In Thessaly, Greece, Apollo is just leaving the palace of King Admetos. Apollo was enslaved there by Zeus, as punishment for having killed the Cyclopes (in retaliation for Zeus killing Apollo’s son). During his sentence, however, Apollo befriended Admetos and even saved him from a fated early death. The Fates require that someone take Admetos’s place. His parents refused, but his wife, Alcestis, has agreed to die instead. Before he leaves, Apollo has a brief confrontation with Death, who has just arrived to take Alcestis. Apollo prophesies that a strong man is coming who will defeat Death.
Later, the chorus waits outside the palace, watching for signs that Alcestis has died. Alcestis’s maid comes out, and together she and the chorus leader praise Alcestis’s courage in the face of death. The maid predicts that Admetos won’t understand his loss until it’s too late, and then his life will be filled with bitterness.
Soon, Admetos and Alcestis emerge from the palace with their children. Alcestis’s life is rapidly fading. Though Admetos begs her to remain, Alcestis bids the household farewell, asks Admetos not to remarry, and commits the children to his care. Admetos not only promises to remain unmarried, but never to allow another woman into his house and to refrain from all festivity for the rest of his life. Alcestis dies, and the servants carry her body away, followed by a grieving Admetos and their children.
While the chorus sings in Alcestis’s honor, Admetos’s friend Herakles arrives for a visit, on his way to undertake mighty toil in Thrace. Seeing Admetos’s mourning, Herakles wants to leave, but Admetos insists that he’s mourning a stranger and forces Herakles to stay. Accordingly, Herakles makes himself comfortable in the palace’s guest quarters. Admetos defends his action to the chorus leader, explaining that he doesn’t want to be thought inhospitable.
Before Alcestis’s funeral, Admetos’s father, Pheres, brings funeral gifts to honor his daughter-in-law. Admetos is furious, accusing his father of hypocrisy and disloyalty for refusing to die in Admetos’s place. He disowns both his parents. In response, Pheres berates his son for arrogance and cowardice, telling him, “Do your own dying. I’ll do mine.” He storms out with his rejected gifts.
During the funeral, a servant remains at the palace to tend to Herakles, whom he calls “the worst damned / guest this house and I have ever seen.” Soon Herakles staggers in, drunk. He gives a tipsy speech about the importance of accepting mortality and enjoying life while we can. The servant finally tells Herakles that the household isn’t mourning for a stranger, but for Alcestis. Instantly sober, Herakles plans to go to Alcestis’s tomb to wrestle Death into submission and bring Alcestis back to repay Admetos’s hospitality.
After the funeral, the chorus tries to comfort Admetos, who is in despair. The chorus points out that Admetos has been lucky, having never known suffering and loss. But everyone must humble themselves to submit to relentless Necessity.
Suddenly Herakles enters, followed by a veiled woman. He rebukes Admetos for hiding the truth about Alcestis’s death and not allowing Herakles to share his friend’s grief. Then he asks Admetos to house this young woman until Herakles’s return from his errand in Thrace. Admetos, remembering his vow to his dying wife and noticing the woman’s resemblance to her, tearfully refuses. Failing to gently persuade his friend, Herakles finally seizes Admetos’s arm and joins his and the woman’s hands. He also lifts the woman’s veil, revealing Alcestis, whom he successfully wrestled back from Death. Admetos finally believes what he is seeing and rejoices. Herakles returns to his labors, encouraging Admetos to “treat your guests and those you love / as they deserve.” Admetos declares a thanksgiving feast and tells his kingdom, “From this day forth we must remake our lives, / and make them better than they were before.”
