Among the finest of these "recoveries" are the bursts of description which Balaustion's enthusiasm interjects between the passages of dialogue.

Such is the magnificent picture of the coming of Herakles.

In the original he merely enters as the chorus end their song, addressing them with the simple inquiry, "Friends, is Admetos haply within ?" to which the chorus reply, like civil retainers, "Yes, Herakles, he is at home." Browning, or his Balaustion, cannot permit the mighty undoer of the tragic harms to come on in this homely fashion.

A great interrupting voice rings suddenly through the dispirited maunderings of Admetos' house-folk; and the hearty greeting, "My hosts here!" thrills them with the sense that something good and opportune is at hand:-- "Sudden into the midst of sorrow leapt, Along with the gay cheer of that great voice Hope, joy, salvation: Herakles was here! Himself o' the threshold, sent his voice on first To herald all that human and divine I' the weary, happy face of him,--half god, Half man, which made the god-part god the more." The heroic helpfulness of Herakles is no doubt the chief thing for Browning in the story.

The large gladness of spirit with which he confronts the meticulous and perfunctory mourning of the stricken household reflected his own habitual temper with peculiar vividness.