- Source
- Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Tragoediae. Peiper, Rudolf; Richter, Gustav, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1921.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi1017.phi005.humanitext-lat2:197-285
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
The nurse admonishes Phaedra to restrain her impious love and maintain the reason fitting for her high status. However, as Phaedra remains resolute and decides to avoid infamy through death, the nurse eventually undertakes the task of persuading Hippolytus to save her.
titulum furori numinis falsi addidit.
(lust) has added the title of a false deity to its madness.
natum per omnis scilicet terras vagum
The goddess of Eryx indeed sends her son to wander through all lands;
Erycina mittit, ille per caelum volans
he, flying through the sky,
proterva tenera tela molitur manu
wields his insolent weapons with tender hand
regnumque tantum minimus e superis habet:
and, though the least of the gods above, holds so great a kingdom.
vana ista demens animus ascivit sibi
The foolish mind has claimed these vain things for itself,
Venerisque numen finxit atque arcus dei.
and has feigned the divinity of Venus and the bow of the god.
quisquis secundis rebus exultat nimis
Whoever exults too much in prosperity
fluitque luxu, semper insolita appetit.
and flows with luxury, always desires unusual things.
tunc illa magnae dira fortunae comes
Then that dreadful companion of great fortune,
subit libido: non placent suetae dapes,
lust, steals in: customary feasts no longer please,
non tecta sani moris aut vilis scyphus.
nor houses of sober custom, nor a cheap cup.
cur in penates rarius tenues subit
Why does this plague more rarely enter humble homes,
haec delicatae eligens pestis domos?
choosing instead the dwellings of the delicate?
cur sancta parvis habitat in tectis Venus
Why does holy Venus dwell in small cottages,
mediumque sanos vulgus affectus tenet
and why does the common crowd keep healthy feelings,
et se coercent modica? contra divites
and moderate circumstances restrain themselves? While on the contrary, do the rich
regnoque fulti plura quam fas est petunt?
and those supported by a kingdom seek more than is lawful?
quod non potest vult posse qui nimium potest.1
He who can do too much wishes to be able to do what he cannot.
quid deceat alto praeditam solio vides:
You see what is fitting for one endowed with a high throne:
metue ac verere sceptra remeantis viri.
fear and respect the sceptre of your returning husband.
Amoris in me maximum regnum puto
I think Love has the greatest kingdom over me,
reditusque nullos metuo: non umquam amplius
and I fear no returns: never again
convexa tetigit supera qui mersus semel
does he touch the upper vaults who, once submerged,
adiit silentem nocte perpetua domum.
has entered the silent house in perpetual night.
Ne crede Diti. clauserit regnum licet2
Do not believe Dis. Although he may have closed his kingdom,
canisque diras Stygius observet fores:
and the Stygian dog may guard the dreadful gates:
solus negatas invenit Theseus vias.
Theseus alone has found forbidden ways.
Veniam ille amori forsitan nostro dabit.
He will perhaps grant indulgence to our love.
Immitis etiam coniugi castae fuit:
He was harsh even to his chaste wife:
experta saevam est barbara Antiope manum.
the barbarian Antiope experienced his savage hand.
sed posse flecti coniugem iratum puta:
But suppose that an angry husband can be bent:
quis huius animum flectet intractabilem?
who will bend this youth’s intractable mind?
exosus omne feminae nomen fugit,
Detesting the very name of woman, he flees;
immitis annos caelibi vitae dicat,
harsh, he dedicates his years to a celibate life,
conubia vitat: genus Amazonium scias.
and avoids marriage: you must know he is of the Amazonian race.
Hunc in nivosi collis haerentem iugis,
To follow him as he clings to the ridges of the snowy hill,
et aspera agili saxa calcantem pede
and treads upon the rough rocks with agile foot,
sequi per alta nemora, per montes placet.
through the deep forests and over the mountains is my pleasure.
Resistet ille seque mulcendum dabit
Will he resist and yield himself to be softened,
castosque ritus Venere non casta exuet?
and cast off his chaste customs for an unchaste love?
tibi ponet odium, cuius odio3 forsitan
Will he lay aside his hatred for you, through hatred of whom perhaps
persequitur omnes? precibus haud vinci potest.
he pursues all women? He can by no means be conquered by prayers.
Ferus est? amore didicimus vinci feros.
Is he wild? We have learned that the wild are conquered by love.
Fugiet.
He will flee.
Per ipsa maria si fugiet, sequar.
Even if he flees through the very seas, I will follow.
Patris memento.
Remember your father.
Meminimus matris simul.
I remember my mother at the same time.
Genus omne profugit.
He flees from the whole female race.
Paelicis careo metu.
I am free from the fear of a rival.
Aderit maritus—
Your husband will be here—
Nempe Perithoi comes?
Indeed, the companion of Pirithous?
Aderitque genitor,
And your father will be here,
Mitis, Ariadnae pater.
The mild father of Ariadne.
Per has senectae splendidas supplex comas
By these bright grey hairs of my old age,
fessumque curis pectus et cara ubera
and this breast worn out with cares, and these dear breasts
precor, furorem siste teque ipsa adiuva:
I pray you: stop this madness and help yourself;
pars sanitatis velle sanari fuit.4
to wish to be healed has been a part of health.
Non omnis animo cessit ingenuo pudor.
Not all shame has departed from my noble mind.
paremus, altrix. qui regi non vult amor
Let us obey, nurse. Let love that refuses to be ruled
vincatur. haud te, fama, maculari sinam.
be conquered. I will by no means allow my reputation to be stained.
haec sola ratio est, unicum effugium mali:
This is the only way, the sole escape from evil:
virum sequamur, morte praevertam nefas.
let us follow our husband; let me forestall crime by death.
Moderare, alumna, mentis effrenae impetus,
Moderate, my foster-child, the impulses of your unbridled mind,
animos coerce, dignam ob hoc vita reor
restrain your feelings. For this reason I think you worthy of life,
quod esse temet autumas dignam nece.5
because you deem yourself worthy of death.
Decreta mors est: quaeritur fati genus.
Death is decreed: the manner of fate is sought.
laqueone vitam finiam an ferro incubem?
Shall I end my life with a noose, or fall upon the sword?
an missa praeceps arce Palladia cadam?
Or, cast headlong, shall I fall from the Palladian citadel?
Sic te senectus nostra praecipiti sinat
Should my old age permit you to perish
perire leto? siste furibundum impetum.
by a headlong death? Stop your furious impulse.
Prohibere nulla ratio periturum potest:6
No reason can restrain one who is about to perish:
ubi qui mori constituit et debet mori.
when he who has resolved to die also ought to die.
proin castitatis vindicem armemus manum.
Therefore let us arm our hand as the avenger of chastity.
Solamen annis unicum fessis, era,
O mistress, the sole consolation of my weary years,
si tam protervus incubat menti furor,
if such insolent madness broods over your mind,
contemne famam— fama vix vero favet,
despise reputation—reputation rarely favors the truth,
peius merenti melior et peior bono.
being kinder to the worse-deserving and worse to the good.
temptemus animum tristem et intractabilem.
Let us test his sad and intractable mind.
meus iste labor est aggredi iuvenem ferum
It is my task to approach the wild youth
mentemque saevam flectere immitis viri.
and to bend the fierce mind of the harsh man.
Diva non miti generata ponto,
O Goddess generated from the ungentle sea,
quam vocat matrem geminus Cupido,
whom double Cupid calls mother,
iste lascivus puer et renidens
how that wanton and smiling boy
tela quam certo moderatur arcu!
guides his weapons with such an unerring bow!
non habet latam data plaga frontem,
The wound inflicted has no broad surface,
sed vorat tectas penitus medullas,
but devours the marrow hidden deep within.
nulla pax isti puero: per orbem
There is no peace for that boy: through the world
spargit effusas agilis sagittas;
he swiftly scatters his thick-flying arrows;
quaeque nascentem videt ora solem,
and whatever shore sees the rising sun,
- 215quod non potest vult posse qui nimium potest
The relative clause 'qui nimium potest' (he who is all-powerful) acts as the subject of the main verb 'vult posse'. In the object clause 'quod non potest', the infinitive 'posse' is understood after 'potest', meaning 'what he cannot do'.
- 222clauserit regnum licet
The verb 'licet' functions as a concessive conjunction introducing a subjunctive clause (here, the perfect subjunctive 'clauserit'), meaning 'although' or 'even if he should close his kingdom'.
- 238cuius odio
The relative genitive 'cuius' can be interpreted either as an objective genitive ('hatred directed toward him') or as a subjective genitive ('the hatred that he himself holds'). While the latter is more common in this context, both interpretations are grammatically viable.
- 249pars sanitatis velle sanari fuit
The subject of the sentence is the infinitive phrase 'velle sanari' (to wish to be healed), with 'fuit' as the copula and 'pars sanitatis' (a part of health) as the predicate nominative.
- 256dignam ob hoc vita reor quod esse temet autumas dignam nece
The main verb 'reor' (I think) governs an omitted object 'te', with 'dignam vita' (worthy of life) as the object complement. The causal 'quod' clause contains 'autumas' (you say), which governs an accusative and infinitive construction with 'temet' as the subject accusative and 'dignam nece [esse]' (to be worthy of death) as the complement.
- 265Prohibere nulla ratio periturum potest
The future active participle 'periturum' (one who is about to perish/die) is used substantively in the accusative as the direct object of the infinitive 'prohibere'. 'Nulla ratio' is the subject of the main verb 'potest'.