Chorus
125Iam rara micant sidera prono
languida mundo; nox victa vagos
contrahit ignes luce renata,
cogit nitidum Phosphoros agmen:
signum celsi glaciale poli
130septem stellis Arcados ursae
lucem verso temone vocat.
Iam caeruleis evectus equis
Titan summa prospicit Oeta;
[p. 8]
iam Cadmeis incluta Bacchis
135aspersa die dumeta rubent
Phoebique fugit reditura soror.
labor exoritur durus et omnis
agitat curas aperitque domos.
Pastor gelida cana pruina
140grege dimisso pabula carpit;
ludit prato liber aperto
nondum rupta fronte iuvencus,
vacuae reparant ubera matres;
errat cursu levis incerto
145molli petulans haedus in herba.
Pendet summo stridula ramo
pinnasque novo tradere soli
gestit querulos inter nidos
Thracia paelex,
150turbaque circa confusa sonat
murmure mixto testata diem.
Carbasa ventis credit dubius
navita vitae,
laxos aura complente sinus,
155hic exesis pendens scopulis
aut deceptos instruit hamos
aut suspensus spectat pressa
praemia dextra:
sentit tremulum linea piscem.
160Haec, innocuae quibus est vitae
tranquilla quies
et laeta suo parvoque domus;
spes immanis
urbibus errant trepidique metus.
[p. 9]
Ille superbos aditus regum
165duraeque fores expers somni
colit, hic nullo fine beatas
componit opes gazis inhians
et congesto pauper in auro.
Illum populi favor attonitum
170fluctuque magis mobile vulgus
aura tumidum tollit inani;
hic clamosi rabiosa fori
iurgia vendens
improbus iras et. verba locat.
175Novit paucos secura quies,
qui velocis memores aevi
tempora numquam reditura tenent,
dum fata sinunt, vivite laeti:
properat cursu vita citato
volucrique die
180rota praecipitis vertitur anni;
durae peragunt pensa sorores
nec sua retro fila revolvunt.
At gens hominum fertur rapidis
obvia fatis incerta sui:
185Stygias ultro quaerimus undas.
nimium, Alcide, pectore forti
properas maestos visere manes:
certo veniunt tempore Parcae,
nulli iusso cessare licet,
190nulli scriptum proferre diem:
recipit populos urna citatos.
Alium multis gloria terris
tradat et omnes fama per urbes
[p. 10]
garrula laudet
195caeloque parem tollat et astris;
alius curru sublimis eat:
me mea tellus
lare secreto tutoque tegat. 1
venit ad pigros cana senectus,
humilique loco sed certa sedet
200sordida parvae fortuna domus:
alte virtus animosa cadit. —
Sed maesta venit crine soluto
Megara parvum comitata gregem,
tardusque senio graditur Alcidae parens.
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1 197 b
L. Annaeus Seneca. Tragoediae. Rudolf Peiper. Gustav Richter. Leipzig. Teubner. 1921.
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