sub iuga cervices niveas Hymenaeus adegit. 120 utraque luminibus timidum micat, utraque pulchro excitat ore faces. qualis Latonia virgo et solo Iove nata soror cum forte revisunt aequorei sortem patrui (spumantia cedunt aequora castarum gressus venerata dearum; 125 non ludit Galatea procax, non improbus audet tangere Cymothoën Triton totoque severos indicit mores pelago pudor ipsaque Proteus arcet ab amplexu turpi Neptunia monstra): tales sceptriferi visurae tecta parentis 130 limen Honoriades penetrant regale sorores. ambas ille quidem patrio complexus amore, sed merito pietas in te proclivior ibat; et quotiens, rerum moles ut publica cogit, tristior aut ira tumidus flagrante redibat, 135 cum patrem nati fugerent atque ipsa timeret commotum Flaccilla virum, tu sola frementem frangere, tu blando poteras sermone mederi. adloquiis haerere tuis, secreta fateri.[103] Prisca puellares reverentia transilit annos. 140 non talem Triviae confert laudator Homerus Alcinoo genitam, quae dum per litora vestes explicat et famulas exercet laeta choreis, auratam iaculata pilam post naufraga somni otia progressum foliis expavit Ulixen. 145 Pierius labor et veterum tibi carmina vatum ludus erat: quos Smyrna dedit, quos Mantua libros [103] MSS. have _fideli_; P marks the passage as corrupt. I adopt Birt’s _fateri_ and, with Heinsius and Buecheler, suppose a line fallen out between 138 and 139. * * * * * Page 249 their snowy necks to the yoke of Venus. Spirited yet modest is the glance of each; of each the beauty fires the hearts of men. Such as are Diana and her sister, motherless child of Jove, when they visit the realm of their uncle, lord of the sea (the foaming waves grow smooth before them in honour of the approach of the chaste goddesses; Galatea ceases her mad frolics, bold Triton dares not clasp Cymothoë in his embrace; o’er the whole ocean the dictates of purity hold sway and Proteus prevents even Neptune’s flocks from indulging in their shameless amours)--even such the daughters of Honorius enter the palace and view the home of their royal parent. Both did the prince embrace with a father’s love but justly did affection turn more readily to thee. Often when, his heart troubled by the anxieties of public business, he returned home depressed or angered, when his own sons fled his presence and even Flaccilla feared to approach her exasperated husband, thou alone wert able to stay his wrath and bring healing with sweet converse. On thy words he would hang, to thee confess his secret thoughts.