Chapter 64
+Subject.+ Go where thou wilt, my Tullus, know that all the sights and marvels of all lands, from West to East, are outdone by those of thine own Italy. A truly famous land! A land ever victorious, ever merciful; full of fair lakes and streams. Here, Tullus, is thy true abode: here seek a life of honour and a home.
[Linenotes: 8. +Phorcidos ora+ = _the head of Medusa_, the daughter of Phorcus.
15. +Ortygii Caystri.+ Ortygia, an old name for Ephesus, near the mouth of the R. Cayster: the haunt of _quails_ (_Ortygia_,??t??).
16. +temperat septenas vias+ = _moderates its seven channels_, of the delta of the Nile. --Ramsay.
19-22. Cf. Verg. _Aen._ vi. 853 _Parcere subiectis et debellare superbos._ 19. +commoda noxae+ = _disposed to harm_. --North Pinder.
24. +Marcius umor+, i.e. the aqueduct of Q. Marcius Rex; built 145 B.C.
25. The Alban and Arician Lakes (+Nemorensis+ = mod. _Nemi_) are close together.
26. i.e. the well Iuturna in the Forum ('the well that springs by Vesta's fane') at which the Dioscuri washed their horses after their hot ride from Lake Regillus.
41. +ad eloquium cives+ = _citizens to hear and profit by your eloquence_. --N. P.]
B72
LAUS ROMAE.
Haec est in gremium victos quae sola recepit 150 Humanumque genus communi nomine fovit Matris, non dominae ritu: civesque vocavit Quos domuit, nexuque pio longinqua revinxit.
Huius pacificis debemus moribus omnes Quod veluti patriis regionibus ut.i.tur hospes: 155 Quod sedem mutare licet: quod cernere Thulen Lusus, et horrendos quondam penetrare recessus: Quod bibimus pa.s.sim Rhodanum, potamus Orontem; Quod cuncti gens una sumus. Nec terminus unquam Romanae dicionis erit. Nam cetera regna 160 Luxuries vitiis odiisque superbia vert.i.t.
Sic male sublimes fregit Sparta.n.u.s Athenas Atque idem Thebas cecidit. Sic Medus ademit a.s.syrio, Medoque tulit moderamina Perses: Subiecit Macedo Persen, cessurus et ipse 165 Romanis. Haec auguriis firmata Sibyllae, Haec sacris animata Numae: huic fulmina vibrat Iuppiter: hanc tota Tritonia Gorgone velat.
Arcanas huc Vesta faces, huc orgia Bacchus Transtulit, et Phrygios genetrix turrita leones. 170 Huc defensurus morbos Epidaurius hospes Reptavit placido tractu, vectumque per undas Insula Paeonium texit Tiberina draconem.
CLAUDIAN, _de Consulatu Stilichonis_, iii. 150-173.
[Linenotes: 153. +nexuque... revinxit+ = _and has linked far places in a bond of love_. --Jebb.
156. +Thulen:+ cf. Vergil's _ultima Thule_, of the northernmost island known, variously identified with the Shetlands, Iceland, or Norway.
158. +Orontem+: the largest river of Syria, whence Juvenal, iii. 62, uses it of the Syrian people-- _Iam pridem Syrus in Tiberim defluxit Orontes._ 159. +Quod cuncti... sumus+ = _that the whole earth is one people_.
164. +moderamina+ = _the reins of power_; lit. _a means of managing_.
168. +hanc tota... velat+ = _she it is above whom Pallas spreads the whole shadow of the aegis_ (+tota Gorgone+). Cf. Verg. _Aen._ viii. 435-8: _Aegidaque horriferam, turbatae Palladis arma, Certatim squamis serpentum auroque polibant, Connexosque angues ipsamque in pectore divae Gorgona, desecto vertentem lumina collo._ 170. +genetrix turrita+, i.e. Cybele, the G.o.ddess of settled life.
171. +Epidaurius hospes+, i.e. Asclepius (Aesculapius), who had a famous temple at Epidaurus (in Argolis), whence his wors.h.i.+p
172. +reptavit placido tractu+ = _came gently gliding on his voyage_.
--Jebb. --For +reptavit+ cf. _repo_,??p?, and our _creep_.
173. +Paeonium draconem+ = _the serpent of the healer_. Cf.?a???.]
B73
'QUOD CUNCTI GENS UNA SUMUS.' --CLAUDIAN.
Vis dicam, quae causa tuos, Romane, labores In tantum extulerit, quis gloria fotibus aucta Sic cluat, impositis ut mundum frenet habenis? 585 Discordes linguis populos et dissona cultu Regna volens sociare Dens, subiungier uni Imperio, quidquid tractabile moribus esset, Concordique iugo retinacula mollia ferre Const.i.tuit, quo corda hominum coniuncta teneret 590 Relligionis amor: nec enim fit copula Christo Digna, nisi implicitas societ mens unica gentes. 592 Ius fecit commune pares et nomine eodem 608 Nexuit et domitos fraterna in vincla redegit.
Vivitur omnigenis in partibus, haud secus ac si Cives congenitos concludat moenibus unis Urbs patria atque omnes lare conciliemur avito. 612 En ades omnipotens, concordibus influe terris: 634 Iam mundus te, Christe, capit, quem congrege nexu Pax et Roma tenent: capita haec et culmina rerum Esse iubes, nec Roma tibi sine pace probatur: Et pax ut placeat, facit excellentia Romae, Quae motus varios simul et dicione coercet Et terrore premit. 640
PRUDENTIUS, _contra Symmachum_, ii. 583-640 (sel.).
+Subject.+ In a remarkable pa.s.sage, Prudentius (circ. 400 A.D.) views the victorious empire of Rome as preparing the way for the coming of Christ. The triumphs of the Romans were not, he says, the gifts of false G.o.ds, grateful for sacrifices, but were designed by Providence to break down the barriers between the jarring nationalities of the world, and familiarise them with a common yoke, by way of disciplining them for a common Christianity. An "universal peace is struck through sea and land," and Law, Art, Commerce, and Marriage const.i.tute the world one city and one family. Thus the way was paved for the coming of Christ by the unity of the empire and the civilisation of the individual subject.
--North Pinder.
[Linenotes: 584. +fotibus+ (cf. _fotum_, _foveo_) = _cheris.h.i.+ngs_, _supports_, post-cla.s.sical.
585. +sic cluat+ = _is so famed_, for _cluo_ (ante and post-cla.s.s.) cf.?????.
590-591. +quo+ (sc. _iugo_)... +amor+, i.e. hearts once knit together by a common yoke would best be held together by a common faith. --N. P.
609. +fraterna in vincla+ = _in the bonds of brotherhood, not those of slavery, as_ +domitos+ _would naturally suggest_.
634. +concordibus+ = _now they are in harmony and peace_, emphatic.
635. +capit+ = _is fit to receive thee_.]
MISCELLANEOUS Pa.s.sAGES
PROPEMPTICON VERGILIO.[36]
_The Perils of the Deep._
A.
Sic te diva potens Cypri, Sic fratres Helenae, lucida sidera, Ventorumque regat pater Obstrictis aliis praeter Iapyga, 4 Navis, quae tibi creditum Debes Vergilium, finibus Atticis Reddas incolumem precor Et serves animae dimidium meae. 8 Illi robur et aes triplex Circa pectus erat, qui fragilem truci Commisit pelago ratem Primus, nec timuit praecipitem Afric.u.m 12 Decertantem Aquilonibus Nec tristes Hyadas nec rabiem Noti, Quo non arbiter Hadriae Maior, tollere seu ponere vult freta. 16 Quem mortis timuit gradum, Qui siccis oculis monstra natantia, Qui vidit mare turbidum et Infames scopulos Acroceraunia? 20 Nequiquam deus abscidit Prudens Oceano dissociabili Terras, si tamen impiae Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada. 24
[Footnote 36: A 'G.o.d-speed' to Vergil's s.h.i.+p.]
'_Nought is there for man too high._'
B.
Audax omnia perpeti Gens humana ruit per vet.i.tum nefas: Audax Iapeti genus Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit; 28 Post ignem aetheria domo Subductum macies et nova febrium Terris incubuit cohors Semotique prius tarda necessitas 32 Leti corripuit gradum.
Expertus vacuum Daedalus aera.
Pinnis non homini datis; Perrupit Acheronta Herculeus labor. 36 Nil mortalibus arduist; Caelum ipsum petimus stult.i.tia neque Per nostrum patimur scelus Iracunda Iovem ponere fulmina. 40
HORACE, _Od._ I. iii.
PROPEMPTICON MAECIO CELERI.
_A Prayer for his friend's safety._
A.
Di, quibus audaces amor est servare carinas Saevaque ventosi mulcere pericula ponti, Sternite molle fretum placidumque advert.i.te votis Concilium, et lenis non obstrepat unda precanti: Grande tuo rarumque damus, Neptune, profundo 5 Depositum. Iuvenis dubio committ.i.tur alto Maecius atque animae partem super aequora nostrae Maiorem transferre parat. Proferte benigna Sidera et antemnae gemino considite cornu, Oebalii fratres; vobis pontusque polusque 10 Luceat; Iliacae longe nimbosa sororis Astra fugate, precor, totoque excludite caelo.
Vos quoque caeruleum ponti, Nereides, agmen Quis honor ei regni cessit fortuna secundi, Dicere quae magni fas sit mihi sidera ponti, 15 Surgite de vitreis spumosae Doridos antris Baianosque sinus et feta tepentibus undis Litora tranquillo certatim ambite natatu, Quaerentes ubi celsa ratis, quam scandere gaudet n.o.bilis Ausoniae Celer armipotentis alumnus.... 20
_His Prayer is heard. Man's audacity._
B.
Et pater, Aeolio frangit qui carcere ventos 42 Cui varii flatus omnisque per aequora mundi Spiritus atque hiemes nimbosaque nubila parent, Artius obiecto Borean Eurumque Notumque 45 Monte premat: soli Zephyro sit copia caeli, Solus agat puppes summasque supernatet undas a.s.siduus pelago; donec tua turbine nullo Laeta Paraetoniis a.s.signet carbasa ripis....
Audimur. Vocat ipse ratem nautasque morantes 50 Increpat. Ecce meum timido iam frigore pectus Labitur et nequeo, quamvis movet ominis horror, Claudere suspensos oculorum in margine fletus.... 53 Quis rude et abscissum miseris animantibus aequor 61 Fecit iter solidaeque pios telluris alumnos Expulit in fluctus pelagoque immisit hianti Audax ingenii? nec enim temeraria virtus Illa magis, summae gelidum quae Pelion Ossae 65 Iunxit anhelantemque iugis bis pressit Olympum.