Hoc ipse faciet. SAT. Sed quibus captus dolis,
Nostros dabit perductus in laqueos pedem?
Inimica credit cuncta. ATR. Non poterat capi,
Nisi capere vellet. regna nunc sperat mea:
Hac spe minanti fulmen occurret Jovi: 290
Hac spe subibit gurgitis tumidi minas;
Dubiumque Lybycæ Syrtis intrabit fretum;
Hac spe, quod esse maximum retur malum,
Fratrem videbit. SAT. Quis fidem pacis dabit?
Cui tanta credet? ATR. Credula est spes improba. 295
Natis tamen mandata, quæ patruo ferant,
Dabimus: relictis exsul hospitiis vagus
Regno ut miserias mutet, atque Argos regat
Ex parte dominus, si nimis durus preces
Spernet Thyestes; liberos ejus rudes, 300
Malisque fessos gravibus, & faciles capi,
Præcommovebunt. hinc vetus regni furor,
Illinc egestas tristis, hinc dorus labor,
Quamvis rigentem tot malis subigent virum.
SAT. Jam tempus illi fecit ærumnas leves. 305
ATR. Erras: malorum sensus accrescit die.
Leve est miserias ferre, perferre est grave.
SAT. Alios ministros consilii tristis lege:
Pejora juvenes facile præcepta audiunt:
In patre facient, quidquid in patruo doces. 310
Sæpe in magistrum scelera redierunt sua.
ATR. Ut nemo doceat fraudis & sceleris vias,
Regnum docebit. ne mali finant, times?
Nascuntur iflud. quod vocas fævum, asperum.
Agique dire credis, & nimium impie, 315
Fortasse & illic agitur. SAT. Hanc fraudem scient
Nati parari? ATR. Tacita tam rudibus fides
Noa est in annis, detegent forsan dolos.
Tacere multis discitur vitæ malis.
GU. But by what devices is he to be entrapped? How will he be brought to wend his approach into our toils? He will view everything with distrust!
ATR. 'Tis true, he cannot be allured, unless he is willing to be allured to serve his own purpose; but now, thou knowest, he hopes to gain my kingdom from me, and he is buoyed up with this desire. He would face the threatening lightning of Jove himself, urged on by such a hope,—he would brave the perils of the Libyan Syrtes, or still further, what he would regard otherwise as the direst of all earthly misfortunes, he would actually face me, his brother!
GU. Who will convey to him the flag of truce? Whom will he trust, who promises such unlikely things?
