AM. Quod subitum hoc malum est?
quō, nāte, vultūs hūc et hūc ācrēs refers
aciēque falsum turbidā caelum vidēs?
HER. Perdomita tellūs, tumida cessērunt freta,955
īnferna nostrōs rēgna sēnsēre impetūs;
immūne caelum est, dignus Alcīdē labor.
in alta mundī spatia sublīmis ferar,
petātur aether; astra prōmittit pater.
— quid, sī negāret? nōn capit terra Herculem960
tandemque superīs reddit. ēn ultrō vocat
omnis deōrum coetus et laxat forēs,
ūnā vetante. recipis et reserās polum?
an contumācis iānuam mundī trahō?
dubitātur etiam? vincla Sāturnō exuam,965
contrāque patris impiī rēgnum impotēns
avum resolvam. bella Tītānēs parent,
mē duce furentēs; saxa cum silvīs feram
rapiamque dextrā plēna Centaurīs iuga.
iam monte geminō līmitem ad superōs agam;970
videat sub Ossā Pēliōn Chīrōn suum,
in caelum Olympus tertiō positus gradū
perveniet aut mittētur.
Notes
Amphitryon asks Hercules what is wrong. Hercules then claims that, having conquered the earth, seas, and Underworld, he has only heaven left to achieve. In a terrifying turn, he threatens war against heaven if he is forbidden to enter, promising to release Saturn and the Titans from the Underworld and lead them in an assault on the gods. To climb there he will pile Mount Olympus, Ossa, and Pelion on top of each other.
953 quō: “why,” “for what purpose.” Amphitryon’s questions describe Hercules’ psychotic episode and indicate that an eclipse is not real but only Hercules’ hallucination.
954 aciēque turbidā: “with confused vision.”
955–59 Hercules’ hallucination becomes more grandiose. He imagines proceeding from a pacified earth into his father’s heaven.
955 perdomita tellūs: supply est.
956 sensēre: = sensērunt.
957 immune: “untouched” (Fitch 2018). Being immunis is usually a good thing, but Hercules in his megalomania seems to see it as a flaw. Alcīdē: ablative of specification with the adjective dignus (AG 418), as at 927.
958 sublīmis: a predicative adjective: translate with ferar.
958–59 ferar … petatur: hortatory subjunctives (AG 439).
959 astra prōmittit pater: “the stars are my father’s promise”: Jupiter has promised to deify Hercules.
960–64 Hercules questions whether heaven will in fact admit him.
960 quid, sī negāret: a present contrary to fact condition: “what if he should now refuse?” (AG 514C). nōn capit terra Herculem: i.e., the earth cannot restrain Hercules from seeking heaven.
963 ūnā vetante: ablative absolute (AG 420), referring to Juno. recipis et reserās polum?: it is unclear whether the question is addressed to Jupiter or Juno.
964 an … trahō: “or should I tear down…?” The indicative instead of deliberative subjunctive is colloquial (AG 444.a Note). But there may be a hint of Hercules’ coming madness: with the indicative, he seems to imagine that he is already engaged in a war with heaven.
965 dubitātur etiam?: “is there still hesitation?” vincla Sāturnō exuam: Hercules will free Saturn from his restraints in the Underworld, where he has been imprisoned since Jupiter defeated the Titans.
966 impiī: Hercules calls Jupiter impius because he attacked his own father—exactly what Hercules himself is plotting to do. Impotens, modifying regnum, means “lacking self-restraint” (rather than “powerless”). Hercules criticizes Jupiter for not ruling with moderation.
967 parent: hortatory subjunctive (AG 439): “let the Titans prepare war” against Jupiter.
968 mē duce: ablative absolute, “with me as their leader” (AG 419).
968–69 saxa ... iuga: Hercules threatens to tear up trees and huge rocks to use as weapons in his attack.
969 Centaurīs: ablative with plēna: “full of Centaurs.” The Thessalian mountain ranges were the traditional home of the Centaurs.
970 monte geminō: ablative of means (AG 408).
971 videat: hortatory subjunctive (AG 439), “let Chiron see.” The Centaur Chiron lived on Mount Pelion.
972–73 in caelum … perveniet aut mittetur: “will reach to the sky or will be hurled” there. tertiō … gradū: “on the third step,” locative ablative. Olympus will be the third step up to the gods, after Pelion and Ossa.
Vocabulary
subitus –a –um: sudden, unexpected
turbidus –a –um: confused, disordered; turbid, fouled
perdomō perdomāre perdomuī perdomitum: to tame thoroughly; subdue
tumidus –a –um: swollen; inflated with passion or pride
fretum fretī n.: strait, channel; the sea
īnfernus –a –um: of that which is below, infernal
immūnis –e: free from service; w. gen., exempt, freed from
Alcīdēs –ae. m.: a descendant of Alceus; Hercules
sublīmis sublīme: high, lofty; exalted
Herculēs –is m.: Hercules
ēn or em: Look! Behold!
ultrō: furthermore, beyond; voluntarily
coitus coitūs m.: meeting together; sexual union
laxō laxāre laxāvī laxātus: to spread out; open up
foris foris f.: door
reserō reserāre reserāvī reserātus: to unbolt; open
polus –ī m.: pole, heavens
contumāx, contumācis: insolent; stubborn
iānua iānuae f.: door
Sāturnus –ī m.: Saturnus
exuō exuere exuī exūtus: to take off
impius –a –um: disloyal, wicked
impotens –entis: powerless; lacking control, violent
avus avī m.: grandfather, ancestor
resolvō –ere –solvī –solūtus: to untie
Tītān –ānis m.: a Titan
furō furere: to rage, be mad
Centaurus –ī m.: a Centaur
geminus –a –um: twin
līmes –itis m.: boundary, limit; path
Ossa –ae f.: Ossa, a mountain in Thessaly
Pēlion –iī n.: Pelion, a mountain in Thessaly
Olympus –ī m.: Olympus, a mountain in Thessaly and home of the gods