uperior to his
own, and rejoices that he is surpassed by him. Although {Augustus}
forbids his own actions to be lauded before those of his father, still
Fame, in her freedom and subject to no commands, prefers him against his
will; and, in {this} one point, she disobeys him. Thus does Atreus yield
to the glories of the great Agamemnon; thus does Theseus excel AEgeus,
{and} thus Achilles Peleus. In fine, that I may use examples that equal
themselves, thus too, is Saturn inferior to Jove. Jupiter rules the
abodes of heaven and the realms of the threefold world:[92] the earth is
under Augustus: each of them is a father and a ruler. Ye Gods, the
companions of AEneas,[93] for whom both the sword and the flames made a
way; and you, ye native Deities, and thou, Quirinus, the father of the
City, and thou, Gradivus, the son of the invincible Quirinus, and thou,
Vesta, held sacred among the Penates of Caesar; and, with the Vesta of
Caesar, thou, Phoebus, enshrined in thy abode, and thou, Jupiter, who
aloft dost possess the Tarpeian heights, and whatever other {Deities} it
is lawful and righteous for a Poet to invoke; late, I pray, may be that
day, and protracted beyond my life, on which the person of Augustus,
leaving that world which he rules, shall approach the heavens: and
{when} gone, may he propitiously listen to those who invoke him.

And now I have completed a work, which neither the anger of Jove, nor
fire, nor steel, nor consuming time will be able to destroy! Let that
day, which has no power but over this body {of mine}, put an end to the
term of my uncertain life, when it will. Yet, in my better part, I shall
be raised immortal above the lofty stars, and indelible shall be my
name. And wherever the Roman power is extended throughout the vanquished
earth, I shall be read by the lips of nations, and (if the presages of
Poets have aught of truth) throughout all ages shall I survive in fame.

[Footnote 83: _Numidians._--Ver. 754. The Numidians under Syphax,
together with Juba, King of Mauritania, aided Cato, Scipio, and
Petreius, who had been partizans of Pompey, against Julius Caesar,
and were conquered by him.]

[Footnote 84: _Pontus._--Ver. 756. Caesar conquered Pharnaces, the
son of Mithridates, king of Pontus, in one battle. It was on this
occasion, according to Suetonius, that his despatch was in the
words, 'Veni, Vidi, Vici,' 'I came, I saw, I conquered.']

[Footnote 85: _Son