earn from you by
what moderation one may acquire your pleasing gravity, your severity
tempered with mercy, your unruffled resolution and the kindly energy
of your character? Africa has within my knowledge had no proconsul
whom she reverenced more or feared less. Your year of office stands
alone; for in it shame rather than fear has been the motive to set a
check on crime. No other invested with your power has more often
blessed, more rarely terrified: no governor has ever brought a son
with him more like his father's virtues than is yours; and for this
reason no proconsul has ever resided longer at Carthage than have you.
For during the period which you devoted to visiting the province,
Honorinus remained with us; wherefore, though we have never regretted
our governor's absence more, we have felt it less. For the son has all
his father's sense of justice, the youth has all an old man's wisdom,
the deputy has all the consul's authority. In a word, he presents such
a perfect pattern and likeness of your virtues, that the glory
acquired by one so young would, I vow, be a greater source of wonder
than your own, save for one fact; he has inherited it from you. Would
we might live in the joy of his perpetual presence! What need have we
of change of governors? What profit of these short years, these
fleeting months of office? Ah! how swiftly pass the days, when the
good are with us, how quickly spent the term of power for all the best
of those who have ruled over us! Ah! Severianus, the whole province
will sigh for your departure. But Honorinus at least is called away
by the honours which are his due; the praetorship awaits him; the
favour of the two Caesars forms him for the consulate; to-day our love
enfolds him, and the hopes of Carthage promise that in the years to
come he will be here once more. Your example is our sole comfort; he
who has served as deputy shall soon return to us as proconsul!

[Footnote 40: _clausulae_ vulgo.]

[Footnote 41: _Daedalum_ (Krueger).]

_On Providence and its marvels._

10. _First hail we thee, O Sun,
Whose fiery course and rushing steeds reveal
The glowing splendour of thy ardent flame._

Hail we also the Moon, who learns of his light how she herself may
shine, and the influences also of the five planets--Jupiter that
brings blessings, Venus that brings pleasure, Mercury the giver of
swiftness, Saturn the worker of bane, Mars with his temper of fire.
There are