laetitiae causas ignorat dicere miles laetaturque tamen; Mavortia signa rubescunt floribus et subitis animantur frondibus hastae. illa suum dictis adfatur talibus agmen: “Gradivum, nostri comites, arcete parumper, 190 ut soli vacet aula mihi. procul igneus horror thoracum, gladiosque tegat vagina minaces. stent bellatrices aquilae saevique dracones. fas sit castra meis hodie succumbere signis: tibia pro lituis et pro clangore tubarum 195 molle lyrae festumque canant. epulentur ad ipsas excubias; mediis spirent crateres in armis. laxet terribiles maiestas regia fastus et sociam plebem non indignata potestas confundat turbae proceres. solvantur habenis 200 gaudia nec leges pudeat ridere severas. “Tu festas, Hymenaee, faces, tu, Gratia, flores elige, tu geminas, Concordia, necte coronas. vos, pennata cohors, quocumque vocaverit usus, divisa properate manu, neu marceat ulla 205 segnities: alii funalibus ordine ductis plurima venturae suspendite lumina nocti; hi nostra nitidos postes obducere myrto contendant; pars nectareis adspergite tecta fontibus et flamma lucos adolete Sabaeos; 210 pars infecta croco velamina lutea Serum pandite Sidoniasque solo prosternite vestes. ast alii thalamum docto componite textu; stamine gemmato picturatisque columnis * * * * * Page 257 the clear North wind. The soldier rejoices though he cannot tell why. The standards of war burgeon with red flowers and the spears on a sudden sprout with living leaves. Then Venus thus addresses her attendant throng. “Comrades mine, keep away for a while the god of war that the palace may be mine and mine alone. Banish afar the terror of the flashing breastplate; let its scabbard sheath the threatening sword. Advance not the standards of war, the eagles and savage dragons. This day the camp shall yield to my standards; the flute shall sound instead of the bugle, the soft strains of the happy lyre take the place of the trumpets’ blare. Let the soldiers feast even when on guard and the beakers foam in the midst of arms. Let regal majesty lay by its awful pride and power, disdaining not to associate with the people, make one the nobles with the crowd. Let joy be unrestrained and sober Law herself be not ashamed to laugh.