materiem praestes odiis; ut sontibus ultro ignovisse velis, deponas ocius iram quam moveas, precibus numquam implacabilis obstes, obvia prosternas prostrataque more leonum 20 despicias, alacres ardent qui frangere tauros, transiliunt praedas humiles. hac ipse magistra das veniam victis, hac exorante calores horrificos et quae, numquam nocitura, timentur iurgia contentus solo terrore coerces 25 aetherii patris exemplo, qui cuncta sonoro concutiens tonitru Cyclopum spicula differt in scopulos et monstra maris nostrique cruoris parcus in Oetaeis exercet fulmina silvis. Huic divae germana Fides eademque sorori 30 corde tuo delubra tenens sese omnibus actis inserit. haec docuit nullo livescere fuco, numquam falsa loqui, numquam promissa morari; invisos odisse palam, non virus in alto condere, non laetam speciem praemittere fraudi, 35 sed certum mentique parem componere vultum; occulto saevire vetat, prodesse remittit. haec et amicitias longo plus tempore firmat mansuroque adamante ligat; nec mobile mutat ingenium, parvae strepitu nec vincula noxae 40 dissolvi patitur, nec fastidire priorem inlicitur veniente novo. benefacta tenere, respuere offensas facilis, pariterque minoris officii magnique memor superare laborat * * * * * Page 5 though angered thou feedest with no fuel the flame of hatred; thou forgivest the guilty even before they ask, thou layest aside thy wrath more readily than thou art moved to wrath, thou never turnest a deaf ear to prayers, all who oppose thee thou overthrowest, but deignest not to touch them when overthrown, like a lion who lusts to rend in pieces the fierce bull, but passes by the cowering prey. At her bidding thou extendest pardon to the conquered; at her prayer thou refrainest the dread fires of thine anger and those threats, not the less terrible for being unfulfilled; it is enough for thee to inspire awe, even as the heavenly Father who, shaking the world with his loud thunder, hurls the bolts of the Cyclops upon rocks and sea-monsters and, sparing the blood of man, expends his lightnings on the forests of Oeta.