Page:Ten Tragedies of Seneca (1902).djvu/29

Lines 69—105] Monsters! For Eurystheus, himself will soon be tired out in enforcing other commands; let me rather send forth the Titans, who once had the audacity themselves to invade the realms of Jupiter! Lay bare, if you like, the cavernous interior of the Sicilian Vortex (Æetna), and the land of Doris, which already trembles with every movement of the Giant, Enceladus, will then materially relieve the pressure now exerted on the terrific monster, now lying underneath it (by being opened up, it will relieve die giant somewhat). Will lofty Phœbe think of some fresh wild Beast or new Monster hitherto unknown on this earth? No! she will say; for he has overcome them all such as I have to do with. (The Nemaean Lion, the ancients thought, fell from the Moon.) Are you, she will say, seeking for any one to come forward as the equal of Alcides? Why! there can be no one his equal, out himself, then let him in some manner or other make war with himself! Let the Eumenides (Furies) be stirred to action and appear on the scene, from the remotest depths of Tartarus, their flaming locks will scatter broadcast their hideous fires (torches) and their savage hands shall strike their viperous blows! Go, if you like, oh! thou puffed up man, and seek out the habitations of heavenly tenants, and henceforth look disdain fully upon mere human belongings, but do you really persuade yourself that you have done with the Styx and the Manes after all your ferocity! I will show you, here, on earth, things yet more terrible than ever you beheld in the regions below—I will invoke the Goddess Discord, who hides down deep in the lowest regions of darkness, beyond the prisons where the wicked are banished, and whom a huge cavern in a mountain opposite protects in solemn seclusion, and I will rake up from the domains of Pluto and the remotest parts thereof everything that is left in it of a hellish character to favor my ends! Odious crimes shall enter on the scene and raging Impiety madly lapping up its own blood (Parricidal and Fraticidal slaughter), mental wandering (hallucinations) and raving madness (this is what Juno has had in store for Hercules) which is always armed against the objects themselves that are afflicted within (in reference to the way, in which madmen are dangerous to themselves as well as to others). Oh! ye Furies, ye servile throng of Pluto's, begin with this—yes! let my angered mind turn to account this instrument of my wrath, as the means of wreaking my vengeance—hasten then and brandish the burning torches (pine-stems) and Megæra shall lead on the terror-striking troop with their horrible serpents and I require that they will, with their grief-spreading hands, seize the terror-producing torches

