Page:Ten Tragedies of Seneca (1902).djvu/128

ACTUS TERTIUS.

THYESTES, PLISTHENES,
TANTALUS, junior &	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	Mutæ personæ.
FRATER tertius.

Thyesti fratre Atreo per filios Atrei revocato, redeuntique in
patriam, non sine diffidentia ac mente malum præfa-
giente, revertendi fiduciam addunt filii sui.

THY. OPTATA patriæ tecta, & Argolicas opes,
Miserisque summum ac maximum exsulibus bonum, 405
Tactum soli natalis, & patrios Deos
(Si sunt tamen Dii) cerno; Cyclopum sacras
Turres, labore majus humano decus,
Celebrata juveni stadia, per quæ nobilis
Palmam paterno non semel curru tuli 410
Occurret Argos, populus occurret frequens;
Sed nempe & Atreus. repete silvestres fugas,
Saltusque densos potius, & mixtam feris
Similemque vitam, clarus hic regni nitor
Fulgore non est quod oculos falso auferat. 415
Cum quod datur spectabis, & dantem aspice.
Modo inter illa, quæ putant cuncti aspera.
Fortis fui, lætusque: nunc contra in metus.
Revolvor: animus hæret, ac retro cupit
Corpus referre: moveo nolentem gradum. 420
PLIST. Pigro (quid hoc est?) genitor incessu stupet,
Vultumque versat, seque in incerto tenet.
THY. Quid, anime, pendes? quidve consilium diu
Tam facile torques? rebus incertissimis,
Fratri atque regno credis? ac metuis mala 425
Jam victa, jam mansueta? & ærumnas fugis
Bene collocatas? esse jam miserum juvat.
Reflecte gressum, dum licet, teque eripe.
PLIST. Quæ causa cogit, genitor, a patria gradum
Referre visa? cur bonis tantis sinum 430
Subducis? ira frater abjecta redit;
Partemque regni reddit: & laceræ domus
Componit artus, teque restituit tibi.

ACT III.

THYESTES—PLISTHENES.

TANTALUS, (the younger), and the third brother.

$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$

Mute Personages.

Thyestes being recalled by his brother Atreus, through his sons, returns to his country, not, however, without distrust, and a mind foreshadowing disaster—his sons are tendered as hostages, that he will so return.