quippe velut denso currentia munera nimbo 45 cernere semper erat, populis undare penates, adsiduos intrare inopes, remeare beatos. praeceps illa manus fluvios superabat Hiberos aurea dona vomens (sic vix[42] tellure revulsa sollicitis fodiens miratur collibus aurum), 50 quantum stagna Tagi rudibus stillantia venis effluxere decus, quanto pretiosa metalli Hermi ripa micat, quantas per Lydia culta despumat rutilas dives Pactolus harenas. Non, mihi centenis pateant si vocibus ora 55 multifidusque ruat centum per pectora Phoebus, acta Probi narrare queam, quot in ordine gentes rexerit, ad summi quotiens fastigia iuris venerit, Italiae late cum frena teneret Illyricosque sinus et quos arat Africa campos. 60 sed nati vicere patrem solique merentur victores audire Probi. non contigit illi talis honor, prima cum parte viresceret aevi, nec consul cum fratre fuit. vos nulla fatigat cura diu maiora petens, non anxia mentem 65 spes agit et longo tendit praecordia voto: coepistis quo finis erat. primordia vestra vix pauci meruere senes, metasque tenetis ante genas dulces quam flos iuvenilis inumbret oraque ridenti lanugine vestiat aetas. 70 tu, precor, ignarum doceas, Parnasia, vatem, quis deus ambobus tanti sit muneris auctor. Postquam fulmineis impellens viribus hostem belliger Augustus trepidas laxaverat Alpes, [42] MSS. _si quis_; Birt suggests _sic vix_; possibly _ecquis_ should be read. Postgate (C. Q. iv. p. 258) _quae vix … miretur … Astur_. * * * * * Page 7 men. The thick cloud of his generosity was ever big with gifts, full and overflowing with clients was his mansion, and thereinto there poured a stream of paupers to issue forth again rich men. His prodigal hand outdid Spain’s rivers in scattering gifts of gold (scarce so much precious metal dazzles the gaze of the miner delving in the vexed bowels of the earth), exceeding all the gold dust carried down by Tagus’ water trickling from unsmelted lodes, the glittering ore that enriches Hermus’ banks, the golden sand that rich Pactolus in flood deposits over the plains of Lydia.