Latin Poetry Podcast

Juno has just finished her opening monologue in which she whips herself into a frenzy of rage at Hercules. As the chorus enters, they sing of the dawn, then deliver an encomium of the simple country life, away from the ambition, greed, and corruption of city life. (Seneca apparently knew little of country life, which can be just as full of ambition, greed, and corruption as city life. But the sentiments are conventional.) The poetry here is more lyrical and contemplative than the thrusting, fiery rage of the opening monologue. The meter is in anapestic dimeters.
Iam rāra micant                                                    125
sīdera prōnō languida mundō;                             125bis
nox vīcta vagōs contrahit ignēs
lūce renātā;
cōgit nitidum Phōsphoros agmen;
signum celsī glaciāle polī
septem stēllīs Arcados Ursa                                 130
lūcem versō tēmōne vocat.
iam caeruleīs ēvectus equīs
Tītān summā prōspicit Oetā;
iam Cadmēīs inclita Bacchīs
aspersa diē dūmēta rubent,                                   135
Phoebīque fugit reditūra soror.
 
Labor exoritur dūrus et omnēs
agitat cūrās aperitque domōs.
pāstor gelidā cāna pruīnā
grege dīmissō pābula carpit;                                140
lūdit prātō līber apertō
nōndum ruptā fronte iuvencus;
vacuae reparant ūbera mātrēs;
errat cursū levis incertō
mollī petulāns haedus in herbā.                           145
pendet summō strīdula rāmō
pinnāsque novō trādere sōlī
gestit querulōs inter nīdōs
Thrācia paelex,
turbaque circā cōnfūsa sonat                                150
murmure mixtō testāta diem.
carbasa ventīs                                                       152
crēdit dubius nāvita vītae                                     152bis
laxōs aurā complente sinūs.
hic exēsīs pendēns scopulīs
aut dēceptōs īnstruit hāmōs                                  155
aut suspēnsus
spectat pressā praemia dextrā;
sentit tremulum līnea piscem.
 
Haec, innocuae quibus est vītae
tranquilla quiēs                                                    160a
et laeta suō parvōque domus.                               160b-1a
spēs immānēs urbibus errant                                161b-3a
trepidīque metūs.                                                 163b
ille superbōs aditūs rēgum
dūrāsque forēs expers somnī                                165
colit; hic nūllō fīne beātās
compōnit opēs
gāzīs inhiāns                                                        167b
et congestō pauper in aurō;
illum populī favor attonitum
flūctūque magis mōbile vulgus                            170
aurā tumidum tollit inānī;
hic clāmōsī rabiōsa forī
iūrgia vēndēns                                                      173
improbus īrās et verba locat.                                173bis
 
Nōvit paucōs sēcūra quiēs,
quī vēlōcis memorēs aevī                                    175
tempora numquam reditūra tenent.
dum fāta sinunt, vīvite laetī.
properat cursū vīta citātō,
volucrīque diē
rota praecipitis vertitur annī;                                180
dūrae peragunt pēnsa sorōrēs
nec sua retrō fīla revolvunt.
at gēns hominum fertur rapidīs
obvia fātīs incerta suī;
Stygiās ultrō quaerimus undās.                            185
nimium, Alcīdē, pectore fortī
properās maestōs vīsere mānēs.
certō veniunt tempore Parcae.
nūllī iussō cessāre licet,
nūllī scrīptum prōferre diem;                               190
recipit populōs urna citātōs.
 
Alium multīs glōria terrīs
trādat et omnēs
Fāma per urbēs garrula laudet,