tuta quod imbellem miratur Gallia Rhenum, 20 aut gelidam Thracen decertatosque labores Hebro teste canam? magnum mihi panditur aequor, ipsaque Pierios lassant proclivia currus laudibus innumeris. Etenim mortalibus ex quo tellus coepta coli, numquam sincera bonorum 25 sors ulli concessa viro. quem vultus honestat, dedecorant mores; animus quem pulchrior ornat, corpus destituit. bellis insignior ille, sed pacem foedat vitiis. hic publica felix, sed privata minus, partitum; singula quemque 30 nobilitant: hunc forma decens, hunc robur in armis, hunc rigor, hunc pietas, illum sollertia iuris, hunc suboles castique tori. sparguntur in omnes, in te mixta fluunt; et quae divisa beatos efficiunt, collecta tenes. 35 Ne facta revolvam militiamque patris, cuius producere famam, si nihil egisset clarum nec fida Valenti dextera duxisset rutilantes crinibus alas, sufficeret natus Stilicho: mens ardua semper a puero, tenerisque etiam fulgebat in annis 40 fortunae maioris honos. erectus et acer nil breve moliri, nullis haerere potentum liminibus fatisque loqui iam digna futuris. iam tum conspicuus, iam tum venerabilis ibas spondebatque ducem celsi nitor igneus oris 45
the Moor as her neighbour, how Gaul has now nought to fear from a disarmed Germany? Or shall I sing of wintry Thrace and those fierce struggles whereof Hebrus was witness? Limitless is the expanse that opens before me and even on the slopes of Helicon this weight of praise retards my muse’s chariot.
For truly since man inhabited this globe never has one mortal been granted all earth’s blessings without alloy. This man’s face is fair but his character is evil; another has a beauteous soul but an ugly body. One is renowned in war but makes peace hideous with his vices. This man is happy in his public but unhappy in his private life. Each takes a part; each owes his fame to some one gift, to bodily beauty, to martial prowess, to strength, to uprightness of life, to knowledge of law, to his offspring and a virtuous wife. To all men else blessings come scattered, to thee they flow commingled, and gifts that separately make happy are all together thine.
I will not unfold the tale of thy sire’s[184] warlike deeds. Had he done nothing of note, had he in loyalty to Valens never led to battle those yellow-haired companies, yet to be the father of Stilicho would have spread abroad his fame. Ever from thy cradle did thy soul aspire, and in the tender years of childhood shone forth the signs of loftier estate. Lofty in spirit and eager, nothing paltry didst thou essay; never didst thou haunt any rich man’s doorstep; thy speech was such as to befit thy future dignities. A mark wert thou even then for all eyes, even then an object of reverence; the fiery brightness of thy noble countenance, the very mould