Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

RUTILIUSNAMATIANUSA VOYAGE HOME TO GAULBOOK IRather ° Mill you marvel, reader, that my quickreturn journey (to Gaul) can so soon renounce theblessings of the city of Romulus. \Yhat is too longfor men who spend all time in venerating Rome ? ^Nothing is ever too long that never fails toplease. How greatly and how often can I countthose blest who have deserved birth in that happysoil! Those highborn scions of Roman nobilitycrown their honourable birth M'ith the lustre of theCapital ! On no other land could the seeds of \drtueshave been more worthily let fall by heaven's assignment.Happy they too who, \vinning meeds nextto the first, have enjoyed Latin homes!" TheSenate-house, though fenced with awe, yet standsopen to foreign merit, nor deems those strangerswho are fittingly its own. They share the powerof their colleagues in the senatorial order, and possesspart of the sacred Genius ^ which they revere, even' i.e. though not born in Rome, like those in 5-6.^ The Genius is the indwelling spirit of the Roman People,shared by such provincials as were admitted into the senate.Their union is compared with the heavenly council underthe presidency of the supreme god (Jupiter is not named).