Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/169

Rh Now shall I soar aloft to those far heights, And seek the heavenly spaces; for a star Has Jupiter, my father, promised me. What if he should refuse? Nay, but the earth No longer can Alcides hold, and now Returns him to the heavens whence he came. Behold, the whole assembly of the gods Invite me to their midst, and open wide The doors of heaven—with one dissenting voice. [To Juno, in apostrophe.] And wilt thou not receive me into heaven? Wilt not unbar the gates? Wouldst have me rend The portals of the stubborn sky away? And dost doubt thou my power? Nay, Saturn's chains Will I unbind, and loose my grandsire's might Against his impious son's unbridled sway. I'll stir the Titans up to war again, And lead them on; great rocks and trees I'll bring, And with my strong right hand I'll snatch and hurl The ridges where the Centaurs have their home. Two mountains, one on other, will I pile And so construct a highway to the skies. Then shall old Chiron see Mount Ossa placed Upon his Pelion; and if to heaven Olympus reach not, third in order set, I'll hurl it there. Amphitryon: Such thought be far from thee! Check this mad impulse of a heart insane, Though great. Hercules: But what is this? With dire intent The giants are in arms. Great Tityus Has fled the shades, and, towering aloft With torn and empty breast, has almost gained The heavens. Cithaeron totters to his base, Pallene trembles, Tempe faints in fear. One has Mount Pindus snatched away, and one Mount Oeta. Mimas rages horribly. Now comes Erinnys with her flaming torch, And shakes her hissing scourge; my face she seeks