Ere yet he had donned the consul’s robe there came a rumbling from the bowels of the earth; a hidden madness shook the subterranean caverns and buildings crashed one on another. Chalcedon, shaken to the foundations, tottered like a drunken man, and Bosporus, straying from his course, flooded the cities on his either bank. The shores of the strait came together and the sailors once more had to avoid the Clashing Rocks, torn from their foundation and errant. Surely such presages were sent by the sister deities of Styx, rejoicing that under this consul at last all peoples were delivered into their hands. Soon arose divers forms of ruin: here the fire-god spread his flames; there Nereus, god of the sea, brake his bounds. Here men’s homes were burned, there flooded. Ye gods, what punishment do ye hold in store for the scoundrel whose rise to power was marked by such portents? O’ercome us, Neptune, with thy trident and overwhelm our defiled soil along with all the guilt. One city we yield to the Furies, a scapegoat for the sins of the world. Once the way was open for portents, prodigies of every sort hasted to disclose themselves. Rain of blood fell, children of weird form were born and offspring discordant with their breed. Statues wept, not seldom the herds dared to speak, and wild beasts braved an entrance into the city. Then seers raved * * * * * Page 188 pectora terrifici stimulis ignescere Phoebi. fac nullos cecinisse deos: adeone retusi quisquam cordis erit, dubitet qui partibus illis adfore fatalem castrati consulis annum? sed quam caecus inest vitiis amor! omne futurum 50 despicitur suadentque brevem praesentia fructum et ruit in vetitum damni secura libido, dum mora supplicii lucro serumque quod instat creditur, haud equidem contra tot signa Camillo detulerim fasces, nedum (pro sexus!) inerti 55 mancipio, cui, cuncta licet responsa iuberent hortantesque licet sponderent prospera divi, turpe fuit cessisse viros. Exquirite retro crimina continui lectis annalibus aevi, prisca recensitis evolvite saecula fastis: 60 quid senis infandi Capreae, quid scaena Neronis tale ferunt? spado Romuleo succinctus amictu sedit in Augustis laribus. vulgata patebat aula salutantum studiis; huc plebe senatus permixta trepidique duces omnisque potestas 65 confluit. advolvi genibus, contingere dextram ambitus et votum deformibus oscula rugis figere. praesidium legum genitorque vocatur principis et famulum dignatur regia patrem. posteritas, admitte fidem: monumenta petuntur 70 dedecoris multisque gemunt incudibus aera formatura nefas. haec iudicis, ilia togati, * * * * * Page 189