To them Jupiter himself promises empire without limit either in time or place:—
His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono,
Imperium sine fine dedi[495].
In the same passage he sums up their greatness in the arts of war and peace in the line
Romanos rerum dominos gentemque togatam[496].
The earliest oracle given to Aeneas in the course of his wanderings contains the promise of universal dominion:—
Hic domus Aeneae cunctis dominabitur oris,
Et nati natorum et qui nascentur ab illis[497].
The sacred images of the gods who are partners of his enterprise make a similar announcement to him:—
Nos tumidum sub te permensi classibus aequor,