Pagina:Ad Alpes.djvu/148

reverterētur, nisi persuāsisset senātōribus ut captīvōs quōsdam commūtārent.^[1]

“Ille autem, cum Rōmam pervēnisset, senātuī persuāsit nē hanc condiciōnem acciperet; ac tum aequō animō in Āfricam revertit, nē fidem falleret, etsī plānē sciēbat hostēs summā crūdēlitāte supplicium dē sē sūmptūrōs.”

“Haec,” inquit Pūblius, “mē admonent dē quibusdam versibus eximiī poētae Horātī Flaccī:

“‘Virtūs^[2] repulsae^[3] nescia sordidae

Intāminātīs^[4] fulget honōribus,

Nec sūmit aut pōnit^[5] secūrīs^[6]

Arbitriō populāris^[7] aurae.^[8]

Virtūs reclūdēns^[9] immeritīs^[10] morī

Caelum, negātā^[11] temptat iter viā,

Coetūsque^[12] vulgārīs^[13] et ūdam^[14]

Spernit humum fugiente pennā.’”^[15]

Ac pater: “Et aliō locō poēta īdem verba dīcit, quae Rēgulō dignissima sint:

“‘Sī frāctus inlābātur^[16] orbis,^[17]

Impavidum ferient^[18] ruīnae.’”

Sed iam Sextus, quī haud attentē haec audierat: “Magnam

1. commūtō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus, tr., exchange.
2. Virtūs, true worth; described, in the remainder of the stanza, in terms applicable to a statesman.
3. repulsa, -ae, f., defeat; obj. gen. in text.
4. intāminātus, -a, -um, adj., undimmed.
5. pōnit, lays aside.
6. secūris, -is, f., ax; symbol of the power of higher officials.
7. populāris, -e, adj.; popular.
8. aurae, favor.
9. reclūdō, -clūdere, -clūsī, -clūsus, tr., open, unlock.
10. immeritus, -a, -um, adj., not deserving. The dat. in the text replaces a rel. clause, and governs foll. infin.
11. negātā, (usually) closed.
12. coetus, -ūs, m., throng.
13. vulgāris, -e, adj., common.
14. ūdus, -a, -um, adj., dank.
15. penna, -ae, f., pinion.
16. inlābor, -lābī, -lāpsus sum, intr., fall in.
17. orbis, firmament.
18. ferient: sc. eum.