§183sine hoste victus marcet ac Veneri vacat §184reparatque amores; neve desertus foret §185a paelice umquam barbara caelebs torus, §186ablatam Achilli diligit Lyrnesida, §187nec rapere puduit e sinu avulsam viri— §188en Paridis hostem, nunc novum vulnus gerens
vanquished without an enemy, he languishes and devotes himself to Venus, and renews his loves; and lest his celibate bed should ever be left deserted by a barbarian mistress, he cherishes the Lyrnessian maid snatched from Achilles, nor was he ashamed to seize her, torn from her husband's embrace— behold Paris's enemy!
§189amore Phrygiae vatis incensus furit, §190et post tropaea Troica ac versum Ilium §191captae maritus remeat et Priami gener.
Now, bearing a new wound, inflamed with love for the Phrygian prophetess, he rages, and after Trojan trophies and overturned Ilium, he returns as the husband of a captive and the son-in-law of Priam.
§192Accingere, anime: bella non levia apparas.
Gird yourself, my soul: you are preparing no light wars.
§193scelus occupandum est.
Crime must be forestalled.
pigra, quem expectas diem?
Sluggish one, what day do you wait for?
§194Pelopia Phrygiae sceptra dum teneant nurus?
Until Phrygian daughters-in-law hold the Pelopian sceptre?
Or do the unmarried virgins at home delay you, and Orestes, so like his father?
§197ventura moveant, turbo quis rerum imminet:
Let the coming evils of these move you, over whom a tempest of ruin impends.
§198quid, misera, cessas? en adest gnatis tuis
Why, wretched one, do you hesitate?
Behold, a raging stepmother is here for your children; through your own flank, if it cannot be done otherwise, let the sword be driven and slay both of us.
Mix your blood, destroy your husband by perishing yourself: death is not wretched when you die together with the one you wish.
§203Regina, frena temet et siste impetus §204et quanta temptes cogita: victor venit §205Asiae ferocis, ultor Europae, trahit §206captiva Pergama et diu victos Phrygas; §207hunc fraude nunc conaris et furto aggredi, §208quem non Achilles ense violavit fero, §209quamvis procacem torvus armasset manum, §210non melior Aiax morte decreta furens, §211non sola Danais Hector et bello mora, §212non tela Paridis certa, non Memnon niger, §213non Xanthus armis corpora immixta aggerens §214fluctusque Simois caede purpureos agens, §215non nivea proles Cycnus aequorei dei, §216non bellicoso Thressa cum Rheso phalanx, §217non picta pharetras et securigera manu §218peltata Amazon? hunc domi reducem paras
Queen, restrain yourself and check your impulses, and consider how great a thing you attempt: the victor comes, victor over fierce Asia, avenger of Europe; he drags along captive Pergamon and the long-conquered Phrygians; do you now attempt to attack with deceit and stealth this man, whom Achilles did not harm with his fierce sword, although grimly he had armed his insolent hand, nor Ajax, his better, raging with death decreed, nor Hector, the sole delay to the Danaans and the war, nor the sure shafts of Paris, nor black Memnon, nor Xanthus, piling up bodies mixed with armor and Simois, driving waves purple with slaughter, nor the snow-white offspring Cycnus of the sea-god, nor the Thracian phalanx with warlike Rhesus, nor the pelted Amazon, her quivers painted and with battle-axe in her hand?
§219mactare et aras caede maculare impia?
Do you prepare to slaughter him, returned home, and stain the altars with impious slaughter?
§220victrix inultum Graecia hoc facinus feret?
Will victorious Greece leave this crime unavenged?
§221equos et arma classibusque horrens fretum §222propone et alto sanguine exundans solum §223et tota captae fata Dardaniae domus §224regesta Danais, comprime affectus truces §225mentemque tibimet ipsa pacifica tuam.
Imagine the horses and arms, and the sea bristling with fleets, and the soil overflowing with deep blood, and all the fates of the captured Dardanian house thrown back upon the Danaans; crush your grim passions, and pacify your mind yourself.
That time which I always dreaded in my soul and mind is indeed here, the extremity of my fortunes.
§228quid terga vertis, anime? quid primo impetu
Why do you turn your back, my soul?
§229deponis arma? crede perniciem tibi
Why at the first onset do you lay down your arms?
§230et dira saevos fata moliri deos: §231oppono cunctis vile suppliciis caput, §232ferrumque et ignes pectore adverso excipe, §233Aegisthe: non est poena sic nato mori.
Believe that destruction for you and that the cruel gods are plotting dire fates: I offer my worthless head to all punishments, and receive the sword and fires with opposing breast, Aegisthus: to die is no punishment for one born thus.
§234tu nos pericli socia, tu, Leda sata, §235comitare tantum: sanguinem reddet tibi §236ignavus iste ductor ac fortis pater, §237sed quid trementes circuit pallor genas §238iacensque vultu languido optutus stupet?
You, partner of our danger, you, offspring of Leda, only accompany me: he will pay his blood to you, that cowardly leader and brave father, But why does pallor encircle your trembling cheeks, and why does your downcast gaze stare in stupor with a listless face?
§239Amor iugalis vincit ac flectit retro: §240referamur illuc, unde non decuit prius §241abire; sed nunc casta repetatur fides, §242nam sera numquam est ad bonos mores via: §243quem paenitet peccasse paene est innocens.
Conjugal love conquers and bends me back: let us be carried back there, whence it was not fitting before to depart; but now let chaste faith be sought again, for the path to good morals is never too late: he who repents having sinned is almost innocent.
§244Quo raperis amens? credis aut speras tibi
Whither are you swept, madwoman?
§245Agamemnonis fidele coniugium? ut nihil
Do you believe or hope for yourself a faithful marriage with Agamemnon?
§246subesset animo quod graves faceret metus: §247tamen superba et impotens flatu nimis §248Fortuna magno spiritus tumidos daret.
Even though nothing lay beneath your mind to cause heavy fears: yet Fortune, proud and too out of control with its breeze, would give great swelling spirits to a great man.
He was heavy to his allies while Troy was still standing: what do you think Troy has added to a mind savage by its very nature?
He was king of Mycenae, he will come as a tyrant: prosperity makes minds proud.
Look with how great pomp the poured-out crowd of mistresses comes!
But alone from the crowd she stands out and holds the king, the handmaid of the truth-telling god: Will you, vanquished, endure a partner of your marriage-chamber?
But she will not wish it; it is the ultimate evil for a bride a mistress openly possessing the husband's home.
§259nec regna socium ferre nec taedae sciunt.
Neither kingdoms nor marriage torches know how to bear a partner.
Aegisthus, why do you drive me back into the precipice and incite with flames my anger that was already settling?
The victor allowed himself some indulgence toward his captive: it befits neither a wife nor a mistress to pay regard to this.
§264lex alia solio est, alia privato in toro.
There is one law for the throne, another for a private bed.