Hinc tibi concreta radice tenacius haesit et penitus totis inolevit Roma medullis, dilectaeque urbis tenero conceptus ab ungue tecum crevit amor. nec te mutare reversum 80 evaluit propria nutritor Bosphorus arce. et quotiens optare tibi quae moenia malles adludens genitor regni pro parte dedisset, divitis Aurorae solium sortemque paratam sponte remittebas fratri: “regat ille volentes 85 Assyrios; habeat Pharium cum Tigride Nilum; contingat mea Roma mihi.” nec vota fefellit eventus. Fortuna novum molita tyrannum iam tibi quaerebat Latium belloque secundo protinus Eoa velox accitus ab aula 90 suscipis Hesperiam patrio bis Marte receptam. ipsa per Illyricas urbes Oriente relicto ire Serena comes nullo deterrita casu, materna te mente fovens Latioque futurum rectorem generumque sibi seniore supernas 95 iam repetente plagas. illo sub cardine rerum sedula servatum per tot discrimina pignus restituit sceptris patrui castrisque mariti. certavit pietate domus, fidaeque reductum coniugis officio Stilichonis cura recepit. 100 Felix ille parens, qui te secures Olympum succedente petit! quam laetus ab aethere cernit se factis crevisse tuis! duo namque fuere * * * * * Page 81 Hence taking firmer root the love of Rome clung to thee more closely and grew strong, deep-planted in all thy heart. As thou grewest the affection which thou hadst found in childhood for the city grew too; nor was Bosporus, whose cherished town was thy nurse, able on thy return to seduce thee from that love. Every time that thy sire in sport gave thee thy choice of whatsoever cities thou didst prefer to govern as thy share of empire, thou didst leave to thy brother Arcadius the throne and riches of the East and the lands which by inheritance should be his. “Let him rule over the servile Assyrians,” thou saidst, “let Nile, the river of Egypt, and the Tigris be his; let me have my beloved Rome.” Thy wishes have been fulfilled. Fortune set up a new tyrant only to ensure for thee the governance of Latium. So soon as ever the war was brought to a successful conclusion thou wert summoned from the court of Byzantium to undertake the rule of Italy twice conquered by thy father’s arms. Serena herself left the East and accompanied thee in thy journey across Illyria: fearless in face of danger she bestowed a mother’s care on thee who wert to be lord of Latium and her own son-in-law after Theodosius’ translation to the sky. She kept careful guard over the child entrusted to her protection through the dangers of that critical time and brought thee safe to her uncle’s throne and her husband’s army. Stilicho and Serena vied in love toward thee and what