Thus was the East entrusted to him and thus was its salvation assured; but the other half of the world was not so entrusted: twice was the West gained by valour, twice won by dangers. In those lands of the sunset by manifold crime there arose to power tyrants twain: wild Britain produced one (Maximus), the other (Eugenius) was chosen * * * * * Page 292 hunc sibi Germanus famulum delegerat exul: ausus uterque nefas, domini respersus uterque 75 insontis iugulo. novitas audere priori suadebat cautumque dabant exempla sequentem. hic nova moliri praeceps, hic quaerere tuta providus; hic fusis, collectis viribus ille; hic vagus excurrens, hic intra claustra reductus. 80 dissimiles, sed morte pares, evadere neutri dedecus aut mixtis licuit procumbere telis. amissa specie, raptis insignibus ambo in vultus rediere suos manibusque revinctis oblati gladiis summittunt colla paratis 85 et vitam veniamque rogant. pro damna pudoris! qui modo tam densas nutu movere cohortes, in quos iam dubius sese libraverat orbis, non hostes victore cadunt, sed iudice sontes; damnat voce reos, petiit quos Marte tyrannos. 90 amborum periere duces: hic sponte carina decidit in fluctus, illum suus abstulit ensis; hunc Alpes, hunc pontus habet. solacia caesis fratribus haec ultor tribuit: necis auctor uterque labitur; Augustas par victima mitigat umbras. 95 has dedit inferias tumulis, iuvenumque duorum purpureos merito placavit sanguine manes. Illi iustitiam confirmavere triumphi, * * * * * Page 293