omen erat. quamquam nullis mihi cognita rebus fabula; vix tanto risit de crimine rumor. opprobrii stat nulla fides nec littera venit 295 vulgatura nefas: in quo vel maxima virtus est tua quod, nostros qui consulis omnia patres, de monstris taceas. pellendi denique nulla dedecoris sanctum violant oracula coetum nec mea funestum versavit curia nomen. 300 pars sceleris dubitasse fuit: quaecumque profana pagina de primo venisset limine Phoebi, ante fretum deleta mihi, ne turpia castis auribus Italiae fatorum[6] exempla nocerent. publicus ille furor, quantum tua cura peregit, 305 secretum meruit. laetetur quisquis Eoos scribere desierit fastos: portenta Gabinos ista latent; propriam labem texisse laborent. cur ego, quem numquam didici sensive creatum, gratuler exemptum? delicti paenitet illos: 310 nos nec credidimus. “Fuerit tamen omnibus unum crimen et ad nostras manaverit usque secures: plus ideo sumenda tibi fastigia vitas, ne pereat tam priscus honos, qui portus honorum semper erat. nullo sarciri consule damnum 315 excepto Stilichone potest. bene praescia tempus mens tua distulerat; titulo tunc crescere posses, nunc per te titulus. consul succurre gravatis consulibus, quicumque fuit, quicumque futurus; annum redde tuum, quem iam secura sequatur 320 [6] Birt prints _factorum_ (EΠ); the other MSS. have _fatorum_; Koch suggests _fractorum_ (in the sense of “effeminate”). * * * * * Page 25 countest ill omen was for the East. Yet no facts confirm the tale I have heard; Rumour’s self scarce smiled at such a tale of guilt.[7] The disgrace has no proof; no letter came to divulge the wicked secret. In this lies thine especial virtue, that, while consulting the senate on every question, thou hast not mentioned this portent. No decree for the suppression of this scandal has impaired the dignity of this august assembly, nor has that ill-omened name been heard in my senate. To have hesitated would have been to share his guilt. All letters telling of this profanation that came from the far East were destroyed e’er they could cross the sea, that fortune’s shameful turn should not offend the chaste ears of Italy. That infatuation of a people was best rewarded with silence--and how strenuous were thine endeavours that it should so be! Joy should be his who needs no longer pen the annals of the East. Our Latin story knows no such blot: let others take pains to conceal their own disgrace. Why should I applaud the downfall of one of whose elevation I never heard nor knew? ’Tis for the guilty to repent; we have never even believed.