," he said, "so we've all lost our joy."

When Hercules heard this, he felt that something was wrong, and after repeated questioning, he finally found out the truth. "Is it true?" he exclaimed. "How can he entertain his guests generously after he has lost a beautiful wife? I am wearing a wreath at a mourner's house, laughing loudly, and drinking toasts. Is it still plausible? Tell me, where is this faithful wife buried?" "If you want to find it, then go straight in the direction of Narsa." The servant replied, "You will see a tombstone built for her." After the servant finished speaking, he walked away sadly. .

Hercules made a decision immediately. "I must rescue the dead woman," he said to himself, "and bring her back to his husband, or else I shall be unworthy of the favor of Admetus. I went to the tombstone, and There awaits Thanatos, the god of death. He will surely suck the blood of the victim. At this moment, I jumped out from behind him, grabbed him, and squeezed him with both hands until he promised to return the ghost of the dead. I did not let go Let him go." With such determination, he quietly left the palace. When Admetus returned to his chamber, he was so sad to see the child who had lost its mother that no comfort from the servants could relieve his pain.Suddenly, he saw Hercules enter the gate, followed by a veiled woman.

"You didn't even tell me about your wife's death," he said, "that's wrong. You received me and let me live in the palace. Like a funeral. Also, because I didn't know the truth, I did many things against the etiquette. I drank and had fun in the dead housewife's house. But I don't want you to suffer any more. Listen, I'm back There's only one reason: I won a young woman in a joust and I'm giving her to you to be your maid. I'm about to start a new joust and you must take care of her before I get back life." Admetus was taken aback by his words, and hastily explained: "It is not that I despise my friends or deny them.

I didn't tell you the news of my wife's death, because I don't want to see you move to another friend's house.Now I ask you to give this woman to anyone in Frey, not to me.How can I watch her in my room every day without crying?Can I vacate the room of my dead wife for her to live in?In addition, I am also worried about the gossip of the Frei people and the reproach of my dead wife! " Still, Admetus couldn't restrain his curiosity, and cast another glance at the veiled woman. "Whoever you are," he said to her, "you are very much like my wife Alcestis in stature and form. By gods, Hercules, take this woman away, and never again It has tortured me hard, and seeing her is like seeing my wife, and I feel indescribably sad."

Hercules continued to hide the truth, and said sadly: "Oh, if Zeus gave me supernatural power, so that I could bring your faithful wife back from the underworld, that would be great!" "I know you would, if you had the power," said Admetus, "but have you ever heard that a dead man can return from the underworld?" "Yes," said Hercules. He happily interjected, "Because this is impossible, let time ease your pain. The dead wife can no longer be called back. Maybe after a while you will take another wife, and maybe she will bring you some joy in life." Joy. Let me send this noble girl into your chambers, and you may at least try. If she proves incapable of making your life easy and pleasant, she will leave you!"

Reluctantly, Admetus, not wishing to disappoint his friend, ordered his servants to take the girl to the inner chamber, but Hercules disagreed, saying: "Your Majesty, please do not take this priceless Hand over the lord to the servant! You should take her there yourself." "No," said Admetus, "I will not touch her, or I will break my promise to my dead wife. She can go into the inner room, but I can't send her there. " Hercules still insisted that Admetus deliver it himself, but he had no choice but to hold out his hand to the veiled woman. "Well," said Hercules cheerfully, "take her in! Take a good look at this young girl, and see if she resembles your wife?"

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to lift the veil on the woman's head.The king was so surprised that he saw his wife and threw himself into her arms happily.She was silent, unable to answer her husband's affectionate cry. "In three days' time," said Hercules to him, "when the sacrifice of the dead to her is over, you shall be able to hear her voice. You may safely take her back to her room. She I came back to you again, and that was to repay your hospitality to foreigners!"