Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/361

the glens of Boeotia, and claimed myself thy offspring, was given entrance by the goddesses; for it was not only sky and sea and land that thou didst give me, the due and wonted gift of parents, but this glory of the lyre, such as it is, and thou first taughtest me no common utterance, and to hope for fame even in the tomb. What was thy pride, so oft as I charmed the Latian fathers with my song, while thou wert present, a happy witness of thy own bounty! What confusion of delight and tears was thine, of hope and loving fear and modest joy! That was indeed thy day, the glory as much thine as mine! Such is the father that beholds his son upon Olympian sand, he strikes each blow himself more mightily, deeper in his heart’s depth does he receive the stroke; ’tis he whom the crowded tiers are watching, he on whom the Achaeans gaze, while his eyes grow dim with the whirling dust, and he prays to die so but the prize be grasped. Alas! that in thy sight I bore only native chaplets on my brow,^[1] and only Ceres’ gift of the Chalcidic wreath.^[2] How proud hadst thou been, scarce had thy Dardan estate of Alba held thee, if through me thou hadst won a garland given by Caesar’s hand! What strength had that day ministered to thee, what relief to thy old age! For in that the oak and olive together did not press my brow, and the hoped-for prize eluded me—ah! how gladly hadst thou received the Tarpeian Father’s unattainable reward!^[3] Under thy guidance my Thebaid followed the footsteps of ancient bards; thou didst teach me to give vigour