cheap beasts run free, the largest neck is pleasing for a wound.
Whatever Fortune has carried to the heights, she lifts up to fall; to modest fortunes there is a longer span of life.
§103longius aevum est: felix mediae §104quisquis turbae sorte quietus §105aura stringit litora tuta §106timidusque mari credere cumbam §107remo terras propiore legit.
Happy is he, whoever, quiet with the lot of the middle crowd, skims safe shores with a gentle breeze, and, fearful of trusting his boat to the sea, hugs the land with a closer oar.
§108Quid, segnis anime, tuta consilia expetis?
Why, sluggish soul, do you seek safe counsels?
§109quid fluctuaris? clausa iam melior via est:
Why do you waver? The better path is already closed.
§110licuit pudicos coniugis quondam toros §111et sceptra casta vidua tutari fide— §112periere mores ius decus pietas fides §113et qui redire cum perit nescit pudor; §114da frena et omnem prona nequitiam incita: §115per scelera semper sceleribus tutum est iter.
Once it was permitted to guard the chaste bed of your husband and the sceptre with pure faith as a chaste widow— morals, law, honor, piety, faith have perished, and shame, which knows not how to return when it has perished; give free rein and, leaning forward, incite all wickedness: the path to safety for crimes is always through crimes.
§116tecum ipsa nunc evolve femineos dolos, §117quod ulla coniunx perfida atque impos sui §118amore caeco, quod novercales manus §119ausae, quod ardens impia virgo face, §120Phasiaca fugiens regna Thessalica trabe: §121ferrum, venena; vel Mycenaeas domos §122coniuncta socio profuge furtiva rate— §123quid timida loqueris furta et exilium et fugas?
Now ponder within yourself female guiles, whatever any faithless wife, out of control of herself with blind love, or stepmothers' hands have dared, or what the impious maiden, burning with a hostile torch, did when fleeing the Phasian realms on the Thessalian ship: sword, poisons; or flee the Mycenaean home, joined to your partner in a secret boat— why, fearful one, do you speak of secrets and exile and flights?
§124soror ista fecit; te decet maius nefas.
Your sister did those things; a greater crime befits you.
§125Regina Danaum et inclitum Ledae genus, §126quid tacita versas quidve consilii impotens §127tumido feroces impetus animo geris?
Queen of the Danaans and glorious offspring of Leda, why do you ponder in silence, or, unable to control your counsel, do you bear fierce impulses in your swelling mind?
§128licet ipsa sileas, totus in vultu est dolor.
Though you yourself are silent, all your pain is in your face.
Therefore, whatever it is, give yourself time and space: what reason cannot heal, delay has often cured.
§131Maiora cruciant quam ut moras possim pati; §132flammae medullas et cor exurunt meum, §133mixtus dolori subdidit stimulos timor, §134invidia pulsat pectus; hinc animum iugo §135premit cupido turpis et vinci vetat: §136et inter istas mentis obsessae faces, §137fessus quidem et devinctus et pessumdatus, §138pudor rebellat.
Greater evils torment me than that I can endure delays; flames burn out my marrow and my heart, fear mixed with pain has applied its spurs, jealousy beats my breast; on this side, a shameful passion presses down my mind with a yoke and forbids it to be conquered: and amidst these torches of a besieged mind, weary indeed, bound, and ruined, shame rebels.
fluctibus variis agor, §139ut cum hinc profundum ventus, hinc aestus rapit, §140incerta dubitat unda cui cedat malo.
I am driven by various waves, just as when the wind sweeps the deep on this side, and the tide on that side, the uncertain wave hesitates to which evil it should yield.
§141proinde omisi regimen e manibus meis: §142quocumque me ira, qua dolor, quo spes feret, §143hoc ire pergam; fluctibus dedimus ratem: §144ubi animus errat, optimum est casum sequi.
Therefore, I have let go of the rudder from my hands: wherever anger, wherever pain, wherever hope shall carry me, there I will continue to go; we have given our ship to the waves: when the mind wanders, it is best to follow chance.
§145Caeca est temeritas quae petit casum ducem.
Blind is the rashness which seeks chance as a guide.
§146Cui ultima est fortuna, quid dubiam timet?
He whose fortune is at its worst, why does he fear a doubtful one?
§147Tuta est latetque culpa, si pateris, tua.
Safe and hidden is your fault, if you endure.
§148Perlucet omne regiae vitium domus.
Every vice of a royal house shines through.
§149Piget prioris et novum crimen struis?
Do you regret the former crime and yet plan a new one?
§150Res est profecto stulta nequitiae modus.
Surely a limit to wickedness is a foolish thing.
§151Quod metuit auget qui scelus scelere obruit.
He who covers crime with crime increases what he fears.
§152Et ferrum et ignis saepe medicinae loco est
Both sword and fire are often in the place of medicine.
§153Extrema primo nemo temptavit loco.
No one has tried extreme measures in the first place.
§154Rapienda rebus in malis praeceps via est.
In evil straits, a headlong path must be seized.
§155At te reflectat coniugi nomen sacrum.
But let the sacred name of husband turn you back.
§156Decem per annos vidua respiciam virum?
Shall I, widowed for ten years, look back upon my husband?
§157Meminisse debes sobolis ex illo tuae.
You ought to remember your offspring by him.
Indeed, I remember both the bridal torches of my daughter and Achilles as a son-in-law: he kept faith with her mother.
She redeemed the delays of the motionless fleet and set in motion the seas that were fixed in sluggish torpor.
§162Pudet doletque— Tyndaris, caeli genus.
It is a shame and a grief—daughter of Tyndareus, offspring of heaven.
§163lustrale classi Doricae peperi caput!
I gave birth to a victim of purification for the Doric fleet!
§164revolvit animus virginis thalamos meae §165quos ille dignos Pelopia fecit domo, §166cum stetit ad aras ore sacrifico pater
My mind turns back to the marriage-chamber of my virgin daughter, which he made worthy of the house of Pelops, when the father stood at the altars with a sacrificing mouth, how nuptial!
Even Calchas shuddered at the responses of his own voice and at the retreating fires of the altar.
O house, always surpassing crimes with crimes, we bought winds with blood, and war with death!
§171sed vela pariter mille fecerunt rates?
But did a thousand ships make sail at the same time?
The fleet was not released by a favorable god: Aulis cast out the impious ships from her harbor.
§174sic auspicatus bella non melius gerit.
Having started the war under such auspices, he did not wage it any better.
§175amore captae captus, immotus prece §176Zminthea tenuit spolia Phoebei senis, §177ardore sacrae virginis iam tum furens.
Captured by the love of a captive girl, unmoved by prayer, he held the Sminthean spoils of Phoebus’ old priest, already then raging with passion for the sacred virgin.
§178non illum Achilles flexit indomitus minis, §179non ille solus fata qui mundi videt, §180in nos fidelis augur, in captas levis, §181non populus aeger et relucentes rogi: §182inter ruentis Graeciae stragem ultimam
Neither did unyielding Achilles bend him with threats, nor did he who alone sees the fates of the world— a faithful augur against us, but light towards captive women— nor the sick populace and the glowing funeral pyres: amid the ultimate slaughter of falling Greece...