The pagan poet Rutilius Namatianus lived at the end of the fourth and in the early fifth century AD. He was probably born in Toulouse. He held high office in Rome under Honorius, and was Praefectus Urbi in 414 AD. In "De reditu suo" he describes his return to Gaul after barbarian invasions.
| Tum demum ad naves gradior qua fronte bicorni dividuus Tiberis dexteriora secat. Laevus inaccessis fluvius vitatur arenis. Hospitis Aeneae gloria sola manet. Et iam nocturnis spatium laxaverat horis Phoebus Chelarum pallidiore polo. Cunctamur temptare salum portuque sedemus, nec piget oppositis otia ferre moris, occidua infido dum saevit gurgite Plias dumque procellosi temporis ira calet. | Then at length I proceed to the ships, where with twy-horned brow the branching Tiber cleaves his way to the right. The channel on the left is avoided for its unapproachable sands: its one remaining boast is to have welcomed Aeneas. And now the sun in the paler sky of the Scorpion's Claws had lengthened the space of the night-watches. We hesitate to make trial of the sea; we tarry in the haven, unreluctant to endure idleness amid the delays which bar our voyage, so long as the setting Pleiad storms upon the treacherous main, and the anger of the squally season is hot.
Translation: Loeb, A.M. Duff. |