[117] Hosius, by birth a Spaniard, had been a slave and a cook—whence these various double meanings. He rose to be magister officiorum at the court of Arcadius (circa 396-8).
nec tantis unum subsistere posse periclis;
ignoscant senio, iuvenes ad proelia mittant:—
qualis pauperibus nutrix invisa puellis 370
adsidet et tela communem quaerere victum
rauca monet; festis illae lusisse diebus
orant et positis aequaevas visere pensis,
irataeque operi iam lasso pollice fila
turbant et teneros detergent stamine fletus. 375