huius pacificis debemus moribus omnes, quod veluti patriis regionibus utitur hospes; 155 quod sedem mutare licet; quod cernere Thylen lusus et horrendos quondam penetrare recessus; quod bibimus passim Rhodanum, potamus Orontem; quod cuncti gens una sumus. nec terminus umquam Romanae dicionis erit, nam cetera regna 160 luxuries vitiis odiisque superbia vertit: sic male sublimes fregit Spartanus Athenas atque idem Thebis cecidit; sic Medus ademit Assyrio Medoque tulit moderamina Perses; subiecit Persen Macedo, cessurus et ipse 165 Romanis. haec auguriis firmata Sibyllae, haec sacris animata Numae. huic[16] fulmina vibrat Iuppiter; hanc tota Tritonia Gorgone velat. arcanas huc Vesta faces, huc orgia Bacchus transtulit et Phrygios genetrix turrita leones; 170 huc defensurus morbos Epidaurius hospes reptavit placido tractu, vectumque per undas insula Paeonium texit Tiberina draconem. Hanc tu cum superis, Stilicho praeclare, tueris, protegis hanc clipeo patriam regumque ducumque 175 praecipueque tuam. dedit haec exordia lucis Eucherio puerumque ferens hic regia mater Augusto monstravit avo; laetatus at ille sustulit in Tyria reptantem veste nepotem, Romaque venturi gaudebat praescia fati, 180 quod te iam tanto meruisset pignore civem. Nec tamen ingratum nec, qui benefacta referre [16] Birt keeps the _hinc_ of the better MSS., comparing xxvi. 509 seu caelum seu Roma tonat; _huic_ ς. * * * * * Page 55 affection. To her rule of peace we owe it that the world is our home, that we can live where we please, and that to visit Thule and explore its once dreaded wilds is but a sport; thanks to her all and sundry may drink the waters of the Rhone and quaff Orontes’ stream, thanks to her we are all one people. Nor will there ever be a limit to the empire of Rome, for luxury and its attendant vices, and pride with sequent hate have brought to ruin all kingdoms else. ’Twas thus that Sparta laid low the foolish pride of Athens but to fall herself a victim to Thebes; thus that the Mede deprived the Assyrian of empire and the Persian the Mede. Macedonia subdued Persia and was herself to yield to Rome. But Rome found her strength in the oracles of the Sibyl, her vigour in the hallowed laws of Numa. For her Jove brandishes his thunderbolts; ’tis she to whom Minerva offers the full protection of her shield; to her Vesta brought her sacred flame, Bacchus his rites, and the turret-crowned mother of the gods her Phrygian lions. Hither to keep disease at bay came, gliding with steady motion, the snake whose home was Epidaurus, and Tiber’s isle gave shelter to the Paeonian[17] serpent from beyond the sea.