Humanitext Reader

Seneca the Younger · Thyestes §360-460

The Definition of a King and Thyestes' Hesitation

Passage 5 of 12 · Latin

Summary

The Chorus sings that a true king is defined by a good mind, not by external wealth or military power. Meanwhile, the returning Thyestes hesitates between the temptation of kingship and a dark premonition of danger, and despite his son Tantalus's persuasion, he argues for the peace of a humble life over the anxiety of power.

§360non Eurus rapiens mare §361aut saevo rabidus freto §362ventosi tumor Hadriae,
nor the East Wind snatching the sea or, rabid with a cruel strait, the swelling of the windy Adriatic (will shake him).
§363quem non lancea militis, §364non strictas domuit chalybs, §365qui tuto positus loco §366infra se videt omnia §367occurritque suo libens §368fato nec queritur mori.
Whom no soldier's lance, no drawn steel has subdued, who, placed in a safe position, sees all things beneath him, and gladly goes to meet his fate, nor complains of dying.
§369Reges conveniant licet §370qui sparsos agitant Dabas, §371qui rubri vada litoris §372et gemmis mare lucidis §373late sanguineum tenent, §374aut qui Caspia fortibus §375recludunt iuga Sarmatis, §376certet Danuvii vadum §377audet qui pedes ingredi §378et (quocumque loco iacent) §379Seres vellere nobiles: §381nil ullis opus est equis, §382nil armis et inertibus §383telis quae procul ingerit §384Parthus, cum simulat fugas, §385admotis nihil est opus §386urbes sternere machinis, §387longe saxa rotantibus.
Though kings assemble who hunt the scattered Dahae, who hold the shoals of the Red Sea and the sea shining with bright gems widely stained with blood, or those who open the Caspian ridges to the brave Sarmatians, though the ford of the Danube contend, which one dares to cross on foot, and (wherever they lie) the Seres famous for their fleeces: there is no need of any horses, no need of arms and useless darts which from afar the Parthian flings, when he feigns flight, there is no need to lay low cities with brought-up engines that hurl stones from afar.
§380mens regnum bona possidet.
A good mind possesses the kingdom.
§390hoc regnum sibi quisque dat.
This kingdom each man gives to himself.
§391Stet quicumque volet potens §392aulae culmine lubrico: §393me dulcis saturet quies; §394obscuro positus loco §395leni perfruar otio, §396nullis nota Quiritibus §397aetas per tacitum fluat.
Let whoever wishes stand powerful on the slippery peak of the palace: let sweet quiet satisfy me; placed in an obscure spot let me fully enjoy gentle leisure, known to no citizens let my life flow through silence.
§398sic cum transierint mei §399nullo cum strepitu dies. §400plebeius moriar senex.
Thus, when my days have passed with no noise, let me die a plebeian old man.
§401illi mors gravis incubat §402qui, notus nimis omnibus, §403ignotus moritur sibi.
Heavy death broods over him who, known too well to all, dies unknown to himself.
§404Optata patriae tecta et Argolicas opes §405miserisque summum ac maxime exulibus bonum, §406tractum soli natalis et patrios deos §407(si sunt tamen di) cerno, Cyclopum sacras §408turres, labore maius humano decus, §409celebrata iuveni stadia, per quae nobilis §410palmam paterno non semel curru tuli.
Thyestes: O desired roofs of my country and Argive riches, the greatest and chief good to the miserable, and especially to exiles, the stretch of my native soil and my ancestral gods (if indeed there are gods) I see, and the sacred towers of the Cyclopes, a beauty greater than human labor, the stadiums celebrated in my youth, through which, famous, I bore away the palm not once in my father's chariot.
§411occurret Argos, populus occurret frequens— §412sed nempe et Atreus.
Argos will meet me, the crowd of people will meet me— but indeed also Atreus.
repete silvestres fugas §413saltusque densos potius et mixtam feris §414similemque vitam; clarus hic regni nitor §415fulgore non est quod oculos falso auferat: §416cum quod datur spectabis, et dantem aspice.
Seek again your forest flights, and dense thickets rather, and a life mixed and similar to beasts; this bright splendor of kingship has no reason to steal away my eyes falsely with its glare: when you look upon what is given, look also upon the giver.
§417modo inter illa, quae putant cuncti aspera, §418fortis fui laetusque; nunc contra in metus §419revolvor: animus haeret ac retro cupit §420corpus referre, moveo nolentem gradum.
Just now among those things which all deem harsh, I was brave and happy; now on the contrary into fears I am rolled back: my mind hesitates and wishes to draw my body back, I move an unwilling step.
§421Pigro (quid hoc est?) genitor incessu stupet §422vultumque versat seque in incerto tenet.
Tantalus: With slow step (what is this?) my father stands amazed and turns his face, keeping himself in uncertainty.
§423Quid, anime, pendes quidve consilium diu §424tam facile torques? rebus incertissimis,
Thyestes: Why, my soul, do you hesitate, or why for so long do you so easily turn your plan?
§425fratri atque regno, credis ac metuis mala §426iam victa, iam mansueta et aerumnas fugis
To things most uncertain, a brother and a kingdom, do you trust, and do you fear evils already conquered, already tamed, and do you flee troubles well-placed?
§427bene collocatas? esse iam miserum iuvat, §428reflecte gressum, dum licet, teque eripe.
It is pleasing now to be miserable; turn back your step, while it is permitted, and snatch yourself away.
§429T AN T. Quae causa cogit, genitor, a patria gradum
Tantalus: What cause compels you, father, to turn back your step from the sight of your country?
§430referre visa? cur bonis tantis sinum
Why do you withdraw your bosom from such great goods?
§431subducis? ira frater abiecta redit §432partemque regni reddit et lacerae domus §433componit artus teque restituit tibi.
Casting away his wrath, your brother returns, and restores a part of the kingdom, and of our shattered house joins the limbs together, and restores you to yourself.
§434Causam timoris ipse quam ignoro exigis.
Thyestes: You demand the cause of a fear which I myself know not.
§435nihil timendum video, sed timeo tamen.
I see nothing to be feared, but yet I fear.
§436placet ire, pigris membra sed genibus labant §437alioque quam quo nitor abductus feror, §438sic concitatam remige et velo ratem §439aestus resistens remigi et velo refert.
It pleases me to go, but my limbs totter with sluggish knees, and I am carried away elsewhere than where I strive to go, just as a raft urged on by oar and sail the tide resisting returns against both oar and sail.
§440Evince quicquid obstat et mentem impedit §441reducemque quanta praemia expectent vide.
Tantalus: Conquer whatever stands in the way and hinders your mind, and see what great rewards await you as a returner.
§442pater, potes regnare, §442bCum possim mori.
Father, you are able to reign, Thyestes: When I am able to die.
§443Summa est potestas— §443bNulla: si cupias nihil.
Tantalus: The power is supreme— Thyestes: It is nothing, if you desire nothing.
§444Gnatis relinques, §444bNon capit regnum duos.
Tantalus: You will leave it to your sons, Thyestes: A kingdom does not hold two.
§445Miser esse mavult esse qui felix potest?
Tantalus: Does he prefer to be miserable who can be happy?
§446Mihi crede, falsis magna nominibus placent, §447frustra timentur dura.
Thyestes: Believe me, great things please under false names, hardships are feared in vain.
dum excelsus steti, §448numquam pavere destiti atque ipsum mei §449ferrum timere lateris, o quantum bonum est
While I stood on high, I never ceased to tremble, and to fear the very sword at my side.
§450obstare nulli, capere securas dapes §451humi iacentem! scelera non intrant casas,
Oh, how great a good it is to stand in no one's way, to take carefree feasts lying on the ground!
§452totusque mensa capitur angusta cibus; §453venenum in auro bibitur— expertus loquor: §454malam bonae praeferre fortunam licet.
Crimes do not enter cottages, and whole food is received on a narrow table; poison is drunk from gold—I speak as one who has experienced it: it is permitted to prefer a bad fortune to a good one.
§455non vertice alti montis impositam domum §456et eminentem civitas humilis tremit §457nec fulget altis splendidum tectis ebur §458somnosque non defendit excubitor meos; §459non classibus piscamur et retro mare §460iacta fugamus mole nec ventrem improbum
No house placed on the peak of a high mountain and towering does the humble citizen tremble at, nor does splendid ivory gleam in high roofs, and no guard defends my sleep; we do not fish with fleets, nor do we drive back the sea by throwing out a mass, nor do we satisfy our insatiable belly...

Notes

  1. 369Reges conveniant licet — The sequence beginning with “conveniant licet” (subjunctive of concession) is parallel to “certet Danuvii vadum” (line 376) and the clause with “Seres” (line 379), forming a large concessive structure. The main clause begins in line 381 with “nil ullis opus est...”, into which line 380 (“mens regnum bona possidet”) is inserted as the thematic conclusion.
  2. 416cum quod datur spectabis — The temporal conjunction “cum” (when) is used here with the future indicative (“spectabis”), corresponding to the imperative “aspice” in the main clause. The antecedent of the relative pronoun “quod” is omitted, meaning “that which is given” (quod datur).
  3. 426aerumnas bene collocatas — “bene collocare” originally means “to invest or place (funds, etc.) well.” Here it metaphorically refers to “troubles that have yielded a profitable return” (i.e., the hardships already endured which now keep him safe from the dangers of kingship), showing Thyestes' positive evaluation of his current safe, though impoverished, exile.
  4. 442bCum possim mori — The conjunction “cum” here introduces a subjunctive of concession (“although I can die”) or cause (“since I can die”). It serves as a sharp counterargument to Tantalus's encouragement (“you are able to reign”), suggesting that because he has the freedom of death, he has no need to be bound by the anxieties of kingship.
  5. 446falsis magna nominibus placent — The subject is the neuter plural “magna” (great things). While “placent” (please) normally takes a dative of person, it is here accompanied by “falsis nominibus” (by false names, ablative of instrument/means), meaning that “great things find favor only under false titles.”

Cite this passage

Seneca the Younger, Thyestes §360-460. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi1017.phi008.humanitext-lat2:360-460

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