Silvae IV.1 (Mozley): The Seventeenth Consulship of the Emperor Augustus Germanicus

With happy augury the Imperial consulship adds yet another to its twice eight terms, and Germanicus opens a year of glory; he rises with the rising sun and the mighty constellations, himself more brilliant than they and outshining the early Morning Star. Exult, ye laws of Latium, rejoice, ye curule chairs, and let Rome more proudly strike the sky with her sevenfold summit, and Evander’s hill make louder boast than other heights! Once more the rods and axes have entered the Palace, the twelvefold honour rejoices to rest idle no more, and the Senate that its prayers are heard and Caesar’s modesty is overcome. Janus himself, great renewer of eternal Time, near whom thou hast set Peace to fetter him, and bidden him bring all warfare to an end, and swear allegiance to the laws of thy new Forum, Janus lifts up his head and from either threshold utters his gratitude. Lo! on this side and on that he raises suppliant hands, and speaks thus with twofold voice: “Hail, great Father of the world, who with me preparest to begin the ages anew, thus would thy Rome ever see thee in my month; thus should eras be born, thus should the year be opened. Give joys perpetual to our annals; let those shoulders many a time be draped in purple folds, and in the bordered robe that thy own Minerva’s hands make haste to weave for thee. Seest thou how the temples gleam more radiant, how the fire leaps higher on the altars, and even my mid-winter sky grows warmer? how tribes and knights and purple-clad Senators rejoice in thy virtues, and every rank shines in the lustre of its consul? What glory so great, I ask, had the year just gone? Come, speak, imperial Rome, recount, Antiquity, with me the long annals, take no note of petty names, but such only as my Caesar would deign to surpass. Thrice and ten times in the lapse of years did Augustus wield the fasces over Latium, but only late by right of merit: thou as a youth didst outstrip thy grandsires. And how many a time hast thou refused, how many a time forbidden to offer! Yet wilt thou be persuaded, and oft vouchsafe this day to the Senate’s prayers. A longer line awaits thee yet, and as oft again, ay, thrice and four times as often will fortunate Rome grant thee the curule chair. With me shalt thou found a second age, and the altar of thy long-lived sire shall be restored; a thousand trophies shalt thou win, wilt thou but permit the triumphs. Bactra and Babylon are still to be curbed with new tribute, not yet have Indian laurels been laid in the lap of Jove; not yet do the Arabs and Seres make petition, not yet hath the year its full tale of honour: ten months still yearn for thee to name them.”

So Janus ended, and gladly withdrew into his closed portals. Then all the gods flung wide their temples, and gave signs in the glad vault of heaven, and Jupiter vouchsafed thee, O mighty leader, a perpetual youth and his own years.