PAX.

Peace

Turrigeris humeris, dentis quoque barrus eburni.
Qui superare ferox Martia bella solet. ^[M]
Supposuit nunc colla iugo stimulisque subactus,
Caesareos currus ad pia templa vehit.
Vel fera cognoscit concordes undique gentes,
Proiectisque armis munia pacis obit.[1]

The elephant, with its tower-bearing shoulders and ivory tusk, a beast accustomed to dominate the conflicts of Mars with savage ravings, has now submitted its neck to the yoke: subdued by goads, it draws Caesar’s chariot to the holy temples. Even the beast recognises nations reconciled on every side, and rejecting the weapons of war, it performs the duties of peace.

[Marginalia - link to text]Vide Suetonium in vita Gaii [Julii] Caesaris.[2]

Pax.

Peace

Turrigeris humeris, dentis quoque barrus eburni,
Qui superare ferox Martia bella solet,
Supposuit nunc colla iugo, stimulisque subactus,
Caesareos currus ad pia templa vehit.
Vel fera cognoscit concordes undique gentes,
Proiectisque armis munia pacis obit.[1]

The elephant, with its tower-bearing shoulders and ivory tusk, a beast accustomed to dominate the conflicts of Mars with savage ravings, has now submitted its neck to the yoke: subdued by goads, it draws Caesar’s chariot to the holy temples. Even the beast recognises nations reconciled on every side, and rejecting the weapons of war, it performs the duties of peace.

Elephantus qui ob nimiam suam dorsi &
dentium fortitudinem, aliàs turres gestare atque
etiam crudelia bella superare consuevit, ut re-
fert T. Livius lib. 7. Decad. 4. nunc se prorsus
humilians, iuga subit, stimulos patitur & cur-
  Link to an image of this page  [i3v p124]rus Caesareos triumphales ad Templa sacra
trahit, quia fortè animal ipsum, concordiam
& pacem inter omnes esse gentes, cognoscit,
ideoque reiectis & aspernatis armis bellicis,
obsequiosè pacis munus obit. Demonstra-
tur pacem etiam ferocissimos, ad pias actio-
nes & divinum cultum , atque etiam mansuetu-
dinem, incitare, quae omnia bellicis tumulti-
bus non solùm negliguntur & impediuntur,
verùm & omnino contraria & crudelissima
quaeque exercentur. Elephantorum antiquitus
in bellis usus, omissis aliis autoribus habetur
apud Plinium. lib. 6. cap. 9. & lib. 8. cap. 6.