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,