Meanwhile the ardent desire of both senate and people to behold their emperor demands his often denied return. Not with such consent, our grandsires report, were public vows eagerly offered throughout the city when warlike Trajan had broken the power of Dacia and reduced the indignant north once more to subjection, what time the Scythian river Hypanis beheld the Roman axes and Lake Maeotis looked in amaze on a Roman court administering Roman law. It was a lesser enthusiasm which recalled the gentle Marcus Aurelius to give thanks in Rome’s temples for Fortune’s deliverance of Italy from a similar pressure of surrounding nations. Then ’twas no thanks to the generals: one man his scorched courser bore trembling on its smoking back; another sank down beneath his fire-wasted helmet; spears glowed molten by lightning and swords vanished suddenly into smoke. Heaven it was that fought that battle with no mortal weapons, whether it was that Chaldean seers[35] had by their magic spells won over the gods to our side or, as I rather think, that Marcus’ blameless life had power to win the Thunder’s homage. To-day, also, assuredly Heaven’s favour would not be wanting to Latium should our own hand fail, but a beneficent providence has [35] Claudian refers to the famous legend of the “Thundering” legion, saved from dying of lack of water by a miraculous rain-storm. This miracle occurred during M. Aurelius’ war against the Marcomanni (_circ._ A.D. 175) and is attributed (1) to the prayers of the Christians; (2) to an Egyptian magician on Marcus’ staff (Dio Cassius lxxi. 8. 10); (3) to the emperor’s own prayers. * * * * * Page 100 noluit humano titulos auferre labori, ne tibi iam, princeps, soceri sudore paratam, quam meruit virtus, ambirent fulmina laurum. 355 Iam totiens missi proceres responsa morandi rettulerant, donec differri longius urbis communes non passa preces penetralibus altis prosiluit vultusque palam confessa coruscos impulit ipsa suis cunctantem Roma querellis: 360