Ac velut officiis trepidantibus ora puellae spe propiore tori mater sollertior ornat adveniente proco vestesque et cingula comit 525 saepe manu viridique angustat iaspide pectus substringitque comam gemmis et colla monili circuit et bacis onerat candentibus aures: sic oculis placitura tuis insignior auctis collibus et nota maior se Roma videndam 530 obtulit. addebant pulchrum nova moenia vultum audito perfecta recens rumore Getarum, profecitque opifex decori timor, et vice mira, quam pax intulerat, bello discussa senectus erexit subitas turres cunctosque coëgit 535 septem continuo colles iuvenescere muro. ipse favens votis solitoque decentior aër, quamvis adsiduo noctem foedaverat imbre, principis et solis radiis detersa removit nubila; namque ideo pluviis turbaverat omnes 540 ante dies lunamque rudem madefecerat Auster, ut tibi servatum scirent convexa serenum. Omne Palatino quod pons a colle recedit Mulvius et quantum licuit consurgere tectis, * * * * * Page 113 flowing in tortuous course between opposed mountains through dense forests of holm-oak. Then when in greeting to Father Tiber thou hast poured a libation of his waters thou art welcomed by Rome’s arches and all the magnificent buildings which line the roads of that noble city’s suburbs. And as a careful mother at the approach of her daughter’s lover does all that trembling hand can do to enhance the charms that are to win a husband, oft readjusts dress and girdle, confines her breast with bands of green jasper, gathers up her hair with jewels, sets a necklace about her neck, and hangs glistening pearls from her ears, so Rome, in order to be pleasing in thy sight, offers herself to thy admiring gaze more glorious and with hills made higher and herself greater than thou hadst known her. Still fairer than of old she seemed by reason of those new walls that the rumour of the Getae’s approach had just caused to be built; fear was the architect of that beauteous work and, by a strange freak of fortune, war put an end to the decay that peace had brought. For fear it was that caused the sudden upspringing of all those towers and renewed the youth of Rome’s seven hills by enclosing them all within one long wall. Even the weather listened favourably to our prayers and was finer than its wont, although continuous rain had spoiled the preceding night; but the clouds melted away before the glory of the sun and the emperor. All the days before had the south wind troubled with rain and dimmed the moon’s young disc that heaven might know it was for thee that the sunshine waited. One huge crowd filled all the slope between the Palatine hill and the Mulvian bridge and as far up * * * * *