natorum per regna venis, qui mente serena maturoque regunt iunctas moderamine gentes, saecula qui rursus formant meliore metallo. luget Avarities Stygiis innexa catenis 185 cumque suo demens expellitur Ambitus auro. non dominantur opes nec corrumpentia sensus dona valent: emitur sola virtute potestas. Unanimi fratres, quorum mare terraque fatis debetur, quodcumque manus evasit avitas, 190 quod superest patri: vobis iam Mulciber arma praeparat et Sicula Cyclops incude laborat, Brontes innumeris exasperat aegida signis, altum fulminea crispare in casside conum festinat Steropes, nectit thoraca Pyragmon 195 ignifluisque gemit Lipare fumosa cavernis. vobis Ionia virides Neptunus in alga nutrit equos, qui summa freti per caerula possint ferre viam segetemque levi percurrere motu, nesciat ut spumas nec proterat ungula culmos. 200 iam video Babylona rapi Parthumque coactum non ficta trepidare fuga, iam Bactra teneri legibus et famulis Gangen pallescere ripis gemmatosque humilem dispergere Persida cultus. ite per extremum Tanaim pigrosque Triones, 205 ite per ardentem Libyam, superate vapores solis et arcanos Nili deprendite fontes, Herculeum finem, Bacchi transcurrite metas: vestri iuris erit, quidquid complectitur axis, vobis Rubra dabunt pretiosas aequora conchas, 210 Indus ebur, ramos Panchaia, vellera Seres. * * * * * Page 285 journey, thou passest over the domains of sons who with tranquil mind and ripe control rule over allied peoples, who once again fashion the ages from a nobler ore. Avarice is left to weep in Stygian chains, mad Ambition and his gold banished afar. Wealth does not hold sway; sense-corrupting gifts are of no avail; virtue alone can purchase power.