Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/313

fitted to unravel the skein of cireumstance—he saw, who knows the hearts of all his subjects, and with well-tried servants guards safely every quarter. Nor is that wonderful: he scans the East and the West, he knows what the South and what the wintry North is doing, and puts sword and gown to the proof, ay, the very heart itself. He placed upon those bowed shoulders a mighty burden, a weight scarce tolerable—no duties more manifold does the Sacred Palace know—to send far and wide into the great world the commands of the Roman Prince, to handle all the powers and modes of empire; to learn what laurelled message comes from the North, what news from wandering Euphrates or from the bank of twy-named Ister or from the standards of the Rhine, how much we have won of the world’s end or of Thule round which the tidal waters roar—for every spear raises joyous leaves on high,^[1] and no lance is marked with the feather of ill-report; moreover, should the Master distribute loyal swords,^[2] to make known who suffices to control a century, a knight sent among the companies of foot, who to command a cohort, whom the more excellent rank of illustrious tribune befits, who is suited rather to give orders to a cavalry troop; again, to anticipate a thousand chances, whether Nile has drenched his fields, whether Libya has been