Never be that abominable show

Of passive death without a quickening life—

Admetos only, no Alkestis now!"

Then she: "O thou Admetos, must the pile

Of truth on truth, which needs but one truth more

To tower up in completeness, trophy-like,

Emprise of man, and triumph of the world,

Must it go ever to the ground again

Because of some faint heart or faltering hand,

Which we, that breathless world about the base,