cura tibi! quam fixa manet reverentia patrum! firmatur senium iuris priscamque resumunt 505 canitiem leges emendanturque vetustae acceduntque novae. talem sensere Solonem res Pandioniae; sic armipotens Lacedaemon despexit muros rigido munita Lycurgo. quae sub te vel causa brevis vel iudicis error 510 neglegitur? dubiis quis litibus addere finem iustior et mersum latebris educere verum? quae pietas quantusque rigor tranquillaque magni vis animi nulloque levis terrore moveri nec nova mirari facilis! quam docta facultas 515 ingenii linguaeque modus! responsa verentur legati, gravibusque latet sub moribus aetas. Quantus in ore pater radiat! quam torva voluptas frontis et augusti maiestas grata pudoris! iam patrias imples galeas; iam cornus avita 520 temptatur vibranda tibi; promittitur ingens dextra rudimentis Romanaque vota moratur. quis decor, incedis quotiens clipeatus et auro squameus et rutilus cristis et casside maior! sic, cum Threïcia primum sudaret in hasta, 525 flumina laverunt puerum Rhodopeia Martem. quae vires iaculis vel, cum Gortynia tendis spicula, quam felix arcus certique petitor vulneris et iussum mentiri nescius ictum! scis, quo more Cydon, qua dirigat arte sagittas 530 * * * * * Page 325 How fixed abides thy reverence for the Senate! Old customs are preserved, law has recovered its ancient sanctity in the amendment of former statutes and by the addition of new ones. Such an one as thee Pandion’s city[163] found in Solon; even so did warrior Lacedaemon disdain walls, for unyielding Lycurgus gave it defence. What case so petty, what judicial error so slight that it escapes thy notice? Who with truer justice put an end to dishonest suits and brought forth lurking truth from her hiding-place? What mercy, yet what firmness; thine is the quiet strength of a great soul, too firm to be stirred by fear, too stable to be swayed by the attraction of novelty. How stored with learning thy ready wit, how controlled thy speech; ambassadors are awe-stricken at thine answers, and thy grave manners make them forget thy years.