Page:Ten Tragedies of Seneca (1902).djvu/480

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SENECA'S TRAGEDIES.
[Lines 885—917

NUNT. Avidus per omnem regise partem furit, 885 Ut juffus, ignis: jam domus tota occidit, Urbi timetur. chor. Unda flammas opprimat NUNT. Et hoc in ifta clade mirandum accidit, Alit unda flammas, quoque prohibetur magis, Magis ardet ignis: ipfa prsefidia occupat. 890 NUTR. Effer citatum fade Pelopeia gradum, Medea, praeceps qua.s libet terras pete. MED. Egon' ut recedam? fi profugiffem prius, Ad hoc redirem. nuptias fpetflo novas. Quid, anime, ceflas? fequere felicem impetum. 895 Pars ultionis ifta, qua gaudes, quota eft? Amas adhuc, furiosa, fi fatis eft tibi Caelebs Jafon. qurere psenarum genus Haud ufitatum: jamque fic temet para. Fas omne cedat. abeat expulfus pudor. 900 Vindidla levis eft, quam ferunt purae manus. Incumbe in iras, teque languentem excita, Penitusque veteres peflore ex imo impetus Violentus hauri. quidquid admiffum eft adhuc, Pietas vocetur. hoc age, & faxo, fciant, 905 Quam levia fuerint, quamque vulgaris notae, Quae commodavi fcelera. prolucit dolor Per ifta nofter. quid manus poterant rudes Audere magnum? quid puellaris furor? Medea nunc fum. crevit ingenium mails. 910 Juvat, juvat rapuiffe fratemum caput. Aitus juvat fecuifle, & arcano patrem Spoliaffe facro. juvat in exitium fenis ArmaiTe natas. quaere materiam, dolor: Ad omne facinus non rudem dextram afferes. 915 Quo te igitur, ira, mittis? aut quje perfido Inteadis hofti tela? nefcio quid ferox


MESSENGER.

A most destructive fire is raging at this present moment throughout every part of the palace; it looks more now as if it were the work of some incendiary, and now that the whole palace has fallen a prey to the flames, serious fears are entertained, lest it might spread all over the city!

CHORUS.

Does not the water keep down the flames?

MESSENGER.

No! The curious feature presenting itself in this calamitous business is, that the water only seems to feed the