{The Altar of Peace [continued (3)]}[16th February 1991]

[Redbook8:263][19910216:1220h]{The Altar of Peace [continued (3)]}[16th February 1991]

19910216.1220

[continued]

‘Excudent alii spirantia mollius aera

(Credo equidem), vivoa ducent de marmore voltus,

Orabunt causas melius, caelique meatus,

Describent radio et surgentia sidere dicent:

Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento

(Hae tibi erunt artes), pacisque imponere morem,

Parcere subiectis et debellare superbos.’

*

‘Others shall shape bronzes more smoothly so that they seem alive (yes, I believe it), shall mould from marble living faces, shall better plead their cases in court, and shall demonstrate with a pointer the motions of the heavenly bodies and tell the stars as they rise: you, Roman, make your task to rule nations by your government (these shall be your skills), to impose ordered ways upon a state of peace, to spare those who have submitted and to subdue the arrogant.’

**

‘... to impose the way of peace, to spare the conquered and crush the proud.’

***

* – Virgil, Aeneid VI:847

** – tr[anslation] in O[xford] D[ictionary of] Quotations, 558

*** – tr[anslation] in E[ncylopaedia of] V[isual] A[rt] 2:178

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