MED. Si quseris odio, mifera, quem Aatuas modum,
Imitaie amorem, regias egon' ut faces
Inulta patiar? fegnis hie ibit dies,
Tanto petitus ambitu, tanto datus? 400
Dum terra coelum media libratum feret,
Nitidufque certas mundus evolvet vices,
Numerufque arenis deerit, & folem dies,
No(£lem fequentur aftra; dum ficcas polus
Verfabit Ar<5tosJ flumina in pontum cadent; 405
Nunquam meus ceffabit in poenas furor,
Crefcetque femper. quK ferarum immanitas.
Quae Scylla, quse Charybdis, Aufonium mare
Siculumque forbens, quseque anhelantem premens
Titana, tantis iStna fervefcit minis? 410
Non rapidus amnis, non procellofum mare,
Pontufque Coro faevus, aut vis ignium
Adjuta fiatu, poffit inhibere impetum
Irafque noftras, ftemam & evertam omnia.
Timuit Creontem, ac bella Tlieffalici ducis? 415
Amor timere neminem verus poteft.
Sed cefTerit coaflus, & dederit manus;
Adire certe, & conjugem extreme alloqui
Sermone potuit : hoc quoque extimuit ferox.
Laxare certe tempus immitis fugse 420
Genero licebat. liberis unus dies
Datus duobus. non queror tempus breve:
Multum patebit. faciet, hie faciet dies.
Quod nuUus unquam taceat. invadam Deos,
Et eundla quatiam. NUTR. Recipe turbatum malis, 425
Hera, peflus. animum mitiga. MED. Sola eft quies,
Mecum ruina cunfla fi video obruta.
Mecum omnia abeant. trahere, eum pereas, libet.
NUTR. Quam multa fmt timenda, fi perftas, vide.
Nemo potentes aggredi tutus poteft. 430
MEDEA (to herself).
If thou wishest, oh my miserable self, to decide what limits thou shouldst impose upon thy justly-evoked hatred, take as a guide the inordinate amount of love thou hast wasted, and follow that! Shall I for one moment endure unrevenged the sight of this royal marriage rivalling my own legitimate pretensions? Shall this "one" day then be spent to an idle purpose?—sought for with so much importunity, granted by Creon with such great reluctance! Whilst this earth of ours continues to be poised in the heavens, and whilst the world of shining constellations continues to show themselves at certain recurring seasons, and as long as the sands on the sea-shore continue as they are,—numberless—and as long as the bright day appears as soon as Phœbus peeps above the horizon, and as long as the stars continue
