Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/347

Rh Straight from their gaping wounds into thy mouth, That thou mightst drink their very streams of life But there my wrath was cheated of its due By overhaste. I smote them with the sword, I slaughtered them before the sacred shrine, And with their blood appeased our household gods; I hewed their lifeless bodies limb from limb; I carved them into bits, and part I seethed In brazen kettles, part before the fire On spits I roasted. From their living limbs I carved the tender flesh, and saw it hiss And sputter on the slender spit, the while With my own hands I kept the fire a-blaze. But all these things the father should have done. In this my vengeful grief has fallen short. With impious teeth he tore his slaughtered sons; But still in merciful unconsciousness The deed was done and suffered. Thyestes: O ye seas, Hemmed round by curving shores, give ear to this! Hear too, ye gods, wherever ye have fled. Ye lords of hades, hear; hear, O ye lands; And Night, all black and heavy with the pall Of Tartarus, attend unto my cry; For I am left to thee, and thou alone Doth look in pity on my wretchedness, Thou, too, forsaken of the friendly stars; For I will raise no wicked prayers to thee, Naught for myself implore—what could I ask? For you, ye heavenly gods, be all my prayers. O thou, almighty ruler of the sky, Who sitt'st as lord upon the throne of heaven, Enwrap the universe in dismal clouds, Incite the winds to war on every side, And let thy thunders crash from pole to pole; Not with such lesser bolts as thou dost use Against the guiltless homes of common men, But those which overthrew the triple mass