Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/244

226 Then did Alcides' bride like one distraught Stand gazing fiercely on the captive maid; As when a tigress, lying with her young Beneath some rock in far Armenia, Leaps up in meet an enemy's approach; Or as a Maenad, by the god inspired, And bidden shake the thyrsus, stands awhile In wonder whither she shall take her way. Then she throughout the house of Hercules Goes madly rushing; nor does all the house Give space enough. Now here, now there she runs, At random wandering; and now she stands, Her face reflecting woe in every line, The inmost feelings of her heart revealed. She threatens fiercely, then a flood of tears Succeeds to threats. No mood for long endures, Nor can one form of rage content her long. Now flame her cheeks with wrath; pale terror now Drives out the flush of anger, and her grief Takes every form that maddened sorrow knows: Complainings, prayers, and groans. But now the doors Are creaking: see, she comes in frenzied haste, With words confused revealing all her heart. [Enter Deianira.] Deianira: O wife of Jove, where'er in heaven thou dwell'st, Against Alcides send some raging beast That shall be dire enough to sate my wrath. If any hydra rears its fertile head Too vast to be contained in any pool, Impossible of conquest, send it forth. If anything is worse than other beasts, Enormous, unrelenting, horrible, From which the eye of even Hercules Would turn in fear, let such an one come out From its huge den. But if no beasts avail, This heart of mine into some monster change; For of my hate can any shape be made That thou desir'st. Oh, mould my woman's form To match my grief. My breast cannot contain