Edited by: Jedidiah Boggs<\/p>\n
Paraphrase of Seneca’s Thyestes1<\/a> <\/sup><\/a>2<\/a> <\/sup><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Let him that will ascend, the tottering Seat <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a>1<\/sup><\/strong>The Latin reads: “Thyestes.” The Latin Library. Accessed November 7, 2015. http:\/\/www.thelatinlibrary.com\/sen\/sen.thyestes.shtml. <\/a>2<\/sup>The modern English reads: “THYESTES.” Classical E-Text: SENECA, THYESTES. Accessed November 7, 2015. http:\/\/www.theoi.com\/Text\/SenecaThyestes.html. <\/a>3<\/sup>Typical example of Hellenistic Stoicism seen throughout the poem as well as the original piece. <\/a>4<\/sup>“Grandees” refers to a noblemen of the highest rank, typically Spanish or Portuguese. <\/a>5<\/sup>Andrew Marvell offers his own interpretation of this same passage in “The Second Chorus from Seneca’s Tragedy, Thyestes.” Edited by: Jedidiah Boggs Paraphrase of Seneca’s Thyestes1 2 Let him that will ascend, the tottering Seat Of Courtly grandeur, and become as great As are his mounting Wishes; As for me, Let sweet repose and rest my Portion be;3 … Continue reading
\nOf Courtly grandeur, and become as great
\nAs are his mounting Wishes; As for me,
\nLet sweet repose<\/a> and rest my Portion be;3<\/a> <\/sup><\/a>
\nGive me some mean obscure Recess<\/a>, a Sphere
\nOut of the Road of Business, or the fear
\nOf falling lower; where I sweetly may
\nMy self and dear retirement still enjoy:
\nLet not my Life and Name be known unto
\nThe Grandees of the Times,4<\/a> <\/sup><\/a> tost to and fro
\nBy Censures or Applause; but let my Age
\nSlide gently by, not overthwart<\/a> the Stage
\nof Publick Action; unheard, unseen,
\nAnd unconcern’d<\/a>, as if I ne’er had been.
\nAnd thus, while I shall pass my silent days
\nIn shady privacy, free from the Noise
\nAnd bustles of the World, then shall I
\nA good old Innocent Plebeian<\/a> Die.
\nDeath is a mere Suprize<\/a>, a vary Snare
\nTo him, that makes it his Lifes greatest Care<\/a>
\nTo be a publick Pageant, known to all,
\nBut unacquainted with himself, doth fall.5<\/a> <\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
\nStet quicumque uolet potens
\naulae culmine lubrico:
\nme dulcis saturet quies;
\nobscuro positus loco
\nleni perfruar otio,
\nnullis nota Quiritibus
\naetas per tacitum fluat.
\nSic cum transierint mei
\nnullo cum strepitu dies,
\nplebeius moriar senex.
\nilli mors grauis incubat
\nqui, notus nimis omnibus,
\nignotus moritur sibi.<\/p>\n
\nBack to text.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nLet him stand who will, in pride of power, on empire\u2019s slippery height; let me be filled with sweet repose; in humble station fixed, let me enjoy untroubled ease, and, to my fellow citizens unknown, let my life\u2019s stream flow in silence. So when my days have passed noiselessly away, lowly may I die and full of years. On him does death lie heavily, who, but too well known to all, dies to himself unknown.<\/p>\n
\nBack to text.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBack to text.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBack to text.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBack to text.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"