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Thyestes-Lucius Annaeus Seneca · Andromache

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  Speaker 1: Act one of the Estes by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, translated
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  Speaker 1: by Frank Justus Miller. This is a LibriVox recording. All
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Dramatis person
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  Speaker 1: I narrator read by Christine Rutger, The.
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  Speaker 2: Estes read by Joseph S.
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  Speaker 1: Brother of Atreus in exile from his fatherland. The Ghost
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  Speaker 1: of Tantalus.
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  Speaker 3: Read by Alum Lapstone.
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  Speaker 1: Doomed for his sins to come back to earth and
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  Speaker 1: inspire his house to greater sin.
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  Speaker 4: The Fury read by Asahedi, who drives the ghost on
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  Speaker 4: to do his allotted part. Atreus read Kendal, king of Argos,
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  Speaker 4: grandson of Tantalus, who has quarreled with his brother and
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  Speaker 4: driven him into exile. An attendant of Atreus.
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  Speaker 5: Read by Alicia.
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  Speaker 1: Three sons of Thiestes, only one of whom Tantalus takes
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  Speaker 1: part in.
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  Speaker 6: The dialogue read by Damien.
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  Speaker 7: A messenger read by gin Arcini.
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  Speaker 1: Chorus ring by Agnes Robert Baer, citizens of Mycenae. The
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  Speaker 1: scene is laid partly without the city of Argos and
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  Speaker 1: partly within.
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  Speaker 4: The royal palace.
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  Speaker 1: Pelops, the son of Tantalus, had banished his sons for
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  Speaker 1: the murder of their half brother Chrysippus, with a curse
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  Speaker 1: upon them that they and their posterity might perish by
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  Speaker 1: each other's hands. Upon the death of Pelops, Atreus returned
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  Speaker 1: and took possession of his father's throne. The Estes also
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  Speaker 1: claimed the own, and sought to gain it by the
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  Speaker 1: foulest means, for he seduced his brother's wife Aiope, and stole,
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  Speaker 1: by her assistance the magical golden fleeced ram from Atreus's flocks,
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  Speaker 1: upon the possession of which the right to rule was
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  Speaker 1: said to rest. For this act he was banished by
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  Speaker 1: the king. But Atreus has long been meditating a more
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  Speaker 1: complete revenge upon his brother, and now, in pretended friendship,
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  Speaker 1: has recalled him from banishment, offering him a place beside
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  Speaker 1: himself upon the throne, that thus he may have theistes
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  Speaker 1: entirely in his power. Act one, the ghost of Tantalus.
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  Speaker 3: Woo from the accursed regions of the dead, have hailed
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  Speaker 3: me forth, where greedily eyes strive to snatch the food
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  Speaker 3: that ever doth escape my hungry lips, who now to
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  Speaker 3: Tantalus doth show those heavenly seats which once before I
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  Speaker 3: saw to my undoing? Can it be that some more
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  Speaker 3: fearful suffering than thirst in sight of water, worse than
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  Speaker 3: gaping want have been devised? Must I the slippery stone
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  Speaker 3: of Sisyphus upon my shoulders bare? Must I be stretched
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  Speaker 3: upon the whirling wheel, or suffer Titius's pangs? Who lying
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  Speaker 3: prone within a huge recess the gruesome birds doth, with
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  Speaker 3: his quivering, torn out vicals feed by night, renewing what
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  Speaker 3: the day had long whist he lies an undiminished feast
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  Speaker 3: for all. For what new evil am I now reserved?
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  Speaker 3: Oh thou, grim judge of shades, whoe'er thou art, who
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  Speaker 3: to the dead doth meet new punishments? If thou canst
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  Speaker 3: still some suffering device whereat, grim Cerberus himself would quake,
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  Speaker 3: and gloomy Acheron be seized with fear, at whose dread
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  Speaker 3: sight in eye would tremble sore seek such a punishment,
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  Speaker 3: For from my seed is sprung a race which shall
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  Speaker 3: their house out thy in sin, shall make me innocent
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  Speaker 3: appear and dare to do what I have never dared.
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  Speaker 3: Whatever space within the impious realm remains unoccupied. My house
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  Speaker 3: shall fell while lives the race of pellots on the earth.
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  Speaker 3: No rest shall mine us.
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  Speaker 8: Know the fury thou carct shade be gone, And to
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  Speaker 8: the varge of madness, drive thine empire's house be drawn
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  Speaker 8: to the deadly sword. To every crime appraised by every
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  Speaker 8: hand of angry passions, Let there be no end, no
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  Speaker 8: shame of strife. Let blinded furies sting prick on their
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  Speaker 8: souls seared by the breadth of rage. May parents' hearts
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  Speaker 8: grow hard and endless. Crime to children's children drug its
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  Speaker 8: empire's trail. No time be given to hate their former crimes.
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  Speaker 8: But let the new, in quick succession rise, not one
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  Speaker 8: alone in each, and may their crimes in while they
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  Speaker 8: summer punishment increase. Let the throne fall from the haughty
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  Speaker 8: brother's grasp and call them back from exiled wanderings. Let
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  Speaker 8: the tottered fortune of this bloody house, amid its changing
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  Speaker 8: kings in ruins fall, bring him of high estate to
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  Speaker 8: wretchedness the wretched rays, and let the king toss upon
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  Speaker 8: the seething tide of circumstance by crime driven out. When
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  Speaker 8: God shall bring them home, may they return but to
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  Speaker 8: steal other crimes, and by all men as by themselves,
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  Speaker 8: be loathed. Let nothing be which wrath deems unallowed. Let
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  Speaker 8: brother brother fear and parent child, let son fear father.
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  Speaker 8: Let the children die, and evil death by doubly evil
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  Speaker 8: bars be born. Let wives against their husband lift their
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  Speaker 8: murderous hands. Let wars pass over seas, and every land
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  Speaker 8: bedrenched with streams of blood. Triumphant over the mighty kings
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  Speaker 8: of earth. Let luck exult and in thy sinful house.
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  Speaker 8: Let while in gestuous deeds seem trivial, Let injustice, faith,
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  Speaker 8: fraternal enmity be trampled under foot, and of our sins.
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  Speaker 8: Let not the heavens themselves escape the taint. Why gleam
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  Speaker 8: the constellations in the sky and flash their wonted glories
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  Speaker 8: to the world. Be pitchy black the night, and let
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  Speaker 8: the day fall fainting from the heavens, and be no
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  Speaker 8: more embroil thy household, gods rouse murderer's hate, and all
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  Speaker 8: the palace fill with tantalas ador the lofty columns. Let
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  Speaker 8: the doors, with pardoned royal death proclaim their joy. Let
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  Speaker 8: torches gleam in celebration meet of thy return. Then let
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  Speaker 8: the threatening crime be done again, But riply hideous? Why
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  Speaker 8: stays the uncle's hand in idleness? Not yet thisties weeps
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  Speaker 8: his mind, ordered sons, When will he act? The cattles
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  Speaker 8: over the fire should even now be boiled, severed limbs
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  Speaker 8: be broken up, the father's hearts be stained with children's blood.
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  Speaker 8: The festile tables spread, But at no untried carnival of crime.
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  Speaker 8: Wilt thou sit down as guests this day? Be free
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  Speaker 8: and sate thy hunger at that festile board. Go eat
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  Speaker 8: thy feel and ring the blood and wine commingle in
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  Speaker 8: thy sight. Banquet this which thou thyself wouldst look in
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  Speaker 8: horror on, But stay thee without thou rush away.
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  Speaker 3: Back to my pools and streams and ebbing ways, back
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  Speaker 3: to that tree who's ever mocking fruit eludes my lips. Oh,
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  Speaker 3: let me seek again the gloomy couch of my old
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  Speaker 3: prison house. And if little wretched I appear, bid me
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  Speaker 3: my river change within thy stream, O fledgathon hemmed round
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  Speaker 3: with waves of fire. Let me be left to suffer. Ye,
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  Speaker 3: who e'er by fate decrees are doomed to punishment, who
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  Speaker 3: e'er thou art unneath the hollowed cave, doth lie in
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  Speaker 3: constant fear, lest even now the cavern's mass shall fall
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  Speaker 3: upon thy head. Whoever fears the gaping, greedy jaws of lions,
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  Speaker 3: and in helpless horror looks upon the advancing furies cruel lines,
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  Speaker 3: whoe'er half burned their threatening torches. Shuns, Oh, listen to
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  Speaker 3: the voice of chancellors, fast speeding to your realm. Believe
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  Speaker 3: the words of one who knows, and love your punishments.
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  Speaker 3: But now, oh, when shall it be mine to flee
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  Speaker 3: this upper world?
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  Speaker 9: First?
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  Speaker 8: Must thou bland thy house in dire disorders, start up
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  Speaker 8: deadly fulds, await the gains to evil lust for blood,
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  Speaker 8: and rouse the wild aims their maddens hearts.
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  Speaker 3: Tis fit that I should suffer, not bestow the punishment,
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  Speaker 3: But thou wouldst have me go like deadly vapor from
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  Speaker 3: the riven earth, or like the plague among the people,
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  Speaker 3: spread and lead my grandsons into crime most foul, Oh,
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  Speaker 3: mighty sire of God's my sire as well, Although tis
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  Speaker 3: shame to thee to own me son, though cruel tortures
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  Speaker 3: seese my tattling tongue, I will not hold my peace.
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  Speaker 4: He cries aloud as to his family.
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  Speaker 3: I warn you all, stain not your kindred hands with
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  Speaker 3: sacred blood, and with no madman's gifts pollute the shrines.
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  Speaker 3: Lo Here I stand and shall overt.
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  Speaker 4: The deed to the fury.
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  Speaker 3: Why dost thou fright me with thy brandish scourge, and
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  Speaker 3: shake thy writhing serpents in my face? Why in mine
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  Speaker 3: inmost marrow dost thou rouse these gnawing hunger pangs. My
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  Speaker 3: very heart is parts with burning thirst and leaping flare
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  Speaker 3: scorching through my vicals. Oh desist, Oh you need to
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  Speaker 3: my wheel.
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  Speaker 8: Then fix this thirst, this maddening thirst, in all thy
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  Speaker 8: kindred hair. So even as thou may they be driven
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  Speaker 8: on the quench their tost, each in others' blood. But
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  Speaker 8: low thy house perceives thy near approach, and shrinks in
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  Speaker 8: horror from thy loathsome touch. But now enough do thou
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  Speaker 8: go back again to thine infernal caves and customed streams
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  Speaker 8: for hair? The sad are the groans beneath thy feet.
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  Speaker 8: Dost thou not see how driven far within the waters
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  Speaker 8: flee their springs, How river banks are empty, and fiery
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  Speaker 8: winds drives on the scattered clouds. The trees grow sickly pale,
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  Speaker 8: their branches hang denuded of their fruits. And where but
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  Speaker 8: late the isthmus echoes back the loud, resounding waters near
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  Speaker 8: at hand. They are neighboring waves by but a narrow
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  Speaker 8: span dividing. Now have all the waves withdrawn far seaward,
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  Speaker 8: and their voice is faintly hard upon the shore. Now
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  Speaker 8: Leirna backward shrinks. The streams of Incas have hidden away.
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  Speaker 8: The scared Alpheus sends his water's forth no longer, and
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  Speaker 8: Scythyrian lifts no more its hoary head, for all its
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  Speaker 8: snows are gone. While they who dwell in noble argosphere
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  Speaker 8: their ancient thirst again. Ian Ditan's self stands doubtful whether
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  Speaker 8: he shall beat his steeds, run their accustomed course, and
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  Speaker 8: bring the day for doomed by thee to perish on
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  Speaker 8: the way.
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  Speaker 1: They vanish Chorus.
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  Speaker 10: If any gone for AGO's cares and pieces of realms
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  Speaker 10: with chariots famed, If any loves the Ipnian state of Corinth,
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  Speaker 10: with its double ports and two opposing seas, if any
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  Speaker 10: joys in the far seen snows of Mountegatus, which lie
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  Speaker 10: heaped on his loftiest peaks what time the wintry blast
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  Speaker 10: of boreous blow, but which the summer melts again when
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  Speaker 10: breathe the soft Etesian winds sail filling. If the Alfeus,
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  Speaker 10: bright with its cool clear stream, moves any god far
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  Speaker 10: fame for its olympic course, let him, his peaceful Godhead,
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  Speaker 10: turn to our affairs. Let him avert this dread inheritance
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  Speaker 10: of crime. Forbid that in his grandsire's steps the grandson
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  Speaker 10: follow worse than he. And let not worse monstrosities please
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  Speaker 10: generations yet to be. Oh, may at last the umpious
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  Speaker 10: race of thirsty tantalusts gi o'er in utter weariness, its
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  Speaker 10: lust for savage deeds. Enough of sin. No longer does
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  Speaker 10: the right prevail and wrong as general Behold, as Myrtillus
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  Speaker 10: is lord betray'd, he too was treacherously slain, for by
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  Speaker 10: that self same broken faith which he had shown himself o'ercome.
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  Speaker 10: He fell into the sea and changed its name for
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  Speaker 10: his amidst the ships that sails the Ionian sea, no
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  Speaker 10: tail is better known. See now all runs the little
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  Speaker 10: son to meet his father's kiss. He falls by that
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  Speaker 10: a cursed sword transfixed untimely victim at thy hearth and
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  Speaker 10: carved o Tantalus by thee, that so thou mightest grace
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  Speaker 10: the board a friendly gods, that in pious feast, eternal hunger,
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  Speaker 10: eternal's thirst rewarded penalty or fit for such a crime
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  Speaker 10: could not be found. Seeing where with gaping throat forespent
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  Speaker 10: stands Tantalus above his head hang many luscious fruits, but
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  Speaker 10: swift as phineas birds, they flee his grasp. On every side,
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  Speaker 10: the tree droops low with heavy laden boughs, o'erweighed by
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  Speaker 10: its own fruit, and mockingly sways to his straining lips.
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  Speaker 10: Yet he, though with impatient, longing fill'd has often mocked
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  Speaker 10: so often, fails to grasp the prize. He turns away
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  Speaker 10: his longing gaze, rains close his lips, and grimly bars
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  Speaker 10: his hunger fast behind his teeth. But still again, the
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  Speaker 10: whole grove lets its riches down and flaunts them in
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  Speaker 10: his face. Soft roots, undrooping boughs in wets once more,
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  Speaker 10: his hunger bidding stretch again his hands, but all in vain.
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  Speaker 10: For now, when it has lured him on to hope
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  Speaker 10: and mock'd its fill the boughs recede and the whole
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  Speaker 10: ripe harvest of the wood is snatch'd far out of reach.
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  Speaker 10: Then comes the raging thirst Morpheus than hunger, which inflames
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  Speaker 10: his blood, and with its parching fires, burns up its moisture.
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  Speaker 10: There the poor wretch stands, striving to quaff the nearby waves.
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  Speaker 10: And the fleeting waters whirl away and leave but the
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  Speaker 10: empty bed to him who seeks to follow quickly quarts
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  Speaker 10: at that's which stream, but to drink the dust.
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  Speaker 1: End of Act one, Act two of Theistes by Lucius
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  Speaker 1: Annaeus Seneca, translated by Frank Justus Miller. This is a
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: Act two atreus in saloon, queen O.
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  Speaker 9: Soul, sir sluggish, spiritless and weak, And what in kings
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  Speaker 9: I deem the last reproach still unaveng'd after so many crimes,
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  Speaker 9: thy brother's treacheries, and every law of nature set at
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  Speaker 9: naught can spent thy wrath in vain and meaningless complaints.
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  Speaker 9: By now the whole wide world should be astir with arms,
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  Speaker 9: thy arms, and on both seas thy ships of war
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  Speaker 9: should swarm, the fields and towns should be ablaze, and
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  Speaker 9: gleaming sword should everywhere be seen beneath thy charging squadrons,
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  Speaker 9: thundering treadle greece resound. Let this my enemy, within no
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  Speaker 9: forest's depth, the hiding find no citadel upon the mountain
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  Speaker 9: heights shall shelter him. Let all the citizens mycenee leaving
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  Speaker 9: sound the trump of war, who where grant's refuge to
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  Speaker 9: that cursed head, shall die a dreadful death. This noble pile,
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  Speaker 9: the home of our illustrious Pelop's line, I would might
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  Speaker 9: fall on me, if only thus it might destroy my
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  Speaker 9: hated brother too. But come, my soul, to what no
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  Speaker 9: coming age shall e'er approve or e'er forget. Some deed
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  Speaker 9: must be attempted, impious, bloody dire, such as my brother's
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  Speaker 9: self might claim as his no crimes avenged, saved by
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  Speaker 9: a greater crime. But where the crime that can surpass
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  Speaker 9: his deeds? Is he yet crushed in spirit? Does he
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  Speaker 9: show in prosperous circumstances self control, contentment and defeat?
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  Speaker 2: Oh?
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  Speaker 9: Well, I know his tameless spirit can ne'er be bent,
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  Speaker 9: but can be broken, then before his force he strengthens,
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  Speaker 9: and opposing powers prepares. We must the attack begin, lest
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  Speaker 9: while we wait he strike us unprepared For well, I
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  Speaker 9: know that he must either slay me or be slain
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  Speaker 9: by me. There lies the crime between us two. Who
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  Speaker 9: leaps to grasp at first the crime.
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  Speaker 4: Shall do attendant.
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  Speaker 5: But does evil fame of such deed deter you not?
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  Speaker 9: The greatest blessing this of royal power, that men are
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  Speaker 9: forced to praise their monarch's deeds as well as bear them. Yea.
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  Speaker 5: But those whose praise is forced by fear become by
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  Speaker 5: that same fear in turn the bitterest foes. But he
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  Speaker 5: who seeks the people's heart felt praise will wish their
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  Speaker 5: hearts and have their tongues to speak.
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  Speaker 9: True praise may often all to humble men, but false
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  Speaker 9: alone to kings. Let subjects learn to want what they
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  Speaker 9: would not.
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  Speaker 5: Let monarchs learn to choose the right, then choose the same.
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  Speaker 9: When kings are forced to choose the right to learn,
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  Speaker 9: their role is insecure.
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  Speaker 5: Where is no shame, no thought of righteousness, no piety,
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  Speaker 5: no faith, no purity. Oh, then indeed that rule is insecure.
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  Speaker 9: That purity, faith, piety are private virtues. All with kings.
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  Speaker 9: Their will is law, Oh.
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  Speaker 5: Count it wrong to harm thy brother, though he basist.
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  Speaker 9: Be whatever may not lawfully be done to brothers, may
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  Speaker 9: with perfect right be done to him. What is there
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  Speaker 9: left me now unstained by crime of his? Where has
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  Speaker 9: he failed to sin my wife? He has debauched my kingdom,
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  Speaker 9: stolen the ancient emblem of our dynasty by fraud obtain'd,
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  Speaker 9: and all our royal house by that same fraud, and
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  Speaker 9: dire confusion plung'd. There is a flock within our royal stalls,
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  Speaker 9: rich flee'd to nobly bred, And with the flock a ram,
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  Speaker 9: their leader wondrous magical, For from his body thickly hangs
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  Speaker 9: a fleece of fine spun gold, with which the new
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  Speaker 9: crown'd kings of Pelop's line are wont to adorn their scepters.
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  Speaker 9: Who owns the ram is king, For with his fate
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  Speaker 9: the fortunes of our noble house are link'd this sacred ram,
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  Speaker 9: and safety feeds apart within a med whose fateful bounds
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  Speaker 9: are fenced by stony walls and kept with gait of stone.
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  Speaker 9: Him greatly daring did my brother steal perfidious with my
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  Speaker 9: wife in secret league of crime, and this has been
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  Speaker 9: the fountain spring of all my woes throughout my kingdom's length.
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  Speaker 9: Have I a trembling exile, wandered long and found no
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  Speaker 9: place of safety from his sneers my wife? Has he
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  Speaker 9: defiled my subject's faith and loyalty, destroy'd my house e'er throne,
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  Speaker 9: all ties of kinship broken, and nothing left of which
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  Speaker 9: I may be sure save only this, my brother's enmity.
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  Speaker 9: Why do I stand in stupid inactivity at length? Bestir
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  Speaker 9: thyself and gird thy courage up. Think thou, on Pelops
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  Speaker 9: and on Tantalus, such deeds as theirs must by my
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  Speaker 9: hands be.
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  Speaker 4: Done, too, Attendant.
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  Speaker 9: Tell me then how vengeance may be won.
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  Speaker 5: Without his hostile spirit with the sword.
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  Speaker 9: Thou speakest of the end of punishment, But I the
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  Speaker 9: punishment at self. Desire that easy going rollers slay their
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  Speaker 9: foes in my domain. Death is a longed for boon.
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  Speaker 5: Oh, you do bias motive asturly, not at all away
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  Speaker 5: your piety.
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  Speaker 9: If ever thou didstwell within my house and in thy stead,
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  Speaker 9: Let come dire furious cohorts, fiends at war, and the
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  Speaker 9: guyra holding high in either hand her flaming torch, For
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  Speaker 9: with a mighty rage tis not enough. My heart should
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  Speaker 9: be inflamed, I feigned would be by greater horrors filled.
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  Speaker 5: What new design does my mad soul conceive?
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  Speaker 9: No deed within the accustomed bounds of grief. I'll leave
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  Speaker 9: no crime undone, And yet no crime is bad enough
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  Speaker 9: for me?
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  Speaker 5: Won't use the sword?
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  Speaker 9: Not enough?
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  Speaker 5: The flames still not enough? What weapon, then, will thy
• 25:05
  Speaker 5: mad passion use?
• 25:07
  Speaker 9: THYESTI is self.
• 25:09
  Speaker 5: Far worse than madness.
• 25:11
  Speaker 9: This they do confess it. Deep within my heart, A
• 25:15
  Speaker 9: fearful tumult rage is unrestrained, and I am hurried on.
• 25:19
  Speaker 9: I know not where. I only know that I am
• 25:23
  Speaker 9: hurried on from lowest depths. And moaning sound has heard of.
• 25:28
  Speaker 9: Thunders rumble in the cloudless skies, A crashing noise resounds
• 25:33
  Speaker 9: throughout the house, as though twere rent and twain upon
• 25:37
  Speaker 9: my hearth. The frightened laaries turn their gaze from me.
• 25:42
  Speaker 9: Yet this shall be, this awful thing, shall be, ye, gods,
• 25:48
  Speaker 9: which ye do fear to think upon?
• 25:51
  Speaker 5: What then is this which thou dost meditate?
• 25:54
  Speaker 9: Some greater evil lurks within my soul, and monstrous swells
• 26:00
  Speaker 9: beyond all human bounds. My sluggish hands impelling to the deed.
• 26:08
  Speaker 9: I know not what it is, but this I know
• 26:14
  Speaker 9: that tis some monstrous deed. So let it be haste
• 26:21
  Speaker 9: thee and do this deed. O soul of mine tis
• 26:24
  Speaker 9: worthy of thyestes and of me, Let both perform at them.
• 26:32
  Speaker 9: The Odrysian house was wont to look on feasts unspeakable
• 26:37
  Speaker 9: monstrous thing, tis true, but long ago perform'd this grief
• 26:43
  Speaker 9: of mine, some greater sin must find to feed upon.
• 26:47
  Speaker 9: Do thou inspire my heart adolly and procne, who didst
• 26:52
  Speaker 9: know a mother's and a sister's feeling too? Our cause
• 26:56
  Speaker 9: is similar? Assist thou there, and nerve my hand to act.
• 27:03
  Speaker 9: Let once again as sire with joyous greed, as children
• 27:06
  Speaker 9: rend and hungrily devour their flesh. Tis good? Tis quite
• 27:13
  Speaker 9: enough this mode of punishment so far doth flees be well?
• 27:20
  Speaker 9: But where is he? Why do the hands of Atarius
• 27:25
  Speaker 9: rest so long inactive? Even now before mine eyes the
• 27:30
  Speaker 9: perfect image of the slaughter comes. I seem to see
• 27:33
  Speaker 9: the murdered children heaped before their father's face. Oh timid,
• 27:38
  Speaker 9: So why dost thou fear? Why droops thy courage? Now
• 27:42
  Speaker 9: before the deed is done? Then up and dare of
• 27:47
  Speaker 9: this mad crime the most revolting part thyesty self shall do.
• 27:52
  Speaker 5: But by what while shall we unto our snares entice
• 27:55
  Speaker 5: his feet? For he doth count us all his enemies.
• 27:59
  Speaker 9: It never could be taken where his will, nor bent
• 28:01
  Speaker 9: on taking two He now he hopes to take my
• 28:04
  Speaker 9: kingdom from me. In this hope he will rush against
• 28:08
  Speaker 9: the bolts of threatening jove. This hope will make him
• 28:13
  Speaker 9: brave the whirlpool's wrath, and say it was in the
• 28:15
  Speaker 9: treacherous Libyan shows on this hope stayed the greatest ill
• 28:21
  Speaker 9: of all. Will he have strength to bear the sight
• 28:25
  Speaker 9: of me?
• 28:27
  Speaker 5: But who will give him confidence and peace? To whom
• 28:31
  Speaker 5: will he such weighty credence give his.
• 28:33
  Speaker 9: Wicked hope is ready to believe? Yet shall my sons
• 28:37
  Speaker 9: this message bear from me? Now? Let the wretched exile
• 28:42
  Speaker 9: roam no more, but leave his homeless state for royal
• 28:45
  Speaker 9: halls and roll ad Argos, sharer of my throne. But
• 28:51
  Speaker 9: if thiastes harshly spurned my prayer, his guileless children, who
• 28:56
  Speaker 9: over spent with woes and easily beguiled, will bear his
• 29:00
  Speaker 9: will unto their prayers. His ancient thirst for power, together
• 29:06
  Speaker 9: with his present poverty and harsh demands of toil, will
• 29:10
  Speaker 9: move the man, however, stubborn by their weight of woes.
• 29:14
  Speaker 5: But time by now has made his troubles light.
• 29:18
  Speaker 9: Nay, sense of wrong increases day by day. Tis easy
• 29:24
  Speaker 9: to bear hardship for a time, but to endure it
• 29:27
  Speaker 9: long an irksome task.
• 29:30
  Speaker 5: Choose other servants for thy grim design.
• 29:33
  Speaker 9: Young men lend ready ear to base commands.
• 29:37
  Speaker 5: Beware less what against their uncle. Now thou teachest them.
• 29:40
  Speaker 5: They turn against their sire in time to come full
• 29:43
  Speaker 5: after crimes recoil upon the man who instigates them.
• 29:47
  Speaker 9: Though none should teach them fraud and ways of crime,
• 29:50
  Speaker 9: the throne itself would teach them. Dost thou fear lest
• 29:54
  Speaker 9: they grow evil evil they were born? What thou dost
• 29:59
  Speaker 9: say average cruel? Call in me dost seem impossible and impious. Perchance,
• 30:05
  Speaker 9: my brother even now doth plot against myself?
• 30:09
  Speaker 5: Shall then thy children know what crime they do?
• 30:12
  Speaker 9: Not so, for youthful years cannot keep silent faith. They
• 30:17
  Speaker 9: might perchance betray the trick the art of secrecies mastered
• 30:22
  Speaker 9: only by the ills of.
• 30:24
  Speaker 5: Life, And wilt thou then deceive the very ones through
• 30:28
  Speaker 5: whom thou plant another.
• 30:30
  Speaker 9: To deceive that, so they may themselves be free from guilt.
• 30:34
  Speaker 9: For what the need of implicating them in crimes of mine? Nay,
• 30:39
  Speaker 9: through my acts alone, my hate, your work, its ends
• 30:43
  Speaker 9: that hold my soul, that dost ill thou shrinkest from
• 30:47
  Speaker 9: the task. If thou dost spare thine own, thou sparest
• 30:53
  Speaker 9: his as well. So then let Agamemnon be the conscious
• 30:58
  Speaker 9: minister of my design, and wittingly let Menelaus help his
• 31:03
  Speaker 9: father's plans. And by this test of crime, let their
• 31:08
  Speaker 9: uncertain birth be put to proof. If they refuse to
• 31:11
  Speaker 9: wage this deadly war, it will not serve my hatred.
• 31:15
  Speaker 9: If they plead he is their uncle, then is he
• 31:19
  Speaker 9: their sire? So let them go.
• 31:24
  Speaker 8: But no.
• 31:26
  Speaker 9: Look of fears often revealed the heart and weight he
• 31:30
  Speaker 9: plans in against the stoutest will betray themselves. They shall
• 31:35
  Speaker 9: not know of how great consequence their mission is too attendant,
• 31:41
  Speaker 9: And do thou hide it too?
• 31:43
  Speaker 5: No warning do I need for in my breast it
• 31:46
  Speaker 5: shall be hid by fear and loyalty. But more shall
• 31:50
  Speaker 5: loyalty prevail with me.
• 31:53
  Speaker 10: Chareth at last, our royal family, the race of ancient
• 31:58
  Speaker 10: innicus hath quon the others deadly strife. What fatal madness
• 32:03
  Speaker 10: drives ye on tis shed by turns each other's blood,
• 32:07
  Speaker 10: and gain the throne through paths of crime. Oh ye
• 32:10
  Speaker 10: who lust for regal state, Ye know not where true
• 32:14
  Speaker 10: power is found. For riches cannot make a king, nor
• 32:18
  Speaker 10: tyrian garments richly died, nor royal crowns upon the brow,
• 32:23
  Speaker 10: nor portals glittering with gold. But he is king who
• 32:27
  Speaker 10: knows no fear, whose heart is free from mad desires.
• 32:32
  Speaker 10: Whom vain ambition moveth not nor fickle favor of the mob.
• 32:37
  Speaker 10: The hidden treasures of the rest move not his heart,
• 32:41
  Speaker 10: nor sands of gold, which taketh water sweep along within
• 32:45
  Speaker 10: their shining bed. Nor yet the garnered wealth of grain
• 32:50
  Speaker 10: trot out on libyan thrushing floors. He fears no hurtling
• 32:54
  Speaker 10: thunderbolt in zig zag course, or thwart the sky, No
• 32:59
  Speaker 10: yours ruffling up the sea, nor the heaving Adriatic's waves,
• 33:04
  Speaker 10: wind swept and mad before the blast. No hostile spear,
• 33:08
  Speaker 10: nor keen bare sward can master him. But set on
• 33:13
  Speaker 10: high in calm serenity, he sees all things of earth
• 33:17
  Speaker 10: beneath his feet, and so with joy he goes to
• 33:20
  Speaker 10: meet his fate and unwelcomes death in vain. Gainst him,
• 33:26
  Speaker 10: would kings contend, though from all lands they congregate. They
• 33:30
  Speaker 10: who the scatter Dacians lead, who dwell upon the red
• 33:34
  Speaker 10: sea's marge, whose depths are set with gleaming pearls, or
• 33:39
  Speaker 10: who secure on Caspian heights, leave all unclose their mountain
• 33:44
  Speaker 10: ways against the bold Summatians. They who, through Danube swelling
• 33:49
  Speaker 10: waves dare make their way with fearless feet, and wheresoever
• 33:54
  Speaker 10: they dwell, despoil the famed and far off Syrians. Vain
• 34:00
  Speaker 10: all these, For tis the soul that makes the king.
• 34:04
  Speaker 10: He needs no arms, no steeds, no ineffectual darts such
• 34:09
  Speaker 10: as the party in hurls from far and stimulated flight.
• 34:13
  Speaker 10: For him, no engine chewed with far hurled rocks. They
• 34:18
  Speaker 10: waste the hostile city's walls. But he is king who
• 34:22
  Speaker 10: knows no fear, And he is king who has no lust,
• 34:26
  Speaker 10: and on his throne secure he sits, who is self
• 34:29
  Speaker 10: crowned by conscious words. Let him who will and pride
• 34:33
  Speaker 10: of power upon the brink of empire stand for me,
• 34:38
  Speaker 10: be sweet, repose enough, and humble station fix'd, would I
• 34:42
  Speaker 10: my life in gentle leisure spend in silence, all unknown
• 34:47
  Speaker 10: to fame. So when my days have passed away from noisy,
• 34:52
  Speaker 10: restless tumultry, may I, in meek obscurity and full of years,
• 34:58
  Speaker 10: decline in death. But death lies heavily on him who,
• 35:03
  Speaker 10: though to all the world well known, is stranger to
• 35:07
  Speaker 10: himself alone.
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: End of Act two, Act three of Theists by Lucius
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: Annaeus Seneca, translated by Frank Justice Miller. This is a
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: Act three enter theistis returning from banishment, accompanied by his
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: three sons.
• 35:44
  Speaker 2: At last, do I behold the welcome roofs of this
• 35:49
  Speaker 2: my fatherland, the teeming wealth of argos, and the greatest
• 35:54
  Speaker 2: and best of sights to weary exiles. Here I see
• 35:59
  Speaker 2: my native soil and my ancestral gods, if gods indeed
• 36:05
  Speaker 2: there be, and there behold the sacred towers by hand
• 36:10
  Speaker 2: of cyclops, reared in beauty far excelling human art, the
• 36:15
  Speaker 2: race course thronged with youth, Where oftentimes have I within
• 36:21
  Speaker 2: my father's chariot sped on to victory and fair renown.
• 36:27
  Speaker 2: Now will all argos come to welcome me. The thronging
• 36:31
  Speaker 2: folk will come, and atreus I, oh better far we
• 36:41
  Speaker 2: seek thy wooded haunts, thy glades, remote and mingled with
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: the brutes, live even as they. Why should this splendid realm,
• 36:51
  Speaker 2: with its fair seeming glitter blind my eyes? When thou
• 36:57
  Speaker 2: dost look upon the goodly gift, scan well the giver
• 37:03
  Speaker 2: too of late I lived with bold and joyous spirit,
• 37:10
  Speaker 2: though my lot all men considered hard to bear. But
• 37:14
  Speaker 2: now my heart is filled with fears, My courage fails,
• 37:20
  Speaker 2: and bent on flight, my feet unwilling move.
• 37:23
  Speaker 1: Tantalus, one of Theisti's sons.
• 37:26
  Speaker 6: Why o, my father, dost thou falter so with steps uncertain?
• 37:31
  Speaker 6: Turn away thy face and hold thyself as on a
• 37:33
  Speaker 6: doubtful course.
• 37:35
  Speaker 4: Fiestu in soliloquy.
• 37:38
  Speaker 2: Why hesitate my soul? Or why so long deliberate upon
• 37:43
  Speaker 2: a point so clear to such uncertain things? Dost thou
• 37:48
  Speaker 2: entrust thyself as throne and brother, and fearest thou those
• 37:54
  Speaker 2: ills already conquered and found mild. Dost flee those cares
• 37:59
  Speaker 2: which which thou hast well bestowed. Oh now my former
• 38:05
  Speaker 2: wretchedness is joy turn back, while still thou mayest and
• 38:13
  Speaker 2: save thyself?
• 38:15
  Speaker 6: What cause O father forced THEE to leave thy native
• 38:19
  Speaker 6: land at last regained? Why now, when richest gifts are
• 38:23
  Speaker 6: falling into thy lap, does turn away? Thy brother's wrath
• 38:26
  Speaker 6: is over, and he has turned himself once more to thee,
• 38:30
  Speaker 6: has given THEE back the sheriff's sovereignty, restored a shattered
• 38:33
  Speaker 6: house to harmony, and make THEE master of thyself again.
• 38:37
  Speaker 2: Thou askest why I fear? I cannot tell no cause
• 38:44
  Speaker 2: for fear I see. But still I fear I long ago,
• 38:50
  Speaker 2: And yet my trembling limbs go on with faltering steps,
• 38:56
  Speaker 2: And I am born where I most stoutly struggle not
• 39:01
  Speaker 2: to go. So when a ship by or in sail
• 39:05
  Speaker 2: is driven, the tide resisting both bears it away.
• 39:10
  Speaker 6: But thou must overcome whatever it be that does oppose,
• 39:13
  Speaker 6: and hold thy soul and check and see how great
• 39:16
  Speaker 6: rewards await THEE. Here Thou canst be.
• 39:18
  Speaker 2: King, since I have power to die.
• 39:23
  Speaker 6: But royal power is not.
• 39:26
  Speaker 2: If only thou no power dost covet leave it to
• 39:31
  Speaker 2: thy sons, no realm on earth can stand divided power.
• 39:37
  Speaker 6: Should he who can be happy still be sad?
• 39:39
  Speaker 2: Believe me, son 'tis by their lying names that things
• 39:43
  Speaker 2: seem great, while others harsh appear, which are not truly so.
• 39:50
  Speaker 2: When high in power I stood, I never ceased to
• 39:54
  Speaker 2: be in fear. Yea even did I fear the very
• 40:01
  Speaker 2: sword upon my thigh. Oh what a boon it is
• 40:08
  Speaker 2: to be at feud with none, to eat one's bread
• 40:13
  Speaker 2: without a trace of care. Upon the ground crime enters
• 40:21
  Speaker 2: not the poor man's humble cot and all in safety
• 40:26
  Speaker 2: may one take his food from slender boards, For tis
• 40:30
  Speaker 2: in cups of gold that poison lurks. I speak what
• 40:35
  Speaker 2: I do know. Ill fortune is to be preferr'd to good.
• 40:42
  Speaker 2: For since my palace does not threatening stand in pride
• 40:47
  Speaker 2: upon some lofty mountain top, the people fear me not
• 40:52
  Speaker 2: My towering roofs gleam not with ivory, nor do I
• 40:58
  Speaker 2: need a watchful guard to keep me while I sleep.
• 41:03
  Speaker 2: I do not fish with fleets, nor drive the sea
• 41:06
  Speaker 2: with massive dikes back from its natural shore. I do
• 41:10
  Speaker 2: not gorge me at the world's expense. For me, no
• 41:15
  Speaker 2: fields remote are harvested beyond the getae and the Parthians.
• 41:22
  Speaker 2: No incense burns for me, nor are my shrines adorned
• 41:28
  Speaker 2: in impious neglect of Jove. No forces wave upon my battlements,
• 41:35
  Speaker 2: no vast pools steam for my delight. My days are
• 41:42
  Speaker 2: not to slumber given, nor do I spend the livelong
• 41:46
  Speaker 2: night in drunken revelry. No one feels fear of me,
• 41:51
  Speaker 2: and so my home, though all unguarded, is from danger free,
• 41:58
  Speaker 2: for poverty alone may be at peace. And this I hold.
• 42:05
  Speaker 2: The mightiest king is he who, from the lust of
• 42:10
  Speaker 2: sovereignty is free.
• 42:14
  Speaker 6: But if some god a kingdom should bestow it is
• 42:16
  Speaker 6: not meet for mortals to refuse. Behold, thy brother bids
• 42:21
  Speaker 6: thee to the throne.
• 42:22
  Speaker 2: He bids 'tis but a cloak for treachery.
• 42:26
  Speaker 6: But brotherly regard ofttimes returned unto the heart from which
• 42:29
  Speaker 6: it has been driven, and righteous love regains its former strength.
• 42:33
  Speaker 2: And dost thou speak of brothers love to me? Sooner
• 42:38
  Speaker 2: shall ocean bathe, the heavenly bears, the raging waves of
• 42:42
  Speaker 2: sicily be still, And sooner shall that Ionian waters yield
• 42:49
  Speaker 2: ripe fields of grain. Black night elume. The earth and
• 42:55
  Speaker 2: fire shall mate with water, life with death, and wind
• 42:59
  Speaker 2: shall make a tree he with the sea. Then shall
• 43:01
  Speaker 2: Thiestes know a brother's love?
• 43:05
  Speaker 6: What treachery dost thou fear all treachery?
• 43:09
  Speaker 2: What proper limits shall I give my fear? My brother's
• 43:13
  Speaker 2: power is boundless as his hate.
• 43:18
  Speaker 6: How can he hearthy for myself alone?
• 43:20
  Speaker 2: I have no fears, but tis for you, my sons,
• 43:25
  Speaker 2: that atreus must be held in fear by me.
• 43:30
  Speaker 6: But canst thou be overcome if on thy guard too late?
• 43:34
  Speaker 2: One guards when in the midst of ills. But let
• 43:38
  Speaker 2: us on in this one thing I show my fatherhood.
• 43:42
  Speaker 2: I do not lead to ill, but follow you.
• 43:48
  Speaker 6: If well we heat our ways, God will protect us.
• 43:51
  Speaker 6: Come with courage on.
• 43:53
  Speaker 1: A treeus coming upon the scene, seize Thiestus and his
• 43:57
  Speaker 1: three sons, and gloats over the fact that his brother
• 44:01
  Speaker 1: is at last in his power. He speaks aside.
• 44:06
  Speaker 9: Now is the prey fast caught within my toils. I
• 44:10
  Speaker 9: see the father and his hated brood, and hear my
• 44:13
  Speaker 9: vengeful hate is safe bestowed? Who now at last is
• 44:17
  Speaker 9: come into my hands? He is come Thiestes and his children.
• 44:23
  Speaker 9: All when I see him, I scarce can curb my
• 44:28
  Speaker 9: grief and keep my soul from breaking badly. Forth So,
• 44:32
  Speaker 9: when the Umbrian hound pursues the prey, keen scented on
• 44:35
  Speaker 9: the long leash held, he goes with lowered muzzle, questing
• 44:39
  Speaker 9: on the trail, while distant still the game and faint descent.
• 44:44
  Speaker 9: Obedient to the leash, with silent tongue, he goes along.
• 44:49
  Speaker 9: But when the prey is near, restraining neck, he struggles
• 44:53
  Speaker 9: to be free, bays loud against the cautious hunter's check,
• 44:57
  Speaker 9: and bursts from all restraint. When near at hand, hot
• 45:04
  Speaker 9: wrath perceies the blood for which it thirsts. It cannot
• 45:07
  Speaker 9: be restrain'd. It must it be. See how's unkempt, matted
• 45:15
  Speaker 9: hair conceals his woeful countenance. How foul is beard?
• 45:21
  Speaker 4: He now addresseth thyestus.
• 45:24
  Speaker 9: My promis'd faith, my brother, will I keep tis a
• 45:28
  Speaker 9: delight to see THEE once again come to my arms
• 45:32
  Speaker 9: I mutual embrace. For all the anger which I felt
• 45:36
  Speaker 9: for THEE has melted clean away. From this time forth,
• 45:40
  Speaker 9: let ties of blood be cherish'd love and faith, and
• 45:46
  Speaker 9: let that hatred which has cursed us both for ever
• 45:49
  Speaker 9: vanish from our kindred souls.
• 45:52
  Speaker 2: I should attempt to palliate my sins hadst thou not
• 45:57
  Speaker 2: shown me such fraternal love. But now I owe my brother.
• 46:02
  Speaker 2: Now I owe that I have sinn'd against THEE past belief.
• 46:07
  Speaker 2: Thy faithful piety has made my case seem blacker still
• 46:12
  Speaker 2: a double sinner, he who sins against a brother such
• 46:15
  Speaker 2: as thou. Now let my tears my penance. Approve thou,
• 46:20
  Speaker 2: first of all mankind, behold'st me a suppliant. These hands,
• 46:27
  Speaker 2: which never yet have touch'd the feet of man, are
• 46:31
  Speaker 2: laid on thine. Let all thy wrathful feeling be for
• 46:37
  Speaker 2: God be utterly erased from off thy soul. And take
• 46:43
  Speaker 2: O brother as my pledge of faith. These guiltless sons
• 46:49
  Speaker 2: of mine.
• 46:51
  Speaker 9: Lay not thy hands upon my knees, come rather to
• 46:55
  Speaker 9: my arms, And you, dear youth, the comfort is of age,
• 47:03
  Speaker 9: come cling about my neck. Those rags of woe, my brother,
• 47:08
  Speaker 9: lay aside, and spare mine eyes, and clothe thyself more
• 47:12
  Speaker 9: fittingly in these the equal of mine own, and last
• 47:16
  Speaker 9: of all except thine equal share of this our realm,
• 47:22
  Speaker 9: twill bring a greater need of praise to me to
• 47:24
  Speaker 9: restore THEE safely to thy father's throne. Per Chance may
• 47:28
  Speaker 9: put the scepter in our hands. But only virtue seeks
• 47:32
  Speaker 9: to give it up.
• 47:33
  Speaker 2: Nay, Heaven my brother worthily repay these deeds of thine.
• 47:39
  Speaker 2: But this, my wretched head, will not consent to wear
• 47:42
  Speaker 2: a diadem, nor my ill omened hands to hold the
• 47:45
  Speaker 2: staff of power. Nay, Rather, let me hide myself among
• 47:50
  Speaker 2: the throng.
• 47:51
  Speaker 9: There is room upon the throne.
• 47:53
  Speaker 2: But I shall know that all of thine is mine.
• 47:58
  Speaker 9: But who would throw away good fortune's gifts?
• 48:02
  Speaker 2: Where has found how easily they fail?
• 48:07
  Speaker 9: And wouldst thou thwart thy brother's great renown?
• 48:10
  Speaker 2: Thy glory is attained, Mine bides its time. My mind
• 48:19
  Speaker 2: is resolute to shun the crown.
• 48:23
  Speaker 9: Then I refuse my share of power as well.
• 48:26
  Speaker 2: Nay, then I yield the name of king all where
• 48:31
  Speaker 2: but laws and arms, and I are thine.
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: To sway Atraeus placing the crown on his brother's head.
• 48:40
  Speaker 9: I'll place this crown upon thy reverend head, and pay
• 48:44
  Speaker 9: the destined victims to the gods.
• 48:48
  Speaker 4: Chorus.
• 48:50
  Speaker 10: The sight is past belief. Behold mis atreus fierce and
• 48:55
  Speaker 10: bold of soul. My every cruel passion swayed when first
• 49:00
  Speaker 10: he saw his brother's face was held in dumber maze.
• 49:04
  Speaker 10: No forces greater than the power of nature's ties of love.
• 49:08
  Speaker 10: Tis true that wars with foreign foes in door. But
• 49:12
  Speaker 10: they whom true love once has bound, will ever feel
• 49:16
  Speaker 10: its ties. When wrath by some great cause arous'd hath
• 49:21
  Speaker 10: burst the bonds of amity and raised the dreadful cry
• 49:25
  Speaker 10: of war, When gleaming squadrons thunder down with champing steeds,
• 49:31
  Speaker 10: When flashing swards my carnage madden mars uprear'd gleam with
• 49:36
  Speaker 10: a deadly rain of blows e'en. Then for sacred piety
• 49:41
  Speaker 10: those warring hands will sheathe the sword enjoin in the
• 49:45
  Speaker 10: clasp of peace what God has given this sudden lull
• 49:49
  Speaker 10: in the midst of loud alarms. But now throughout Mycenae's
• 49:54
  Speaker 10: borders rang a noisy prelude of a shdrife TwixT brother's arms.
• 50:00
  Speaker 10: Here mother's pale embraced their sons, and the trembling wife
• 50:04
  Speaker 10: looked on her armed lord and fear. When the sword
• 50:07
  Speaker 10: to his hand reluctant, came foul. With the rust of peace,
• 50:12
  Speaker 10: one strove to renew the tottering walls, and one to
• 50:16
  Speaker 10: strengthen the shatter'd towers and close the gates with iron bars.
• 50:20
  Speaker 10: While on the battle Minster Guard, His anxious knightly vigils
• 50:25
  Speaker 10: keep the daily fear of war's worse than war itself.
• 50:30
  Speaker 10: But fallen now are the sword's dire thrus. The deep
• 50:34
  Speaker 10: voiced trumpet blare is still, and the shrill, harsh notes
• 50:38
  Speaker 10: of the clarion are heard no more, while peace profound
• 50:43
  Speaker 10: words once again o'er their happy state. So when beneath
• 50:48
  Speaker 10: the storm blasts lash, the heaving waves brake on the
• 50:51
  Speaker 10: shore of Bruttium, and still of roars responsive from her
• 50:57
  Speaker 10: cavern's depths, and even within their sheltered port, the sailors
• 51:02
  Speaker 10: fear the foaming sea, which greedy Charybdis vomits up, and
• 51:07
  Speaker 10: Cyclops dreads his father's rage when he sits on burning
• 51:11
  Speaker 10: Etna's crag, lest the Deathol's flames on his roaring forge
• 51:15
  Speaker 10: be quench'd by the overwhelming floods. When poor Laartes feels
• 51:20
  Speaker 10: the shock of reeling Ithaca and thinks that his island
• 51:25
  Speaker 10: Realm will be swallow'd up, then if the fierce winds
• 51:28
  Speaker 10: die away, the waves sink back in their quiet depths,
• 51:33
  Speaker 10: and the sea, which of light the vessel's feared, now
• 51:36
  Speaker 10: far and wide with swelling sails is o'er spread, while
• 51:41
  Speaker 10: tiny skiffs skim safely o'er its harmless breast. And one
• 51:45
  Speaker 10: may count the very fish deep down within the peaceful caves,
• 51:50
  Speaker 10: where but now beneath the raging blast the battered islands
• 51:54
  Speaker 10: fear'd the sea. No lot endureth long for grief and pleasure,
• 52:00
  Speaker 10: each in turn depart. What pleasure has a briefer reign
• 52:04
  Speaker 10: from lowest to the highest state. A fleeting hour may
• 52:08
  Speaker 10: bring us he who wears a crown upon his brow,
• 52:12
  Speaker 10: to whom the trembling nations kneel before, whose gnawd the
• 52:16
  Speaker 10: barbarous means laid down their arms. The Indians, too, who
• 52:22
  Speaker 10: dwell beneath the nearest sun and dations who the Parthian
• 52:26
  Speaker 10: horse are ever threatening. He the king, with anxious mind
• 52:32
  Speaker 10: the scepter bears, foresees and fears the fickle chance and
• 52:36
  Speaker 10: shifting time, which sooner late shall all his power o'erthrow.
• 52:42
  Speaker 10: Yet whom the ruler of the land and sea has
• 52:45
  Speaker 10: given o'er subject men the fearful power life and death,
• 52:50
  Speaker 10: a bajor overweening pride. For whatsoever fear of you your
• 52:55
  Speaker 10: weaker subjects feel to day tomorrow shall stronger Lord inspire
• 53:01
  Speaker 10: in you. For every power is subject to a greater power,
• 53:05
  Speaker 10: he whom the dawning day beholds in proud estate the
• 53:09
  Speaker 10: setting sun sees lying in the dust. Let no one
• 53:14
  Speaker 10: then trust o'er much to favoring fate. And when she frowns,
• 53:20
  Speaker 10: let no one utterly despair of better fortune yet to come.
• 53:24
  Speaker 10: For coloso mingles good and ill, she whirls the wheel
• 53:28
  Speaker 10: of fate around, nor suffers it to stand to know one.
• 53:33
  Speaker 10: Are the gods so good that he may safely call
• 53:36
  Speaker 10: his own tomorrow's dawn? For on the worlding wheel has
• 53:41
  Speaker 10: God our fortune's placed for good or ill?
• 53:45
  Speaker 1: End of Act three, Act four of Theistes by Lucius
• 53:56
  Speaker 1: Annaeus Seneca, translated by Frank Justus Miller. This is a
• 54:01
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 54:05
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 54:11
  Speaker 4: Act for enter.
• 54:13
  Speaker 1: Messenger breathlessly announcing the horror which has just been enacted
• 54:18
  Speaker 1: behind the scenes.
• 54:21
  Speaker 7: Messenger, oh for some rage in blasts, to carry me
• 54:25
  Speaker 7: with headlong speed through distant realms of air, and wrap
• 54:29
  Speaker 7: me in the darkness of the clouds that, so I mad,
• 54:32
  Speaker 7: this monstrous horror, terror from my remembrance, Oh the house
• 54:37
  Speaker 7: of shame to pelot stephen antitantalies.
• 54:42
  Speaker 10: Chorus, What is the news? Dam bring us?
• 54:45
  Speaker 7: What realm is this? Argos and Sparta? When was a
• 54:49
  Speaker 7: noble home of pious brothers corinth on whose shous to
• 54:54
  Speaker 7: rival oceans beat? Or do I see the barbarous Danube
• 54:58
  Speaker 7: on whose frozen streamed the savage Alani makes swift retreat?
• 55:02
  Speaker 7: He can ya beneath the turner's nose? Or those white
• 55:06
  Speaker 7: plains of wondering cyliens? What place is this that? No
• 55:11
  Speaker 7: such hideous crime?
• 55:14
  Speaker 10: What tell thy tidings? What's the air they be?
• 55:17
  Speaker 7: When I'm my scattered senses gathered up and horrid fear
• 55:22
  Speaker 7: lets go its numbing hold upon my limbs. Oh but
• 55:27
  Speaker 7: I see it still, the ghastly picture of that dreadful deed.
• 55:32
  Speaker 7: Oh come you will, Wind's wild and bear me far,
• 55:36
  Speaker 7: far distant, where the vanished day is born.
• 55:40
  Speaker 10: The holdest our minds and dire uncertainty. Speak out and
• 55:45
  Speaker 10: tell us what this horror is and who it's author?
• 55:49
  Speaker 10: Yet would I inquire not who but which he is?
• 55:54
  Speaker 10: Speak quickly?
• 55:55
  Speaker 7: Then there is upon the lofty citadel, a part of
• 55:59
  Speaker 7: Pelepsy's house at fronts the south, whose father side lifts
• 56:03
  Speaker 7: up its massive walls to mountain heights, for so the
• 56:07
  Speaker 7: reigning king may better sway the town and holding check
• 56:11
  Speaker 7: the common rubble when its corns. A throne. Within this
• 56:15
  Speaker 7: palace is a gliaming hole, so huge it may a
• 56:18
  Speaker 7: multitude contained, whose golden architrapes are higher born by stately
• 56:24
  Speaker 7: columns of a varied hue. Behind this public hall were
• 56:28
  Speaker 7: people throng. The palace stretches off in spacious rooms and
• 56:33
  Speaker 7: deep withdrawn. The royal sanctum lies far from the vulgar
• 56:37
  Speaker 7: gates the sacred spot. The nations grow within the dale confines,
• 56:42
  Speaker 7: wherein no treats cheerful shade affords, or by the knife
• 56:46
  Speaker 7: is pruned, but cypress trees and news and woods of
• 56:50
  Speaker 7: gloomy eye legs wave their melancholy boughs above them. All
• 56:55
  Speaker 7: the towery ok looks down and spreads abroad or shadowing
• 56:59
  Speaker 7: all the grove within this place. The royal suns of
• 57:04
  Speaker 7: Tantalus are wont to ask consent of Heaven to the rule,
• 57:08
  Speaker 7: and here to seek its aid when fortune frowns. Here
• 57:13
  Speaker 7: hung their consecrated offerings, sunless trumpets, broken chariots, those famous
• 57:19
  Speaker 7: spoils of the milt and sea, still hung upon the
• 57:23
  Speaker 7: treacherous axel trees, the conquered chariot wheels, mementos grim of
• 57:28
  Speaker 7: every crime this sinful race has done. Here also is
• 57:32
  Speaker 7: the phrygian turban hung of Pelops' self, And here the
• 57:36
  Speaker 7: spoil of foes, a rich embroider row, the prize of war,
• 57:42
  Speaker 7: and uzi stream springs there are beneath the shade, and
• 57:46
  Speaker 7: sluggish creeps along within the swamp, just like the ugly
• 57:50
  Speaker 7: waters of the sticks which bind the odes of heaven.
• 57:55
  Speaker 7: Tis said that here at dead of night the hellish
• 57:58
  Speaker 7: gods make moan, and all grovery sounds, with cranking chains
• 58:03
  Speaker 7: and more full howl of ghosts. Here may be seen whatever,
• 58:08
  Speaker 7: but to hearof causes fear. The spirits of the ancient
• 58:12
  Speaker 7: dead come forth from old decayne tombs and walk abroad,
• 58:18
  Speaker 7: while monsters greater than the world has known, go leaping round,
• 58:22
  Speaker 7: grotexts and terrible. The whole wood gleams with an uncanny light,
• 58:27
  Speaker 7: and without sign of fire. The palace glows of times,
• 58:31
  Speaker 7: the groory echoes with the sound of three fall vanes
• 58:34
  Speaker 7: of the dogs of hell, and off do mighty shapes
• 58:38
  Speaker 7: affright the house. Nor are these fears allayed by light
• 58:42
  Speaker 7: of day, For night rains ever here and in at
• 58:45
  Speaker 7: noon the horror of the underworld abides. From this dread spot.
• 58:50
  Speaker 7: Are sure responses given to those who seek the oracle.
• 58:54
  Speaker 7: The fates, with mighty sound from out the grot are talled,
• 58:58
  Speaker 7: and all the cavern thunders with the god. Was to
• 59:01
  Speaker 7: this spot that Madame Atreus came his brother's children dragon
• 59:05
  Speaker 7: in his train. The sacrificial artists are adorned, who can
• 59:11
  Speaker 7: worthily describe the deed behind their backs. The noble captive's
• 59:16
  Speaker 7: hands are bound and purple filets with their brows. All
• 59:22
  Speaker 7: things are ready incense, sacred wine, the sacrificial meal, and
• 59:27
  Speaker 7: fatal knife. The last detail is properly observed, that this
• 59:33
  Speaker 7: outrageous mother may be done in the strict observants of
• 59:36
  Speaker 7: the ritual.
• 59:37
  Speaker 10: Who lays his hand on to the fatal steel.
• 59:40
  Speaker 7: He is himself the priest the baleful prayer. He makes
• 59:44
  Speaker 7: and chants the sacrificial song with wilent and boisterous words
• 59:49
  Speaker 7: before the shrine. He takes his place. The victims doomed
• 59:53
  Speaker 7: to death, He sets in order and prepares the sword.
• 59:57
  Speaker 7: He gives the closest heat to all details, and misses
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 7: no least portion of the right. The grove begins to tremble,
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 7: earth to quake, and all the palaestots with a shock,
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 7: and seems to hesitate in conscious doubt, where it shall
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 7: throw its ponderous masses down high on the left, the style,
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 7: with duckling trains should swift athwart the sky. The sacred
• 1:00:21
  Speaker 7: wine poured at the altar's fires with horrid change, turns
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 7: bloody as it flows. The royal crown fell twice and
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 7: yet again from a Treus's head, and the ivory statues
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 7: in the temple wept. These monstrous portense moved all others sore,
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 7: but a Treeus only held himself unmoved, and even said
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 7: the threatening gods had knots, And now delays at an end,
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 7: he stands before the shrine with lowering, silent gaze. As
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 7: in the jungle by the Ganges stream, a hungry tiger
• 1:00:57
  Speaker 7: stands between two bulls. He gave her both by, yet
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 7: in doubtful moods, which first shall fill her fangs? To
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 7: this she turns with gaping jaws, then back to that again,
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 7: and holds her raging hunger in suspense. So Cruela Treo's eyes,
• 1:01:15
  Speaker 7: the victim's doomed to sate his cursed wrath, and hesitates.
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 7: Who first shall fill the knife, and who shall die
• 1:01:24
  Speaker 7: the next? In order tis on no concern, But still
• 1:01:29
  Speaker 7: he hesitates and gloats awhile in planning how to do
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 7: the horrid.
• 1:01:35
  Speaker 10: Deed, who then is the first to die?
• 1:01:38
  Speaker 7: First place? He gives, lest you should think him lacking
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 7: in respect unto his grandsire's namesake, Tantalus.
• 1:01:47
  Speaker 10: What spirit? What the meaner showed the youth?
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 7: He stood quite unconcerned, not strove to plead, knowing such
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 7: prayer were vain. But in his neck that savage butcher
• 1:01:59
  Speaker 7: plan his gleaming sword clear to the hilt, and drew
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 7: it forth again, still stood the corpse upright and wavering,
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 7: long as to had in doubt or here or there
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 7: to fall at last, prone on the uncle hurled himself.
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 7: Then he his rancor and abated, still dragged youthful to
• 1:02:20
  Speaker 7: Phinis before the shrine, and quickly met it him his
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 7: brother's fate. With one keen blow he smote him on
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 7: the neck, whereat his bleeding body fell to earth, while
• 1:02:30
  Speaker 7: with a murmuring articulate his head will look complaining rolled away.
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 10: What did he?
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 2: Then?
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 10: There's twofold murder done, the last one spare oh hip
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 10: hop crime on crime.
• 1:02:44
  Speaker 7: As when some many lion in the woods, Victorious attacks
• 1:02:48
  Speaker 7: the Arminian herds. His jaws are smeared with blood, his
• 1:02:52
  Speaker 7: hunger gone, and yet his studner lay aside his wrath
• 1:02:57
  Speaker 7: now here. Now there he charges on the and now
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 7: the cars he worries, though his teeth are weary with
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 7: their work. So Atreus raves. He swells with wrath, and
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 7: grasping in his hand the sword with double slaughter dripping
• 1:03:13
  Speaker 7: yet by fury blinded, but with deadly stroke, he drives
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 7: clean through the body of the boy. And so from
• 1:03:22
  Speaker 7: breast to bac transfixed, he falls by double wound, and
• 1:03:27
  Speaker 7: with his streaming blood extinguishes the baleful outer thighs.
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 10: Oh hard deed, what.
• 1:03:34
  Speaker 7: Horrid kalie that if only there the cause of crime
• 1:03:38
  Speaker 7: had stopped? Would pious sin?
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 10: What more atrocious crime? What greater sin could human heart conceive?
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 7: And do you think his crime was ended? Here was
• 1:03:51
  Speaker 7: just begun?
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 10: What further could there be? Patiently through the corpses to
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 10: be torn by raving beasts, and kept them from theo.
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 2: With that he had.
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 7: I do not pray for this that friendly Earth may
• 1:04:05
  Speaker 7: give them burial of funeral fires consumed, but only this,
• 1:04:10
  Speaker 7: that as a ghastly meal they may be thrown to
• 1:04:12
  Speaker 7: birds and savage beasts. Such is my prayer, which otherwise
• 1:04:17
  Speaker 7: were dieful punishments. Oh, that the father might their crops
• 1:04:21
  Speaker 7: see deny the superature, Oh, crime of crimes incredibly in
• 1:04:26
  Speaker 7: any age, a crime which coming generations will refuse to
• 1:04:30
  Speaker 7: hear behold from breasts, yet worn with life, the extra
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 7: plucked away, like quivering. The lungs still breathe the timid
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 7: heart steel beats. But he the organs, with a practice hand,
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 7: turns deftly over and inquires the fates, observing carefully the viscera.
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 7: With this inspection, satisfied at length with mind at east,
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 7: he now is free to plant his brother's aftle feast
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 7: with his own hand. The bodies hid hiss members, cubbing
• 1:05:02
  Speaker 7: off the arms and shoulders, laying bare the bones, and
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 7: all with savage joy. He only saves the heads and hands,
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 7: those hands which he himself had clasped in friendly faith,
• 1:05:17
  Speaker 7: some of the flesh is placed on spits, and by
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 7: the roasting fires hung stripping other paths into a pot
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 7: are thrown, where on the waters ceiling stream they leap
• 1:05:28
  Speaker 7: about the fire in horror, shrinks from the polluting touch
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 7: of such a feast, recoils upon the shuddering altar, hath
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 7: twice and again, until at last constrained, though with repugnance strong,
• 1:05:42
  Speaker 7: it fiercely burns. The liver spatters strangely on the spits.
• 1:05:48
  Speaker 7: Nor could I say whether the flesh or flames grow more.
• 1:05:52
  Speaker 7: The fitful flames ie out in smoke of pitchy blackness,
• 1:05:55
  Speaker 7: and the smoke itself, a heavy, mournful cloud, mounts not
• 1:06:00
  Speaker 7: aloft in upward shooting columns straight and high, but settles
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 7: down like a disfiguring shroud upon the very statues of
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 7: the gods, all enduring sun. Though thou didst flee in
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 7: horror from the sight, and the raiding noon didst into
• 1:06:16
  Speaker 7: darkness plunge twas all too late. The father tears his
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 7: sons and impusely feists on his own flesh. See there
• 1:06:26
  Speaker 7: in state. He sits his hair anointed with a dripping nod,
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 7: his senses doled with wine and off the food, as
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 7: if in horror held sticks in his throat. In this
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 7: thine evil hour, one good remains one only o theestis
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 7: that to know thy death of suffering spare to thee.
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 7: But even this will perish. Though the sun should turn
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 7: his chariot backward on its course, and night at noon,
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 7: a rising from the earth should quite obscure this foul
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 7: and ghastly crime with shade and known. It could not
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 7: be concealed, for every evil deed shall be revealed.
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 1: Unnatural darkness has come over the world at mid day, Oh.
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 10: Father of the Earth and sky, before whose rising beams
• 1:07:16
  Speaker 10: the night, with all her glorys flees away. Oh, whither
• 1:07:21
  Speaker 10: dost thou turn thy course? And why mid way of
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 10: heaven does day to darkness turn? Oh Phoebus, why dost
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 10: turn away thy shining face? Not yet, as evening's messenger
• 1:07:36
  Speaker 10: called forth the nightly stars, Not yet, the rounding of
• 1:07:41
  Speaker 10: thy western goal bits loose thy horses from their toil.
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 10: Not yet, as day fades into night sounds forth the
• 1:07:49
  Speaker 10: trumpet's evening call. The plowman stands in dumber maze, with
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 10: oxen still unspent with toil to see the welcome supper
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 10: hour so quickly come. But what o sun has driven
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 10: thee from thy heavenly course, What cars, from their accustomed
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 10: away has turn'd thy steeds? His war sayed once more
• 1:08:12
  Speaker 10: by giants bursting forths from out the riven gates of Diths.
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 10: This Tidyos, though wounded, soar renew his ancient deadly wrath.
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 10: Perchance typhaux Use has thrown off his mountain and is
• 1:08:27
  Speaker 10: free once more, perchance, once more away to heaven. Those
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 10: giants felled in Flagra's vale, our building and on Peelian stop,
• 1:08:38
  Speaker 10: our piling Thracian are so high. The accustomed changes are
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 10: the heavens are gone to come no more, no more
• 1:08:47
  Speaker 10: the rising and the setting sun. Shall we behold a
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 10: war a bright the herald of the dewy morn, whose
• 1:08:55
  Speaker 10: wont it is to speed the sun upon his way,
• 1:08:59
  Speaker 10: now stands of me to see her kingdom overturned. She
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 10: is not skilled to bathe his steeds, oh weary with
• 1:09:06
  Speaker 10: their rapid course, nor in the cooling sea to plunge
• 1:09:10
  Speaker 10: their reeking mains. The Sun himself, in setting, sees the
• 1:09:15
  Speaker 10: place of dawn, and bids the darkness fill the sky
• 1:09:19
  Speaker 10: without the aid of night. No stars come out, nor
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 10: do the heaven's gleam with any fires. No moon dispels
• 1:09:29
  Speaker 10: the darkness, black and heavy, pall, Oh, that the night
• 1:09:32
  Speaker 10: itself were here. Whatever this portends, our hearts are trembling, yea,
• 1:09:38
  Speaker 10: our trembling, sore and smitten with aboding fear. Lest all
• 1:09:43
  Speaker 10: the world and ruins fall and formless chaos as of
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 10: yore o'er wellness. Gods and men must land, and all
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 10: encircling sea and stars that wonder in the spangled heavens
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 10: be buried in the general doom. No more was gleaming,
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 10: deathless torch sail Phoebus, Lord of all the stars, lead
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 10: the procession of the years and mark the seasons. Never
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 10: more shall Luna, flashing back his rays, dispel the fears
• 1:10:15
  Speaker 10: of night, and pass and shorter course her brother's car
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 10: The throng of heavenly beings soon shall in one vast
• 1:10:24
  Speaker 10: abyss be heap'd that shining path of sacred stars which
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 10: cuts obliquely thwart the zones. The standard bearer of the
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 10: years shall see the stars in roon fall itself in
• 1:10:37
  Speaker 10: a roon falling, He the ram who in the early
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 10: spring restores the sails to the warming breeze, shall headlong
• 1:10:46
  Speaker 10: plunge into those waves through which the trembling made of
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 10: Greece he.
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 9: Bore of old.
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 10: And Tarus, who upon his horns like a garland, wares
• 1:10:58
  Speaker 10: the Hyades, shall drag with him the sacred twins and
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 10: the stretched out claws of the curving crab, with heat
• 1:11:06
  Speaker 10: and flamed our cities lie, and once again shall fall
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 10: from heaven. The Virgin too, back to the earth she left,
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 10: shall fall, And the righteous Scales, with their mighty weights,
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 10: shall drag in their father Scorpion, and he old Chirn
• 1:11:24
  Speaker 10: scal'd the hold upon his bow of Thessaly, the feathered
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 10: dut shall loose his shafts and break his bow. Cold Capricorn,
• 1:11:34
  Speaker 10: who washerr sluggish winter in, shall fall from heaven and
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 10: break thy urn. Whoe'er thou art, o water man. And
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 10: with thee shall the fish depart ramotest of the stars
• 1:11:46
  Speaker 10: of heaven. And those monsters huge, which never yet wherein
• 1:11:51
  Speaker 10: the ocean plunged, shall soon within the all engulfing sea
• 1:11:56
  Speaker 10: be swallowed up. And that huge snake, which like a
• 1:12:00
  Speaker 10: winding river glides between the bears, shall fall from Heaven
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 10: united with that serpent huge, the lesser bear congealed with cold,
• 1:12:12
  Speaker 10: and that slow driver of the wine no longer stable
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 10: in its course? Shall all in common ruin fall? Have we,
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 10: of all the race of men been worthy? Deemed to
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 10: be overwhelmed and buried neath a riven earth? Is this
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 10: our age the end of all? Alas in evil our fate,
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 10: were we begotten wretched? Still, whether the sun is lost
• 1:12:37
  Speaker 10: to us, are banished by our impious sins. But away
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 10: with vain complaints and fear eager for life is he
• 1:12:45
  Speaker 10: who would not die, though all the world in death
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 10: around him lie.
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: End of Act four, Act five of the Estes by
• 1:13:03
  Speaker 1: Lucius Annaeus Seneca, translated by Frank Justus Miller. This is
• 1:13:09
  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:13:13
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 1:13:18
  Speaker 1: Act five atreus entering exultantly.
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 9: The peer of stars, I move high overall and with
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 9: exalted head, detain the heavens. Now are the reigns of
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 9: power within my hands, And I am master of my
• 1:13:39
  Speaker 9: father's throne. I here renounce the gods, for I have
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 9: gained the height of my desires. It is enough, and
• 1:13:48
  Speaker 9: even I am satisfied. Why nay, Rather, will I finish
• 1:13:56
  Speaker 9: my revenge and lot the father with this feast of death?
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 9: The day has fled. This shame should hold me back?
• 1:14:05
  Speaker 9: Act then, while yet the darkness fails the sky. Oh,
• 1:14:10
  Speaker 9: that I might restrain the fleeing gods and force them
• 1:14:14
  Speaker 9: to behold the avenging feast. But tis enough if but
• 1:14:21
  Speaker 9: the Father sees though daylight aid me. Not yet will
• 1:14:27
  Speaker 9: I snatch the shrouding darkness from thy miseries. Too long
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 9: with care, free, cheerful countenance, thou liest at the feast? Now,
• 1:14:39
  Speaker 9: food enough and wine enough for so great ills as
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 9: these thyestes must tis sober senses. Keep to the slaves,
• 1:14:50
  Speaker 9: ye mean, your throng spread wide the temple doors the
• 1:14:54
  Speaker 9: festal hall reveal'd tis sweet to note the father's frantic
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 9: grief when he sees his children's gory heads, to catch
• 1:15:03
  Speaker 9: his words, to watch his color change, To see him
• 1:15:07
  Speaker 9: sit or breathless at the shock, in dumb amaze, in
• 1:15:11
  Speaker 9: frozen horror at the gruesome sight. Tis the sweet reward
• 1:15:17
  Speaker 9: of all my toil. To see his misery e'en as
• 1:15:21
  Speaker 9: it grows upon his soul.
• 1:15:25
  Speaker 4: The doors are thrown open, showing Theestes at the banquet table.
• 1:15:30
  Speaker 9: Now gleams with many a torch, the spacious banquet hale.
• 1:15:35
  Speaker 9: See there he lies upon his golden couch or richly
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 9: decked with tapestry, his wine befuddled, head upstayed upon his hand. Oh,
• 1:15:47
  Speaker 9: happy me, the mightiest of the heavenly gods, am I
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 9: and king of kings, fondest of my hopes, is more
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 9: than realized. His meal is done. Now raises he his
• 1:16:08
  Speaker 9: silver cup to drink. Spare not the wine. This still
• 1:16:12
  Speaker 9: remains the blood of thy three sons, and till be
• 1:16:15
  Speaker 9: well disguised with old red wine. Now be the revel done.
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 9: Now let the father drink the mingled blood of his
• 1:16:25
  Speaker 9: own offspring. Mine he would have drunk. See he starts
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 9: to sing a festal song. With mind uncertain and with
• 1:16:36
  Speaker 9: senses dim.
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 1: The Estes sits alone at the banquet table, half overcome
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 1: with wine. He tries to sing and be gay. But
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 1: in spite of this, some vague premonition of evil weighs
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 1: upon his spirit.
• 1:16:52
  Speaker 2: Oh heart, long dulled with wretchedness, put by at last
• 1:17:00
  Speaker 2: thine anxious cares. Oh, now let grief and fear depart
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 2: let haunting hunger flee away, the grim companion of the
• 1:17:15
  Speaker 2: lot of trembling, exiles and disgrace, a heavy load for
• 1:17:20
  Speaker 2: mourning souls. More boots it from what height thou fall'st
• 1:17:27
  Speaker 2: than what depth? How noble ist, when fallen from the pinnacle,
• 1:17:35
  Speaker 2: with dauntless step and firm to tread the lowly plain
• 1:17:42
  Speaker 2: and noble too, though by a massacres o'erwhelmed to bolster
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 2: up the shattered throne, with neck unbending and with soul
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 2: heroic undismayed by ills, to stand beneath the weight of
• 1:18:03
  Speaker 2: ruined fortunes. But away, ye, gloomy clouds of fate, Ye,
• 1:18:12
  Speaker 2: marks of former misery depart, thy happy fortune, greet with
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 2: face of joy, and utterly forget the old diastes. But
• 1:18:27
  Speaker 2: alas this fault is linked with wretchedness, that never can
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 2: the woeful soul, except returned prosperity, low kindly fortune smile again.
• 1:18:41
  Speaker 2: He who has suffered finds it hard to give himself
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 2: to joy. But why dost thou restrain me? Why forbid
• 1:18:52
  Speaker 2: to celebrate this festial day? Why wouldst thou have me weep, oh,
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 2: greed for no cause? Rising? Why with flowers dost thou
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 2: forbid to wreathe my hair? It does, it does forbid.
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 2: Foresee upon my head the flowers of spring have withered,
• 1:19:17
  Speaker 2: and my festial locks, though dripping with the precious gnard,
• 1:19:23
  Speaker 2: stand up in sudden dread. My cheeks, that have no
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 2: cause to weep, are wet with tears, and in the
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 2: midst of speech I groan aloud. No doubt tis true
• 1:19:43
  Speaker 2: that grief, well trained in weeping, loves to melt away
• 1:19:47
  Speaker 2: in tears and oft the wretched feel a strong desire
• 1:19:53
  Speaker 2: to weep their fill. And so I long to cry
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 2: aloud my wretchedness, to rend these gorgeous tyreean robes, and
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 2: shriek my misery to heaven. My mind gives intimation dark
• 1:20:11
  Speaker 2: of coming grief, its own distress foreboding. So the sailor
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 2: fears the raging tempests near approach, when tranquil waters heave
• 1:20:23
  Speaker 2: and swell without a breath of wind, A fool, what grief?
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 2: What rising storm of fate? Dost thou imagine nigh? Nay,
• 1:20:37
  Speaker 2: nay believe, thy brother, for thy fear tis groundless, whatsoever
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 2: it be, Or thou dost fear too late? Ah Me,
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 2: I would not be unhappy now, but in my soul
• 1:20:56
  Speaker 2: dim terror stalk. Nor can my eyes withhold their tears,
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 2: and all for naught? What can it be? Am I
• 1:21:12
  Speaker 2: possessed by grief or fear? Or can this some great
• 1:21:17
  Speaker 2: rapture be that weeps for joy?
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: Atreus greeting his brother with effusive affection.
• 1:21:25
  Speaker 9: With one consent, my brother, let us keep this festive day,
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 9: for this the happy day, which shall the scept established
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 9: in thy hand and link our family in the bonds
• 1:21:37
  Speaker 9: of peace.
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 1: Fists pushing the remains of the feast from.
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 2: Him, Enough of food and wine. One thing alone can
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 2: swell my generous sum of happiness. If with my children
• 1:21:51
  Speaker 2: I may share my joy.
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 9: Believe that in the Father's bosom rest the suns, both
• 1:21:57
  Speaker 9: now and ever, shall they be with THEE. No single
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 9: part of these, thy son, shall e'er be taken from THEE.
• 1:22:06
  Speaker 9: Make request what thou desirest, will I freely give and
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 9: fill THEE with thy loving family. Thou shalt be Satisfi'd
• 1:22:15
  Speaker 9: be not afraid. In now thy children, mingled with my
• 1:22:19
  Speaker 9: own enjoy alone they youthful festival, they shall be summon'd
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 9: hither thou behold this ancient cup, an heir loom of
• 1:22:28
  Speaker 9: our house, Take thou and drink the wine which it contains.
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 1: He hence fiestes the cup fill'd with mingled blood and wine.
• 1:22:40
  Speaker 2: I take my brother's proffer'd gift, but first, unto our
• 1:22:44
  Speaker 2: father's gods, will pour a share, and then will drink
• 1:22:50
  Speaker 2: the cup. But what is this? My hands will not
• 1:22:57
  Speaker 2: obey my will. The cup, How heavy it has grown,
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 2: how it resists my grasp. And see how now the
• 1:23:07
  Speaker 2: wine itself, though lifted to my mouth, avoids the touch,
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 2: and flees my disappointed lips. Behold the table totters on
• 1:23:16
  Speaker 2: the trembling floor. The lights burn dim, the very air
• 1:23:20
  Speaker 2: is thick, and by the natural fires deserted stands all
• 1:23:25
  Speaker 2: dull and lifeless TwixT the day and night. What can it?
• 1:23:30
  Speaker 7: All?
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 2: Poor tend? Now more and more the shatter'd heavens seem
• 1:23:36
  Speaker 2: tottering to their fall. The darkness deepens, and the gloomy
• 1:23:43
  Speaker 2: night in blacker night is plung'd, and all the stars
• 1:23:47
  Speaker 2: have disappear'd. Whatever this may mean, Oh, spare my children, brother,
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 2: spare I pray, and let this gathering storm of evil
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 2: burst upon my Oh give me back my sons.
• 1:24:03
  Speaker 9: Yes, I will give them back, and nevermore shall they
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 9: be taken from thy fond embrace.
• 1:24:11
  Speaker 4: Exit.
• 1:24:12
  Speaker 2: What is this tumult rising in my breast? Why do
• 1:24:19
  Speaker 2: my vitals quake? I feel a load unbearable, And from
• 1:24:27
  Speaker 2: my inmost heart come groans of agony that are not mine?
• 1:24:34
  Speaker 2: My children? Come, your wretched father calls, Oh, come, for
• 1:24:40
  Speaker 2: when mine eyes behold you here, perchance this care will
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 2: pass away. But whence those answering.
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 1: Calls atreus, returning with a covered platter in his hands.
• 1:24:56
  Speaker 9: Oh, spread thy loving arms, see here they are.
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 1: He uncovers the platter, revealing the severed heads of the
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 1: Estasy's suns.
• 1:25:07
  Speaker 9: Dost recognize thy sons?
• 1:25:10
  Speaker 2: I recognize, my brother? How o earth canst thou endure
• 1:25:21
  Speaker 2: such monstrous crime as this? Why dost thou not to
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 2: everlasting shade and stick's infernal cleave a yawning golf and
• 1:25:38
  Speaker 2: sweep away to empty nothingness, this guilty king.
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 9: With all his realm?
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 2: And why dost thou not raise and utterly destroy the
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 2: city of my sineal both of us should st and
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 2: with Tantalus in punishment. If far below the depths of
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 2: Tartarus there is a deeper hell, O, Mother Earth, Thy
• 1:26:13
  Speaker 2: strong foundations rend asunder wide, and send us hither to
• 1:26:21
  Speaker 2: that lowest pit. There, let us hide beneath all acharon.
• 1:26:28
  Speaker 2: Let damage shades above our guilty heads go wandering. Let
• 1:26:36
  Speaker 2: fiery flagathon enraging torrent poor his burning sands above our
• 1:26:47
  Speaker 2: place of exile. But the earth insensate, lies and utterly unmoved.
• 1:26:58
  Speaker 2: The gods have fled.
• 1:27:02
  Speaker 9: Nay, Come with thankful heart, Receive thy sons, whom thou
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 9: hast long desired, Enjoy them, kiss them, share among the
• 1:27:10
  Speaker 9: three thy fond embraces.
• 1:27:12
  Speaker 2: And is this thy bond, Is this thy grace, thy
• 1:27:18
  Speaker 2: fond eternal faith. So dost thou cease to hate? I
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 2: do not ask that I may have my sons again unharmed.
• 1:27:29
  Speaker 2: But what in crime and hatred may be given? This I,
• 1:27:36
  Speaker 2: a brother from a brother, ask that I may bury them.
• 1:27:44
  Speaker 2: Restore my sons, and thou shalt see their corpse burned.
• 1:27:49
  Speaker 2: At once. The father begs for naught that he may
• 1:27:53
  Speaker 2: keep but utterly destroy.
• 1:27:56
  Speaker 9: Go hast thy sons, whate'er them remains. Thou also hast
• 1:28:02
  Speaker 9: whate'er does not remain.
• 1:28:04
  Speaker 2: What hast thou done, hast fed them to the savage,
• 1:28:09
  Speaker 2: greedy birds. Have beasts of prey devoured their tender flesh?
• 1:28:13
  Speaker 9: Thou hast thyself that mpious banquet made?
• 1:28:18
  Speaker 2: Oh, then twas this that shamed the gods of heaven
• 1:28:24
  Speaker 2: and drove the day in horror back to dawn. Oh me,
• 1:28:30
  Speaker 2: what cries shell voice? What plaints express my wretchedness? Where
• 1:28:37
  Speaker 2: can I find the words that can describe my woe?
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 2: The severed heads and hands and mangled feet are there
• 1:28:45
  Speaker 2: for these their sire, for all his greed could not devour.
• 1:28:52
  Speaker 2: But Oh, I feel within my vitals now that horrid
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 2: thing which struggles to be free but can no exit find.
• 1:29:06
  Speaker 2: Give me the sword, which even now is reeking with
• 1:29:10
  Speaker 2: my blood, that it may set my children free from me?
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 2: Thou wilt not give it me, then let my breast
• 1:29:19
  Speaker 2: resound with crushing blows. But hold thy hand, unhappy one,
• 1:29:23
  Speaker 2: and spare the imprisoned shades? Oh, who has ever seen
• 1:29:31
  Speaker 2: such crime as this? What dwellers on the rough and
• 1:29:37
  Speaker 2: hostile crags of caucacious or procrustes dire the terror of
• 1:29:45
  Speaker 2: the land of Attica? Lo, Aye, the father overwhelm my sons,
• 1:29:50
  Speaker 2: and by those very sons am overwhelmed. Is there no
• 1:29:56
  Speaker 2: limit to this crime? Of thine.
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 9: When one for its own sake comids a crime, there
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 9: is a proper limit, but no end as possible when
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 9: vengeance through the crime is sought e'en as it is,
• 1:30:11
  Speaker 9: this deed of mine is all too mild. I should
• 1:30:14
  Speaker 9: have poured their blood straight from their gaping wounds into
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 9: thy mouth, for thou mightst drink their very streams of life.
• 1:30:24
  Speaker 9: But there my wrath was cheated of its dew by
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 9: over haste. I smote them with the sword. I slaughtered
• 1:30:31
  Speaker 9: them before the sacred shrine, and with their blood appeased
• 1:30:34
  Speaker 9: our household gods. I hewed their lifeless bodies. Limb from limb,
• 1:30:40
  Speaker 9: I carved them into bits and part I seethed and
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 9: brazen kettles part before the fire on spits I roasted
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 9: from their living limbs. I carved the tender flesh and
• 1:30:50
  Speaker 9: saw it hissed and sputter on the slender spit, the
• 1:30:54
  Speaker 9: while with my own hands I kept the fire ablaze.
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 9: But all these things the father should have done in
• 1:31:05
  Speaker 9: this my vengeful grief has fallen short. Within pious teeth.
• 1:31:10
  Speaker 9: He tore his slaughtered sons, but still a merciful unconsciousness,
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 9: the deed was done and suffered.
• 1:31:20
  Speaker 2: Oh ye sees hemmed round by curving shores. Give ear
• 1:31:27
  Speaker 2: to this here too, ye gods, wherever ye have fled,
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 2: Ye lords of hades, Here here o ye Lands and knight,
• 1:31:39
  Speaker 2: all black and heavy with the pall of tartarus, attend
• 1:31:43
  Speaker 2: unto my cry. For I am left to thee, and
• 1:31:49
  Speaker 2: thou alone doth look in pity on my wretchedness, Thou too,
• 1:31:55
  Speaker 2: forsaken of the friendly stars. For I will raise no
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 2: wicked prayers to thee, not for myself implore what could
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 2: I ask for you? Ye, heavenly gods, be all my prayers,
• 1:32:11
  Speaker 2: O thou, almighty ruler of this guy, who sitst as
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 2: lord upon the throne of heaven. Enwrap the universe in
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 2: dismal clouds, incite the wind to war on every side,
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 2: and let thy thunders crash from pole to pole. Not
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 2: with such lesser bolts as thou dost use against the
• 1:32:40
  Speaker 2: guiltless homes of common men, but those which overthrew the
• 1:32:46
  Speaker 2: triple mass of heaped up mountains, and those giant forms
• 1:32:51
  Speaker 2: themselves like mountains, huge such arms, employ hurled down such fires.
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 2: Avenge the bend day with thy consuming flames, supply the
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 2: light which has been snatched from out the darkened heaven,
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 2: select us both as objects of thy wrath. Or if
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 2: not both, then me aim thou at me with that
• 1:33:20
  Speaker 2: three forked bolt of thine transfix my guilty breast. If
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 2: I would give my suns to burning and to fitting burial,
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 2: I must myself be burned. But if my prayers do
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 2: not with heaven prevail, and if no God aims at
• 1:33:44
  Speaker 2: the impious his fatal shaft, then may eternal night brood
• 1:33:50
  Speaker 2: or the earth and hide these boundless crimes in endless shade.
• 1:33:58
  Speaker 2: If thou, o son, doust to thy purpose, hold and
• 1:34:04
  Speaker 2: cease to shine, I supplicate no more.
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 9: Nor do I praise my handiwork. Indeed, now have I
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 9: gained the palm of victory. My deed had failed entirely
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 9: of its aim. Didst Thou not suffer? Thus? Now may
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 9: I trust that those I call my sons are truly so,
• 1:34:26
  Speaker 9: and faith that once my marriage bed was pure has
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 9: come again?
• 1:34:30
  Speaker 2: What was my children's sin?
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 9: Because they were thy children?
• 1:34:38
  Speaker 2: But to think that children to the father.
• 1:34:41
  Speaker 9: That, indeed I do confess, it gives me greatest joy
• 1:34:45
  Speaker 9: that Thou art well assured they were Thy.
• 1:34:48
  Speaker 2: Sons I call upon the gods of innocence.
• 1:34:54
  Speaker 9: Why not upon the gods of marriage? Call?
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 2: Why dost thou seek to punish crime with crime?
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 9: Well? Do I know the cause of thy complaint, because
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 9: I have forestalled thee in the deed. Thou grievest not
• 1:35:10
  Speaker 9: because thou hast consumed this horrid feast, but that thou
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 9: wast not first to set it forth. This was thy
• 1:35:18
  Speaker 9: fell intent to arrange a feast like this, unknown to me,
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 9: and with their mother's aid, attack my sons, and with
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 9: a like destruction lay them low. This one thing opposed
• 1:35:32
  Speaker 9: thou thought'st them thine.
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 2: The gods will grant me vengeance unto them, do I
• 1:35:40
  Speaker 2: entrust thy fitting penalty?
• 1:35:43
  Speaker 9: And to thy sons? Do I deliver thee?
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: End of Act five. End of Theistes by Lucius and
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 1: Neus Seneca, translated by Frank Justus Miller,