His first delight is to consecrate his father’s spirit by the banks of the Nile and to carry to the land of Egypt the burned mass from which he was born. With all speed he wings his way to that foreign strand, carrying the remains in a covering of grass. Birds innumerable accompany him, and whole flocks thereof throng his airy flight. Their mighty host shuts out the sky where’er it passes. But from among so vast an assemblage none dares outstrip the leader; all follow respectfully in the balmy wake of their king. Neither the fierce hawk nor the eagle, Jove’s own armour-bearer, fall to fighting; in honour of their common master a truce is observed by all. Thus the Parthian monarch leads his barbarous hosts by yellow Tigris’ banks, all glorious with jewels and rich ornament and decks his tiara with royal garlands; his horse’s bridle is of gold, Assyrian embroidery embellishes his scarlet robes, and proud with sovereignty he lords it o’er his numberless slaves. There is in Egypt a well-known city celebrated for its pious sacrifices and dedicated to the worship of the Sun. Its temple rests on a hundred columns hewn from the quarries of Thebes. Here, as the * * * * * Page 230 illic, ut perhibent, patriam de more reponit congeriem vultumque dei veneratus erilem iam flammae commendat onus, iam destinat aris semina relliquiasque sui: mirata relucent 95 limina; divino spirant altaria fumo, et Pelusiacas productus ad usque paludes Indus odor penetrat nares completque salubri tempestate viros et nectare dulcior aura ostia nigrantis Nili septena vaporat. 100 O felix heresque tui! quo solvimur omnes, hoc tibi suppeditat vires; praebetur origo per cinerem, moritur te non pereunte senectus. vidisti quodcumque fuit; te saecula teste cuncta revolvuntur; nosti quo tempore pontus 105 fuderit elatas scopulis stagnantibus undas, quis Phaëthonteis erroribus arserit annus, et clades te nulla rapit solusque superstes edomita tellure manes: non stamina Parcae in te dira legunt nec ius habuere nocendi. 110 XXVIII. (XLVII.) _Nilus._ Felix, qui Pharias proscindit vomere terras: nubila non sperat tenebris condentia caelum nec graviter flantes pluviali frigore Cauros invocat aut arcum variata luce rubentem. * * * * * Page 231