Letter 27

To the same man, when he kept answering on other matters and would not promise that he would come. We are breaking apart the yoke, Paulinus, which a well-known temperateness once kept warm, light to bear and worthy of reverence in those it joined, which gentle Concord used to handle with even reins; the yoke which, through so long a sequence of revolving years, no idle tale ever set in motion, no complaint ever stirred; which no quarrel ever drove from its place, nor anger, nor mistake, nor that credulous Suspicion which, lending too ready an ear to well-arranged pretexts that ill persuade, fashions plausible-looking faults out of the truth. So calm, so gentle a yoke, which both our fathers drew on into old age from the very beginning of our life, and which, laid upon their dutiful heirs, they prayed might remain unbroken until length of days should dissolve our span; and remain it did, while glad faith endured and no anxious care labored to keep up the exchange of good offices, but they were carried along of their own accord, continuing their unguarded course for themselves. This yoke so gentle the horses of Mars would take up upon a tractable neck, and the wild steeds carried off from the stable of Diomedes [the Thracian king whose horses ate human flesh], and even the team that, when another than the Sun held the altered reins, plunged thunderstruck Phaethon into the Padus [the river Po]. Yet it is being broken apart, Paulinus; and that is not the fault of two, but of one only -- of you. For I shall always bear it with a contented neck; it is the partner of my labors who deserts me, and it is not so easy, when one's mate fails, to carry on alone as a single comrade what two once bore together. Spirit and strength do not falter, but the terms of bearing the burden are unjust, when the whole weight rushes upon the one left behind and the loads of another's scale are added to his own. Just so a man's ailing part draws the sound body into its infection, and however slight the crisis of one small limb, the whole frame totters through its countless joints. Yet let me be crushed under it all the same, rather than that loyalty to an old friend should be wanting while I endure, and rather than that memory, fixed deep beneath the years, should fail to restore my errant comrade -- empty consolations though they be. Heartless one! You could unyoke Theseus from Peirithous and sever Euryalus, that companion, from his own Nisus; at your urging to flee, Pylades would have abandoned Orestes, nor would the Sicilian Damon have kept his bail-pledge. How great a delight of the people, what prayers of good men have been cheated of the hoped-for blessing! All were speaking words of congratulation: already they were preparing to enter our names among the ancient friends of a better age. Pylades was giving way; the glory of Phrygian Nisus too was now less, and Damon, who went to meet his promised bail. We offered tokens of friendship more fortunate still, such as great Scipio and the long-lived wisdom of Laelius gave: we, with the same pursuits and the same hearts, were a wonder to all, and the greater for this -- that we were equals though in unequal age. Sooner, I think, could the Pellaean leader [Alexander the Great] have loosed the thongs of that fateful yoke, hidden in covered beginnings and concealing its head with a knot at either end. No doubt we spoke some grand word, so that the avenging goddess of Rhamnus [Nemesis] should set herself against our excessive vows -- just as once the avenging goddess of the Medic war, suppressing the great words of King Arsaces [the Parthian/Persian royal line] that took no joy in triumphs, withstood him as he prepared to set up among the lands of Cecrops' sons [the Athenians] memorials of his power, and when at the very point of being raised for a Greek trophy, Attic Nemesis of her own accord took her stand against the now-conquered Persians. What is this lust of yours to harass the noble sons of Romulus? Against your Medes and Arabs go your way through clouds and black chaos: let Roman names be far from you. Seek elsewhere other comrades to assail, where that spite of yours and your rusty-dark venom turn against you hearts well suited to your deceits. Paulinus and Ausonius, men whom the sacred purple of Quirinus [the consular dignity of Rome] and the gilded mantle of the consul's robe have enwrapped, ought not to yield to the snares of a foreign goddess. Why do I complain and rail against the offenses of a single monster? It is the bank of western Tagus that wounds me, it is Punic Barcelona, it is the snowy ridges of the two-sea'd Pyrenees. And you yourself wound your own people, you who desert them of your own will, having left your city walls, and perhaps even changing your dress in the fashion of your homeland and its speech, you who now dwell among new friends, whom a province sets far apart, each in its own stretch -- beyond mountains and another sun, beyond rivers and cities, and all the expanse of land and sky that stretches out between the Anas of Merida [the river Guadiana, by Emerita Augusta] and the broad flood of the Garonne. But if a small boundary set the space of distance within tolerable limits (although those who wish to be together count everything long), even so attention itself would make the places near, joining what is far apart by words sent between; just as Saintes joins Bordeaux to itself, then she joins Agen to herself, and the country folk who till the Aquitanian fields; and as twofold Arles links to herself the roofs of Alpine Vienne and Narbonne at an equal distance, and then you, martial Narbonne, ally fivefold Toulouse to yourself. If I had such a span, with walls near to mine, then I would clasp you in our arms as one fitted to them, and the breath of our speech would breathe upon your ears. Now, beyond the Alps and the marble Pyrenees, Caesaraugusta [Saragossa] is your home, with Tyrrhenian Tarraco [Tarragona] nearby, and Barcelona set above on the oyster-bearing sea. From me, the hills of Bordeaux, the rivers in their threefold meeting, separate me from the crowds of the common people, and amid my leisure the vine-bearing slopes keep me busy, and the soil rich for its farmers, then the green meadows, then the grove with its shifting shadows, and the church frequented by the crowded village, and all my estates lying near to one another in the district of Novarus, varied throughout the whole year with their ordered changes, so that the cool winters grow mild and, through the raging heats, thin north winds breathe a subtle coolness. But without you no year comes round with a welcome turn: rainy spring flees without its flower, the heat-bearing Dog-Star burns, no Pomona [goddess of orchard fruit] varies the autumn flavors, and Aquarius with his outpoured water saddens the winter. Do you recognize your own fault, sweetest Pontius? For my faith is sure and never to be changed, and my reverence for that old Paulinus endures, and the harmony there was between your father and mine. If the bow of Ulysses was easy for anyone to bend, or the quivering ash-spear of Achilles could be brandished by any but its master, then the goddess of Rhamnus will loose us too from a bond so long. But why do I weave sad songs in so mournful a verse, and why does my spirit not draw near to better prayers? Let that fear be far off; sure is my confidence that, if the Father and the Son of God receive the devout words of those who long for it, you can be restored to us by our prayer -- so that we may not weep for a home scattered and snatched away, the realms of old Paulinus torn among a hundred masters, and for you wandering as wide as the whole long stretch of Spain, forgetful of old friends and trusting in strangers. Hasten here, O our glory, O my greatest care, summoned with vows and good omens and prayers; make haste, while you are young, while our old age, gratified by you, preserves for you a vigor undrained. Will that message ever strike my ears? "Behold, your Paulinus is here: now he leaves the snowy towns of the Spaniards, now he holds the Tarbellan fields [around Aquae Tarbellicae, Dax], now he approaches the dwellings of Hebromagus [Ausonius' estate], now he enters his brother's neighboring estate, now he glides down with a favoring stream, and now he is in sight: now the prow is turned to the river; and entering through the thronged mouths of his harbor, he outstrips the whole column of people who run to meet him, and passing his own threshold now, this very moment he knocks at yours." Do I truly believe -- or do those who love fashion dreams for themselves?

TO EVERYTHING ELSE WITHOUT PROMISING TO COME WE are shaking off a yoke, Paulinus, which its tried equableness once made easy, a yoke lightly laid and worthy the respect of those it joined, which mild Concord used to guide with even reins; which through so long a line of rolling years never an idle tale, never a peevish complaint has stirred, nor quarrel thrust from its place, nor anger, nor misapprehension, nor Suspicion which, lending too ready ears to Persuasion's trumped-up pretexts, forms from them grievances to look like truth; so gentle, so easy a yoke which both our fathers drew on into old age from the beginning of their life, which, laid upon their duteous heirs, they would have had remain throughout till length of days broke up our lives. And remain it did, while there was joyous trust and no laborious care to maintain exchange of good offices, but they flowed freely, keeping unbroken their unguarded course. This yoke so mild Mars' horses would endure with obedient neck, and those wild steeds stolen from the stable of Diomedes, and even that team which, when another than the Sun held their reins, plunged lightning-blasted Phaethon in the Padus. Yet it is being shaken off, Paulinus; and that, not through the fault of both, but of one alone—of thee. For my neck will ever bear it gladly. It is the partner of my toil deserts me, and 'tis not so easy for one, when his fellow fails, to carry on alone that which the two bare as comrades. Heart and strength fail not, but unfair is the condition of carrying a burden, when both loads are laid on the partner left and the weight of another's charge is added. So one ailing member in a man involves the sound body in infection, and the peril even of a tiny limb makes the whole knitted frame totter in all its countless joints. Yet let me even be crushed if only loyalty to my old friend fail not while 1 endure, and memory deep-planted in the years bring back—vain consolation!—my errant comrade. Ah, heartless! From Peirithous thou couldst part Theseus and separate Euryalus from the company of his dear Nisus; urged to flight by thee, Pylades would have left Orestes, and Sicilian Damon would not have kept his bond! What general delight, what good men's prayers have thus been cheated of their looked-for gain! They all were speaking words of congratulation: already they were about to enter our names in the lists of friends belonging to nobler days of old. Pylades was giving place, Phrygian Nisus also now was growing less famed, and Damon who met his promised bail. We showed less tragic tokens of friendship, even as great Scipio and Laelius, long-lived in wisdom: we, with pursuits and hearts the same, were marvellous to all, the more for this that we were equals though unequal-aged. Sooner, methinks, could the Pellaean war-lord have loosed the lashings of that fate-fraught yoke, although their beginning was concealed from view and their end hidden by a double knot. Some presumptuous word we surely spoke, that the vengeful queen of Rhamnus thus made onslaught on our excessive hopes; as in old days when, angered at the vaunting of Arsaces' royal son, the avenging goddess, crushing his presumptuous boasts, withstood his purpose to set up in the land of Cecrops' sons a memorial of the Median arms, and just when she was to be raised to support a trophy of Greek arms, deliberately took her stand as Attic Nemesis to mark the Persian rout.1 What caprice of thine is this to harass nobles of the seed of Romulus? Against Medes and Arabs, thy natural foes, advance through clouds and chaos black: from men of Roman name keep thou afar. There rather seek thou friendships to assail, where that jealousy of thine and rankling venom estranges hearts well-fitted for thy deceits. For Paulinus and Ausonius, men whom the sacred purple of Quirinus and the golden tissue of the consul's robe have enwrapped, to yield to the stratagems of a foreign goddess is not seemly. Wherefore do I complain and cry out on the ravage of an eastern monster? 'Tis western Tagus' shores, 'tis Punic Barcelona that does me hurt, 'tis the Pyrenees whose snowy crests join sea to sea, thou thyself also dost me hurt, thou who abandonest thy friends without a cause, deserting thy town and, perchance, the native fashion of thy dress and speech, thou who now dwellest among new friends, whom the extent of a wide province parts from me beyond mountains 'neath an alien sun, beyond rivers and cities and all the land and sky which lie outspread betwixt Merida by Ana's streams and the wide flood of the Garonne. If only the division were narrow and interposed a separating space not too formidable (albeit they think every place far off who seek to be together), even so affection's self would make the places near, spanning the interval with a bridge of words; even as Saintes keeps touch with Bordeaux, and she again with Agen and the folk who till the country parts of Aquitaine; and as two-fold Aries1 links to herself at equal distances the roofs of Alpine Vienne and Narbonne; and then thou, Martian'2 Narbonne, alliest with thee five-fold Toulouse.3 If such the distance severing our neighbouring towns, then would I clasp thee, ready to my embrace, and the air of my complaint would be breathed into thy ears. Now for thee beyond the Alps and stony Pyrenees, Saragossa is thy home,1 Tyrrhenian Tarragona 2 is near by, and Barcelona built above the oyster-bearing sea: me hills, me rivers in triple array 3 part from Bordeaux and from the common throng, and in my leisure the vine-clad hills engage me, the rich glebe with its blithe peasantry, now the green meads, now the copse with its dancing shades, the church 1 thronged with crowding villagers, and all those my domains hard by each other in Novarus village, which enjoy such change at the various seasons throughout the year, that the chill winters are warm for them and in the furious summer heats soft north winds breathe over them a gentle coolness. Yet without thee the year advances, bringing no grateful change The rainy Spring flits by lacking its flower, the heat-bringing Dog-Star parches, Pomona brings not variety of sweet autumn fruits, and with outpoured water Aquarius makes gloomy all the winter. Dost thou perceive thy fault, my dearest Pontius? For my loyalty remains steadfast and, never to be changed, my regard for the Paulinus of old days endures, even as the harmony betwixt my sire and thine. If Ulysses' bow was easy to be strung by any man, or if Achilles' spear could be wielded save by its lord, then shall the queen of Rhamnus loose us from so long a bond. Hut why weave I such sad refrain in mournful verse, why does my heart not turn to nobler prayers? Ear be that fear! Sure is my confidence that, if the Father and the Son of God accept the reverent words of those who seek, thou canst be restored at my prayer, that I may weep not for a home scattered and ravaged, for the realm rent in pieces between a hundred owners, once Paulinus's, and for thee, that, wandering with a range as wide as the extent of Spain, unmindful of old friends thou dost trust in strangers. O hasten hither, my pride, my chiefest care, summoned with vows, good omens, and with prayers speed thee hither, while thou art young and while my old age to win thy favour preserves its vigour unconsumed. Ah, when shall this news break on my ears? Lo, thy Paulinus is at hand: now he leaves the snowy towns of Spain, now reaches the fields of Tarbellae, now approaches the homesteads of Hebromagus, now enters his brother's domains hard by, now glides down stream, and now is in sight: now the prow is being swung out into the stream:1 now he has passed the thronged entrance of his home-port, outstrips the whole host of folk who hurry to meet him, and passing his own doors now, even now beats at thine. Do I believe, or do those who love feign dreams for their own selves. 2

AN EUNDEM CUM ILLE AD ALIA MAGIS RESPONDERET NEQUE SE VENTURUM POL1.ICERETUR discutimus, Pauline, iugum, quod nota fovebat temperies, leve quod positu et venerabile iunctis tractabat paribus Concordia mitis habenis; quod per tam longam seriem volventibus annis fabula non umquam, numquam qucrimonia movit, nulla querella loco pepulit, non ira nec error nec quae conpositis male suadac credula causis concinnat veri similes suspicio culpas; tam placidum, tam mite iugum, quod utrique parentes ad senium nostri traxere ab origine vitae inpositumque piis heredibus usque manere optarunt, dum longa dies dissolveret aevum, et mansit, dum laeta fides nec cura laborat offleii servare vices, set sponte feruntur incustoditum sibi continuantia cursum. Hoc tam mite iugum docili cervice subirent Martis equi stabuloque feri Diomedis abacti et qui mutatis ignoti Solis habenis fulmineum Phaethonta Pado mersere iugales, discutitur, Pauline, tamen: nec culpa duorum ista, set unius tantum tua. namque ego semper contenta cervice feram, consorte laborum destituor, nec tam promptum gestata duobus unum deficiente pari perferre sodalem, non animus viresque labant, sed iniqua ferendo condicio est oneri, cum pondus utrumque relicto ingruit acceduntque alienae pondera librae, sic pars aegra hominis trahit ad contagia sanum corpus et exigui quamvis discrimine membri tota per innumeros artus eonpago vacillat. obruar usque tamen, veteris ne desit amici me durante fides memorique ut fixa sub aevo restituant profugum, solacia cassa, sodalem. Inpie, Pirithoo disiungere Thesea posses Euryalumque suo socium secernere Niso; te suadente fugam Pylades liquissct Oresten nec custodisset Siculus vadimonia Damon. quantum obleetamen populi, quae vota bonorum sperato fraudata bono! gratantia cuncti verba loquebantur: iam nomina nostra parabant inserere antiquis aevi melioris amicis. cedebat Pylades, Phrygii quoque gloria Nisi iam minor et promissa obiens vadimonia Damon. nos documenta magis felicia, qualia magnus Scipio longaevique dedit sapientia Laeli: nos studiis animisque isdem miracula cunctis, hoc maiora, pares fuimus quod dispare in aevo. ocius illa iugi fatalis solvere lora Pellaeum potuisse ducem reor, abdita opertis principiis et utroque caput celantia nodo. Grande aliquod verbum nimirum diximus, ut se inferret nimiis vindex Rhamnusia votis; Arsacidae ut quondam regis non laeta triumphis grandia verba premens ultrix dea Medica belli sistere Cecropidum in terris monumenta paranti obstitit et Graio iam iam Agenda tropaeo ultro etiam victis Nemesis stetit Attica Persis. Quae tibi Romulidas proceres vexare libido est? in Medos Arabasque tuos per nubila et atrum perge chaos: Romana procul tibi nomina sunto. illic quaere alios oppugnatum sodales, livor ubi iste tuus ferrugineumque venenum opportuna tuis inimicat pectora fucis. Paulinum Ausoniumque, viros, quos sacra Quirini purpura et auratus trabeae volavit amictus, non decet insidiis peregrinae cedere divae. Quid queror coique insector crimina monstri? occidui me ripa Tagi, me Punica laedit Barcino, me bimaris iuga ninguida Pyrenaei. laedis et ipse tuos qui deseris ultro, relictis moenibus et patrio forsan quoque vestis et oris more, interque novos qui nunc versaris amicos quemque suo longe dirimat provincia tractu trans montes solemque alium, trans flumina et urbes et quod terrarum caelique extenditur inter Emeritensis Anae lataeque fluenta Garunmae. Quod si intervalli spatium tolerabile limes poneret exiguus (quamvis longa omnia credant, qui simul esse volunt), faceret tamen ipsa propinquos cura locos, mediis iungens distantia verbis; Santonus ut sibi Burdigalam, mox iungit Aginnum illa sibi et populos Aquitanica rura eolentes; utque duplex Arelas Alpinae tecta Viennae, Narbonemque pari spatio sibi conserit, et mox quinquiplicem socias tibi, Martie Narbo, Tolosam. hoc mihi si spatium vicinis moenibus esset, tunc ego te ut nostris aptum conplectcrer uluis adflaretque tuas aures nostrae aura loquellae. Nunc tibi trans Alpes et marmoream Pyrenen Caesarea est Augusta domus, Tyrrhenica propter Tarraco et ostrifero super addita Barcino ponto: me iuga Burdigala,1 trino me flumina coetu secernunt turbis popularibus otiaque inter vitiferi exercent colles laetumque colonis uber agri, tum prata virentia, tum nemus umbris mobilibus celebrique frequens ecclesia vieo totquc mea in Novaro sibi proxima praedia pago, dispositis totum vicibus variata per annum, egelidae ut tepeant hiemes rabidosque per aestus adspirent tenues frigus subtile Aquilones. te sine set nullus grata vice provenit annus, ver pluvium sine flore fugit, Canis aestifer ardet, nulla autumnales variat Pomona sapores effusaque hiemem contristat Aquarius unda. agnoscisne tuam, Ponti dulcissime, culpam? nam mihi certa fides nec conmutabilis umquam Paulini illius veteris reverentia durat quaeque meoque tuoque fuit concordia patri, si tendi facilis cuiquam fuit arcus Ulixei aut praeter dominum vibrabilis ornus Achilli, nos quoque tam longo Rhamnusia foedere solvet. Set cur tam maesto sero tristia carmina versu et non in meliora animus se vota propinquat? sit procul iste metus, certa est fiducia nobis, si genitor natusque dei pia verba volentum accipiat, nostro reddi te posse precatu, ne sparsam raptamque domum lacerataque centum per dominos veteris Paulini regna fleamus teque vagum toto quam longa Hispania tractu, inmemorem veterum peregrinis fidere amicis. Adcurre, o nostrum decus, o mea maxima cura, votis ominibusque bonis precibusque vocatus, adpropcra, dum tu iuvenis, dum nostra senectus servat inexhaustum tibi gratificata vigorem. ecquando iste meas inpellet nuntius aures? “ Ecce tuus Paulinus adest: iam ninguida linquit oppida Hiberorum, Tarbllica iam tenet arva, Hebromagi iam tecta subit, iam praedia fratris vicina ingreditur, iam labitur amne .secundo iamque in conspectu est: iam prora obvertitur amni: ingressusque sui celebrata per ostia portus totum occursantis populi praevertitur agmen et sua praeteriens iam iam tua limina pulsat.” Credimus an, qui amant, ipsi sibi somnia fingunt?