§4.2.1Iam fera Caesaribus Germania, totus ut orbis, §4.2.2victa potest flexo succubuisse genu, §4.2.3altaque velentur fortasse Palatia sertis, §4.2.4turaque in igne sonent inficiantque diem, §4.2.5candidaque adducta collum percussa securi §4.2.6victima purpureo sanguine pulset humum, §4.2.7donaque amicorum templis promissa deorum §4.2.8reddere victores Caesar uterque parent, §4.2.9et qui Caesareo iuvenes sub nomine crescunt, §4.2.10perpetuo terras ut domus illa regat, §4.2.11cumque bonis nuribus pro sospite Livia nato §4.2.12munera det meritis, saepe datura, deis, §4.2.13et pariter matres et quae sine crimine castos §4.2.14perpetua servant virginitate focos; §4.2.15plebs pia cumque pia laetetur plebe senatus, §4.2.16parvaque cuius eram pars ego nuper eques. §4.2.17nos procul expulsos communia gaudia fallunt, §4.2.18famaque tam longe non nisi parva venit, §4.2.19ergo omnis populus poterit spectare triumphos, §4.2.20cumque ducum titulis oppida capta leget, §4.2.21vinclaque captiva reges cervice gerentes §4.2.22ante coronatos ire videbit equos, §4.2.23et cernet vultus aliis pro tempore versos, §4.2.24terribiles aliis inmemoresque sui, §4.2.25quorum pars causas et res et nomina quaeret, §4.2.26pars referet, quamvis noverit illa parum. §4.2.27‘hic, qui Sidonio fulget sublimis in ostro, §4.2.28dux fuerat belli, proximus ille duci. §4.2.29hic, qui nunc in humo lumen miserabile fixit, §4.2.30non isto vultu, cum tulit arma, fuit. §4.2.31ille ferox et adhuc oculis hostilibus ardens §4.2.32hortator pugnae consiliumque fuit. §4.2.33perfidus hic nostros inclusit fraude locorum, §4.2.34squalida promissis qui tegit ora comis. §4.2.35illo, qui sequitur, dicunt mactata ministro §4.2.36saepe recusanti corpora capta deo. §4.2.37hic lacus, hi montes, haec tot castella, tot amnes §4.2.38plena ferae caedis, plena cruoris erant. §4.2.39Drusus in his meruit quondam cognomina terris, §4.2.40quae bona progenies, digna parente, fuit. §4.2.41cornibus hic fractis viridi male tectus ab ulva §4.2.42decolor ipse suo sanguine Rhenus erat. §4.2.43crinibus en etiam fertur Germania passis, §4.2.44et ducis invicti sub pede maesta sedet, §4.2.45collaque Romanae praebens animosa securi §4.2.46vincula fert illa, qua tulit arma, manu. ’ §4.2.47hos super in curru, Caesar, victore veheris §4.2.48purpureus populi rite per ora tui, §4.2.49quaque ibis, manibus circumplaudere tuorum, §4.2.50undique iactato flore tegente vias. §4.2.51tempora Phoebea lauro cingetur
io
que §4.2.52miles
io
magna voce
triumphe
canet, §4.2.53ipse sono plausuque simul fremituque canente §4.2.54quadriiugos cernes saepe resistere equos. §4.2.55inde pet es arcem et delubra faventia votis, §4.2.56et dabitur merito laurea vota Iovi. §4.2.57haec ego summotus qua possum mente videbo: §4.2.58erepti nobis ius habet illa loci: §4.2.59illa per inmensas spatiatur libera terras, §4.2.60in caelum celeri pervenit illa via, §4.2.61illa meos oculos mediam deducit in urbem, §4.2.62immunes tanti nec sinit esse boni; §4.2.63invenitque animus, qua currus spectet eburnos; §4.2.64sic certe in patria per breve tempus ero, §4.2.65vera tamen capiet populus spectacula felix, §4.2.66laetaque erit praesens cum duce turba suo. §4.2.67at mihi fingendo tantum longeque remotis §4.2.68auribus hic fructus percipiendus erit, §4.2.69atque procul Latio diversum missus in orbem §4.2.70qui narret cupido, vix erit, ista mihi. §4.2.71is quoque iam serum referet veteremque triumphum: §4.2.72quo tamen audiero tempore, laetus ero. §4.2.73illa dies veniet, mea qua lugubria ponam, §4.2.74causaque privata publica maior erit.
Now wild Germany, like the whole world, conquered, can submit with bended knee to the Caesars, and the high Palatium is perhaps veiled with garlands, and incense crackles in the fire and scents the day, and the white victim, its neck struck by the drawn axe, beats the ground with purple blood, and both Caesars, as victors, prepare to return the promised gifts to the temples of the friendly gods, and the youths who grow up under the name of Caesar, so that that house may rule the lands forever, and Livia, together with her good daughters-in-law, for her safe son, gives gifts to the deserving gods, destined to give them often, and likewise the mothers, and those who without blame protect the chaste hearths with perpetual virginity; the pious plebs and the senate together with the pious plebs rejoice, and the equestrian order, of which I was recently a small part. Us, expelled far away, the common joys escape, and so far off none but a small rumor comes. Therefore all the people will be able to watch the triumphs, and will read the captured towns with the titles of the leaders, and will see the kings bearing chains on their captive necks walk before the crowned horses, and will perceive faces turned according to the occasion, terrible to some, and unmindful of themselves to others, of whom one part will ask the causes, the facts, and the names, another part will relate them, though they know them but little: 'This one, who shines high up in Sidonian purple, was the leader of the war; that one next to him was second to the leader. This one, who now has fixed his miserable gaze on the ground, was not of that countenance when he bore arms. That fierce one, still burning with hostile eyes, was the encourager of the fight and its counsel. This treacherous one enclosed our men by the fraud of the terrain, who covers his squalid face with promised hair. By that one who follows, they say, under his ministry, captured bodies were often sacrificed to a god who rejected them. This lake, these mountains, these many fortresses, these many rivers were full of wild slaughter, full of blood. Drusus once earned his cognomen in these lands, who was a good offspring, worthy of his parent. Here, with broken horns, poorly covered by green sedge, the Rhine itself was discolored by its own blood. Behold, Germany also is carried with disheveled hair, and sits mournful under the foot of the unconquered leader, and offering her spirited neck to the Roman axe, she bears chains with that hand with which she bore arms.' Above these, Caesar, you will be carried in your victorious chariot, clad in purple, rightfully before the eyes of your people, and wherever you go, you will be applauded around by the hands of your own, with thrown flowers covering the streets from all sides. Your temples will be girded with Phoebus's laurel, and "io," the soldier with a loud voice will sing "io triumphe!" You yourself, by the sound, the applause, and the singing clamor together, will often see the four-horse chariots stand still. Then you will seek the citadel and the shrines favoring vows, and the vowed laurel will be given to deserving Jupiter. These things I, removed, will see with my mind as far as I can: it has the right of entering the place snatched from me: it wanders free through the immense lands, it arrives in heaven by a swift path, it leads my eyes into the middle of the city, nor does it permit me to be exempt from so great a good; and the mind finds where it may watch the ivory chariots; thus surely I shall be in my fatherland for a brief time. Yet the fortunate people will receive the true spectacles, and the crowd present with its leader will be joyful. But for me, only by imagining and with far-removed ears must this fruit be perceived, and sent far from Latium into an opposite world, there will scarcely be anyone to relate those things to me who desire them. He also will report a triumph already late and old: yet at whatever time I hear of it, I shall be glad. That day will come on which I shall lay aside my mourning, and the public cause will be greater than my private one.