Page:Ten Tragedies of Seneca (1902).djvu/112

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RGOS de Superis si quis Achaïcum,

Pisæisque domos curribus inclitas:

Isthmi si quis amat regna Corinthii,

Et portus geminos, & mare dissidens:

Si quis Taygeti conspicuas nives,

Quas, cum Sarmaticus tempore frigido

In summis Boreas composuit jugis,

Æstas veliferis solvit Etesiis:

Quem tangit gelido flumine lucidus

Alpheos, stadio notus Olympico:

Advertat placidum numen, & arceat

Alternas scelerum, ne redeant, vices;

Neu succedat avo deterior nepos;

Et major placeat culpa minoribus.

Tandem lassa feros exuat impetus

Sicci progenies impia Tantali.

Peccatum satis est. fas valuit nihil,

Aut commune nefas. proditus occidit

Deceptor domini Myrtilus, & fide

Vectus, qua tulerat, nobile reddidit

Mutato pelagus nomine, notior

Nulla est loniis fabula navibus.

Exceptus gladio parvulus impio

Dum currit patrium natus ad osculum,

Immatura focis victima concidit:

Divisusque tua est, Tantale, dextera,

Mensas ut strueres hospitibus Deis:

Hos aetema fames profequitur cibos,

Hos æterna sitis: nec dapibus feris

Decerni potuit pœna decentior.

Stat lusus vacuo gutture Tantalus,

Impendet capiti plurima noxio

 

The Chorus, consisting of the old men of Mycenæ and Argos, (for the poets often confounded Argos with Mycenæ) invokes the presiding deities of the cities in Peloponnesus, that they will prevent and avert the wickedness and crimes, that are hatching in the Palace of Pelops, and which are now imminent, and chants of the impious crimes of Tantalus.

