“Aeneas won the victory from his father; for, though he himself, in his infancy, had been but a light and safe burden to his father’s arms, he bore his father, heavy with years, through the midst of the lines of the enemy, through the destruction of the city that was crashing around him, while the pious old man, clasping in his arms his sacred relics and household gods burdened his son’s progress with more than his simple weight; he bore him through flames, and (what cannot filial love accomplish!) bore him out of danger,14 and placed him, for our worship, among the founders of the Roman Empire.
“Those young Sicilians15 won the victory; for, when Aetna, aroused to unusual fury, poured forth its fire upon cities, upon fields, upon a great part of the island, they conveyed their parents to safety. The fires parted, so it was believed, and, as the flames retired on either side, a path was opened up for the passage of the youths, who greatly deserved to perform their heroic tasks in safety.
“Antigonus won the victory; for, having vanquished the enemy in a mighty battle, he transferred to his father the prize of the war, and handed over to him the sovereignty of Cyprus. This is true kingship, to refuse to be king when you might have been.
“Manlius won the victory from his father, tyrant though he was; for, although his father had previously banished him for a time because of his dullness and stupidity as a youth, he went to the tribune of the people, who had appointed a day for his father’s trial; having asked for an interview, which the tribune granted, expecting to find him a traitor to his detested father — he believed, too, that he had earned the gratitude of the young man, for, among other charges that he was bringing against Manlius, the gravest was his son’s exile — the youth, when he had obtained his private audience, drew forth a sword, that he had had concealed beneath his robe, and cried: ‘Unless you swear that you will remit the charges against my father, I shall run you through with this sword. It lies with you to decide which way my father shall have of escaping his accuser.’ The tribune took the oath and did not break it, and he reported to the assembly his reason for abandoning the action. No other man was ever permitted to put a tribune in his place without being punished.