Wilt dare to sing, my Muse, when so great, so august an assembly shall be thy critic? Does not thine own renown forbid thee? ’Tis greater now than thou deservest; how hard then to enhance, how disgraceful to diminish it! Or has thine assurance grown through ever dwelling in the camp, and does the soldier now wholly possess the poet’s breast? Behold the flower of the Roman senate, the majesty, the pride, the heroes of Gaul. The whole earth is my audience, my song shall sound in the ears of all the world. Alack! Love for our consul constrains too strongly. Jove, ’tis said, when he would fain learn its extent (for he knew not the bounds of his own empire) sent forth two eagles of equal flight from the East and from the West. On Parnassus, as they tell, their twin flights met; the Delphic heaven brought together the one bird and the other. Our Emperor needs no eagles to teach him the magnitude of his domains; yourselves are preceptors more convincing. ’Tis this assembly that gives to me the measure of the universe; here I see gathered all the brilliance of the world. [169] See Introduction, p. xv. Judging from this poem Manlius started by being an _advocatus_ in the praetorian prefect’s court, was then _praeses_ of some district in Africa, then governor (_consularis_) of Macedonia, next recalled to Rome as Gratian’s _magister epistularum_, then _comes sacrarum largitionum_ (= ecclesiastical treasurer) and after that praetorian prefect of Gaul (ll. 50-53). * * * * * Page 338 PANEGYRICUS (XVII.) Ipsa quidem Virtus pretium sibi, solaque late Fortunae secura nitet nec fascibus ullis erigitur plausuve petit clarescere vulgi. nil opis externae cupiens, nil indiga laudis, divitiis animosa suis inmotaque cunctis 5 casibus ex alta mortalia despicit arce. attamen invitam blande vestigat et ultro ambit honor: docuit totiens a rure profectus lictor et in mediis consul quaesitus aratris. te quoque naturae sacris mundique vacantem, 10 emeritum pridem desudatisque remotum iudiciis eadem rursum complexa potestas evehit et reducem notis imponit habenis. accedunt trabeae: nil iam, Theodore, relictum, quo virtus animo crescat vel splendor honori.[170] 15 culmen utrumque tenes: talem te protinus anni formavere rudes, et dignum vita curuli traxit iter primaeque senes cessere iuventae. iam tum canities animi, iam dulce loquendi [170] _honori_ conject. Birt; _honore_ codd. * * * * * Page 339 PANEGYRIC (XVII.)