iamiam dissimulat dominos alteque tumescunt serviles animi. procerum squalore repletus carcer et exulibus Meroë campique gemescunt Aethiopum; poenis hominum plaga personat ardens; Marmaricus claris violatur caedibus Hammon. 180 Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum: cuncta ferit dum cuncta timet, desaevit in omnes ut se posse putent, nec belua taetrior ulla quam servi rabies in libera terga furentis; agnoscit gemitus et poenae parcere nescit, 185 quam subiit, dominique memor, quem verberat, odit. adde, quod eunuchus nulla pietate movetur nec generi natisve cavet. clementia cunctis in similes, animosque ligant consortia damni; iste nec eunuchis placidus. Sed peius in aurum 190 aestuat; hoc uno fruitur succisa libido. quid nervos secuisse iuvat? vis nulla cruentam castrat avaritiam. parvis exercita furtis quae vastare penum neglectaque sueverat arcae claustra remoliri, nunc uberiore rapina 195 peccat in orbe manus. quidquid se Tigris ab Haemo dividit, hoc certa proponit merce locandum institor imperii, caupo famosus honorum. hic Asiam villa pactus regit; ille redemit coniugis ornatu Syriam; dolet ille paterna 200 Bithynos mutasse domo. subfixa patenti vestibulo pretiis distinguit regula gentes: * * * * * Page 153 his former masters, and his slave’s mind swelled high within him. The prisons were filled with degraded nobles, Meroë and the plains of Ethiopia re-echoed to the weeping of exiles; the desert rang with the punishment of men; the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Africa was stained with gentle blood. Nothing is so cruel as a man raised from lowly station to prosperity; he strikes everything, for he fears everything; he vents his rage on all, that all may deem he has the power. No beast so fearful as the rage of a slave let loose on free-born backs; their groans are familiar to him, and he cannot be sparing of punishment that he himself has undergone; remembering his own master he hates the man he lashes. Being a eunuch also he is moved by no natural affection and has no care for family or children. All are moved to pity by those whose circumstances are like their own; similitude of ills is a close bond. Yet he is kind not even to eunuchs.