Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/326

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Behold, thy brother bids thee to the throne.
Thyestes: He bids? 'Tis but a cloak for treachery.
Tantalus: But brotherly regard oft times returns
Onto the heart from which it has been driven;
And righteous love regains its former strength. 475
Thyestes: And dost thou speak of brother's love to me?
Sooner shall ocean bathe the heavenly Bears,
The raging waves of Sicily be still;
And sooner shall the Ionian waters yield
Ripe fields of grain; black night illume the earth;
And fire shall mate with water, life with death, 480
And winds shall make a treaty with the sea:
Than shall Thyestes know a brother's love.
Tantalus: What treachery dost thou fear?
Thyestes: All treachery.
What proper limit shall I give my fear?
My brother's power is boundless as his hate.
Tantalus: How can he harm thee?
Thyestes: For myself alone 485
I have no fears; but 'tis for you, my sons,
That Atreus must be held in fear by me.
Tantalus: But canst thou be o'ercome, if on thy guard?
Thyestes: Too late one guards when in the midst of ills.
But let us on. In this one thing I show
My fatherhood: I do not lead to ill,
But follow you.
Tantalus: If well we heed our ways,
God will protect us. Come with courage on. 490
Atreus [coming upon the scene, sees Thyestes and his three sons, and
gloats over the fact that his brother is at last in his power.
He speaks aside]: Now is the prey fast caught within
my toils.
I see the father and his hated brood,
I And here my vengeful hate is safe bestowed;
For now at last he's come into my hands;
He's come, Thyestes and his children—all! 495
When I see him I scarce can curb my grief,
And keep my soul from breaking madly forth.
So when the Umbrian hound pursues the prey,