Claudian, volume 1 (of 2): With an English translation by Maurice PlatnauerClaudianus, Claudius
General
Claudian, volume 1 (of 2): With an English translation by Maurice Platnauer
Claudianus, Claudius
Claudianus, Claudius -- Translations into English
inflamed the passions, his lust rages more savagely; ’midst the mingled
smell of scents and flowers, ’midst curled minions and youthful choirs
he bids go sport the widowed wives whose husbands he but a moment ago
has murdered. Better Phalaris and the torments of his furnace, better
to listen to the bellowings of the Sicilian bull than to such songs as
these. Nor is the base sacrifice of their good name enough. When tired
of each noblest matron Gildo hands her over to the Moors. Married in
Carthage city these Sidonian mothers needs must mate with barbarians.
He thrusts upon me an Ethiopian as a son-in-law, a Berber as a husband.
The hideous half-breed child affrights its cradle. Thanks to those
base allies his state is more regal than that of the emperor himself.
Before him goes a body of foot-soldiers, squadrons of cavalry surround
him and client kings whom he enriches with our spoils. He drives one
and all from their ancestral houses and expels husbandmen from farms so
long theirs. My people are scattered in exile. Are my citizens never to
return from their wanderings to their native soil?”
She would have spoken further in her grief had not Jove begun from his
lofty throne--Atropos wrote down his words in adamant and Lachesis spun
them in with her thread--“Neither thou, Rome, nor yet thou, Africa,
will we suffer to go long unavenged. Honorius shall disperse your
common foe. Go in peace. No violence shall part your companionship;
Africa shall serve Rome, and Rome alone.”
He spake and breathed into Rome a youth renewed. Straightway her former
strength returned, and her hair put off its grey of eld; her helmet
grew solid,
* * * * *
Page 114
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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