Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/149

Rh The power to bear the people's hate unmoved. Let me make trial then. Occasion smiles, For she herself, in mourning vestments clad, Stands by the altars of her guardian gods, While near at hand Alcides' father waits. Megara [seeing Lycus, aside]: What new outrage does yonder wretch prepare, The pestilent destroyer of our race? Lycus: O thou, who bear'st a name illustrious From royal stock, with patient ear awhile Receive my words. If everlasting hate The hearts of men should feel, if fury dire, Once in the heart conceived, should never cease; If prosperous men must ever fight to rule, And those who fail obey because they must: Then never-ending wars would nothing leave, And all the fields would be a barren waste; Homes would be burned, and 'neath their ashes deep All nations of the earth would be o'erwhelmed. The victor's profit is in peace restored, But for the vanquished 'tis their direful need. Come, share my throne; let us unite our wills. And, as my pledge of faith, receive my hand. But why dost thou in scornful silence wait? Megara: And dost thou think that I would touch the hand That is besprinkled with my father's gore, And my two brothers' blood? Oh, sooner far Shall day's last beams go out in eastern skies, And dawn break in the west; sooner shall peace Be made 'twixt snow and flame, and Scylla join Sicilia's shores with those of Italy; And sooner shall Euripus' rushing waves Lap peacefully upon Euboea's shores. My father and my brothers hast thou slain, My kingdom ruined, home and native land. What still is left? One thing remains to me, That's dearer than my father, brother, home, And kingdom: 'tis my deadly hate of thee. That I must share this with the land at large