Winter, passing into spring, had now felt the returning warmth of Zephyrus’ breezes and the earliest flowers had oped their buds when, in the lap of peace, they were preparing the annual journey to thy walls, Ancyra. ’Twas Eutropius’ device that weariness of the sea[107] might not come upon him, [106] Mythical founder of Byzantium (= Constantinople): said to have been contemporaneous with the Argonauts (Diod. iv. 49. 1). [107] _i.e._ to prevent his being bored with the view of the Bosporus. * * * * * Page 192 sed vaga lascivis flueret discursibus aestas: 100 unde tamen tanta sublimes mole redibant, ceu vinctos traherent Medos Indumque bibissent. ecce autem flavis Gradivus ab usque Gelonis arva cruentato repetebat Thracia curru: subsidunt Pangaea rotis altaeque sonoro 105 stridunt axe nives. ut vertice constitit Haemi femineasque togas pressis conspexit habenis, subrisit cradele pater cristisque micantem quassavit galeam; tunc implacabile numen Bellonam adloquitur, quae sanguine sordida vestem Illyricis pingues pectebat stragibus hydros: 111 “Necdum mollitiae, necdum, germana, mederi possumus Eoae? numquam corrupta rigescent saecula? Cappadocum tepidis Argaeus acervis aestuat; infelix etiamnum pallet Orontes. 115 dum pereunt, meminere mali; si corda parumper respirare sinas, nullo tot funera sensu praetereunt: antiqua levis iactura cruoris! “Adspicis obscaenum facinus? quid crinibus ora protegis? en quales sese diffudit in actus 120 parva quies, quantum nocuerunt otia ferri! qui caruit bellis, eunucho traditur annus. actum de trabeis esset, si partibus una mens foret Hesperiis; rueret derisa vetustas nullaque calcati starent vestigia iuris, 125 ni memor imperii Stilicho morumque priorum turpe relegasset defenso Thybride nomen * * * * * Page 193 but a roaming summer might slide away in pleasure journeys. But so magnificent was their return, you would have imagined they brought conquered Persia in their train and had drunk of the waters of Indus. Look you! Mars, returning from the distant lands of the yellow-haired Geloni, was re-seeking the lands of Thrace in his bloody chariot. Pangaeus subsided beneath his wheels, the mountain snows cried out under his sounding axle. Scarce had the father stayed on Haemus’ summit and, reining in his coursers, looked upon the toga-clad woman, when he smiled a cruel smile and shook his gleaming crested helm; then he addressed Bellona, implacable goddess, who, her raiment all stained with blood, was combing her snake-hair, fattened on the slaughter of Illyrians.