- 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-lat2:562-648
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
While Hippolytus asserts his absolute hatred for all women, a desperate Phaedra faints. Upon reviving, she begs Hippolytus to receive her as a handmaid rather than as a mother, eventually hinting at her forbidden love by aligning her desire with the youthful face of Theseus.
et versa ab imo regna tot populos premunt.
And kingdoms overturned from their depths oppress so many peoples.
sileantur aliae: sola coniunx Aegei,
Let others be silent: Aegeus’ wife alone,
Medea, reddet feminas dirum genus.
Medea, will show that women are a dread race.
Cur omnium fit culpa paucarum scelus?
Why does the crime of a few become the guilt of all?
Detestor omnis, horreo fugio execror.
I detest them all, I shudder at, flee, and curse them.
sit ratio, sit natura, sit dirus furor:
Be it reason, be it nature, be it dread madness:
odisse placuit, ignibus iunges aquas
it has pleased me to hate. You will join water with fire,
et amica ratibus ante promittet vada
and the uncertain Syrtis will sooner promise safe shallows
incerta Syrtis, ante ab extremo sinu
friendly to ships, sooner from the furthest gulf
Hesperia Tethys lucidum attollet diem
will Hesperian Tethys bring forth the bright day,
et ora dammis blanda praebebunt lupi,
and wolves present gentle faces to does,
quam1 victus animum feminae mitem geram.
than I, vanquished, will bear a mild heart toward a woman.
Saepe obstinatis induit frenos Amor
Often Love puts reins upon the obstinate
et odia mutat, regna materna aspice:
and changes hatreds; look at your mother’s realm:
illae feroces sentiunt Veneris iugum;
even those fierce women feel the yoke of Venus;
testaris istud unicus gentis puer.
you, the only youth of that race, bear witness to this.
Solamen unum matris amissae fero.
I carry one consolation for my lost mother:
odisse quod iam feminas omnis licet.
that now it is permitted to hate all women.
Vt dura cautes undique intractabilis
As a hard cliff, inaccessible on all sides,
resistit undis et lacessentes aquas
resists the waves and flings back the provoking waters
longe remittit, verba sic spernit mea.
far away, so does he despise my words.
Sed Phaedra praeceps graditur, impatiens
But Phaedra steps forward headlong, impatient;
quo se dabit fortuna? quo verget furor?
whither will fortune turn? Whither will her madness lean?
terrae repente corpus exanimum accidit
Suddenly her lifeless body falls to the ground,
et ora morti similis obduxit color,
and a color like death has covered her face.
attolle vultus, dimove vocis moras:
Lift up your face, remove the delay of your voice:
tuus en, alumna, temet Hippolytus tenet.
behold, foster-daughter, your own Hippolytus holds you.
Quis me dolori reddit atque aestus graves
Who restores me to grief and places heavy boils of passion
reponit animo? quam bene excideram mihi!
back in my soul? How well had I escaped from myself!
Cur dulce munus redditae lucis fugis?
Why do you flee the sweet gift of restored light?
Aude, anime, tempta, perage mandatum tuum.
Dare, my soul, try, accomplish your design.
intrepida constent verba: qui timide rogat
Let fearless words stand firm: he who asks timidly
docet negare, magna pars sceleris mei
teaches refusal. A great part of my crime
olim peracta est; serus est nobis pudor:
was performed long ago; shame is late for us:
amavimus nefanda, si coepta exsequor,
we have loved forbidden things. If I follow through with what I started,
forsan iugali crimen abscondam face:
perhaps I may conceal the crime with a wedding torch:
honesta quaedam scelera successus facit2—
success makes some crimes honorable—
en incipe, anime!— Commodes paulum, precor,
behold, begin, my soul!— Grant, I pray, for a little while,
secretus aures, si quis est abeat comes.
your ears in secret; if there is any companion, let him depart.
En locus ab omni liber arbitrio vacat.
Behold, the place is free, vacant of all witnesses.
Sed ora coeptis transitum verbis negant;
But my lips refuse passage to the words begun;
vis magna vocem mittit et maior tenet,
a great force sends forth my voice, and a greater holds it back.
vos testor omnis, caelites, hoc quod volo—
I call you all to witness, heavenly ones, that this which I wish—
Animusne cupiens aliquid effari nequit?
Is the soul, desiring, unable to speak anything?
Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent.3
Light cares speak, huge ones are struck dumb.
Committe curas auribus, mater, meis.
Commit your cares to my ears, mother.
Matris superbum est nomen et nimium potens:
The name of mother is proud and too powerful:
nostros humilius nomen affectus decet;
a humbler name suits our feelings;
me vel sororem, Hippolyte, vel famulam voca,
call me either sister, Hippolytus, or handmaid,
famulamque potius: omne servitium feram,
and handmaid rather: I will bear all servitude,
non me per altas ire si iubeas nives,
even if you order me to go through deep snows,
pigeat gelatis ingredi Pindi iugis;
it would not grieve me to enter the frozen ridges of Pindus;
non, si per ignes ire et infesta agmina,
not, if ordered to go through fires and hostile ranks,
cuncter paratis ensibus pectus dare.
would I hesitate to offer my breast to ready swords.
mandata recipe sceptra, me famulam accipe:
Take the sceptre committed to you, receive me as a handmaid:
muliebre non est regna tutari urbium;
it is not a woman’s part to protect the kingdoms of cities;
tu qui iuventae flore primaevo viges
you, who flourish in the prime flower of youth,
cives paterno fortis imperio rege,
bravely rule the citizens with your father’s power,
sinu receptam supplicem ac servam tege.
protect her who is received in your bosom as a suppliant and a slave.
miserere viduae—
Pity the widow—
Summus hoc omen deus
May the supreme god avert
avertat, aderit sospes actutum parens.
this omen; your father will be here safe immediately.
Regni tenacis dominus et tacitae Stygis
The lord of the tenacious realm and of silent Styx
nullam relictos fecit ad superos viam:
has made no path back to the gods above for those who have left:
thalami remittet ille raptorem sui?
will he release the ravisher of his own bridal chamber?
nisi forte amori placidus et Pluton sedet.
Unless perchance Pluto too sits placid toward love.
Illum quidem aequi caelites reducem dabunt,
Indeed, the just heavenly ones will grant him return,
sed dum tenebit vota in incerto deus,
but while the god keeps our prayers in uncertainty,
pietate caros debita fratres colam
I will cherish my dear brothers with due devotion,
et te merebor esse ne viduam putes
and I will deserve that you do not think yourself a widow,
ac tibi parentis ipse supplebo locum.
and I myself will supply the place of a parent to you.
O spes amantum credula, o fallax Amor!
O credulous hope of lovers, o deceitful Love!
satisne dixi? precibus admotis agam.
Have I said enough? I will proceed with prayers applied.
Miserere, tacitae mentis exaudi preces—
Have pity, hear the prayers of a silent mind—
libet loqui pigetque.
it pleases me to speak, and yet it shames me.
Quodnam istud malum est?
What evil indeed is that?
Quod in novercam cadere vix credas malum.
An evil which you would scarcely believe could fall upon a stepmother.
Ambigua voce verba perplexa iacis:
You throw perplexed words in an ambiguous voice:
effare aperte,
speak out openly.
Pectus insanum vapor
Heat and love scorch
amorque torret. intimis fervet ferus
my insane breast. A fierce fire glows deep in my
visceribus ignis mersus et venas latens
inmost parts, submerged, and lurking in my veins,
ut agilis altas flamma percurrit trabes.
just as a swift flame runs through high beams.
Amore nempe Thesei casto furis?
Surely you are mad with pure love for Theseus?
Hippolyte. sic est: Thesei vultus amo
Hippolytus, it is so: I love the face of Theseus,
illos priores quos tulit quondam puer.
those former features which he once bore as a boy,
cum prima puras barba signaret genas
when the first beard marked his pure cheeks.
- 573quam
Paired with ante (lines 569, 570) to form a comparative expression meaning "would sooner ... than ..." (literally, "... before ... than ...").
- 598honesta quaedam scelera successus facit
successus ("success") is the subject, scelera is the object, and honesta is the object complement. It reflects Phaedra's psychological rationalization that a crime can be vindicated or made honorable by its successful outcome.
- 607Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent
A famous sententia of Seneca. The noun curae is omitted after the subject ingentes. It highlights the psychological truth that minor worries find ready words, whereas overwhelming grief paralyzes the power of speech.
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-22)
- 2026-09-22 AI review — source 2