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IV. DRUSI LAUDES.

QUALEM ministrum fulminis alitem (Cui rex deorum regnum in aves vagas Permisit, expertus fidelem

Juppiter in Ganymede flavo)

Olim juventas et patrius vigor
Nido laborum propulit inscium,
Vernique, jam nimbis remotis,

Insolitos docuere nisus
Venti paventem: mox in ovilia
Demisit hostem vividus impetus:
Nunc in reluctantes dracones

Egit amor dapis atque pugnae :
Qualemve laetis caprea pascuis
Intenta, fulvae matris ab ubere
Jam lacte depulsum leonem,
Dente novo peritura vidit:

S

So did the Rhaeti and Vindelici

See Drusus 'neath their Alpine boundaries
Carrying on war. I shrink from asking why
That people's custom through all time has been
The Amazonian axe to brandish high

In the right hand: all things to know were sin.
But when their bands, far and wide conquering,
Conquered by a youth's strategy were seen,

They learnt what mind, what heart beneath the wing
Of fortunate home-nurture may be reared:

What fruit, the youthful Neros tutoring,
Augustus's paternal soul prepared.

Brave men are gendered by the good and brave:
Ever in steers, in horses, has appeared

The courage of the sire: fierce eagles have

Never as progeny unwarlike doves.

Yet do all natures strengthening culture crave,
And learning native energy improves:
Wherever morals do not find a home

Polluting vice the germs of good removes.
What to the Neros is thy debt, oh Rome,

Witness is Metro's stream, and Asdrubal
Vanquished, and that bright day that through the gloom
First smiled on Latium at victory's call;

When, as the flame through pine-forest, or through
Sicilian waves east wind, through Italy's
Pale cities, Africa's dire horseman flew.
With aye successful exploits after this
The Roman youth advanced: temples anew,
Restored from impious Punic ravages,

Videre Raetis bella sub Alpibus
Drusum gerentem Vindelici; quibus
Mos unde deductus per omne

Tempus Amazonia securi
Dextras obarmet, quaerere distuli;
Nec scire fas est omnia. Sed diu
Lateque victrices catervae

Consiliis juvenis revictae,

Sensere, quid mens rite, quid indoles
Nutrita faustis sub penetralibus
Posset, quid Augusti paternus

In pueros animus Nerones.
Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis;
Est in juvencis, est in equis patrum
Virtus: neque imbellem feroces

Progenerant aquilae columbam. Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam, Rectique cultus pectora roborant: Utcunque defecere mores,

Indecorant bene nata culpae.

Quid debeas, o Roma, Neronibus, Testis Metaurum flumen, et Hasdrubal Devictus, et pulcher fugatis

Ille dies Latio tenebris,

Qui primus alma risit adorea,

Dirus per urbes Afer ut Italas,

Ceu flamma per taedas, vel Eurus

Per Siculas equitavit undas. Post hoc secundis usque laboribus Romana pubes crevit, et impio

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Their rightful gods received. Outspake at last
Perfidious Hannibal: As deer do we,

Meet food for ravening wolves, pursue in haste,
When to escape were utmost victory.

This hardy race, from Troy, by fire laid waste,
After long tossing on the Tuscan main,
Their gods, their sons, their aged fathers led
Hither, to cities of Ausonia's plain:

As doth an oak by ruthless hatchet shred,
On Algid's thickly leaved black forest, gain
E'en from its loss and lopping, and is fed
With strength and spirit by that selfsame steel.
The severed Hydra did not firmlier grow
'Gainst Ercles, grieving o'er his baffled skill:
No greater prodigy did Colchos show,
Neither did Thebes in Echion reveal.

Merged in the deep, they rise with livelier glow:
Encountered, they strike down their conqueror
With plentiful renown, and battles fight
For wives to talk of. Ne'er, as heretofore,

Shall I my boastful envoys expedite

To Carthage. Now, with Asdrubal no more,

Our name's whole hope and fortune take to flight.
Naught is there that the Claudian family
May not achieve. Them Jupiter defends
With grace benign. Prudent sagacity
In war's keen peril upon them attends.'

Vastata Poenorum tumultu

Fana deos habuere rectos.

Dixitque tandem perfidus Hannibal;
Cervi, luporum praeda rapacium,
Sectamur ultro quos opimus.

Fallere et effugere est triumphus.
Gens, quae cremato fortis ab Ilio
Jactata Tuscis aequoribus sacra
Natosque maturosque patres
Pertulit Ausonias ad urbes;
Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus
Nigrae feraci frondis in Algido,
Per damna, per caedes, ab ipso
Ducit opes animumque ferro.
Non Hydra secto corpore firmior
Vinci dolentem crevit in Herculem;
Monstrumve submisere Colchi
Majus, Echioniaeve Thebae.

Merses profundo, pulchrior evenit:
Luctere, multa proruet integrum
Cum laude victorem, geretque

Proelia conjugibus loquenda.
Karthagini jam non ego nuntios
Mittam superbos: occidit, occidit
Spes omnis, et fortuna nostri

Nominis, Hasdrubale interempto. Nil Claudiae non perficient manus : Quas et benigno numine Juppiter Defendit, et curae sagaces

Expediunt per acuta belli.

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