Alceste

, or Alcestis , daughter of Pelias and Anaxibia, married Admetus. She, with her sisters, put to death her father, that he might be restored to youth and vigour by Medea, who, however, refused to perform her promise. Upon this the sisters fled to Admetus, who married Alceste. They were soon pursued by an army headed by their brother Acastus; and Admetus, being taken prisoner, was redeemed from death by the generous offer of his wife, who was sacrificed in his stead to appease the shades of her father. Some say that Alceste, with an unusual display of conjugal affection, laid down her life for her husband, when she had been told by an oracle that he could never recover from a disease, except some one of his friends died in his stead. According to some authors, Hercules brought her back from hell. She had many suitors while she lived with her father. See: Admetus . Juvenal , satire 6, li. 651 .— Apollo dor us , bk. 1 , ch. 9 .— Pausanias , bk. 5 , ch. 17 .— Hyginus , fable 251.— Euripi des , Alcestis .