426
SENECA'S TRAGEDIES.
[Lines 327—367
Optat, & alto rabicunda tremunt
Suppara velo.
Candida noftri fecula patres
Videre, procul fraude remota. 330
Sua quifque piger litora tangens,
Patrioque fenex fai5lus in arvo,
Parvo dives, nifi quas tulerat
Natale folam, non norat opes.
Bene diffepti foedera mundi 335
Traxit in unum TheiTala pinus,
JuIIitque pati verbera ponum;
Partemque metus fieri noftri
Mare fepofitum. dedit ilia graves
Improbo pcenas, per tam longos 340
Dufta timores: cum duo monies,
Clauftra profundi, hinc atque illino
Subito impulfu, velut setherio
Gemerent fonitu; fpargeret aftra,
Nubefque ipfas mare deprenfum. 345
Palluit audax Tiphys, et omnes
Labente manu milit habenas:
Orpheus tacuit torpente lyra;
Ipfaque vocem perdidit Argo.
Quid! cum Siculi virgo Pelori, 350
Rabidos utero fuccincta canes,
Omnes pariter folvit hiatus,
Quis non totos horruit artus,
Toties uno latrante malo?
Quid I cum Aufonium diras peftos 355
Voce canora mare mulcerent;
Cum Pieria refonans cithara
Thracius Orpheus folitam cantu
Retinere rates pasne coegit
Sirena fequif quod fuit hujus 360
Pretium curfus? auxea pellis;
Majufque maxi Medea malum,
Merces prima digna carina
Nunc jam ceffit pontus, & omnes
Patitur leges, non Palladia 365
Compafla manu regum referens
Inclita remos quseritur Argo.
even then the too eager sailor wishes to avail himself, to the utmost, of the wind, he would cause the red streamers to quiver again, as they floated in the breeze, above the lofty sails! (These streamers no doubt answered the purpose of our topsails, or at least top-gallant sails, and were not merely ornamental.)—Our forefathers lived in more