Thyestes is a first century AD fabula crepidata of approximately 1112 lines of verse by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, which tells the story of Thyestes, who unwittingly ate his own children who were slaughtered and served at a banquet by his brother Atreus. As with most of Seneca's plays, Thyestes is based upon an older Greek version with the same name by Euripides.
“Worse than war is the very fear of war.”
peior est bello timor ipse belli.
Thyestes, line 572 (Chorus).
Tragedies
“Tis the upright mind that holds true sovereignty.”
mens regnum bona possidet.
Thyestes, line 380; (Chorus)
Alternate translation: A good mind possesses a kingdom. (translator unknown).
Tragedies
“On him does death lie heavily, who, but too well known to all, dies to himself unknown.”
Illi mors gravis incubat
Qui notus nimis omnibus
Ignotus moritur sibi
Illi mors gravis incubat
Qui notus nimis omnibus
Ignotus moritur sibi
Thyestes, lines 401-403; (Chorus).
Alternate translation: Death weighs on him who is known to all, but dies unknown to himself. (The Philisophical Life by James Miller).
Tragedies
