Six Tragedies by Wilson Emily Seneca

Author:Wilson, Emily, Seneca
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Published: 2010-07-24T16:00:00+00:00

ACT TWO

TALTHYBIUS What a long delay! The Greeks are always stuck

in a harbour,*

whether they want to go to war or go back home.

CHORUS Tell us what is keeping the Greek fleet.

Explain what god bars the way.

TALTHYBIUS My heart is frightened. A terrible trembling

shakes my body.

I have seen horrors, incredible horrors, with my own eyes.

Dawn was touching the mountain tops, and day had

conquered night, 170

when all of a sudden a bellowing roar came up from the darkness

as the earth groaned, collapsed, and gathered up all her folds.

The trees swayed their heads, the forest and sacred grove

thundered with a mighty crash all over.

An avalanche of rocks poured down Mount Ida.

Earth was not the only one to shake: even the sea

felt that its own Achilles* was at hand, the waves lay prostrate.

Then the valleys split, opening vast chasms,

the gaping of Hell gave a path to the upper world

through the broken earth. The mound of the dead was raised. 180

Out came the giant ghost of the lord of Thessaly,*

strong as when he was in training, Troy, for fighting you,

when he beat Thrace in battle, or as when

he overpowered Neptune’s shining, white-haired son.*

Or when, raging with battle-lust on the front lines

he packed the rivers with corpses, and Xanthus* flowed

slow and meandering, with blood for water, blocked.

Or when he stood victorious, proud in his chariot:

holding the reins he dragged behind him Hector*—and Troy.

His angry cry filled the whole shore: 190

‘Come, come, you idlers! Get me the prizes

I earned by the work of my hands. Let loose your useless ships,

go sail my seas. Greece already paid dear

for the anger of Achilles, and will pay even more.

Let Polyxena be married to my ashes,

with Pyrrhus’hand to slaughter her, and let my tomb be wet.’

Then he sent day away, brought back deep night,

and he returned to Hell. Sinking, he closed up

the mighty chasm; earth was whole again. Still lay the sea

and calm, the wind abandoned all its threats, 200

the peaceful ocean burbles with a gentle wave,

while a merman chorus sang a wedding song.

PYRRHUS You merrily launched your sails to go home on the sea,

and you forgot Achilles. It was his hand alone

that made Troy fall. Once he was gone, Troy paused:

standing only while she wondered where to fall.

Even if you eagerly gave him what he asks,

it is too late. All the other leaders have already

taken prizes. What lesser reward can be given

for such a hero? Did he not deserve much, 210

who, when he was ordered to avoid the war,* grow old

sitting out his long life, and to outdo

the years of Nestor,* stripped off his disguise,

and bared his mother’s tricks, and proved himself a man by arms.

Impulsive Telephus* refused to grant

a way through his fierce and unfriendly kingdom.

This king’s blood was the first to wet his novice hand,

this king who knew Achilles as harsh and gentle both.

Thebes fell and Etion,* conquered, saw

his city captured. Likewise little Lyrnesos, 220

set on its mountain tops, was overthrown.

The homes of captured Briseis and Chryseis,*

over whom kings once fought, now lie in ruins.

and famous Tenedos, and

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