Near to the Hercynian forest the uplands of Raetia stretch out towards the north, Raetia, proud parent of Danube and Rhine, twain rivers that she sets to guard the empire of Rome. Small are their streams at first, but soon they grow in depth and like kings compel the lesser waters to pass with tributary wave beneath their name. The Cimbric ocean receives Rhine’s flood outpoured through his two mouths; the Thracian wave swallows that of Ister flowing out through five channels. Both rivers are navigable though both bear at times the marks of chariot-wheels upon their frozen surface; stout allies both of the north wind and the god of war. But on the side where Raetia marches with Italy precipitous mountains touch the sky, scarce even in summer offering an awful path. Many a man has there been frozen to death as though he had looked on the Gorgon’s head; many have been engulfed beneath vast masses of snow, and often are carts and the oxen that draw them plunged into the white depths of the crevasse. Sometimes the mountain plunges downwards in an avalanche of ice, loosening neath a warmer sky foundations that trust vainly in the precipitous slope. Such was the country over which Stilicho passed in mid winter. No wine was there; Ceres’ gifts were sparing; ’twas enough to snatch a hurried meal, eaten sword in hand, while, burdened with rain-drenched * * * * * Page 152 algentem pulsabat equum. nec mollia fesso strata dedere torum; tenebris si caeca repressit nox iter, aut spelaea subit metuenda ferarum aut pastorali iacuit sub culmine fultus 355 cervicem clipeo. stat pallidus hospite magno pastor et ignoto praeclarum nomine vultum rustica sordenti genetrix ostendit alumno. illa sub horrendis praedura cubilia silvis, illi sub nivibus somni curaeque laborque 360 pervigil hanc requiem terris, haec otia rebus insperata dabant; illae tibi, Roma, salutem Alpinae peperere casae. Iam foedera gentes exuerant Latiique audita clade feroces Vindelicos saltus et Norica rura tenebant. 365 ac veluti famuli, mendax quos mortis erilis nuntius in luxum falso rumore resolvit, dum marcent epulis atque inter vina chorosque persultat vacuis effrena licentia tectis, si reducem dominum sors improvisa revexit, 370 haerent attoniti libertatemque perosus conscia servilis praecordia concutit horror: sic ducis adspectu cuncti stupuere rebelles, inque uno princeps Latiumque et tota refulsit Roma viro. frons laeta parum, non tristior aequo, non deiecta malis, mixta sed nobilis ira: 376 qualis in Herculeo, quotiens infanda iubebat Eurystheus, fuit ore dolor vel qualis in atram sollicitus nubem maesto Iove cogitur aether.