on the crimes of kings. Marcomeres and Sunno[191] give proof: the one underwent exile in Etruria, the other, proclaiming himself the exile’s avenger, fell beneath the swords of his own soldiers. Both were eager to arouse rebellion, both hated peace--true brothers in character and in a common love of crime.
After the conquest of the north arose a fresh storm in another quarter. The trumpets of war rang out in the south that there might be no part of the world untouched by thy victories. Gildo stirred up all the Moorish tribes living beneath mount Atlas and those whom the excessive heat of the sun cuts off from us in the interior of Africa, those too whom Cinyps’ wandering stream waters, and Triton, neighbour of the garden of the Hesperides; those who dwell beside the waters of Gir, most famous of the rivers of Ethiopia, that overflows his banks as it had been another Nile. There came at his summons the Nubian with his head-dress of short arrows, the fleet Garamantian, the Nasamonian whose impetuous ardour not even the sinister predictions of Ammon could restrain. The plain of Numidia was overrun, their dust covered the Gaetulian Syrtes; the sky of Carthage was darkened with their arrows. Some, mounted, guide their horses with sticks, others are clad in tawny lion-skins and pelts of the nameless animals that range the vast deserts of Meroë. Severed heads of serpents with gaping jaws serve them for helmets, the bright scaly skin of the viper fashions their quivers. Simois trembled not so violently when swart Memnon led his dusky troops o’er Ida’s summit. Not so fearful was Ganges when Porus approached, mounted on his towering elephant and surrounded with his far-shooting Indian soldiery.
[191] Marcomeres and Sunno, brother chiefs of the Ripuarian Franks, had (?in connexion with Maximus’ revolt) invaded Roman territory near Cologne in 388 and been defeated by Arbogast. Stilicho’s successful campaign against them, of which we read here, is to be dated 395 (?March).
Porus Alexandro, Memnon prostratus Achilli, Gildo nempe tibi. Nec solum fervidus Austrum, sed partes etiam Mavors agitabat Eoas. 270 quamvis obstreperet pietas, his ille regendae transtulerat nomen Libyae scelerique profano fallax legitimam regni praetenderat umbram. surgebat geminum varia formidine bellum, hoc armis, hoc triste dolis. hoc Africa saevis 275 cinxerat auxiliis, hoc coniuratus alebat insidiis Oriens. illinc edicta meabant corruptura duces; hinc frugibus atra negatis urgebat trepidamque fames obsederat urbem. exitiale palam Libycum; civile pudoris 280 obtentu tacitum. Tales utrimque procellae cum fremerent lacerumque alternis ictibus anceps imperium pulsaret hiems, nil fessa remisit officii virtus contraque minantia fata pervigil eventusque sibi latura secundos 285 maior in adversis micuit: velut arbiter alni, nubilus Aegaeo quam turbine vexat Orion, exiguo clavi flexu declinat aquarum verbera, nunc recta, nunc obliquante carina callidus, et pelagi caelique obnititur irae. 290 Quid primum, Stilicho, mirer? quod cautus ad omnes restiteris fraudes, ut te nec noxia furto littera nec pretio manus inflammata lateret? quod nihil in tanto circum terrore locutus indignum Latio? responsa quod ardua semper 295 Eois dederis, quae mox effecta probasti--