Page:Ten Tragedies of Seneca (1902).djvu/110

90 Inferque tecum prœlia, & ferri malum

Regibus amorem: concute insano ferum

Pectus tumultu. TANT. Me pati pœnas decet,

Nou esse pœnam: mittor, ut dirus vapor

Tellure rupta, vel gravem populis luem

Sparsura pestis, ducam in horrendum nefas

Avus nepotes. Magna Divorum parens,

Nosterque, quamvis pudeat; ingenti licet

Taxata pœna lingua crucietur loquax;

Nec hoc tacebo: moneo, ne sacra manus

Violate cæde, neve furiali malo

Aspergite aras. stabo, & arcebo scelus.

Quid ora terres verbere, & tortos ferox

Minaris angues? quid famem insixam intimis

Agitus medullis? flagrant incensum siti

Cor, & perustis flamma visceribus micat

Sequor.

MEG. Hunc, o, furorem divide in totam domum.

Sic, sic ferantur, & suum infensi invicem

Sitiant cruorem: sensit introitus tuos

Domus, & nefando tota contactu borruit.

Actum est abunde. gradere ad infernos specus,

Amnemque notum: jam tuum mœstæ pedem

Terræ gravantur. cernis, ut fontes liquor

Introrsus actus linquat; ut ripæ vacent;

Ventusque raras igneus nubes ferat?

Pallescit omnis arbor, ac nudus stetit

Fugiente pomo ramus; & qui fluctibus

Illinc propinquis Isthmos atque illinc fremit,

Vicina gracili dividens terra vada,

Longe remotos latus exaudit sonos.

Jam Lerna retro cessit, & Phoronides

Latuere venæ: nec suas profert sacer

Alpheos undas, & Cithæronis juga

Stant parte nulla cana deposita nive,

Timentque veterem nobiles Argi sitim.

En ipse Titan dubitat, an jubeat sequi,

Cogatque habenis ire periturum diem.

 which kings do so delight, and perplex their truculent minds with the wildest and most tumultuous passions!

TANT. It is my especial province to suffer punishment, and not promote myself to inflict it upon others. I am summoned then, that a pestilential vapor should issue forth for the opening of the earth, created by my exit, or as a plague to diffuse its deadly contagion amongst mankind! And that I, as a grandfather, shall be the means of urging my grandchildren to perpetrate the most horrible wickedness! Oh! Great parent of the Gods! although, I blush 