Not so much earth did Hercules o'erpass, though he prevailed To pierce the brazen-footed hind, and win back peace that failed The Erymanthus' wood, and shook Lerna with draught of bow; Nor Liber turning vine-wreathed reins when he hath will to go Adown from Nysa's lofty head in tiger-yokèd car.-- Forsooth then shall we doubt but deeds shall spread our valour far? Shall fear forsooth forbid us rest in that Ausonian land? "But who is this, the olive-crowned, that beareth in his hand The holy things? I know the hair and hoary beard of eld Of him, the Roman king, who first a law-bound city held, 810 Sent out from little Cures' garth, that unrich land of his, Unto a mighty lordship: yea, and Tullus next is this, Who breaks his country's sleep and stirs the slothful men to fight; And calleth on the weaponed hosts unused to war's delight But next unto him Ancus fares, a boaster overmuch; Yea and e'en now the people's breath too nigh his heart will touch. And wilt thou see the Tarquin kings and Brutus' lofty heart, And fasces brought aback again by his avenging part? He first the lordship consular and dreadful axe shall take; 819 The father who shall doom the sons, that war and change would wake, To pain of death, that he thereby may freedom's fairness save. Unhappy! whatso tale of thee the after-time may have, The love of country shall prevail, and boundless lust of praise. "Drusi and Decii lo afar! On hard Torquatus gaze, He of the axe: Camillus lo, the banner-rescuer! But note those two thou seest shine in arms alike and clear, Now souls of friends, and so to be while night upon them weighs: Woe's me! what war shall they awake if e'er the light of days They find: what host each sets 'gainst each, what death-field shall they dight! The father from the Alpine wall, and from Monoecus' height 830 Comes down; the son against him turns the East's embattlement. O children, in such evil war let not your souls be spent, Nor turn the valour of your might against the heart of home. Thou first, refrain, O thou my blood from high Olympus come; Cast thou the weapons from thine hand! "Lo to the Capitol aloft, for Corinth triumphing, One glorious with Achæan deaths in victor's chariot goes; Mycenæ, Agamemnon's house, and Argos he o'erthrows, Yea and Æacides himself the great Achilles' son; Avenging so the sires of Troy and Pallas' house undone. 840 Great Cato, can I leave thee then untold? pass Cossus o'er? Or house of Gracchus? Yea, or ye, twin thunderbolts of war, Ye Scipios, bane of Libyan land? Fabricius, poor and strong? Or thee, Serranus, casting seed adown the furrows long? Fabii, where drive ye me outworn? Thou Greatest, thou art he, Who bringest back thy country's weal by tarrying manfully.