TANDEM TANDEM IUSTICIA
OBTINET.

At long last justice wins the day

Aeacide Hectoreo perfusum sanguine scutum,
Quod Graecorum Ithaco concio iniqua dedit.
Iustior arripuit Neptunus in aequora iactum,
Naufragio ut dominum posset adire suum.
Littoreo Aiacis tumulo namque intulit unda,
Que boat, & tali voce sepulchra ferit.
Vicisti Thelamoniade tu dignior armis,
Affectus fas est cedere iusticiae.[1]

The shield of Aeacus’ descendant, stained with Hector’s blood, the unjust assembly of the Greeks awarded to the Ithacan. Neptune, showing more respect for equity, seized upon it when it was cast into the sea in the shipwreck, so that it could go to its proper master. For the wave carried it to Ajax’s tomb upon the shore, the wave which booms and smites the sepulchre with these words: ‘Son of Telamon, you have conquered. You are more worthy of these arms’. It is right for partiality to yield to justice.

AUXILIUM NUNQUAM
deficiens.

Help never failing

Bina pericla unis effugi sedulus armis,
Cum premererque solo, cum premererque salo.
Incolumem ex acie clypeus me praestitit, idem,
Naufragum apprensus littora adusque tulit.[1]

Double danger have I escaped by careful use of one set of arms, when I was hard-pressed on dry land and when I was in dire straits amidst the swelling billows. My shield brought me safe from the battle. The same shield, when I seized it, carried me, ship-wrecked, right to the shore.