§12.142Sed tamen in toto pectore frigus erat.
But yet there was coldness in my whole breast.
§12.143Turba ruunt et 'Hymen,' clamant, 'Hymenaee!' frequenter — §12.144Quo propior vox haec, hoc mihi peius erat.
The crowd rushes and shouts repeatedly, "Hymen, O Hymenaeus!" — the closer this voice was, the worse it was for me.
The servants, scattered here and there, were weeping and hiding their tears — who would want to be the messenger of so great an evil?
§12.147Me quoque, quidquid erat, potius nescire iuvabat; §12.148Sed tamquam scirem, mens mea tristis erat, §12.149Cum minor e pueris (casu studione videndi §12.150Constitit ad geminae limina prima foris) §12.151'Huc modo, mater, adi! pompam pater,' inquit, 'Iason
It pleased me too, whatever it was, rather not to know; but as if I knew, my mind was sad, when the younger of the boys (by chance or from a desire to see, stood at the outer threshold of the double door) said: "Come here now, mother!
§12.152Ducit et adiunctos aureus urget equos!' §12.153Protinus abscissa planxi mea pectora veste, §12.154Tuta nec a digitis ora fuere meis.
Father Jason is leading the procession, and resplendent in gold, is urging on the yoked horses!" Straightway I beat my breast, tearing my garment, nor was my face safe from my fingers.
§12.155Ire animus mediae suadebat in agmina turbae §12.156Sertaque conpositis demere rapta comis; §12.157Vix me continui, quin dilaniata capillos §12.158Clamarem 'meus est!' iniceremque manus.
My mind urged me to go into the midst of the crowd and snatch away the wreaths from their arranged hair; scarcely did I restrain myself from crying out, with torn hair, "He is mine!" and laying my hands upon you.
§12.159Laese pater, gaude! Colchi gaudete relicti!
Rejoice, injured father! Rejoice, abandoned Colchians!
§12.160Inferias umbrae fratris habete mei; §12.161Deseror amissis regno patriaque domoque §12.162Coniuge, qui nobis omnia solus erat!
Accept these funeral offerings, shade of my brother; I am abandoned, having lost kingdom and country and home and my husband, who alone was everything to me!
§12.163Serpentis igitur potui taurosque furentes; §12.164Unum non potui perdomuisse virum, §12.165Quaeque feros pepuli doctis medicatibus ignes, §12.166Non valeo flammas effugere ipsa meas.
So then, I was able to subdue serpents and raging bulls; but I have not been able to master one single man, and I, who drove away fierce fires with learned potions, have no power to escape my own flames.
§12.167Ipsi me cantus herbaeque artesque relinquunt; §12.168Nil dea, nil Hecates sacra potentis agunt.
My very incantations, herbs, and arts desert me; the goddess does nothing, the sacred rites of powerful Hecate do nothing.
§12.169Non mihi grata dies; noctes vigilantur amarae, §12.170Et tener a misero pectore somnus abest.
Daytime is not pleasing to me; bitter nights are spent in waking, and tender sleep is absent from my wretched breast.
I, who cannot lull myself to sleep, was able to lull the dragon; my care is more useful to anyone else than to myself.
The limbs that I saved, a mistress embraces, and she has the fruits of our labor.
§12.175Forsitan et, stultae dum te iactare maritae §12.176Quaeris et iniustis auribus apta loqui, §12.177In faciem moresque meos nova crimina fingas.
And perhaps, while you seek to boast of yourself to your foolish wife and to speak things suited to her unjust ears, you may fashion new charges against my face and character.
§12.178Rideat et vitiis laeta sit illa meis!
Let her laugh and be glad at my defects!
Let her laugh and lie sublime on Tyrian purple — she will weep and, burnt up, will surpass my own fires!
As long as iron and flames and the juice of poison are at hand, no enemy of Medea shall go unavenged!
But if by chance prayers touch your iron heart, now hear words humbler than my usual spirit!
§12.185Tam tibi sum supplex, quam tu mihi saepe fuisti, §12.186Nec moror ante tuos procubuisse pedes.
I am as much a suppliant to you as you often were to me, nor do I delay to throw myself down before your feet.
If I am vile to you, look back upon our common children; a cruel stepmother will rage against my offspring.
§12.189Et nimium similes tibi sunt, et imagine tangor, §12.190Et quotiens video, lumina nostra madent.
And they are too much like you, and I am touched by the image, and as often as I see them, my eyes grow wet.
§12.191Per superos oro, per avitae lumina flammae, §12.192Per meritum et natos, pignora nostra, duos — §12.193Redde torum, pro quo tot res insana reliqui; §12.194Adde fidem dictis auxiliumque refer!
I pray by the gods above, by the light of my grandfather's flame, by my merit and by our two children, our pledges — restore the marriage bed, for which I, mad, left so many things; add faith to your words, and bring back your help!
§12.195Non ego te inploro contra taurosque virosque, §12.196Utque tua serpens victa quiescat ope; §12.197Te peto, quem merui, quem nobis ipse dedisti, §12.198Cum quo sum pariter facta parente parens.
I do not implore you against bulls and armed men, or that the serpent may sleep, conquered by your help; I seek you, whom I have deserved, whom you yourself gave to me, with whom I was made a parent by a parent alike.
§12.199Dos ubi sit, quaeris? campo numeravimus illo,
Where is my dowry, you ask?
§12.200Qui tibi laturo vellus arandus erat.
We counted it out in that field which had to be ploughed by you when about to carry off the fleece.
§12.201Aureus ille aries villo spectabilis alto §12.202Dos mea, quam, dicam si tibi 'redde!,' neges.
That golden ram, remarkable for his thick fleece, is my dowry; if I should say to you "restore it!", you would refuse.
§12.203Dos mea tu sospes; dos est mea Graia iuventus!
My dowry is you, safe; my dowry is the Greek youth!
§12.204I nunc, Sisyphias, inprobe, confer opes!
Go now, wicked man, compare the Sisyphian wealth!
§12.205Quod vivis, quod habes nuptam socerumque potentis, §12.206Hoc ipsum, ingratus quod potes esse, meum est.
That you live, that you have a powerful wife and father-in-law, this very thing, that you can be ungrateful, is mine.
§12.207Quos equidem actutum — sed quid praedicere poenam
Indeed, those people I will immediately — but what does it avail to predict punishment?
§12.208Attinet? ingentis parturit ira minas.
Anger brings forth immense threats.
Whither anger shall carry me, I will follow! Perhaps I shall regret the deed — and I already regret having cared for a faithless husband.
§12.211Viderit ista deus, qui nunc mea pectora versat!
Let the god see to those things, who now agitates my breast!
§12.212Nescio quid certe mens mea maius agit!
Assuredly my mind is plotting something greater!