castrorumque eadem comes indefessa tuorum 600 nunc tandem fruitur votis atque omne futurum te Romae seseque tibi promittit in aevum. Hinc te iam patriis laribus via nomine vero sacra refert. flagrat studiis concordia vulgi, quam non inlecebris dispersi colligis auri; 605 nec tibi venales captant aeraria plausus corruptura fidem: meritis offertur inemptus pura mente favor. nam munere carior omni obstringit sua quemque salus. procul ambitus erret! non quaerit pretium, vitam qui debet amori. 610 O quantum populo secreti numinis addit imperii praesens genius! quantamque rependit maiestas alterna vicem, cum regia circi conexum gradibus veneratur purpura vulgus, adsensuque cavae sublatus in aethera vallis 615 plebis adoratae reboat fragor, unaque totis intonat Augustum septenis arcibus Echo! nec solis hic cursus equis: adsueta quadrigis cingunt arva trabes, subitaeque adspectus harenae diffundit Libycos aliena valle cruores. 620 haec et belligeros exercuit area lusus, armatos haec saepe choros, certaque vagandi textas lege fugas inconfusosque recursus et pulchras errorum artes iucundaque Martis cernimus. insonuit cum verbere signa magister, 625 * * * * * Page 119 attendant on thine armies, now at last has had her wish granted and is able to promise that for all time to come thou shalt be Rome’s guardian and she thine. Hence the Sacred Way (now truly named) brings thee back to thy home. Eagerly breaks out the world’s one-hearted welcome, that thou dost not woo with lure of scattered gold; nor for thee does the treasury, seeking to corrupt good faith, court venal applause; to worth unpurchased love is offered by a pure heart. For life that is dearer than any gift makes all thy debtors. Away with wooing of applause! He can ask no payment who owes his life to love.