Seneca. Tragedies, Volume I: Hercules. Trojan Women. Phoenician Women. Medea. Phaedra. Edited and translated by John G. Fitch. Loeb Classical Library 62. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2018.
As Fitch argues (p. 163) this first ode is “indispensable for our understanding of the play. It establishes a standard of normality in the conduct of human life, and indicates that by that standard Hercules is condemned.” This normality is established in the first half of the ode, as the Chorus describes the human and animal inhabitants of the countryside rising with the dawn to go about their day. This humble country life is contrasted with stereotypical ambitions of city dwellers, and especially those who do not know how to enjoy the present moment.
Chorus
Iam rāra micant125
sīdera prōnō languida mundō;125bis
nox vīcta vagōs contrahit ignēs
lūce renātā;
cōgit nitidum Phōsphoros agmen;
signum celsī glaciāle polī
septem stēllīs Arcados Ursa130
Iūno, cūr nōndum furis?
mē mē, sorōrēs, mente dēiectam meā110
versāte prīmam, facere sī quicquam apparō
dignum novercā. vōta mūtentur mea:
nātōs reversus videat incolumēs pater
manūque fortis redeat. invēnī diem,
invīsa quō nōs Herculis virtūs iuvet.115
Incipite, famulae Dītis, ārdentem citae100
concutite pīnum, et agmen horrendum anguibus
Megaera dūcat atque lūctificā manū
vastam rogō flagrante corripiat trabem.
hōc agite, poenās petite vitiātae Stygis.
concutite pectus, ācrior mentem excoquat105
quam quī camīnīs ignis Aetnaeīs furit;
Sed vīcit ista. quaeris Alcīdae parem?
nēmō est nisi ipse; bella iam sēcum gerat.85
Adsint ab īmō Tartarī fundō excitae
Eumenides, ignem flammeae spargant comae,
vīperea saevae verbera incutiant manūs.
ī nunc, superbe, caelitum sēdēs pete,
hūmāna temne! iam Styga et mānēs ferōs90
Levia sed nimium queror:
caelō timendum est, rēgna nē summa occupet
quī vīcit īma: scēptra praeripiet patrī!65
nec in astra lentā veniet ut Bacchus viā:
iter ruīnā quaeret et vacuō volet
rēgnāre mundō. rōbore expertō tumet,
et posse caelum vīribus vincī suīs
Perge, īra, perge et magna meditantem opprime,75
congredere, manibus ipsa dīlacerā tuīs;
quid tanta mandās odia? discēdant ferae,
ipse imperandō fessus Eurystheus vacet.
Tītānas ausōs rumpere imperium Iovis
ēmitte, Siculī verticis laxā specum,80
tellūs Gigante Dōris excussō tremēns
Nec satis terrae patent:
effrēgit ecce līmen īnfernī Iovis
et opīma vīctī rēgis ad superōs refert.48
vīdī ipsa, vīdī nocte discussā īnferūm50
et Dīte domitō spolia iactantem patrī
frāterna. cūr nōn vīnctum et oppressum trahit
ipsum catēnīs paria sortītum Iovī
