TR5.1527 “Ǎs wél thǒw mýghtěst líěn ón Ǎlcéstě, TR5.1528 Thǎt wás ǒf créǎtúrěs, bút měn lýě, TR5.1529 Thǎt éverě wérěn, kýnděst ánd thě béstě! TR5.1530 Fǒr whán hǐre hóusbǒnde wás ǐn júpěrtýě TR5.1531 Tǒ dýe hy̌msélf bǔt íf shě wóldě dýě, TR5.1532 Shě chés fǒr hým tǒ dýe ǎnd gón tǒ héllě, TR5.1533 Ǎnd stárf ǎnón, ǎs ús thě bókěs téllě.”
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translations (Windeatt: 1998): You might as well tell lies about Alcestis, who was, unless men lie, the kindest and the best of beings that ever were! For when her husband was in danger of dying himself unless she would die, she chose to die for him and go to hell and died at once, as the books tell us.
- Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): お姉さんはアルケスティスについて嘘をつくほうがましです。世の人が嘘をついているのでなければ、彼女は今まで生を送った人のうちで、最も誠実な、最高の人だったんだ！夫が死ぬ危険に曝された時、夫に代わってしんで地獄へ行くことを選んで、書物が語るところによると、間もなく亡くなったからです。」
- Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 你曾毁谤过阿尔塞丝娣，然据说她是一个最真诚善良的女子，除非人们都在造谣。她的丈夫殆危，她若不牺牲自己生命就无以救，这时她立刻毅然替他死去，进入地狱，这事迹书上都有记载可考。”
Word Information
- Etymology: OE
- Addresser: Troilus
- Addressee: Cassandra
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: best
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 7.89–90)
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (female: Alcestis)
- Attributive/ Predicative: predicative
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: (Quoted) 6. (b) honorable, constant, faithful, true; (s.v. kīnd(e, adj.)
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003): N/A
- Fisher (1989): N/A
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
- Donaldson (1975): N/A
- Baugh (1963): N/A
Possible Definitions
honorable, constant, faithful, true
Comments from the Editor
Alcestis sacrificed for her husband Admetus, who is the king of Pherae. Her story is also told at Gower’s Confessio amantis, 7.1917–43 as an example of woman’s truth in love. See also my comment of ‘cruel’ (adj., Tr5.1534).