§946solamen, huc vos ferte et infusos mihi
Comfort, bear yourselves hither and join your limbs clung to me.
Let your father have you safe, as long as your mother also has you. But exile and flight press upon me.
§949iam iam meo rapientur avulsi e sinu, §950flentes, gementes osculis pereant patri, §951periere matri, rursus increscit dolor §952et fervet odium, repetit invitam manum §953antiqua Erinys.
The ultimate time approaches. At any moment they will be torn from my bosom and snatched away, weeping and groaning. Let them perish to their father in kisses — they have already perished to their mother. Again my pain grows and my hatred seethes; the ancient Erinys claims again my unwilling hand.
ira, qua ducis, sequor,
Anger, where you lead, I follow.
Would that the crowd of proud Tantalus' daughter had come forth from my womb, and as a parent I had borne twice seven children!
I was sterile for my punishments — I have borne but two, enough for brother and father.
§958Quonam ista tendit turba Furiarum impotens?
Whither does that wild crowd of Furies tend?
Whom does it seek, or for whom does it prepare its fiery blows, or against whom does the hellish host aim its bloody torches?
§961intentat? ingens anguis excusso sonat
A huge snake, twisted by the cracked whip, hisses.
§962tortus flagello, quem trabe infesta petit
Whom does Megaera attack with her hostile brand?
§963Megaera? cuius umbra dispersis venit §964incerta membris? frater est, poenas petit: §965dabimus.
Whose uncertain shade comes with scattered limbs? It is my brother, he demands punishment: we shall pay it, but all of it.
, sed omnes, fige luminibus faces, §966lania, perure, pectus en Furiis patet.
Fix your torches in my eyes, tear me, burn me; lo, my breast lies open to the Furies.
§967Discedere a me, frater, ultrices deas §968manesque ad imos ire securas iube: §969mihi me relinque et utere hac, frater, manu §970quae strinxit ensem— victima manes tuos §971placamus ista.
Order the avenging goddesses to depart from me, brother, and tell them to go carefree to the deepest shades: leave me to myself and use, brother, this hand which drew the sword — with this victim we appease your shade.
quid repens affert sonus?
What sudden sound brings itself to us?
§972parentur arma meque in exitium petunt.
Arms are being prepared and they seek me for my destruction.
Now that the slaughter is begun, I shall ascend the high roof of our house. Come you with me as my companion.
§975tuum quoque ipsa corpus hinc mecum aveham.
Your body also I myself will carry away from here with me.
Now, my soul, do this: your power must not be lost in secret; prove your hand to the people.
Whosoever of you, faithful, grieve at the disasters of kings, run together, so that we may capture the very author of this horrid crime.
Hither, hither, brave cohort of armed men, bring your weapons, overturn the house from its foundations.
§982Iam iam recepi sceptra germanum patrem, §983spoliumque Colchi pecudis auratae tenent; §984rediere regna, rapta virginitas redit,
Now, even now, I have recovered my sceptre, my brother, my father, and the Colchians hold the spoil of the golden fleece; my kingdom has returned, my ravished virginity returns.
§985o placida tandem numina, o festum diem, §986o nuptialem! vade, perfectum est scelus, §987vindicta nondum: perage, dum faciunt manus,
O deities gentle at last, o festive day, o nuptial day! Go, the crime is complete, but not yet the vengeance: finish it while your hands can do it.
§988quid nunc moreris, anime? quid dubitas potens?
Why do you now delay, my soul? Why do you doubt, since you are powerful?
§989iam cecidit ira.
Now my anger has fallen.
paenitet facti, pudet,
I repent of the deed, I am ashamed.
§990quid, misera, feci? misera? paeniteat licet,
What, wretched woman, have I done? Wretched?
Though I may repent, I have done it — a great pleasure steals upon me against my will, and behold, it grows.
§993spectator iste.
This one thing was lacking to me: that spectator there.
nil adhuc facti reor: §994quicquid sine isto fecimus sceleris perit.
I reckon nothing of what is done so far: whatever crime we have committed without him is lost.
§995En ipsa tecti parte praecipiti imminet.
Lo, she herself looms on the steep part of the roof.
Let someone bring fire hither, so that she may fall, consumed by her own flames.
§997bCongere extremum tuis §998' natis, Iason, funus, ac tumulum strue: §999coniunx socerque iusta iam functis habent, §1000a me sepulti; gnatus hic fatum tulit, §1001hic te vidente dabitur exitio pari.
Heap up the final funeral for your children, Jason, and build their tomb: your wife and father-in-law already have their due rites for the deceased, buried by me; this son has met his fate, and this one, before your eyes, shall be given to a like destruction.
§1002Per numen omne perque communes fugas §1003torosque, quos non nostra violavit fides, §1004iam parce nato.
By every deity and by our common flights, and by the marriage bed which our fidelity did not violate, spare now the child.
si quod est crimen, meum est: §1005me dedo morti; noxium macta caput.
If there is any crime, it is mine: I deliver myself to death; slaughter my guilty head.
§1006Hac qua recusas, qua doles, ferrum exigam.
In that part where you refuse, where you grieve, I shall drive the sword.
Go now, proud man, seek the bridal chambers of maidens, desert mothers.
§1008bVnus est poenae satis.
One is enough for punishment.
§1009Si posset una caede satiari haec manus, §1010nullam petisset, ut duos perimam, tamen §1011nimium est dolori numerus angustus meo.
If this hand could be satisfied with one slaughter, it would have sought none; though I slay two, still the narrow number is too small for my pain.
Now finish the crime you have begun, I pray no more, and grant at least to my prayers a delay for my sufferings.
Enjoy the slow crime, do not hasten, my pain: this day is mine; we are using the time granted to us.
§1018Infesta, memet perime.
Hostile woman, destroy me.
§1018bMisereri iubes.
You bid me to have pity.
§1019bene est, peractum est.
It is well, it is finished.
plura non habui, dolor, §1020quae tibi litarem.
I had no more to offer you, my pain.
lumina huc tumida alleva, §1021ingrate Iason, coniugem agnoscis tuam?
Raise your swollen eyes hither, ungrateful Jason. Do you recognize your wife?
Thus I am wont to flee; the way into the heaven is opened: two scaly serpents offer their necks bowed to the yoke.
Receive now your sons, parent; I shall be borne through the air in my winged chariot.