Alcestis
by Euripides
- First published
- 1887
- Reading level
- Easy
- Price
- Free
About the book
"Alcestis" by Euripides is an Athenian tragedy first produced in 438 BC. When King Admetus is granted the chance to escape death if someone takes his place, his devoted wife Alcestis agrees to die for him. As she approaches her final moments, the god Apollo and Death himself clash over her fate, while the drunken hero Heracles arrives unknowingly at the grieving palace. This ambiguous work blends tragic and comic elements in unexpected ways.
- Alcestis, Queen, consort of Admetus, King of Pherae
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #10523. Alcestis on Wikipedia.
