Hard by a crowded quarter of the city of Constantinople, towards the south, there lies a plain. The rest is surrounded by the sea which here allows itself to be parted by a narrow way. Here the avenging army, bright with the panoply of the war god, disposes its squadrons. On the left stands the infantry. Over against them the cavalry seek to restrain their eager steeds by holding tight the reins. Here nod the savage waving plumes whose wearers rejoice to shake the flashing colours of their shoulder-armour; for steel clothes them on and gives them their shape; the limbs within * * * * * Page 84 flexilis inductis animatur lamina membris; horribiles visu: credas simulacra moveri ferrea cognatoque viros spirare metallo. 360 par vestitus equis: ferrata fronte minantur ferratosque levant securi vulneris armos. diviso stat quisque loco, metuenda voluptas cernenti pulcherque timor, spirisque remissis mansuescunt varii vento cessante dracones. 365 Augustus veneranda prior vexilla salutat. Rufinus sequitur, quo fallere cuncta solebat callidus adfatu, devotaque brachia laudat; nomine quemque vocat; natos patresque reversis nuntiat incolumes. illi dum plurima ficto 370 certatim sermone petunt, extendere longos a tergo flexus insperatoque suprema circuitu sociare parant; decrescere campus incipit, et clipeis in se redeuntia iunctis curvo paulatim sinuantur cornua ductu: 375 sic ligat inmensa virides indagine saltus venator; sic attonitos ad litora pisces aequoreus populator agit rarosque plagarum contrahit anfractus et hiantes colligit oras. excludunt alios. cingi se fervidus ille 380 nescit adhuc graviterque adprensa veste morantem increpat Augustum: scandat sublime tribunal, participem sceptri, socium declaret honoris--cum subito stringunt gladios; vox desuper ingens infremuit: “nobis etiam, deterrime, nobis 385 * * * * * Page 85 give life to the armour’s pliant scales so artfully conjoined, and strike terror into the beholder. ’Tis as though iron statues moved and men lived cast from that same metal. The horses are armed in the same way; their heads are encased in threatening iron, their forequarters move beneath steel plates protecting them from wounds; each stands alone, a pleasure yet a dread to behold, beautiful, yet terrible, and as the wind drops the parti-coloured dragons[60] sink with relaxing coils into repose.