“Seest thou this foul deed? Why veil thy face with thine hair? See what crimes a short spell of peace has wrought! what a curse has the sheathèd sword proved! The year that has known no war has had a eunuch for its consul. The consulship would have been at an end had a like spirit animated Italy; this age-long office had fallen amid mockery and no traces been left of its trampled rights, had not Stilicho, heedful of the empire and of the character and morals of a past age, banished from Tiber’s city
intactamque novo servasset crimine Romam.
ille dedit portum, quo se pulsata referret
maiestas Latii deformataeque secures; 130
ille dedit fastos, ad quos Oriente relicto
confugeret sparsum maculis servilibus aevum.
“Quam similes haec aula viros! ad moenia visus
dirige: num saltem tacita formidine mussant?
num damnant animo? plaudentem cerne senatum 135