First and third picture. Twelve standing figures in groups of three, each group consisting of a Greek between two Romans.
1. Fabius Maximus, Socrates, Numa Pompilius.
2. Furius Camillus, Pittacus, Trajan.
3. Lucius Sicinius, Leonidas, Horatius Cocles.
4. Scipio, Pericles, Cincinnatus.
Above the first six figures are seated representations of Prudence and Justice, the virtues, illustrated by the philosophers, and on tablets carried by cherubs the following two inscriptions:
QUID GENERI HVMANO PRÆSTAS DEA DIC AGE PRÆSTO
NE FACIAS QVAE MOX FACTA DOLERE QUEAS
SCRUTARI VERVM DOCEO CAUSASQVE LATENTES
ET PER ME POTERIT NIL NISI RITE GERI.
SI TRIBVS HIS CVNCTOS SIMILES PIA NVMINA GIGNANT
NIL TOTO SCELERIS NIL SIT IN ORBE MALI
ME CVLTA AVGENTVR POPVLI BELLOQVE TOGAQVE
ET SINE ME FVERANT QVAE MODO MAGNA RVVNT.
The Rev. H. R. Ware renders these verses in English as follows:
Thy gifts to man, Oh! Goddess, now relate.
"To do, what done, shall bring no bitter fate;
I show where truth lies hid, the causes tell,
Which learned from me thou may'st do all things well."
or, as an alternative, the last line may read
(Whereby the seeker may do all things well.)
"If the good gods make all men like these three,
In the wide world no wickedness would be.
By me the nations grow in war and peace,
Without my worship antient powers decrease."