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Friday, May 20, 2011

Seneca the Younger, Soliloquoy of Phaedra

Lucius Annaeus Seneca  [Seneca the Younger]
1BC-65 AD *executed by Emperor Nero
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Imperial Period)


L. ANNAEI SENECAE PHAEDRA

         Hippolytvs Ite, umbrosas cingite siluas
summaque montis iuga Cecropii!
[Hippolytus, go, bind the shady forests and the highest peaks of Cecrop's cliff!]

celeri planta lustrate uagi
quae saxoso loca Parnetho
         subiecta iacent,
[Wander your soles upon a quick gait, ones to press upon the places lying below the rocky Parthenon,]

quae Thriasiis uallibus amnis                    5
rapida currens uerberat unda;
[whose river, rushing with its swift waves, lashes against the Thriasian valleys;]

scandite colles semper canos
         niue Riphaea.
[Climb the hills that are always snowy from Riphaean snow.]

Hac, hac alii qua nemus alta
texitur alno,
[Over here, and over there, where the tall grove is covered by the elder tree,]

qua prata patent                    10
[where the meadows stretch]

quae rorifera mulcens aura
Zephyrus uernas euocat herbas,
[whose budding grasses the soothing west wind calls out with its dewy breeze,]

ubi per graciles breuis Ilisos
labitur agros piger
[where there lazy Ilisus glades through the gracile fields, briefly,]

et steriles
amne maligno radit harenas.                    15
[and grazes the sterile sands with its ill-starred river.] 




Vos qua Marathon tramite laeuo
         saltus aperit,
[Wherever Marathon reveals you to meadows along its leftward path,]

qua comitatae gregibus paruis
nocturna petunt pabula fetae;
[where bands of colts from small flocks seek the meadowlands at night;]

uos qua tepidis subditus austris                    20
frigora mollit durus Acharneus.
[and where the harsh Acharneus softens the cold spells, as it lies open to the warm southerlies.]

Alius rupem dulcis Hymetti,
~paruas alius calcet Aphidnas;
[the first treads Hymettus' cliff, the other, the small Aphidnae;]


pars illa diu uacat immunis,
[that region lies open, and unwalled, for a long time,]

qua curuati litora ponti                    25
         Sunion urget.
[that is, where Sunion pushes upon the shores of its curved sea.]


si quem tangit gloria siluae,
         uocat hunc ~flius:
[And he is one whom, if fame of the woods touches him, one callls him ??? <suggestions>]

hic uersatur, metus agricolis,
uulnere multo iam notus aper.                    30
[Here is where he runs around, the terror to our farmers, the boar already famous for inflicting so many wounds.]

         At uos laxas canibus tacitis
         mittite habenas;
[But, for your sakes, set down the reins that you've loosened from your silent dogs;]

teneant acres lora Molossos
[let your straps hold snarling Molossian hounds]

et pugnaces tendant Cretes
fortia trito uincula collo.
[and let the pugnacious Cretan dogs pull upon study chains along their well-worn necks.]

at Spartanos (genus est audax                    35
auidumque ferae) nodo cautus
         propiore liga:
[but be cautious when you tie your Spartan hounds with a tighter knot: this is a bold breed, one eager for wild game;]

ueniet tempus, cum latratu
         caua saxa sonent.
[let the time come, as soon as hollow stones echo from barking.]