Good Faith too, Love’s sister, has made her shrine in thy heart and joins herself to all thine actions. She has taught thee to practise no hypocrisy, never to speak falsehood, never to postpone the fulfilment of thy promises; to hate openly those thou hatest, and not to hide the poison of resentment in thy heart nor let a false smile mask treachery but to make thy countenance the sure mirror of thy mind. She gainsayeth secret vengeance but encourageth secret benefits. She strengthens friendships also, that grow more firm by lapse of time and binds them with chains of lasting adamant; not hers is the fickle change of mood, nor does she permit close ties to be broken by the rumour of some petty injury, nor is she lured to scorn the old friend when a new one comes. Mindful of past benefits, quick to forget wrongs, she remembers services alike small or great and strives to outdo * * * * * Page 6 utque hostes armis, meritis sic vincit amicos. 45 haec fovet absentes, haec longe sola remotis consulit, haec nullis avidam rumoribus aurem pandit, ut ignarum numquam laesura clientem insidiosa tuos alienent murmura sensus. Nec vivis adnexus amor meminisse sepultos 50 desinit; in prolem transcurrit gratia patrum. hac tu Theodosium, tenuit dum sceptra, colebas, hac etiam post fata colis; nec pignora curas plus tua quam natos, dederat quos ille monendos tutandosque tibi. iustos nimiumque fideles 55 fama putat, qui, cum possint commissa negare, maluerint nullo violati reddere quaestu: at Stilicho non divitias aurique relictum pondus, sed geminos axes tantumque reservat depositum teneris, quantum sol igneus ambit. 60 quid non intrepidus credas, cui regia tuto creditur? Hoc clipeo munitus Honorius altum non gemuit patrem vitaeque et lucis in ipso limine, contemptus numquam, dat iura subactis gentibus et secum sentit crevisse triumphos. 65 quem tu sic placida formas, sic mente severa, ut neque desidiae tradas, dum pronus ad omne quod libet obsequeris, nec contra nixus ovantem confringas animum: secreto consona regno ceu iuvenem doceas, moles quid publica poscat: 70 ceu sanctum venerere senem patriisque gubernes imperium monitis; dominum summissus adores; obsequiis moderere ducem, pietate parentem. * * * * * Page 7 them, overcoming friends with devotion as an enemy with arms. She safeguards the absent and is the sole protector of those far away; she opens not a greedy ear to rumours, so that never does the stealthy whisper that would injure some unsuspecting client estrange thy sympathies.