Alcestis Flashcards
Alcesis
is the wife of King Admetus who takes her husband’s place to die. She is known for her love and self-sacrifice. Heracles collects her from the Underworld after battling Death and returns her to Admetus as a veiled woman. They reunite, but (blank) isn’t able to speak for three days.
Admentus
is the king of Pherae in Thessaly and the husband of Alcestis. He is fated to die because he once upset Artemis, but Apollo persuades the Fates to allow a substitute to die for (blank). (blank) asks his parents, but they refuse because they also value their lives and don’t think it’s part of their parental duties to die for their son. Alcestis, (blank)s’ wife, volunteers to die and (blank) lets her. He acts sad to see her go. At the end, Heracles wrestles with Death and brings Alcestis back to (blank).
Pheres
is the father of Admetus. When it comes time for Alcestis to die, he needs to find a replacement so he asks (blank) to die in his place. (blank)refuses and thinks it is ridiculous that he should have to give up the life he enjoys because of a deal his son made. He praises Alcestis for taking his son’s place in death and says she is a noble woman. He calls Admetus a coward and says that a true man would face death in order to let his wife live.
Apollo
was exiled from Olympus and spent his days on earth surfing Admetus. In order to repay Admetus for his hospitality, (blank) offers him freedom from death by giving him the opportunity to find someone to take his place in Hades.
