CLAUDIAN, _de Consulatu Stilichonis_, iii. 150-173.
[Linenotes: 153. +nexuque ... revinxit+ = _and has linked far places in a bond of love_. --Jebb. 156. +Thulen:+ cf. Vergil’s _ultima Thule_, of the northernmost island known, variously identified with the Shetlands, Iceland, or Norway. 158. +Orontem+: the largest river of Syria, whence Juvenal, iii. 62, uses it of the Syrian people-- _Iam pridem Syrus in Tiberim defluxit Orontes._ 159. +Quod cuncti ... sumus+ = _that the whole earth is one people_. 164. +moderamina+ = _the reins of power_; lit. _a means of managing_. 168. +hanc tota ... velat+ = _she it is above whom Pallas spreads the whole shadow of the aegis_ (+tota Gorgone+). Cf. Verg. _Aen._ viii. 435-8: _Aegidaque horriferam, turbatae Palladis arma, Certatim squamis serpentum auroque polibant, Connexosque angues ipsamque in pectore divae Gorgona, desecto vertentem lumina collo._ 170. +genetrix turrita+, i.e. Cybele, the goddess of settled life. 171. +Epidaurius hospes+, i.e. Asclepius (Aesculapius), who had a famous temple at Epidaurus (in Argolis), whence his worship was introduced into Rome to avert a pestilence 293 B.C. 172. +reptavit placido tractu+ = _came gently gliding on his voyage_. --Jebb. --For +reptavit+ cf. _repo_, ἕρπω, and our _creep_. 173. +Paeonium draconem+ = _the serpent of the healer_. Cf. Παιών.]
‘QUOD CUNCTI GENS UNA SUMUS.’ --CLAUDIAN.
Vis dicam, quae causa tuos, Romane, labores In tantum extulerit, quis gloria fotibus aucta Sic cluat, impositis ut mundum frenet habenis? 585 Discordes linguis populos et dissona cultu Regna volens sociare Dens, subiungier uni Imperio, quidquid tractabile moribus esset, Concordique iugo retinacula mollia ferre Constituit, quo corda hominum coniuncta teneret 590 Relligionis amor: nec enim fit copula Christo Digna, nisi implicitas societ mens unica gentes. 592 Ius fecit commune pares et nomine eodem 608 Nexuit et domitos fraterna in vincla redegit. Vivitur omnigenis in partibus, haud secus ac si Cives congenitos concludat moenibus unis Urbs patria atque omnes lare conciliemur avito. 612 En ades omnipotens, concordibus influe terris: 634 Iam mundus te, Christe, capit, quem congrege nexu Pax et Roma tenent: capita haec et culmina rerum Esse iubes, nec Roma tibi sine pace probatur: Et pax ut placeat, facit excellentia Romae, Quae motus varios simul et dicione coercet Et terrore premit. 640