Dawn at Thebes (Seneca, Hercules Furens 125-201)

Juno has just finished her opening monologue in which she whips herself into a frenzy of rage at Hercules. As the chorus enters, they sing of the dawn, then deliver an encomium of the simple country life, away from the ambition, greed, and corruption of city life. (Seneca apparently knew little of country life, which can be just as full of ambition, greed, and corruption as city life. But the sentiments are conventional.) The poetry here is more lyrical and contemplative than the thrusting, fiery rage of the opening monologue. The meter is in anapestic dimeters.

Iam rāra micant                                                    125

sīdera prōnō languida mundō;                             125bis

nox vīcta vagōs contrahit ignēs

lūce renātā;

cōgit nitidum Phōsphoros agmen;

signum celsī glaciāle polī

septem stēllīs Arcados Ursa                                 130

lūcem versō tēmōne vocat.

iam caeruleīs ēvectus equīs

Tītān summā prōspicit Oetā;

iam Cadmēīs inclita Bacchīs

aspersa diē dūmēta rubent,                                   135

Phoebīque fugit reditūra soror.

Labor exoritur dūrus et omnēs

agitat cūrās aperitque domōs.

pāstor gelidā cāna pruīnā

grege dīmissō pābula carpit;                                140

lūdit prātō līber apertō

nōndum ruptā fronte iuvencus;

vacuae reparant ūbera mātrēs;

errat cursū levis incertō

mollī petulāns haedus in herbā.                           145

pendet summō strīdula rāmō

pinnāsque novō trādere sōlī

gestit querulōs inter nīdōs

Thrācia paelex,

turbaque circā cōnfūsa sonat                                150

murmure mixtō testāta diem.

carbasa ventīs                                                       152

crēdit dubius nāvita vītae                                     152bis

laxōs aurā complente sinūs.

hic exēsīs pendēns scopulīs

aut dēceptōs īnstruit hāmōs                                  155

aut suspēnsus

spectat pressā praemia dextrā;

sentit tremulum līnea piscem.

Haec, innocuae quibus est vītae

tranquilla quiēs                                                    160a

et laeta suō parvōque domus.                               160b-1a

spēs immānēs urbibus errant                                161b-3a

trepidīque metūs.                                                 163b

ille superbōs aditūs rēgum

dūrāsque forēs expers somnī                                165

colit; hic nūllō fīne beātās

compōnit opēs

gāzīs inhiāns                                                        167b

et congestō pauper in aurō;

illum populī favor attonitum

flūctūque magis mōbile vulgus                            170

aurā tumidum tollit inānī;

hic clāmōsī rabiōsa forī

iūrgia vēndēns                                                      173

improbus īrās et verba locat.                                173bis

Nōvit paucōs sēcūra quiēs,

quī vēlōcis memorēs aevī                                    175

tempora numquam reditūra tenent.

dum fāta sinunt, vīvite laetī.

properat cursū vīta citātō,

volucrīque diē

rota praecipitis vertitur annī;                                180

dūrae peragunt pēnsa sorōrēs

nec sua retrō fīla revolvunt.

at gēns hominum fertur rapidīs

obvia fātīs incerta suī;

Stygiās ultrō quaerimus undās.                            185

nimium, Alcīdē, pectore fortī

properās maestōs vīsere mānēs.

certō veniunt tempore Parcae.

nūllī iussō cessāre licet,

nūllī scrīptum prōferre diem;                               190

recipit populōs urna citātōs.

Alium multīs glōria terrīs

trādat et omnēs

Fāma per urbēs garrula laudet,                            194

caelōque parem tollat et astrīs;                            194bis

alius currū sublīmis eat:

mē mea tellūs

lare sēcrētō tūtōque tegat.

venit ad pigrōs cāna senectūs,

humilīque locō sed certa sedet

sordida parvae fortūna domūs:                            200

altē virtūs animōsa cadit.