Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/245

Rh Its rage. Why dost thou search the farthest bounds Of earth, and overturn the world? Or why Dost thou demand of hell its evil shapes? This breast of mine will furnish for thy use All fearful things. To work thy deadly hate Use me as tool. Thou canst destroy him quite. Do thou but use these hands for what thou will. Why dost thou hesitate, O goddess? See, Use me, the raging one. What impious deed Dost thou command? Decide. Why doubtful stand? Now mayst thou rest awhile from all thy toils, For my rage is enough. Nurse: O child of mine, These sad outpourings of thy maddened heart Restrain, quench passion's fire, and curb thy grief. Show now that thou art wife of Hercules. Deianira: Shall captive Iole unto my sons Give brothers, and a lowly slave become The daughter-in-law of Jove? In common course Will fire and rushing torrent never run; The thirsty Bear will never taste the sea— And never shall my woes go unavenged. Though thou didst bear the vasty heavens up, Though all the world is debtor unto thee, 'Twill not avail thee now, for thou shalt find A monster greater far than Hydra's rage, An angry wife's revenge, awaiting thee. The flames that leap from Aetna's top to heaven Burn not so fiercely as my passion's fire Which shall outvie whate'er thou hast o'ercome. Shall then a captive slave usurp my bed? Before, I feared the monsters dire; but now, Those pests have vanished quite, and in their stead This hated rival comes. O mighty God, Of all gods ruler, O thou lustrous Sun, 'Tis only in his perils, then, it seems, Have I been wife to Hercules. The gods Have granted to the captive all my prayers; For her behoof have I been fortunate.