in thy cradle thou wast raised to the consulship.[152] With the name so recently bestowed upon thee thou dowerest the fasti and the year wherein thou wert born is consecrated to thee. Thy mother herself wrapped thy small form in the consular robe and directed thy first steps to the curule chair. Nourished at a goddess’ breasts, honoured with the embraces of immortal arms thou grewest to maturity. Oft to grace thy boyish form Diana hung upon thy shoulders her Maenalian bow and huntress’ quiver; oft thou didst sport with Minerva’s shield and, crawling unharmed over her glittering aegis, didst caress its friendly serpents with fearless hand. Often even in those early days thy mother beneath thy sire’s happy gaze crowned thy tender locks and, anticipating the answer to her prayers, gave thee the diadem that was to be thine hereafter; then raising thee in her gentle arms she held thee up to receive thy mighty father’s kiss. Nor was that honour long in coming; thou, then Caesar, didst become emperor and wert straightway made equal with thy brother.[153]
Never was the encouragement of the gods more sure, never did heaven attend with more favouring omens. Black tempest had shrouded the light in darkness and the south wind gathered thick rain-clouds, when of a sudden, so soon as the soldiers had borne thee aloft with customary shout, Phoebus scattered the clouds and at the same moment was given to thee the sceptre, to the world light. Bosporus, freed from clouds, permits a sight of Chalcedon on the farther shore; nor is it only the vicinity of Byzantium that is bathed in brightness; the clouds are driven back and all Thrace is cleared; Pangaeus shows afar and lake Maeotis makes quiver the rays he
[152] Honorius, who was born Sept. 9, 384, was made consul for 386.
[153] Arcadius was made Augustus Jan. 16 (? 19), 383: Honorius not till Nov. 20, 393. Both succeeded to the throne Jan. 17, 395.
nec Boreas nimbos aut sol ardentior egit: imperii lux illa fuit; praesagus obibat cuncta nitor risitque tuo natura sereno. visa etiam medio populis mirantibus audax stella die, dubitanda nihil nec crine retuso 185 languida, sed quantus numeratur nocte Bootes, emicuitque plagis alieni temporis hospes ignis et agnosci potuit, cum luna lateret: sive parens Augusta fuit, seu forte reluxit divi sidus avi, seu te properantibus astris 190 cernere sol patiens caelum commune remisit. adparet quid signa ferant. ventura potestas claruit Ascanio, subita cum luce comarum innocuus flagraret apex Phrygioque volutus vertice fatalis redimiret tempora candor. 195 at tua caelestes inlustrant omina flammae. talis ab Idaeis primaevus Iuppiter antris possessi stetit arce poli famulosque recepit natura tradente deos; lanugine nondum vernabant vultus nec adhuc per colla fluebant 200 moturae convexa comae; tum scindere nubes discebat fulmenque rudi torquere lacerto. Laetior augurio genitor natisque superbus iam paribus duplici fultus consorte redibat splendebatque pio complexus pignora curru. 205 haud aliter summo gemini cum patre Lacones, progenies Ledaea, sedent: in utroque relucet frater, utroque soror; simili chlamys effluit auro;