Page:Ten Tragedies of Seneca (1902).djvu/435

Lines 169—178] 

Thou art a mother,—thou hast children.

Think rather of Jason, by whom I have been made that mother.

Why dost thou hesitate to flee?

I may flee, but I will have my revenge first.

Vengeance will follow thee up, assuredly!

Perhaps I may discover some opportunity for delay, as I did when my father pursued me. (Slaying Absyrtus funus ingestum patri, line 132.)

Spare thy menacing words, who art already enraged enough; spare further threats. Tone down thy anger,—it is best to adapt thyself to time and opportunity.

Fortune can rob us of our riches, but not of our mental attributes. But, hark! Who is knocking?—The hinges of the palace-door are creaking,—Here is Creon himself, puffed up with all his pompous pride and power!

Creon urges Medea to depart from his Kingdom into exile with all haste: she, with difficulty, obtains the delay of one day. 