O felix sonipes, tanti cui frena mereri numinis et sacris licuit servire lupatis, seu tua per campos vento iuba lusit Hiberos, seu te Cappadocum gelida sub valle natantem Argaeae lavere nives, seu laeta solebas 5 Thessaliae rapido perstringere pascua cursu: accipe regales cultus et crine superbus erecto virides spumis perfunde smaragdos. luxurient tumido gemmata monilia collo, nobilis auratos iam purpura vestiat armos, 10 et medium te zona liget variata colorum floribus et castae manibus sudata Serenae, Persarum gentile decus. sic quippe laborat maternis studiis nec dedignatur equestres moliri phaleras genero latura decorem. 15 XLVIII. (LXX.) _De zona equi regii missa Honorio Augusta a Serena._ Accipe parva tuae, princeps venerande, sororis munera, quae manibus texuit ipsa suis, dumque auro phalerae, gemmis dum frena renident, hac uterum zona cinge frementis equi, sive illum Armeniis aluerunt gramina campis 5 turbidus Argaea seu nive lavit Halys, sanguineo virides morsu vexare smaragdos et Tyrio dignum terga rubere toro. * * * * * Page 275 XLVII. (LXXIII.) _On a Gift to a Horse._ Happy steed, whose good fortune it is to obey the directing hand of a god and to be guided by a sacred bit. Whether on the plains of Spain the wind tossed thy mane in sport, or thou didst bathe in the melted snows of Mount Argaeus, in some fertile valley of Cappadocia, or thou didst scour the rich pasture-lands of Thessaly in wind-swift course, receive this royal harness and, tossing thy proud mane, fleck with foam the bridle studded with emeralds. Arch thy haughty neck beneath its collar of pearls; let cloth of purple and gold clothe thy shoulders and a belt of many colours worked by Serena’s chaste hands pass beneath thy belly. ’Tis an ornament worthy the kings of Persia. Such is her motherly love that to enhance her son-in-law’s glory she disdains not to embroider the very harness of his horses. XLVIII. (LXX.) _On a Strap embroidered by Serena for Honorius’ Horse._ Receive at a sister’s hand a small gift, revered prince, a gift embroidered by her own hand; the bridle of thy champing steed is of gold, his head-harness studded with jewels; use now this strap to pass beneath his belly. Whether his home was the grassy plain of Armenia, or by the Halys, swollen with the melted snows of Mount Argaeus wherein he was wont to bathe, he well deserves an emerald-encrusted bit to champ in his blood-flecked mouth and cloth of Tyrian purple to adorn his back. How * * * * * Page 276