Letter 10019: Ad Galactorium comitem

Venantius FortunatusCount Galactorius of Bordeaux|c. 599 AD|Venantius Fortunatus
friendship

XIX
Ad Galactorium comitem
Venisti tandem ad quod debebaris, amice,
ante comes merito quam datus esset honor.
Burdegalensis eras et, cum defensor, amator:
dignus habebaris haec duo digna regens.
iudicio regis valuisti crescere iudex,
famaque quod meruit regia lingua dedit.
debet et ipse potens, ut adhuc bene crescere possis,
praestet ut arma ducis, qui tibi restat apex,
ut patriae fines sapiens tuearis et urbes,
adquiras ut ei qui dat opima tibi,
Cantaber ut timeat, Vasco vagus arma pavescat
atque Pyrenaeae deserat Alpis opem.
aut (quasi grande loquor) facit hoc sacer unicus auctor:
a domino erigitur parvus et altus homo.
de tirone ducis venit, et de milite princeps,
ut reliquos taceam, Iustinianus erat.
hoc et in ecclesia Christo tribuente refertur:
de exorcista aliquo pontificalis honor.
egregius merito Martinas testis habetur,
qui fuit ante sacer quam sacra iura daret.
hoc agit omnipotens, totum qui condidit orbem,
magnaque sola putes quae facit ipse potens.
laetior ergo, precor, maneas in culmine rector,
maiora sperans, vir ratione sagax,
rege sub hoc florens aeternaque regna requirens

iustitia ac pietas tecum comitata coruscet:
illa tuum pectus protegat, ista latus.
alta fides etiam, dilectio fida nitescat,
et Fortunato sis, comes, amplus amor.

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