Lucius Seneca - Yale Required Reading - Collected Works (Vol. 2)

So to the full heart-sated of all their curious eying,

Thessaly's youth gave place to the Gods high-throned in heaven.

As, when dawn is awake, light Zephyrus even-breathing

Brushes a sleeping sea, which slant-wise curved in edges

Breaks, while mounts Aurora the sun's high journey to welcome;

They, first smitten faintly by his most airy caressing,

Move slow on, light surges a plashing silvery laughter;

Soon with a waxing wind they crowd them apace, thick-fleeting,

Swim in a rose-red glow and far off sparkle in Ocean;

So thro' column'd porch and chambers sumptuous hieing,

Thither or hither away, that company stream'd, home-wending.

First from Pelion height, when they were duly departed,

Chiron came, in his hand green gifts of flowery forest.

All that on earth's leas blooms, what blossoms Thessaly nursing

Breeds on mountainous heights, what near each showery river

Swells to the warm west-wind, in gales of foison alighting;

These did his own hands bear in girlonds twined of all hues,

That to the perfume sweet for joy laugh'd gaily the palace.

Follow'd straight Penios, awhile his bowery Tempe,

Tempe, shrined around in shadowy woods o'erhanging,

Left to the bare-limb'd maids Magnesian, airily ranging.

No scant carrier he; tall root-torn beeches his heavy

Burden, bays stemm'd stately, in heights exalted ascending.

Thereto the nodding plane, and that lithe sister of youthful

Phaethon flame-enwrapt, and cypress in air upspringing:

These in breadths inwoven he heap'd close-twin'd to the palace,

Whereto the porch wox green, with soft leaves canopied over.

Him did follow anear, deep heart and wily, Prometheus,

Scarr'd and wearing yet dim traces of early dishonour,

All which of old his body to flint fast-welded in iron,

Bore and dearly abied, on slippery crags suspended.

Last with his awful spouse, with children goodly, the sovran

Father approach'd; thou, Phoebus, alone, his warder in heaven,

Left, with that dear sister, on Idrus ranger eternal.

Peleus sister alike and brother in high misprision

Held, nor lifted a torch when Thetis wedded at even.

So when on ivory thrones they rested, snowily gleaming,

Many a feast high-pil'd did load each table about them;

Whiles to a tremor of age their gray infirmity rocking,

Busy began that chant which speaketh surely the Parcae.

Round them a folding robe their weak limbs aguish hiding,

Fell bright-white to the feet, with a purple border of issue.

Wreaths sat on each hoar crown, whose snows flush'd rosy beneath them;

Still each hand fulfilled its pious labour eternal.

Singly the left upbore in wool soft-hooded a distaff,

Whereto the right large threads down drawing deftly, with upturn'd

Fingers shap'd them anew; then thumbs earth-pointed in even

Balance twisted a spindle on orb'd wheels smoothly rotating.

So clear'd softly between and tooth-nipt even it ever

Onward moved; still clung on wan lips, sodden as ashes,

Shreds all woolly from out that soft smooth surface arisen.

Lastly before their feet lay fells, white, fleecy, refulgent,

Warily guarded they in baskets woven of osier.

They, as on each light tuft their voice smote louder approaching,

Pour'd grave inspiration, a prophet chant to the future,

Chant which an after-time shall tax of vanity never.

O in valorous acts thy wondrous glory renewing,

Rich Aemathia's arm, great sire of a goodlier issue,

Hark on a joyous day what prophet-story the sisters

Open surely to thee; and you, what followeth after,

Guide to a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Soon shall approach, and bear the delight long-wish'd for of husbands,

Hesper, a bride shall approach in starlight happy presented,

Softly to sway thy soul in love's completion abiding,

Soon in a trance with thee of slumber dreamy to mingle,

Making smooth round arms thy clasp'd throat sinewy pillow.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Never hath house closed yet o'er loves so blissful uniting,

Never love so well his children in harmony knitten,

So as Thetis agrees, as Peleus bendeth according.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

You shall a son see born that knows not terror, Achilles,

One whose back no foe, whose front each knoweth in onset;

Often a conqueror, he, where feet course swiftly together,

Steps of a fire-fleet doe shall leave in his hurry behind him.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Him to resist in war, no champion hero ariseth,

Then on Phrygian earth when carnage Trojan is utter'd;

Then when a long sad strife shall Troy's crown'd city beleaguer,

Waste her a third false heir from Pelops wary descending.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

His unmatchable acts, his deeds of glorious honour,

Oft shall mothers speak o'er sons untimely departed;

While from crowns earth-bow'd fall loosen'd silvery tresses,

Beat on shrivell'd breasts weak palms their dusky defacing.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

As some labourer ears close-cluster'd lustily lopping,

Under a flaming sun, mows fields ripe-yellow in harvest,

So, in fury of heart, shall death's stern reaper, Achilles , Charge Troy's children afield and fell them grimly with iron. Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Deeds of such high glory Scamander's river avoucheth,

Hurried in eddies afar thro' boisterous Hellespontus;

Then when a slaughter'd heap his pathway watery choking,

Brimmeth a warm red tide and blood with water allieth.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Voucher of him last riseth a prey untimely devoted

E'en to the tomb, which mounded in heaps, high, spherical, earthen,

Grants to the snow-white limbs, to the stricken maiden a welcome.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Scarcely the war-worn Greeks shall win such favour of heaven,

Neptune's bonds of stone from Dardan city to loosen,

Dankly that high-heav'd grave shall gory Polyxena crimson.

She as a lamb falls smitten a twin-edg'd falchion under,

Boweth on earth weak knees, her limbs down flingeth unheeding.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Up then, fair paramours, in fond love happily mingle.

Now in blessed treaty the bridegroom welcome a goddess;

Now give a bride long-veil'd to her husband's passionate yearning.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Her when duly the nurse with day-light early revisits,

Necklace of yester-night—she shall not clasp it about her.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

Nor shall a mother fond, o'er brawls unlovely dishearten'd,

Lay her alone, or cease the delight of children awaiting.

Trail ye a long-drawn thread and run with destiny, spindles.

In such prelude old, such good-night ditty to Peleus,

Sang their deep divination, ineffable, holy, the Parcae.

Such as in ages past, upon houses godly descending,

Houses of heroes came, in mortal company present,

Gods high-throned in heaven, while yet was worship in honour.

Often a sovran Jove, in his own bright temple appearing,

Yearly, whene'er his day did rites ceremonial usher,

Gazed on an hundred slain, on strong bulls heavily falling.

Often on high Parnassus a roving Liber in hurried

Frenzy the Thyiads drave, their locks blown loosely, before him.