any wickedness, and
by rewards to bring it to effect; but the innocent are not only deprived
of all security, but also of any manner of defence. Wherefore I may well
exclaim:

[89] Homer, _Il._ i. 363.

[90] Cf. _Tr._ v. (_supra_, p. 76), _quasi non deterior fiat
inscientiae causa dum tegitur._

[91] Plato, _Rep._ v. 473.

[92] Presumptuous=founded on presumption.

[93] Cp. Plato, _Rep._ vi. 485; the [Greek: philosophos] cannot be
[Greek: philopseudaes.]

[94] _Vide supra_, p. 69. This seems to be the only record of Canius's
retort to Caligula.

[95] i.e. Epicurus, cp. Lact. _De Ira Dei_ xiii.

[96] Cf. [Greek: ho bios apas suntetaktai pros to akolouthein toi
Theoi], Iambl. _De Vita Pyth._ xviii., and Seneca, _De Vita Beata_ xv.

V.

O stelliferi conditor orbis
Qui perpetuo nixus solio
Rapido caelum turbine uersas
Legemque pati sidera cogis,
Vt nunc pleno lucida cornu 5
Totis fratris obuia flammis
Condat stellas luna minores,
Nunc obscuro pallida cornu
Phoebo propior lumina perdat,
Et qui primae tempore noctis 10
Agit algentes Hesperos ortus,
Solitas iterum mutet habenas
Phoebi pallens Lucifer ortu.
Tu frondifluae frigore brumae
Stringis lucem breuiore mora: 15
Tu, cum feruida uenerit aestas,
Agiles nocti diuidis horas.
Tua uis uarium temperat annum
Vt quas Boreae spiritus aufert
Reuehat mites Zephyrus frondes 20
Quaeque Arcturus semina uidit
Sirius altas urat segetes.
Nihil antiqua lege solutum
Linquit propriae stationis opus.
Omnia certo fine gubernans 25
Hominum solos respuis actus
Merito rector cohibere modo.
Nam cur tantas lubrica uersat
Fortuna uices? Premit insontes
Debita sceleri noxia poena, 30
At peruersi resident celso
Mores solio sanctaque calcant
Iniusta uice colla nocentes.
Latet obscuris condita uirtus
Clara tenebris iustusque tulit 35
Crimen iniqui.
Nil periuria, nil nocet ipsis
Fraus mendaci compta colore.
Sed cum libuit uiribus uti,
Quos innumeri metuunt populi 40
Summos gaudent subdere reges.
O iam miseras respice terras
Quisquis rerum foedera nectis.
Operis tanti pars non uilis
Homin