Words Not far from Rome in the Territories of the Falisci are some few Families called the Hirpiae who in an Annual Sacrifice to Apollo on the Hill Soracte walk without Harm on burning Coals and for that by a Decree of the Senate were discharged from all Duty of War Altars go And conquering the Smoak so ev'ry Year To the pleas'd God said he thy Offering bear Worthy thy Deeds and Wounds conceive a Rage Accompanied by Thee I dare engage To penetrate through the Marmarick Bands Or charge Cinyphian Troops With that he stands No longer to advise or to delay With Words that Fight which by the Romanes may Be (h) In this Battel were slain fifteen thousand men and ten thousand scattered througâ— all Hetrâ—ria and many wounded The Consul Flaminius slain upon the Place and never found by Hannibal who diligently sought his Body to give it Burial all that returned after this Fight to Rome were received with such Joy that two Mothers at sight of their Sons fell dead in the Ecstasie long deplor'd The Signal ev'rywhere Is givâ—n and fatal Trumpets rend the Air. Oh Grief Oh Tears which in so long Descent Of Ages cannot now too late be spent I Tremble as if now those Mischeifs all Were acted as if Libyans Hannibal And arm'd Asturians from their Hills did bring Or the fierce Balearick with his Sling Now num'rous Troops of Macians Nomades And Garamantians sally forth with these The Warlike stout Cantabrians then whom With Mercenary Hands none sooner come To fight or hired Arms more gladly bear And Gascoins too that Helmets scorn to wear On this Side horrid Rocks on that the Lake Here clashing Arms with the loud Shouts they make Amaze and urge beside the Signal from The Tyrian Camp through all the Hills doth come The Gods their Faces turning from the Field Unwillingly to greater Fates do yield Ev'n Mars thy Fortune Hannibal doth fear Sad Venus weepeth with dishevel'd Hair Apollo to his Delos doth retire And strives to ease his Grief with mournfull Lyre Iuno alone on Appeninus stood Expecting Slaughter hating Trojan Blood But as if forcing Heaven and free from Fear In their own Hands th' incensed Souldiers bear Predestin'd Piacles and kill again Fresh Sacrifice in Fight to those were slain First the Picenian Bands when they beheld The Cohorts dissipated and repell'd And Hannibal advancing furiously Charge Him with Courage and before they dy Amaze the Conquerour whom they invade To see the Slaughters that their Valour made For now with one Consent and Force a Showr Of Piles upon the Libyan Troops they pour And when repuls'd their fixed Targets all Press'd with the Weight of crooked Shafts let fall This with their Gen'ral's Presence doth excite The Libyans Rage who mutually to fight Exhort each other and so closely prest Upon their Foes they fought them Breast to Breast Her Torch Bellona shaking through the Air And springkling with much Blood her flaming Hair Through both the Armies up and down doth flee And from her horrid Breast Tisiphone A deadly Murmur sends while to engage The fatal Trumpets all their Minds enrage These by their adverse Fortune and Despair Of future Safety animated are Them more propitious Gods and Victory Smiling upon them with a joyfull Eye Encourage favour'd by the God of War But Lateranus while entic'd too far With Love of Slaughter furious on he goes At length engaged stood among his Foes When Lentulus of equal Age him spy'd Too much with Fight and Blood on ev'ry Side Oppress'd and midst an Army to provoke The Fates with a brisk Charge to aid him broke Through all the Ranks and Baga then about To wound him in the Back though fierce and stout Prevented with his Spear and doth attend The Fate and hard Adventures of his Friend With chearfull Courage now their Arms they joyn Their Fronts and Crests with equal Glory shine When Syrticus by Chance for who durst move Arms against them unless by Stygian Iove Condemn'd to dy descending from the Hill Arm'd with a broken Oak upon them fell And as the weighty Tree about he waves With Thirst of both their Deaths thus vainly raves Not here fond Youths Aegates nor a Coast Treach'rous to Seamen nor the Ocean tost By new-rais'd Tempests shall on you bestow Fortune without a War You now shall know That once were Conquerours at Sea by Land What Libyan Warriours are nor us withstand Within a better Empire As he spoke At Lateranus with the pond'rous Oak He strikes and fighting rails when Lentulus Gnashing his Teeth for Anger meets him thus Sooner shall Thrasimenus raise his Flood To those high Hills then in his Pious Blood That thy pernicious Tree thou shalt imbrue And as he stretch'd himself to strike quite through His Body pierc'd him through the gaping Wound The reeking Gore flows largely to the Ground No less in other Quarters of the Field Imcens'd to mutual Wounds their Fury swell'd By tall Hiertes Nereus fell and by Rullus brave Volunx rich in Land doth dy Nor Riches heap'd nor Palaces that shin'd With 's Countrey 's Ivory to which were joyn'd His Vassal Villages could now withhold His Fate What boots extorted Wealth or Gold Which Men with Thirst insatiable pursue Whom Fortune richly did of late endue With her most wealthy Gifts is naked now By Charon wafted to the Shades below There Warlike Appius though but young in Years Great in Attempts the Field with Slaughter clears And where of greatest Strength and Valour none Else durst aspire there Honour He alone Atchieves Him Atlas meeting Atlas who Sprang from Iberian Blood did vainly plow Remotest Sands thrusts at his Face a Lance The Top whereof as it doth lightly glance And raze the Skin tasteth his Noble Blood Like Thunder now or a Storm-raised Flood He threats New Flames within his furious Eyes Are kindled mad like Lightning then he flies Through all th' opposing Troops his Wound that sends Blood from beneath his Cask the rest commends Of his stout Martial Limbs then might you see The trembling Youth contending as they flee To hide themselves As when th' affrighted Deer An Hircan Tiger follows or with Fear Doves fly the tow'ring Hawk or as the Hare When she beholds the Eagle in the Air Ready to stoop to Covert runs with Speed Here with his Sword he lops off Atlas Head And his Right Hand then raging on doth go Charging more furious by Success his Fo. For arm'd with a bright Ax and in the Sight Of 's Father Mago to engage in Fight Ambitious big with Hopes of Praise there stood Cinyphian Isalces vainly proud Of promis'd Nuptials when the Romane War Should ended be But Appius sets a Bar To these his Hopes and with such Fury came Against him that as he his Ax with Aim Directed at his Face so strong a Stroak Fierce Appius rising higher gave he broke His Sword upon his Cask Isalces too Upon his Tâ—â—get gives as vain a Blow With that a Stone which
Paternal Ghost While all the Birds of Night and those of Prey Into the Deserts fly to give him way But a more Noble and Obsequious Train Their King attend and Aegypt wanting Rain Sees Father Nilus Flow without Excess Or'e all the Land and give a rich Encrease Without their Labour May You then repair The Ruins of Your Throne and sitting there Restore to Vs again an Age of Gold While Your Blest Father may from Heav'n behold Himself in You as Great as You are Good And all due Expiations for his Blood On Rebels made While all that now for Fear Or Interest with them Comply when there They You behold shall then repenting come And justly from Your Mouth attend their Doom When France shall tremble and the Swede shall run Fearing Your Arms yet further from the Sun And Victory attending on Your Hand Wheree're Your Ensigns flie shall take her Stand Resolv'd to fix with You and shall devest Her self of Wings to Plume Your radiant Crest And then those Wounds those Ills which We before So much lamented have We will Adore THE LIFE OF CAIUS SILIUS ITALICUS CAIUS SILIUS ITALICUS whether born in SPAIN but of ITALIAN Extraction or in ITALY but of SPANISH Predecessors I shall leave PETRUS CRINITUS GYRALDUS and others to dispute in his Youth applying himself to the Study of Rhetorick was a close Imitatour of CICERO as the most perfect Pattern of ROMANE Eloquence after whose Example he pleaded many Causes with such Success and Reputation that he was in a short time made a Judg among the CENTUM-VIRI nor was that Honour the sole Reward of his Virtues though he lived in the Reign of the worst of Emperours for he was thrice Consul and his first Consulship was signalized with that great felicity to the ROMANE Empire the Death of NERO. He was Pro-Consul of ASIA and returned to ROME from that Province with great advantage both of VVealth and Honour It is no mean Argument of his wisdom and Prudence that in the most troublesome Changes of the Empire he never fell under the displeasure of the prevailing Party For as he was the last Consul that NERO made so he dyed the last of all that had been Consuls under him Among the chief of the City neither covetous of Power nor Obnoxious to Envy he was reverenced and esteemed by all and of such Integrity in the Opinion of VITELLIUS that when he despaired of Force to resist the Power of VESPASIAN he selected him with CLUVIUS RUFUS and SABINUS to Treat his Conditions with the Conquerour Nor did his Friendship with VITELLIUS eclipse him with VESPASIAN having ever entertained it with Prudence and Moderation so that he survived that Noble Emperour and was Honoured with a third Consulship by his Son DOMITIAN Under whom finding the weight of Business too heavy for his declining years he retired into CAMPANIA and recreated himself with the MUSES and as his Veneration of CICERO had moved him to purchase a Lordship called by that Renowned ORATOUR His Academy in imitation of that of ATHENS where he composed his Books entituled his ACADEMIQUES So his high Esteem of VIRGIL caused him to buy a Farm once belonging to that Prince of Latine Poets to whose Tombe near NAPLES as to a Temple he frequently repaired and celebrated his Birth-Day more Religiously then his own Nor was he onely a Devote to his Memory but a Noble Emulatour of his Muse after whose Example he composed this Immortal Work supplying with his Care and Judgment the Defects of Nature He was Co-temporary with many other famous Wits as LUCAN STATIUS PERSIUS JUNIUS AQUINAS and MARTIAL who is frequent in his Praises and commits to his Censure his own VVorks in this Epigram among many other excellently Englished by my worthy Friend JO HEATH Esquire Martial ad Silium Lib. 4. Epigr. 14. SILI Castalidum Decus c. Silius who art the Muses Fame Who the fierce perjur'd Africk's Name And crafty Hannibal's Rome's Foes Mak'st yield to th' greater Scipio's With thy commanding pow'rful Stile Thy severe Looks lay'd by a while Whilst loose December now abounds With cogging Dice and Boxes sounds And wanton Lots fly round the Board Thou to my Lines some Time afford But pray thy smooth not knitted Brow To this my looser Mirth allow So soft Catullus Sparrow might Appear in our great Virgil's sight He was esteemed Happy by those of his Time through the whole course of his Life unless in the loss of the youngest of his Sons who dyed in his Youth the other he left flourishing in VVealth and Consular Dignity In this Tranquillity and Content he lived to the Age of seventy five years when surprized by an incurable Ulcer he Voluntary set a Period to his Life by Abstinence Hic Crine effuso atque Emieae Numina Divae Atque Acheronta vocat Stygia cuÌ„ Veste Sacerdos Haec patrio jussu ad Penetrasia fertur Vt fari primamque datum distinguere Lingua Hannibali vocem Solers Nutrire Furores Romanum sevit Puerisi pectore Bellum Augustiss mo ac Potentiss mo Principi Caroso Regi Fidei Defensor Domino suo Clementiss moâ— Ejus Auspâ—â—â—js Inchonto tandemquee Absoluto Secundo Magnae BritanÌ„iae Franciae et Hiber Tabulam Hanc vnà cum Silio suo Angli â—anâ— suâ— Humillimè Vovet Dicat Consecratque Thomas Rossâ—â—s SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The First Book THE ARGUMENT At nine Years Old Young Hannibal doth swear At th' Altar to maintain the Romane War His Father leading into farthest Spain The Libyan Armie is in Battel slain Him Hasdrubal in chief Command Succeeds Who Hate Contracting by his cruel Deeds By a poor Slave's revengefull Hand doth fall Then Hannibal elected General Breaks Faith with Rome and to Sagunthus brings His Arms whose famous Siege the Poet sings I Sing those Arms by which Rome's Glory swell'd To Heav'n and Haughty Carthage was compell'd To bear Oenotrian Laws My Muse relate Hesperia's Toils how many Men how Great Rome bred of Old for War When (a) Cadmus who was the Son of Agenor King of the Phoenicians from whom the Tyrians descended and from them Didâ— who built Carthage Cadmus Seed Perfidiously infring'd their Sacred Deed And strugling for Command did War imbrace While Fortune long was doubtfull where to place (b) Carthage her Power encreased by many Conquests in Libya and Spain and Rome no less Potent in Italy they both aspired to the Empire of the World The Empire of the World The Tyrian Lords Thrice with Successless (c) They had there sharp Wars in the first the Carthaginians were overthrown in a Sea-fight by Lutatius the Consul near Aegates an Island between Sicily and Africk in the second Hannibal was subdued by Scipio Africanus In the third Carthage was subverted by Scipio Aemilianus Arms and Impious Swords The Senate's Peace and League which they had sworn To Iove first broke And while with Fury born Each Nation mutual Ruin did contrive
Gate excluded stand By Multitudes that fled his fatal Hand And now the raging Troops of Nomades Haste to perform their Queens sad Exequies Adding all Funeral Rites and bearing thrice The Corps of Teron as a Sacrifice To Hallow her dead Ashes round the Pile Cast into th' Flames his Club and Lyon's Spoil And sing'd his Face now of all Form bereft And to th' Iberian Fowls his Carkass left While thus Affairs before Sagunthus stand They who at Carthage were in chief Command Consult upon the War and what shall be Return'd to Rome's Imperious Embassie Whose Oratours with Fear their Hearts had fill'd While some to their Demands perswade to yield Urging their Faith and League that long before They and their Fathers at the Altars swore The Gods to Witness call'd Others the Love Of the ambitious Youth's Attempts doth move To hope for Better things if they pursu'd The War But (g) Hanno a Noble Carthâ—ginian Head of that Faction that opposed the Ambition of the Barcean Family He always perswaded the Carthaginians to keep Peace with the Româ—nes and endeavouring to induce them to it by weakning Hannibal's Designs obstructed all resolutions of Relief for his Army and by that means in the end Ruin'd both him and his Countrey Hanno whom a Native Feud Against the General had long enflam'd Their Doubts and rash Applause thus stoutly blam'd I might for Fear grave Fathers now refrain For him with Threats some labour'd to restrain To speak but I will not desist although I saw my Death approaching by my Fo I call the Gods to Witness and to Heaven I leave those Sacred Vows that we have given Which to perform our Countrey 's Safety calls Although Sagunthus be Besieg'd her Walls Sinking in Flames not yet too late my Fears This Caution give which oft with anxious Cares Have broke my Rest that this pernicious Head Might not in Arms and War be nurtured And while I live my Sense shall thus abide His innate Poison and Paternal Pride I know And as those Pilots who the Skies And Stars do Contemplate what Storms will rise What future Winds will cause the Seas to Rage To the affrighted Mariners Presage Aspiring to a Throne he doth invade The Reins of Rule All Leagues all Laws are made The Objects of his Arms with which he falls On Cities and from far against our Walls By this last Act Aeneas Warlike Race He hath incens'd and we have lost our Peace His Father's Ghost and Fury him excites And Memory of those Nefandous Rites He once did Celebrate and what of Old Vainly to him Massila's Priest foretold And thus the Gods for his infringed Faith On his perfidious Head convert their Wrath. With Hopes of a new Kingdom blind he Arms 'Gainst Forein Lands and now Sagunthus Storms But let him not commix this Citie 's Fate With his own Fortune let him expiate With his own Punishment his proper Crime For now Dear Carthage at this very time He Thee Besiegeth and Assaults thy Walls We (h) After many Conflicts by Sea and Land between the Romanes and Carthaginians at length C. Luctatius the Consul put an end to the War by a Naval Victory obtained near the Islands Aegathes in the Sicilian Sea where the Carthaginians received so great a loss that they were constrained to beg a Peace and yield to those Articles which so much enflamed both Amilcar and Hannibal to break into a second War stain'd with Gen'rous Blood th' Aenean Vales And scarce with hir'd Laconians could maintain The War our Navies broken on the Main Have fill'd up Scylla's Caves and we have seen When from Charybdis Bottom Decks have been Spew'd up again Vain Wretch whose Soul no Fire Of Piety doth Warm do but retire Thy Thoughts a while upon Aegathes War And Limbs of Libya dispersed far Whither dost run Why thirsting after Fame Thus in thy Countrey 's fall dost seek a Name The Alps may give Thee way and Apennine Equal to them his Snowy Head decline Yet though thou gain'st some Ground think'st thou to finde In those great Nations a mortal Mind That they to Fire and Sword will yield Alass You fight not now with a (i) A Neritian Race such as were the Sagunthines For Sagunthum was at first a Colonie from Zacynthus and Neritus Islands subject to Vlysses Neritian Race (k) Though in the Constitution of the Romane Militia none could ordinarily be admitted into the List of Souldiers before the Age of seventeen years yet Examples there were of some that at fourteen years were in Arms and were eminent for their Valour as the Son of Tarquinius Priscus Scipio Africanus who rescued his Father Marus c. See Liv. lib. 24. Silius lib. 6. 14. Their Souldiers in the Camp are Bred and Born And e're the Down appear their Cheeks are worn With Brasen Helmets Ease and Rest's unknown To Aged-Men who Pale and Bloodless grown In the continued Service of the State In Fronts of Battails do provoke their Fate My self have Romanes seen who pierced through Their Bodies from their Wounds their weapons drew And turn'd them on the Fo their Valour I Have seen and thirst of Honour when they dy If therefore Carthage thou decline this War Nor give thy Self up to the Conquerour How much of Mischief may prevented be And how much Blood shall Hanno save for Thee Thus He but Gestar whose full Breast the while With Anger and Impatience did boyl Who twice to Interrupt him had essay'd Replies Is then a Romane Souldier made One of the Libyan Councils and must He A Member of the Tyrian Senate be 'T is true he is not Arm'd but well I know In all things else he is a perfect Fo. Us with the Snowy Alps and horrid Height Of lofty Apennine he would affright With raging Seas and Waves of Scylla's Coast Nor wants it much but he a Romane Ghost Still dreads their wounds and Deaths he so doth praise And to the Stars an Humane Race doth raise Trust Me though some cold Hearts with Fear may be Possess'd we have a mortal Enemy Ev'n I beheld their (l) Regulus vanquished by Xantippus and led Captive to Carthage See Lib. 6. Regulus the Hope Of the Hectorean Race their strongest Prop His Hands enchain'd behind with publick Joy Into a Dungeon drag'd ne'r seen by Day I saw when Crucified from the high Oak He hanging on Hesperia did look Nor doth the Face of Boys that Helmets wear A cause of Terrour unto Me appear Or that their Cheeks with early Casks are worn We are not of a Race so sluggish born How many Libyan Troops their Years in Deeds Of Arms out-go and War on Naked Steeds The General so soon as He could speak At th' Altar vow'd this War to undertake To waste with Flames the Phrygian People and His Father's Arms resolv'd to take in Hand Ev'n in thy Sight vile Hanno he shall be Revenger of the Romane Crueltie Then let the Alps encrease and let them
over-spread And Goat-Skins rough their Shoulders covered With Sling-Darts arm'd they came into the Field But th' Adyrmachidae a painted Shield And Swords like Hooks by Art intorted bear And their left-Legs with Armour guarded were But they Rude Tables have and uncouth Fare For in hot Sands their Viands roasted are Massilians then with Ensigns shining bright Who last of all behold the falling Light Of Day which the Hesperian Seas do drown These with long curled Tresses hanging down Fierce Bocchus leads and views upon the Shore Growing on sacred Trees the precious Ore Getulians likewise from their wandring Home Into the Camp to his Assistance come Familiar with wild Beasts they could allay With Words the Lyon's Rage No Houses they Possess but dwell continually in Wains Bearing their restless Lares through the Plains A thousand winged Troops whose Steeds obey The Wand as nimble as the Winde their Way Into the Camp do break As when the Hills And Plains a Pack of Dogs with Eccho fills And with full Crie in view the flying Deer Do follow and precipitate with Fear These his stern Face and Brow with Rage o're-spread Acheras slain Hasbyte's Brother led And near to them the Medicinal Troops in Arms Advance the tann'd Marmarides whose Charms The Poison of fell Serpents can allay And make the horned Cerast to obey Then her unskilfull Youth Bamura sent A Nation poor in Steel for Arms content Their Spears to harden onely in the Fire Yet with this weak Defence did they desire To mix their horrid Murmurs with the rest And furiously unto the Battel prest Then fierce Autololes whose nimble Speed Outstrips the Torrent or the fleetest Steed Birds to their Speed in Flight might seem to yield And when they overran the Champian Field It was as vain a Task to think to finde Their Foot-steps as to trace the lighter Winde Next who by Juice and Fruit of that fam'd Tree The Hospitable (l) See the Continuation of the Second Book Lotus nourish'd be Are listed in the Camp with those that stand Amaz'd to see in Garamantick Sand The Dypsades whose boiling Poyson fills With Flames and with strange thirst the wounded kills When Perseus had cut off the Gorgon's Head As Fame reports her banefull Blood was shed On Sandy Libya and since that the Ground With Medusaean Serpents doth abound These by a Captain most renown'd in War And born in Meninx Isle commanded are Choaspes was his Name who still did bear In 's fatal Hand a missile barbed Spear Then Nasamon who durst invade the Sea For Ship-wrack and deprive her of her Prey Next those who near to Pallas Pools do dwell And where the Warlike Maid as Fame doth tell Among those Waters with her Olive found With it did first enrich the Libyan Ground Then all those Nations that inhabit where The Sun doth fall and Hesperus first appear Before the rest the stout Cantabrians whom Nor Frost nor Summer's Heat could overcome Nor Hunger and were still observ'd to be Above the Reach of all Extremity Who when their Heads are crown'd with hoary Hairs From some high Rock prevent their weaker Years Life without War they hate in Arms they place The cause of Life to live in Peace is base With these unhappy Memnon's Servant from The East a Stranger to his Native Home Th' Astyrian sprinkled with Aurora's Tears Within another World in Arms appears His Horse was little and unknown to War Yet swift and firmly on his Back would bear The skilfull Rider or in easie Reins Hurry the peacefull Chariot o're the Plains Next Herdrus who Pyrene meteth o're In Chase and fights with Arrows like the Moor. To joyn with these the Warlike Celtae came Who with th' Iberi did divide their Name By these 't is Honour held in War to dy And to be Burnt For when their Bodies ly Expos'd abroad they do believe 't to be 'Gainst Heav'n and Gods a great Impiety If on their Limbs devouring Vultures tire Then Rich Gallecia in Divining Fire And panting Entrails skilfull thither brings Her Youth who sometimes in their Language sings Rude Sonnets sometimes with alternate Feet Striking the Ground the barbr'ous Numbers meet Or beat the lofty Tune upon the Shield Their Pastime this and chief Delight is held (m) This Custom not wholly omitted in Spain was not peculiar onely to the old Inhabitants of Gallicia but to the Celtae Thracians and others who imposed those more servile Labours on their Wives The Womens Labours other things fulfill For 't is beneath the Men to sow or till The fertile Ground and whatsoever's done Without a War their Wives perform alone These with the Lusitanians drawn from far Removed Caves and Dens conducted are (n) Viriarthus was at first a cunning Hunter then a Robber after by his Valour attaining to be a â—eneral of a Lusitanian Army and with it overthrew three Romane Captains in three several Conflicts but was in the eâ—d slain by some of his own Party corrupted by Cepio the Romane Consul See L. Florus By Viriarthus whom the active Fire Of Youth then warm'd who after did acquire By shedding Romane Blood a noble Name With these the neighb'ring Ceretani came Once great Alcides Camp and Vasions who No Helmets us'd to wear (o) Ilerda scituate near the River Sicoris in Spain where Caesar besieged Petreius and Afranius two of Pompey's Generals Ilerda too Which after saw the Romanes Civil Rage Neither did Concavus who doth asswage His Thirst with Horse's Blood whose Fierceness shews He sprang from Massagets this War refuse Now Ebesus Phoenician Arms assumes And Artabus who arm'd with (p) Aclides were a kinde of Pole-Ax which fastned to a Chain they threw at the Fo and drew back again Aclides comes Or slighter Darts and fierce the War attends With these the Balearique who descends From Lindus But Tlepolemus with Slings Is arm'd and winged Lead in Battell flings From Oena and Aetolian Tyde came The Gravians who had chang'd their Graian Name Next (q) New Carthage in Spain founded by Teucer Teucrian Carthage sends a youthfull Band Phocensians and Tarraco whose Land In Vines abounds whose Grapes in Clusters swell'd By Latian Bacchus onely are excell'd 'Mong these the Hedetanian Cohorts went In shining Arms from cooler Sucro sent And Setabis which lofty Towers adorn That Setabis whose Textures seem to scorn The proud Arabian Webs and overcome In rarest Art the best Egyptian Loom Mandonius these Commands and Caeso known For Horse-manship their Camps now joyn'd in one But the Balarian Light Vetonian Wings Tries by the open Sea and when the Springs Approach and Zephyrs breath their warmer Airs Preserving hidden Lust his Herds of Mares Exposeth and by (r) This generative Winde was from the West in the Vernal Equinox And of this not onely the Poets but even Philosophers as Aristotle Varro and Pliny who Lib. 8. c. 4â— mentions them to be about Lisbon in Portugal And the like by Saint Augustine
Lib. 21. De Civit cap. 3. in Cappadocia but they allow them not so long lived as our Authour by four years However both the Winds and Mares if ever they had this Virtue have long since lost it generative Winde Makes them conceive and propagate their Kind But they are not long-liv'd their Age doth haste And th' seventh Year is commonly the Last But Susana whose Walls Sarmatians rear'd On Horses not so light in Arms appear'd These Strong and full of Mettle to the Bit Or their fierce Master's Will do scarce submit Them Rindacus commands with crooked Spears They fight and ev'ry Crested Helmet bears The frightfull Jaws of Beasts Themselves they give To Hunting and by Theft and Rapine live But above all Parnassian Castâ—lo With noble Ensigns shines and Hispal who Assaulted daily by Alternate Tides Renown'd against the Ocean firm abides Near these familiar with Lyaeus Rites Nebrissa where the Satyrs their Delights Enjoy by Night and cloath'd i' th' Panther's Skin There Maenades their Mysteries begin Carteia too to Heighten hese Alarms The Nephews of great (s) Argonthonius was King of that part of Spain where stood Cartâ—ia and Tartessos upon the River Baetis whose healthful Soil is extolled both by Pliny lib. 7. cap. 4. and Strabo lib. 3. Those neither allow him above half that Age ascribed to him by the Poet. Argonthonius Arms A Warlike King whoâ—e Life the Age surpast Of Men and thrice ten times ten years did lastt Tartessos too was there which still surveys The Steeds of Phoebus diving in the Seas Then fatal (t) Where Caesar besieged the two Sons of Pompey the one whereof was slain there in Fight and the other fled The Slaughter of the Romanes there was so great that Caesar made a Counter-Mure in an Attaque of thirty thousand Carkases Munda that as deep a Stain Of Romane Blood as the Aemathian Plain Did after bear and Corduba the Grace Of the Gold-bearing Land the War embrace These Phorcis with long yellow Tresses crown'd And fierce Aranthicus in Arms renown'd Led from their Native Countrey to engage In Libya's Quarrel both of Equal Age Born upon Bethe's Banks whose horned Brows Were overshadow'd with fat Olive-Boughs These the Sidonian Captain through the Field Clouded with Dust commanded and beheld Muster'd in Arms and in what Place soe're All His bright Ensigns could at once appear He drew them up in Triumph all along Cov'ring the Ground with Shadows of the Throng As when descending through the Liquid Plain To visit farthest Tethys in the Main Where weary Phoebus rests the God of Seas His Chariot drives the blew Nereides Rush from their Caves and each contending swims Displaying in perspicuous Waves their Limbs But Hannibal disturbing the Repose O' th' World to th' Top of high Pyrene goes (u) That vast Ridg of Hills that divides Spain from France Pyrene whose rough Brows the Clouds enfold From far the Rich Iberi doth behold Divided from the Celtae and still stands A firm Divorce between those mighty Lands The Hills their Name from a Bebrician Maid Did first derive and by the Crime 't is said Of Hercules a Guest when by the Fate Of those his Labours rais'd by Iuno's Hate Triple Geryon's Land he did invade And then in Bebrix cruel Palace made Lyaeus Vassal he Pyrene left Her Form bewailing now by him bereft Of her Virginity and if we may Believ 't of her unhappy Death they say That God was Cause that God who in her Womb Began to swell For She her dearest Home Frighted forsook and with an awfull Dread Her Father's Ire as from a Serpent fled Wandring in desart Caves Alcides Night She did Lament and all his Vows recite And Promises unto the Shady Groves Till thus bewailing his ingratefull Loves And lifting up her Hands t' implore his Aid She to the salvage Beasts a Prey was made But when at length the God return'd again With Spoils a Conquerour Gerion slain Her mangled Limbs with Tears he did bewail And when he saw her Face with Rage grew Pale The lofty Hills struck with his God-like Voice Appear to shake when with a mournfull Noise He on Pyrene calls and under Ground The Dens of Beasts and all the Rocks resound Pyrene's Name then sadly he prepares Her Sepulchre Embalming her with Tears Nor can the Teeth of Time destroy her Fame The Hills retaining her lamented Name Now or'e the Airy Mountains and through vast Condensed Woods bold Hannibal had past The Bounds of Bebrix and by 's armed Hand His Way through the inhospitable Land Of Volsians breaks untill His Army stood Upon the Banks of that (*) Rhodanus unruly Flood Which from the Alps and Snowy Rocks descends Upon the Celtae and himself extends Into a swelling Stream that makes his Way O're Land with a large Current to the Sea To its great Force mix'd Arar adds that seems To stand so slow his Pace with silent Streams Which Rhodanus once seising bears away In restless Billows and without Delay Drowns in the Main and forceth it disclaim Near to its Native Shore its Countrie 's Name But now the Hostile River all invade While some upon their Heads and Shoulders lai'd Their Arms and breaking through the Torrent strive Which on the adverse Bank shall first arrive To Skifs that late were Trees their Steeds they binde And Waft them o're nor do they leave behinde The Elephants whose Fears awhile withstood For covering with mighty Beams the Flood So much by them abhorr'd and ev'ry Plank With solid Earth o're-spreading from the Bank The Beasts descend whom to the other side Swimming as on the Ground they gently guid The River frighted with so vast a Weight Of the fierce Herd the threatning Billows strait From 's Sandy Bottom turns and all his Springs Le ts loose and to his Aid with Murmurs brings Now the Tricassian Coast the Army gains And fertile Fields now through Vocuntian Plains They move where swift Druentia troubled rolls Huge Stones and Trunks of Trees and so controlls Their pleasant March for from the Alps it springs And thence with roaring Waves devolving brings Eradicated Trees and Quarries torn From hollow Rocks at the Creation born Then deviating his fallacious Streams Turns from their Course and is not what he seems The Fords deceitfull are to Foot unstable The Chanel to small Barks innavigable But then encreas'd by fall of sudden Storms O'rewhelms a Multitude of Men with Arms Surcharg'd who sinking in the foaming Waves Dismembred in the Bottom finde their Graves But now all Memory of Labours pass'd And Fears the Aâ—ps so near in View displac'd All Parts with Frost and undissolving Hail Are cov'red and Eternally prevail To keep their aged Ice the lofty Brow O' th' airy Hills is bound about with Snow Which opposite to Phoebus rising Beams Will know no Dissolution by his Flames As far as the Tartarean Abyss Of that pale Kingdom where the Dwelling is Of mournfull Ghosts and Stygian Waters are Removed
from the upper Earth so far Erected through the Air the Mountains rise And with their Shadow intercept the Skies No Springs no Summer's Glories do appear But deform'd Winter still inhabits there And on the Cliffs perpetually defends Her Seat and thither from all Quarters sends The swelling Clouds and Hail-commixed Showres Here all the Storms and Winds their furious Powers Dispose Beyond the Rocks no Eyes extend Their Sight the Hills above the Clouds ascend Though Athos lay on Taurus Rhodope On Mimas or though snowy Pelion be On Ossa Heap'd or Othrys were beheld On Haemus lai'd to these they all must yield Alcides first to these unknown Abodes Aspir'd to go whom cutting Clouds the Gods Beheld and cleaving highest Hills to clime Those Rocks untrod-on since the Birth of Time But now the Souldiers their March retard As if those sacred Bounds which Nature barr'd Bearing those Impious Arms they had transgrest And going forward should the Gods resist 'Gainst which the General whom nor the Height O' th' Alps nor Terrours of the Place affright To cure their Minds with Monsters terrifi'd And to recall their Courage thus reply'd Is' t not a Shame that through Obsequious Fear Of Gods You that so many Trophies wear Of War now weary of Success should yield Your Backs to Snowy Hills and be repell'd With idle Terrours while no Courage warms Your Hearts and You to Rocks submit your Arms. Oh! My Companions think You now assail The Walls of Rome or Iove's high Temple scale This Labour will give up into Your Hands Ausonia and bring Tyber into Bands This said the Army mov'd by promis'd Spoils In haste the Mountain climb nor think what Toils Ensue while He commands them to forsake Alcides Foot-steps and new waies to take To tread in Paths that might be call'd Their own And by Their Names in future Times be known Then through untroden Places first of all He breaks and from the Top of Rocks doth call His Troops and where in hard congealed Frost In the white Cliffs the slipp'ry Path was lost His Sword th' obdurate Ice divides and now Into deep gaping Pits of yielding Snow Whole Squadrons sink and from the hollow Top To Bury them alive fresh Ruins drop Sometimes fierce Corus on his gloomy Wings Collecting Snow against their Faces flings Sometimes uniting all his Rage in Storms From the Advent'rous Souldier takes his Arms Which with the whirling Blasts unto the Skies In Circles that delude the Sight arise The higher they Ascend and seek to Ease Their Steps the more their Labours still encrease To one great Height a greater doth succeed And ev'ry Hill another seems to breed Hence all their Sweats and Labours which before They had O'recome they durst not now Explore Such Fears repeated Objects do present And wheresoe're their trembling Eies were bent The horrid Face of Winter ever White Appearing gives sad Limits to their Sight So Mariners that late forsook the Land And now amid'st the calmed Ocean stand While no propitious Wind or gentle Blast Fills the loose Sails upon the steady Mast From the smooth Sea divert their weary Eies And fix their Expectation on the Skies Above these Miseries and sad Distress The Places gave in a most sordid Dress An Alpine Band like salvage Beasts their Locks Stiff with eternal Squallour from the Rocks And aged Mountain-Caves their Faces show And with their constant Vigour through the Snow Through Thorns and invious Paths by them alone Frequented and familiarly known By various Incursions on Them prest And their enclosed Enemy infest All Places now assume another Form The Snow's made red with Blood there Ice grew warm With purple Streams and that which ne're before Could be o'recome resolvs by reeking Gore And as with Iron Feet the Horse divide The yielding Frost their Hoofs there fix'd abide Within the closing Ice Nor was their Fall The onely Mischief but they leave withall Their Limbs behind which by the piercing Frost Fall as cut off and there are sadly lost (x) In this Passage over the Alps other Authours affirm he spent fifteen days and broke his Forces more then if he had fought his way through Armies of his Enemies losing in his March from Rhodanus before he arrived in the Taurine Plains above six and thirty thousand Men and a vast Number of Horses Through all these Miseries when they had past Twelve daies as many tedious Nights at last To the desired Top they come and there Hanging on broken Cliffs their Tents they rear But Cytherea who through Fear grew Faint Goes to her Father with this sad Complaint What stint of Punishment I pray what end Of Plagues shall the Aeneades attend When shall they after Toils by Sea and Land Repose Why now doth Carthage take in hand And labour thus to drive my Progeny From that Renowned City giv'n by Thee See! on the Alps they Libya impose Threatning our Empire 's Ruin and the Woes Of lost Sagunthus Rome may justly fear Oh! whither shall we Troy's last Ashes bear Those sacred Ruins and th' Assarick Race With Vesta's Secrets Give us Iove a Place Where we may Safely dwell Is it so small A thing that they have Wandring sought through all The World their Exile Or shall Troy become Again a Prey in captivated Rome Thus Cytherea whom the Thunderer Thus answers Erycina cease to fear Nor let these high Attempts or what 's design'd By envious Libya perplex thy Mind Thy Blood possesseth and shall Long possess The high Tarpeian Towr's the Fates no less Permit By this great weight of War will I Perpend their Virtue and their Valour Try Shall that brave Nation that so long hath been Inur'd to War that hath with Triumph seen So many their great Labours overpast The Honour of their Ancestours at last Decline Or shall they whom our Seed did raise Who never spar'd their Blood in seeking Praise Still thirsting after Fame obscurely spend Their Time or with Inglorious Silence end Their Daies as poison'd with the Love of Ease Valour suppress'd doth perish by Degrees It is a mighty Work not to be done Without much Toil and Labour that alone Among so many valiant Nations Rome Should to her self the Reins of Rule assume Yet shall the Time arrive when She shall be (y) After the Battel of Cannae Rome was reduced to such Distress that some consulted to quit their Countrey but by the Virtue of Fabius Scipio and others she recovered to that Height of Glory that afterward made her Mistress of the World The Chief Ennobled by Calamity Hence their great Acts shall add unto the Skies New Stars and Names hence Paulus shall arise Hence Fabius and Marcellus who shall be Pleasing for his Opimous Spoils to Me. These by their Wounds shall raise in Italy An Empire that not all the Luxury Of their degen'rate Issuecan destroy And there 's already born a Warlike (z) Scipio Africanus who invading Libya forced Hannibal to quit Italy to â—elieve His own Countrey
That not Pyrene's Hills could set a Bar To his Commands nor furious Rhodanus Sagunthus burnt that through the Celtae thus He had conqu'ring made his Way and where 't had been Alcides Labour he in Arms had seen His Libyan Horse insult and trampling on The Rocks with Neighing make the Alps to groan But contrary the Consul to the Fight And noble Actions doth his Men excite You have said He a Tyr'd and weary Fo Already half consum'd with Frost and Snow Who scarce can drag his Limbs benumm'd with Cold. Go on and let him Learn that was so Bold To pass those Sacred Mountains and those high And airy Rocks how far this Trench doth ly Above Herculean Tow'rs that with more Ease He may ascend those Hills then break through these Impenetrable Ranks Let him recite To Fame his vain Attempts untill in Fight Subdu'd and hasting to Return again By the same Way he came the Alps restrain His Flight The Gods have brought him hither through Those Difficulties that he might imbrue With his perfidious Blood th' Italian Ground And that his Bones hereafter may be found Scatter'd in hostile Land I fain would know If 't be another Carthage that doth now Intend us War or is' t the same again That near Aegutes perish'd in the Main This said the Army to Ticinus goes Ticinus in a shallow Chanel flows With clear and quiet Waters and the Stream So Slowly passeth on that it doth seem To Stand as it with Silence glides along T' embrace the shady Banks where Birds do throng And their shrill Quires perpetually keep As if to charm the lazy Flood asleep Now at Night's Period the Morn begun With shining Shades and Sleep its Course had run When to explore the Place's Nature round The neighb'ring Hill and view the Champagn-ground The Consul went abroad the Libyans too The like resolve and it with Care pursue This done they both advance into the Field With Wings of Horsemen and as they beheld The Clouds of Dust to rise and heard the Sound Of furious Steeds that prancing made the Ground To tremble and the Trumpet 's shrill Alarms Each Captain cries Now Souldiers to your Arms. In both an equal Valour and Desire Of Honour shin'd in both an equal Fire To press into the Fight and when as nigh They came as from a Sling a Dart might fly A sudden Augury diverts their Eyes And Minds all Clouds dispers'd unto the Skies An Hawk pursuing from the South the fair And gentle Birds that by (b) Venus Doves sacred to her Dione are So well belov'd with his devouring Bill His Pounces and his Wings fifteen did kill Nor would be satisfied his strong Desire Of Blood increas'd and Slaughter fed the Fire Untill as stooping at a trembling Dove That knew not in its Flight which Way to move To meet with Safety from the Rise of Day An Eagle came and frighting him away Towards the Romane Ensigns flies and where The General 's Son young Scipio did appear Then but a Boy in Arms with a loud Cry There twice or thrice Proclaims the Victory Then with his Bill his Helmet's Crest doth bite And to the Stars again resumes his Flight Liger who knew by his Divining Skill The God's Advice and by his Learned Quill Could Future things declare aloud to all Exclaims Full eighteen years the Libyan shall Th' Ausonian Youth in Italy pursue Like that rapacious Bird and shall imbrue His Hands in Blood and wealthy Trophies gain But yet proud African thy Rage restrain For see Iove's Thunder-Bearer Thee denies Italian Scepters Chief of Deities Be present may thy Eagle's Omen be At length confirm'd For noble Youth to Thee The final Fates of conquer'd Libya are Reserv'd and a most glorious Name in War Greater then Carthage in her Height of Pride Unless those Birds in Flight the Gods bely'd But Bogus contrary to this doth sing All happy Omens to the Tyrian King The Hawk a good Presage The Doves that fell Slain in their Airy Region foretell The Fall and Ruin of the Romane State Thus having said as Conscious of Faâ—e And prompted by the Gods He first doth throw With Strength a ready Jav'lin at the Fo But through the spacious Field 't had Vainly flown And lost its killing Force if Riding on Full Speed Ambitious to be first of all That gave the Charge bold Catus Horse i th' Fall Had not receiv'd it on his Face and though It then was weak he met the Fatal Blow And found his Ruin for the trembling Wood Fix'd in his Front between his Temples stood Now with loud shouts both Armies through the plain Came rushing on and meeting all Restrain Their Reins to stand the Charge The furious Steed Erected stands and struggling to get Head Flies like a Tempest through the Champagne-Field While to his Feet the Sand doth hardly yield Before the rest a nimble Active Band (c) The Boii were a Warlike People inhabiting that part of Gallia which was called Lugdunensis the Territories of Lyons they were inveterate Enemies to the Romanes and had several times invaded Italy but not long before were Triumphed over by the Consul Flaminius after which Victory the Romanes began to place Colonies on that side the Alps which the rather provoked them to side with Hannibal Of Boii whom stout Chryxus did command Assault the Van and Chryxus with a Rage Great as his Giant-Body doth engage From Brennus He his fam'd Original Deriv'd and now the Conquer'd Capitol Among his Titles wore upon his Shield The Pensive Romanes ready all to yield On the Tarpeian Sacred Hill behold The Celtae weighing their redeeming Gold His Iv'ry-Neck a Golden Chain did bear His Garments with pure Gold Embroider'd were Bracelets of massie Gold adorn his Wrest And the like Metal shin'd upon his Crest By his fierce Onset the Camertine Bands At first were routed Nothing now withstands The Boii who in a condensed Throng Break through the thickest Ranks and mix'd among The Barb'rous Senones beneath the Feet Of their fierce Horses trample all they meet And â—trew with mangled Corps the Field which seems To swim in Blood that in continued Streams From Men and Horses flows and doth imbrue The sliding Steps of them that still pursue Bodies half-dead by Horses hoofs are slain Out-right which flying round the fatal Plain Scatter'd from their light Heels the purple Flood And lave the Wretches Faces with their Blood Tyrrhenus born near high Pelorus Shore First dying stained with his purple Gore A conqu'ring Dart for as he did excite With a shrill Trumpet others to the Fight Reviving Courage by the Warlike Sound Received by a Barb'rous Dart a Wound In 's panting Throat which quickly doth impair The rising Noise yet the infused Air Blown from his dying Mouth awhile doth pass His Lips now silent through the winding Brass Picens and Laurus both by Chryxus dy But yet not both alike for Laurus by His Sword was slain selected near the Po A polish'd
Such Brothers future Times shall wish to see And your last valiant Acts your Memory Shall crown with Honour if our Verses live Or miserable Nephews that survive Shall read these Monuments your Virtues claim And great Apollo envy not Our Fame But now his Troops dispers'd through all the Plains The Consul with his Voice from Flight restrains While He could use His Voice Whither d' ye bear Those Ensigns How are you destroy'd by Fear If the first Place of Battel you affright Or you want Courage in the Front to fight Behinde Me stand but lay aside your Fear And see Me fight Their Fathers Captives were From whom you fly What Hopes can we pretend If once subdu'd Shall we the Alps ascend Oh! think you see Tower-bearing Rome whose Head Her Walls do crown submissively now spread Her Hands while her proud Foes her Sons enchain Daughters are ravish'd and their Parents slain And in their Blood me thinks I see the Fire Of holy Vesta now alass expire Oh! then prevent this Sin Thus having said His Jaws with Dust and Clamour weary made His Left Hand snatching up the Reins the Right His Sword his Breast to those that fled the Fight He doth oppose now threatens Them and then Himself to Kill unless they turn agen These Armies when from high Olympus Iove Beheld the noble Consul's Dangers move His Mind to Pitty Then he calls his Son The God of War and to Him thus begun My Son I fear that gallant Man 's not far From Ruin if thou tak'st not up the War Withdraw him full of Fury from the Fight Forgetfull of Himself through the Delight Of Slaughter Stop the Libyan General Who will more glory in the Consul's Fall Then all those Numbers that He doth destroy Thou seest besides how soon that (h) Young Scipâ—o Warlike Boy His tender Hands in Battel doth engage And strives by Action to transcend his Age Thinking it tedious to be young in War Thou guiding (i) Scipio Africanus who but fourteen years old in this Fight rescued his Father and at twenty five years undertook the War of Spain and never relinquished it till he had subdued Hannibal Him he shall hereafter dare T' attempt Great things and his first Trophie shall Be to prevent his Noble Father's Fall Thus Iove strait Mars from the Odrysian Field His Chariot summons and assumes his Shield Which like a gloomy Thunder-bolt its Beams Scatters abroad his Helmet too that seems To other Deities a Weight too great And 's Breast-Plate that with so much Toil and Sweat The lab'ring Cyclops form'd then shakes his Spear Stain'd with the Blood of Titans through the Air And with his Chariot fills the dusty Plain The dire Eumenides and dreadfull Train Of Furies him attend and ev'ry where Innumerable Forms of Death appear While fierce Bellona who doth guid the Reins Whips on his Steeds and all Delay disdains Then from the troubled Heav'n a Tempest forth Doth break and in dark Clouds involves the Earth His Entrance ev'n the Court of Iove doth shake And Rivers by his Chariots Noise forsake Their Banks and struck with Horrour backward fly To their first Springs and leave their Chanels dry The Garamantian Bands now ev'ry where Invest with Dars the Consul and prepare New Presents for the Tyrian Prince the Spoils Of his rich Arms his Head through many Toils Of that sad Day bedew'd with Sweat and Blood While He not to give way to Fortune stood Resolv'd and then more fierce with Slaughter grown Returns the num'rous Darts against him thrown Till over all his Limbs the Blood of Foes Mix'd with his own in Streams diffused flows And then his Crest declining in a Ring More closely girt the Garamantians fling Their steeled Shafts with nearer Aim and all Like Storms of Hail at once about him fall But when his Son perceiv'd a Dart to be Fix'd in his Father's Body as if He Had felt the deadly Wound his pious Tears Bedews his Cheeks and Paleness strait appears To run o're all his Body and with Groans That pierce the Skies his Danger he Bemoans Twice he Attempted to anticipate By piercing his own Breast his Father's Fate As oft the God of War converts his Rage Against the Fo with whom he doth engage And Fearless through the armed Squadrons flies And in his furious Speed doth equalize The Deity his Guid. The Troops that round His Father fight give Way and on the Ground A Tract of Blood appears Where er'e he goes Protected by the Heavenly Shield he mows Whole Squadrons down On heaps of Arms he Slew Such as oppos'd his Rage with him that Threw The Dart who dy'd before his Father's Eys With many more as pleasing Sacrifice Then snatching from the Bones the fixed Spear Upon his Neck from Danger he doth bear His fainting Sire The Troops at such a Sight Amazed stand the Libyans cease to fight Th Iberians all give way A Piety So great in tender Years turns ev'ry Eye Upon him to Admire what they beheld And strikes deep Silence through the dusty Field Then said the God of War Thou Dido's Towers Hereafter shalt destroy and Tyrian Powers Compell'd by Thee a League shall entertain Yet never shalt thou greater Honour gain Then this Go on brave Youth go on and prove Thy self to be indeed the Son of Iove Go on for greater Things reserved be Though better never can be giv'n to Thee This said the Sun now stooping to the Main The Deity returns to Heav'n again Involv'd in Clouds Darkness the Fight decides And in their Camps the weary Armies hides But when in her declining Wain the Night Phoebe withdrew and by her Brother's Light The rosie Flames from the Eöan Main Gilded the Margent of the Skies again The Consul fearing that the Plain might be A great Advantage to the Enemy To Trebia and the Mountains takes his Way And now the winged Hours advanc'd the Day When with much Toil the Bridg was broken down O're which the Romane Army pass'd and thrown Into the Flood when to the Rapid Stream Of swift Eridanus the Libyan came Seeking by marching round through various Waies The Fords and where its Course the River staies Trees from the Neighb'ring Groves at length he takes And to transport his Troops a Navy makes The valiant Consul from the antient Line (k) Sempronius Gracchus had then the Command of the Romane Navy to guard Sicily and the Coast of Italy from the Carthaginians whose Fleet he had dispersed and leaving Sicily under the Care of King Hiero on the Fame of Hannibal's entring Italy came with his Forces to Trebïa and joyned with Cornelius Scipio Of his Death see Book 12. O' th' Gracchi sprang whose Ancestours did shine In Monuments with noble Titles crown'd For Valour both in Peace and War Renown'd Thither from high Pelorus came by Sea Incamping near the Banks of Trebia The Carthaginians likewise in the Plain The River over-pass'd encamp'd remain Encourag'd by Success of their Affairs
into his Breast And with this pow'rfull Language breaks his Rest. Oh Hannibal most happy in thy Fame And unto Italy a fatal Name Who if th' Ausonian Land had giv'n Thee Birth (q) Deification being peculiar to the Romanes Might'st with the Gods when Thou forsak'st the Earth Hereafter be Enthron'd While yet we may And Fates permit us banish all Delay The great Success which Fortune doth allow Not long endures Go on the Blood which Thou Didst to thy Father promise when the War 'Gainst Rome before the Altar Thou didst swear Shall from Ausonian Bodies flow to Thee And Thou Thy Father's Ghost shalt satisfie With Slaughter and to Me securely pay Deserved Honours Therefore now Obey For I that Thrasimenus am that by The Bands from Tmolus sent encompass'd ly Beneath high Hills and reign in shady Streams By this Advice excited from his Dreams His Army which the Deity doth fill With Courage strait He leadeth to the Hill High Apenninus who his Fore-head joyns Unto the Stars surcharg'd with lofty Pines Was cover'd then with Ice Among the steep And slipp'ry Rocks all Trees in Snow as deep As is his Height were hid and to the Skies His hoary Head with Frost congeal'd did rise Here He commands them on for having cross'd The Alps all former Glory had been lost And quite extinguish'd had they made a Stand At other Mountains therefore they ascend Those broken Cliffs whose Tops the Clouds invest Perpetually with Showrs Nor did they rest When once that Labour they had overcome But strait descend into the Plains that swum With thawing Ice and where in Moorish Ground The cold unfrozen Waters did abound In these unwholsome Fens the Gen'ral's bare Uncover'd (r) Hannibal informed that the Romane Army under the Conduct of Flaminius was advanced to Arretium now Arezo quitted His Winter-Quarters and passed the nearest Way to meet him through the Fens of Hetruria lying by the River Aruns where the excessive Moisture of the Place besâ—des the great Incommodities to his Army who were constrained to lay their Baggage under them in the Water and sleep on it deprived Him of His left Eye Liv. lib. 22. Head was shaken by the Air And on his bloodless Cheeks his melting Eye In Tears descends While scorning Remedy He thinks the Time of Battel is to be Purchas'd with any Danger Therefore He Disdains the Beauty of his Face to spare So He may have His Ends nor doth He care To part with other Limbs if Victory May be the Price and thinks his single Eye Enough if so a Conquerour He may Behold the Capitol or any way Subdue a Fo that bears the Romane Name Through all these Miseries at length He came Unto the s Lake where for His Loss of Sight He kills unnumbred Piacles in Fight But now behold from Tyrian Carthage sent Ambassadours arrive The first Intent And Motive of their Journey was of Weight Yet could they nothing of Content relate It was a Custome 'mong those People where Exil'd Elisa first her Walls did Rear The Favour of the Angry Gods to seek (t) This inhumane Custome was common to the Carthaginians with other more Barbarous People so that when they were overthrown by Agathocles the King of Sicily they believed Saturn to whom they offered those horrible Victimes to be angry with them and thereupon Sacrificed to him two hundred Noble Children Diod. lib. 20. With Humane Slaughter and what ev'n to speak Is Horrour on their flaming Altars burn Their tender Sons Those Lots an annual Urn Reviv'd the bloody Rites to imitate Of Thoantêan Dian to this Fate And Lot of Heav'n as Custome was inspir'd Of old with Malice Hanno then requir'd The Son of Hannibal although the Fear Of his Return and Arms did then appear As present for Revenge to other Eyes Mov'd by this dire Demand with mournfull Cries Tearing her Hair and Cheeks Imilce fills The Town As when on the Pangaean Hills Edonian Froes their (u) The Feast of Bacchinals Treiterian Feast Perform and Bacchus reigns in ev'ry Breast Imilce so among the Tyrian Dames As if she saw her Son amidst the Flames Cries Iö Husband in what Part soe're O' th' World thou wagest War Oh hither bear Thine Ensigns here here is an Enemy More violent more near Thou happily Ev'n at the Walâ—s of Rome receivest now Darts flying in Thy Target or dost throw A burning Lamp Tarpeian Tow'rs to fire In the mean time Thy Son Thy onely Heir Ev'n from the Bosom of Thy Countrey to The Stygian Altar's drag'd Whilst Thou dost go To wast Ausonian Houses with Thy Sword Tread in forbidden Paths break that Accord That League which once by all the Gods was sworn These dire Rewards doth Carthage now return For Thy Deserts such Honours unto Thee Ingratefull Shee decrees What Piety Is this the Temples thus with Humane Blood To stain Alass had Mortals understood The Nature of the Gods this horrid Crime Had ne're been known Go and at such a Time With Holy Frankincense just Things desire Of Heav'n and let those cruel Rites expire The Gods to Men are mild let it suffice I pray that we fat Oxen Sacrifice Or if the Gods resolve that this Decree Shall stand to Your Desires accept of Me Me that have born him why should You deprive Libya of those great Hopes that in him live Why should Aegates more lamented be Or if the Punick Kingdoms we should see Now sinking then the sad untimely Fall Of this brave Off-spring of my Hannibal This Speech the Senate wav'ring 'twixt a Fear Of Gods and Men invited to forbear Their Sentence and to Her 't was left to chuse Whether She would the killing Lot refuse Or else the Honour of the Gods obey At this Imilce trembled ev'ry way With Fear distracted there Her Husband's Ire She apprehends and there the fatal Fire This heard with greedy Ears the General Replies Dear Carthage What can Hannibal Though equal to the Gods return to Thee Worthy such Favours What Râ—wards can be Invented Day and Night I Arms will bear And make that to Thy Temples Rome repair With gen'rous Victimes that their Blood derive From her Quirinus But My Boy shall live Heir to these Arms and War My onely Hope And while Hesperia threats the onely Prop Of Tyrian Affairs by Sea and Land And Boy remember that Thou take in Hand And wage a War with Rome while Life doth last Go on behold the Alps which I have past Are open Me succeed in Toils and War And you my Countrey 's Gods whose Temples are By Slaughter Holy made who 're pleas'd to be Ador'd with Fears of Mothers turn to Me Your Minds and pleas'd Aspect for I prepare Your Sacrifice and better Altars Rear You Mago to the Top of yonder Hill Conduct your Troops and let Chaospe fill Those nearer to the Left Sichaeus shall Into those Avenues in Ambush fall While I will Thrasimenus quickly view With lighter Troops and for the Gods their Due
had not Anger lent Him Sâ—â—ength he could not lift now almost Spent At 's Fo stout Appius throws it 's weighty Fall Him backward fells and breaks his Bones withall When Mago saw him fall for near at hand He fought he wept beneath his Helmet and Groaning with Rage came on Th' Alliance late By them contracted and the Nephews that He thence expected fire his Thoughts the more But as with nearer View he doth explore Appius his Shield large Members and the Raies Of 's Helmet him a while that Sight delays As when a Lyoâ— from a shady Hill In haste descends his hungry Gorge to fill He stands and soon contracts his Speed if he Within the Plain a Bull approaching see Though with long Hunger press'd he views his high Thick risâ—ng Neck admires his threatning Eye Beneath a rugged Brow while he prepares For Fight and Earth to give the Signal tears First Appius spoke as he a Jav'lin threw If thou hast any Piety pursue Thy Contract and accompany thy Son In Death With that the flying Weapon run Quite through his brazen Arms untill it struck His Left Arm and in it deep wounding stuck The Libyan Return of Words forbore But with his Spear which Hannibal before Sagunthus Walls a Conquerour had ta'ne From Noble Durius there in Battel slain And to his Brother gave which with Delight He a brave Trophie bore in ev'ry Fight Charg'd him Grief lending Force the Weapoâ— through His Cask and Mouth inflicts a deadly Blow And as he strove to draw it from the Wound His Hands soon bloodless fell Upon the Ground Appius a Name through the Maâ—onian Sea Renown'd a great Part of Rome's Ruin lay And in his bloody Mouth expiring there Crush'd and with murm'ring bites the fatal Spear The Lake then trembled from his Body dead With Waves contracted Thrasimenus fled Next with no better Fates Mamercus dyes And wounded falls by all his Enemies For where the Lusitanian Cohorts fought Gain'd with much Blood and Valour as he brought A Standard whose stout Bearer he had slain And call'd his flying Countrey-men again His Foes inâ—ens'd at what they saw him do What ever in their Hands was Missile threw And likewise all that Earth then cover'd o're With Darts and Spears afforded like a Shour Of Hail upon him falls and greater Store Of Darts no single Romane felt before Thus stout Mamercus fell and at his Fall Vex'd at his Brother 's Hurt came Hannibal And raging ask'd when He the Wound espy'd Now him then his Companions If his Side The Spear had pierc'd or if within the Wound 'T were fix'd But when no fear of Death he foundâ— Nor Danger from the Field he strait was sent Cover'd with His own Coat into His Tent Within the Camp and free from Trouble there For Cure all Med'cinal Arts prepared were By Learned Synalus who did infuse Bathing the Wound throughout the healing Juice Of choicest Herbs and with a secret Charm The Weapon strait extracted from his Arm Him with a crooked Snake to Sleep compell'd All other Synalus in Skill excell'd And for it was through all the Neighb'ring Land And Cities fam'd o' th' (i) Paretonium a Town in Libya Marmarica lying upon a vast Tract of Sand abounding with Serpents Strab. lib. 17. Paretonian Sand. To Synalus his Grand-father of old Those Secrets Garamantick Hammon told And how the Bitings of wild Beasts to heal And deepest Wounds of Weapons did reveal He those Celestial Gifts while yet he liv'd Transmitted to his Son who them deriv'd To th' Honour of his Heir whom Synalus As great in Fame succeeds and Studious His Garamantick Secrets to improve As a Companion once to Horned Iove With many Images his Grand-sire's Line Deduc'd Now when he brought those Gifts Divine In Haste as Custom was his Garments round Tuck'd up with Water first he purg'd the Wound From Blood But Mago thinking on the Spoils And Death of his slain Fo his Brother's Toils And Cares with Words of Courage thus allaies And eas'd his own Mishaps with Thoughts of Praise Cease from Thy Fears dear Brother to my Wound No greater Remedy can now be found Great Appius by me compell'd is gone To th' Shades below and we enough have done Since He is dead I willingly can go To Hell it self after so brave a Fo. But when the Consul from an Hill beheld That this the Libyan Captain from the Field Had troubled turn'd that in their Trenches they As if the Clouds of War were vanish'd lay With sudden Fury for his Horse he calls And from the Hill descending fiercely falls Upon the trembling Files which now grown thin He routs and in the Valley doth begin The Fight again As when the Clouds above Surcharg'd with ratling Hail dissolve and Iove Mixing his Thunder with their Torrent shakes The Alps and high Ceraunian Rocks and makes The World thus mov'd the Earth the Sea the Air To tremble and ev'n Hell it self to fear So like a sudden Tempest from the Hill The Consul on the frighted Lybians fell The Sight of Him chill Horrour strikes into Their Bones while he through thickest Ranks doth go And with his Sword cuts out a spacious Way With that confused Cries to Heav'n convey The Fury of the Fight and strike the Stars As when the angry Seas against the Bars Of Hercules do beat and roaring Waves Throws into lofty Calpe's hollow Caves The Mountain groans and as with furious Shocks The foaming Billows break against the Rocks Tartessos though far distant thence by Land And Lixus that by no small Sea doth stand Divided thence at once the Eccho share By a swift Dart that Silent through the Air Had pass'd before the rest doth Bogus fall Bogus who at Ticinus first of all Against the Rutuli his Jav'lin flung And vainly thought that Clotho would prolong His Thread of Life and that a num'rous Line Of Nephews he should see by the false Sign Of flying Birds deceiv'd But none have power By Augury to remove the fatal Hour ' Mid'st Storms of Darts he falls and to the Skies Lifting in vain his dim and bleeding Eyes O' th' Gods misunderstood as he expires The Promises of longer Life requires Neither could Bagasus then boast in Fight That he unpunish'd in the Consul's Sight Had conquer'd Libo strip'd who vainly there The Lawrel of his Ancestours did wear But a Massilian Sword lops off his Head And on his Cheeks as Down began to spread The barb'rous Souldier by untimely Death Suppress'd his rising Years Yet his last Breath Did not in vain implore Flaminius Aid For strait by him his Fo was headless made As pleas'd that after his Example by The same sad Death the Conquerour should dy What God O Muses aptly can rehearse So many Funerals Or who in Verse Worthy such Noble Shades lament their Fall Or tell how there the Early Youth did all Contend in Death for Honour Or what then Ev'n in the Porch of Death more Aged men Perform'd What Courage
of unconquer'd Hearts They shew'd when as their Breasts were fill'd with Darts On either Side as Furious they engage They Frequent fell nor would their Eager Rage Allow them Time to Spoil or Thoughts of Prey Which their Desire of Slaughter takes away The Consul while within the Camp the Fo The Wound of Mago kept now Darts doth throw Then us'd his Sword and mounted on his Horse Through Myriads of Men his Way doth force Sometimes afoot before the Eagles goes While Blood the fatal Valley overflows With num'rous Streams and th' hollow Rocks and Hills The Noise of Horse and Arms with Eccho fills Marmarick Othrys in the Field among The rest advanc'd to fight His Body strong Above all humane Strength the very Sight Of his Gigantick Members turn'd to Flight The trembling Wings his Shoulders largely spread Above both Armies rais'd his lofty Head Rude like an Horse's Mane his Tresses hung Upon his lowring Brows his Beard as long O're shadowing his Mouth his squallid Breast The horrid Bristles of a Boar exprest Scarce any dare look on him or come near To fight him Like a Monster ev'ry where He rangeth through the Field from Danger free Till turning his fierce Looks on those that flee A Cretan Arrow mounting to the Skies With silent Wings in one of 's glaring Eyes Doth falling fix and turneth him aside From the Pursuit Which when the Consul spy'd He lanceth at his Back as he retreats Towards the Camp a Dart that penetrates Breaking his naked Ribs his Body through And in his bristled Breast the Head doth shew To draw it forth with Hast he labours where The fatal shining Point did first appear Till the Blood largely flowing to the Ground He fell and crush'd the Weapon in the Wound His last Breath waving through the Field doth rear The Dust and heaves a Cloud into the Air. In the mean time a diff'rent War the Hills The Woods and Cliffs with various Slaughter fills The Rocks and Thorns as dy'd with Blood appear The Cause of their Destruction and their Fear Sychaeus was who at a Distance slew Murranus with a Lance then whom none knew In time of Peace more sweetly with his Quill To touch Orphaean Nerves or had more Skill In a vast Wood he fell and ev'n in Death Look'd for the Aequanian Hills where first his Breath He drew in Wine most fertile and for fair Surentum where the Zephyrs purge the Air. To his sad Fate conqu'ring Sychaeus joyn'd Another's Fall and in that new sad Kind Of cruel Fight rejoyc'd For while into The Wood Tauranus rashly did pursue The stragling Fo too far engag'd as he Secur'd his Back against an aged Tree From Blows and vainly his Companions calls With his last Breath he by Sychaeus falls And piercing through his Body in the Wood Behind him fix'd the Tyrian Jav'lin stood But what did You unto your selves prepare What Anger of the Gods What sad Despair Your Minds possess'd Who quitting Fight did fly To Arms of Trees for your Security Fear in distress'd Affairs adviseth still The worst and whensoe're th' Event is ill It argues want of Courage In the Wood It 's Branches to the Skies extending stood An aged Tree which high above the rest Into the highest Clouds aspiring prest Its shady Head and had it stood within An open Field as it a Grove had been To a most large extent the dark'ned Ground Had cover'd with its Shade Near that they found An Oak which there through many Ages grown Endeavour'd to the Stars its mossie Crown To raise and from its spreading Trunk did fill The Arms with Leaves and shadow'd all the Hill Hither the Cohorts sent from Sicily Not daring to prevent their Infamy By Death and yielding up their Minds to Fear Contend with Speed to fly and climbing there The Wav'ring Boughs with their uncertain Weight Oppress'd and all contending to be at The safest Place some shaken from their Stand Fall to the Ground by rotten Branches and The aged Tree deceiv'd some Trembling hung Still on the Top among the Darts were flung Against them by the Fo untill resolv'd That in one Ruin all should be involv'd At once Sychaeus lai'd his Shield aside His Weapons chang'd and strait an Ax imploy'd Late sharp'ned for the Fight With him the rest Hasten the Work and all the Tree invest Which now through frequent Blows declining cracks Aloud and as the weakned Body shakes Th' unhappy Troop upon it to and fro Are tott'ring toss'd So when the Zephyrs blow Upon an antient Grove the Birds that there On the weak Tops of Trees their Nests prepare Are toss'd and made the Sport of ev'ry Blast O'recome with many Blows the Oak at last Their most unhappy Sanctuary doth fall And in its spacious Ruin crush'd them all Then doth another Face of Death appear That Tree that to their Slaughter was so near Shines and is seis'd by active Flames among The Leaves and Branches dry and growing strong Vulcan his Globes of furious Fire doth turn To ev'ry Side and highest Boughs doth burn Nor do the Libyans cease their Darts to cast While Bodies half-consum'd by Fire imbrac'd The burning Arms and with them groaning fell But amidst this Destruction sad to tell The incens'd Consul came and busied all His Thoughts on Rage and fierce Sychaeus fall The Danger of so great an Enemy Prompts the brave Youth his Fate again to try With 's Lance which lightly on the brazen brim Of 's Shield he plac'd thereby to hinder him To pass through that Defence the Consul loath To trust the Fortune of Sychaeus Death To missile Weapons with his Sword advanc'd And maugre his thick Shield so deeply lanc'd His Side he fell expiring to the Ground Upon his Face Death entring at the Wound With Stygian Cold through ev'ry Part doth creep His Eyes composing to Eternal Sleep While thus the God of War himself applies To Enterchanges of sad Tragedies Mago and Hannibal the Camp forsake And in their speedy March their Ensigns take Along most eager to repair the Time That they were absent by a greater Crime Of Blood and Slaughter with their furious Pace The Troops advancing raise in ev'ry Place Thick Clouds of Dust like Whirlwinds to the Skies And with the Sand the Field doth seem to rise And wheresoe're the Gen'ral bends his Course Like a strong Tempest with impetuous Force Through the vast Air it swells and highest Hills Covers with horrid Darkness Here he kills Valiant Fontanus wounded in the Thigh There pierc'd quite though the Throat stout Bucca by His Spear was slain the Point through th' Wound appears In 's Neck behind (k) A City where he was born Fregella him with Tears Bewail'd renowned for 's antient Descent Th' other his fair (l) A City in Campania Anagnia did lament Like Fate Levinus thee befell although Thou didst not choose the Tyrian King thy Fo But with Hiremon who then led the light Autololes contend'st in single Fight Whom wounded
in the Knee and Prostrate while Thou dost keep down and vainly seek to spoil With cruel Force an heavy Jav'lin broke Thy Ribs thy Body by the fatal Stroke With sudden Ruin on thy prostrate Fo Doth fall and Both in Death together go Nor were the Sidicinian Cohorts then Wanting in Valour these a thousand Men Stout Viridasius arm'd whose Skill did yield To none to guid a Ship or pitch a Field None sooner could with batt'ring Rams prevail 'Gainst Walls or sooner highest Tow'rs could scale Him when the Libyan General beheld With the Successes of his Valour swell'd For he Avaricus not trusting to His Arms and by him Hurt did then pursue His Anger rising higher at that Sight He thought him worthy with Himself to fight And from Avaricus as he withdrew His wounding Spear upon him fiercely flew And piercing deep into his Breast said He Prais'd be thy Valour whosoe're thou be 'T is pitty Thou by other Hands should'st fall The Honour thus to dy by Hannibal Bear to the Shades below and were not Thou Born of Italian Blood thy Life should now Be spar'd next him he Fabius slew and bold Labicus who in feats of Arms was old And long before in (m) Sicily from the River of that Name Arethusa's Land Had with Amilcar fought and Honour gain'd And now unmindfull of his broken years With Courage fresh again in Arms appears But that He now grew cold in War his Blows More vain betray the Fire so weakly glows In dying Embers that no Strength at all The Flame retains him when fierce Hannibal Shew'd by His Father's Armour-Bearer spy'd Thy former Fight 's due Punishment He cry'd Receive by this my Hand Amilcar now Revenging draggs thee to the Shades below This said from 's Ear with Aim a Dart he throws Which as upon the Wound he turned goes Quite through his Head the fatal Shaft again Pull'd out his hoary Locks a Crimson Stain Of Blood receive and his long Labours all In Death are ended Next to him doth fall Herminius a Youth who first there took Up Arms before accustom'd with his Hook Fam'd Thrasimenus in thy Lake to prey And to his aged Father oft convey Delicious Food and with his Angle from The Neighb'ring Waters drew the Fishes Home But now the Carthaginians sad convey Upon their Arms Sichaeus Corps away Unto the Camp whom with a mournfull Cry Pressing along as Hannibal doth spy With a Presaging Grief He strikes his Breast What is this Sadness that 's by you exprest My Friends said He of what hath us the Ire Of Heaven depriv'd Thee burning with Desire Of Praise Sichaeus and too great a Love Of thy first War doth this Black day remove From Life and Us by an untimely Fall With that he groan'd to which the Tears of all That bare him do Consent who likewise tell Weeping by whose revengefull Hand he fell I see it in his Breast said He see where The Wound was made by the Ilîack (n) Romane Spear Oh worthy our dear Carthage shalt thou go And worthy Hasdrubal to Ghosts below Nor shall thy Noble Mother thee lament Degenerate from thy so high Descent Nor as unlike thy Ancestours from Thee In Stygian Shades shall our Amilcar flee But these our Tears Flaminius this Day The Cause of all by 's Death shall wipe away This Pomp thy Funeral shall sure attend And impious Rome her self shall in the End That my Sichaeus Body with her Sword She ne're had wounded any Rate afford Thus he his Fury vents and as he speaks From 's foaming Mouth like Smoak a Vapour breaks His Rage in broken Murmurs from his Breast Extrudes that Breath that should have Words expres◠So from a boiling Pot in scalding Heaps Like Waves through too much Heat the Liquour leaps Then with blind Rage into the midst of all He Runs and Rends the Air as He doth call Upon Flaminius who no sooner hears His Voice but to the Combat he appears And Mars more near approach'd while Hand to Hand To fight within the Lists both Champions stand Then strait through all the Rocks a sudden Crack Doth run the Mountains all with Horrour shake Their Tops do tremble and the Grove of Pines That crown'd them from its pleasant Height declines And broken Quarries on the Armies fall Groaning as pull'd from her Foundations all The (o) The Poet in this agrees with Livy who affirms the Fury of the Souldiers to be such that neither Side were sensible of that Earthquake which subverted a great part of many Cities in Italy turned the Course of Torrents transported the Sea into Rivers and with a terrible Noise tore Mountains asunder lib. 22. Earth doth quake and breaking strangely wide Through the vast Gulfe where Stygian Shades discry'd And fear'd the Day again The troubled Lake Rais'd to the highest Hills forc'd to forsake Its ancient Seat and Channel with a Flood Before unknown now laves the Tyrrhen Wood This Storm the People and the Towns of Kings Like a dire Plague to sad Destruction brings Besides all this the Rivers backward run And fight with Mountains and the Sea begun To change its Tydes the Faunes now quit the Hill Of Apennine and fly to Floods yet still The Souldier O the Rage of War although The reeling Earth doth toss him too and fro Fights on and as he falls deceived by Th' unconstant Ground throws at his Enemy His trembling Darts till wandring here and there The Daunian Youth distracted through their Fear Fly to the Shore and leap into the Stream The Consul who by Chance was mix'd with them That by the Earthquake fell their Fight in vain Upbraids What then I pray you doth remain To such as fly To Hannibal thus you His Way unto the Walls of Rome doth show You put both Fire and Sword into His Hand 'Gainst Iove's Tarpeian Tow'r Oh Souldiers stand And Learn by me to fight If ye deny To fight at all then Learn of me to dy Flaminius to Posterity shall give No vile Example and while I do live No Libyan or Cantabrian shall see A Consul's Back although alone I be But if so great a Thirst and Rage of Flight Your Minds invades their Weapons all shall light Upon this Breast and after this my Fall My Ghost into the Fight shall you recall While thus he vents his Grief and doth advance To meet his num'rous Foes with Countenance And Mind as Cruel forth Ducarius came Who from his Ancestours deriv'd his Name And since the Boian Armie's Overthrow Those Wounds which he receiv'd so long ago As Marks of barb'rous Courage did retain And knowing the proud Conqu'rour's Face again Art Thou the Boians greatest Terrour I Said he by this my wounding Dart will try If th' Blood of such a Body may be shed Nor be You slack more vulgar Hands that Head To Sacrifice to valiant Ghosts 't was he Who in his Chariot proud of Victory Our captiv'd Fathers to the Capitol Drove and they now
Serranus a Renowned Name thy Son Great Regulus whose lasting Fame shall run Along with Time to tell all Ages how With the perfidious Carthaginians Thou Thy Faith didst keep in the first glorious State Of 's Youth had enter'd with his Father's Fate The Punick War and now sore wounded from The Fight to his sad Mother and dear Home Alone return'd no Company to ease His smarting wounds but thus through devious waies Supported by his broken Lance while Night Gave him Protection he a silent Flight Towards thy Plains Perusa takes and there To a small Cottage weary doth repair Resolv'd to try his Fate and knock's at Door Marus who to his Father long before A Souldier of no mean Esteem had been Leaps quickly from his Bed to let him in And borrowing Light from the few Coals that lay Upon the Hearth lifts it up to survey His Face which strait he knows and saw sad Sight Those cruel Wounds were giv'n him in the Fight His fainting Steps supported by his Spear The Rumour of this Loss before his Ear Had struck What Wickdness is this said he Oh! born to bear too much Calamity That I now see Thee greatest Captain I Beheld when ev'n in thy Captivity Thy Looks affrighted Carthage and thy Fall Which We the Guilt and Crime of Iove may call Gave me so deep a Wound that from my Heart Not Libya's Ruin can remove the Smart But Oh! where are Ye now Ye Gods again Himself great Regulus offers to be Slain And perjur'd Carthage now Oh Grief to see This rising Branch of that great Family Hath quite Alass destroy'd Thus having said The fainting Youth upon his Bed he lai'd Nor was he ignorant for he in War That Skill had learn'd fit Med'cines to prepare And first with Water purg'd his Wounds then Juicâ— Of Herbs of healing Virtue doth infuse Then binds them up and with a tender Hand Swaths on the Bolsters with a gentle Band. Thus having giv'n him Ease 't was his next Care T' allay his tedious Thirst and to repair His Strength with frugal Diet this in Haste Perform'd kinde Sleep its Benefits at last Apply'd and gave his Body gentle Rest. But e're the Day again did gild the East Marus as if he 'd cast off Age again Was ready to allay the burning Pain That then return'd with Med'cines try'd before And piously doth Nat'ral Warmth restore But here the Youth lifting up to the Skies With Sighs and frequent Groans his weeping Eyes Said Oh Immortal Iove if yet thy Hate To the Tarpeian Rock Quirinus State Hath not condemn'd with a more kinde Aspect On Italie's distress'd Affairs reflect Our Iliads of Woes behold for we The Alps have lost and our Adversity No Limits finds Ticinus and the Po Swoln high with Romane Slaughter overflow And Trebia's by Sidonian Trophies known With that sad Land that Annus did renown But why do I complain of this Alass Our present Miseries the rest surpass I saw thy Waters Thrasimenus swell With slaughter'd Men. Flaminius when he fell Amidst the Weapons I beheld and all The Shades below my Gods to witness call That by a Death worthy my Father I With Slaughter of my Foes then sought to dy Had not hard Fates as they my dearest Sire Refus'd deny'd a Death to my Desire Thus bitterly complaining to divert The Rest old Marus speaks Most noble Heart Whatever be our Lot or whatsoe're Our Fortune it like Romanes let us bear Through various Chances such by the Decree Of Heav'n the Wheel of our Mortality In a steep Path doth swiftly run Of this Thy Family a great Example is And fam'd through all the World That Divine He Thy Noble Father whom no Deity Excells 'mong all Eternal Honour gain'd For that he did Adversity withstand Nor shrunk from any Virtue till his Breath Was from his struggling Body forc'd by Death I hardly was a Youth when Down began On Regulus his Cheeks to sign him Man Yet then I his Companion was and We Our Years still pass'd with kinde Society Untill the angry Gods decreed that Light Of the Italian Nation should quite Extinguish'd be within whose Noble Breast Faith kept her Temple and his Soul possest That Sword an Ensign of great Honour He As a Reward of Magnanimity On Me bestow'd and Reins you see with Dust And Smoak now cover'd o're but yet no Rust Their Brightness stains such Gifts as these prefer Marus to any Romane Cavalier But above all my Honours I must prize That (b) By this Relique Marus signified the old Religion of the Latines who had in great Veneration the Spears or other Arms of antient Heroes For as Arnobius lib. 6. Contra Gentes affirms the Romanes formerly adored a Spear instead of Mars Spear to which I often Sacrifice Streams of Lyaeus Blood as here you see 'T is worth your Time to know the History Slow Bragada plows up the thirsty Sand With troubled Waves in all the Libyan Land No Flood more largely doth it self extend Or Swelling doth its Waters farther send O're all the Fields As thither We withdrew In search of Springs of which that Land but few Affords upon the Banks We joyfull sate Hard by the Stygian Grove that did dilate T'exclude the Day its Shadow ev'ry where And a thick Vapour breaking through the Air Expir'd a noisom Smell within was found A dire and spacious Cave that under Ground With many Labyrinths did winding run And ever Dark had ne're beheld the Sun The very Thoughts of it my Soul invades With Fear That fatal Bank and Stygian Shades A most pernicious Monster by the Rage Of Earth produc'd whose Equal in no Age Was seen inhabited a Snake of Strength Prodigious and an hundred Ells in Length His immense Paunch surcharg'd with Poison kill'd Upon the River's Banks or Lyons fill'd Or Heards that scorched by the furious Heat Of the Sun's Rays did thither make Retreat Or Birds that by his pestilential Breath Attracted from the Skies there found their Death Bones half-devour'd upon the Ground were spread And thus when he had plentifully fed On divers Prey within his Noisom Den He belching lay and when the Fire agen Of Thirst was kindled from his fervent Food He came to quench it in the Neighb'ring Flood And foaming Waves and e're half-way within The Water his vast Bulk had drenched been His Head upon the adverse Bank would ly Not thinking of so great a Monster I With Havens and Aquinus forward go T' explore the Silence of the Place and know The Wood when Horrour seiz'd as we drew near Our Joynts and all our Limbs congealed were With a most strange unusual Cold and yet We enter and the Nymphs and Gods intreat O' th' Flood unknown to favour what we do And thus though full of Fear presume to go Into the secret Wood when from the Mouth And Entrance of the Den as from the South Raging with furious Storms a Stygian Blaâ—t Broke forth and o're the Flood the Tempest cast Mix'd
Punishment said She My Dear I beg this One thing onely by Those Pledges of our Loves permit that I May Share with Thee whatever Dangers be Destin'd by Land or Sea or Heav'n to Thee I did not send Xantippus to the War Nor did I give those heavy Chains that are About thy Neck why then dost fly Me so To Punishment Oh! give me leave to go Me and my Children and perhaps our Tears May Carthage move to Pity If her Ears The cruel City stop we then may all Thou and thy Family together fall Or if resolv'd to dy here dy with Me For I a Sharer in thy Fate will be As thus she spoke the Vessel by Degrees Loos'd from the Shore to put to Sea She sees Then most Unhappy mad with Grief She cries Lifting her weary Hands unto the Skies See Him that boasts with treach'rous Libyans thus And Foes to keep his Faith but what to Us Was promis'd Violates Oh! where is now Perfidious man thy Faith and Nuptial Vow These Words He unrelenting heard The rest The Noise and Dashing of the Oars supprest Then down the River with the Stream We run Unto the Borders where the Sea begun O're which We sail and with Our hollow Pine Cleave the vast Billows foaming with their Brine I dreading more then Death proud Libya's Scorn Wish'd that the Ship by some rude Tempest born Against some Rock might split or else that We Might by the raging Seas o'rewhelmed be But gently-breathing Winds the Vessel bore Away and Us to Libyan Rage restore Which I unhappy saw and Home was sent A sad Relatour of his Punishment T was an hard Task nor would I now relate To Thee how Carthage then did imitate The Fury of wild Beasts to vent their Spleen If any Age in all the World had seen Any thing Greater then that high and brave Example which the Rev'rent Virtue gave Of your great Father 'T were a Shame for Me To add Complaints to those dire Torments He So unconcern'd endur'd and truly You Worthy of so great Blood Your self should shew By wiping Tears away A (h) This Engine built in Form of a Cage and proportioned to his Body is best though briefly described by our Authour who notwithstanding omits one exact part of his Punishment mentioned by Valerius Maximus lib. 9. cap. 2 viz. That they cut off his Ey-Lids so that continual Light as well as those Pikes of Iron that tormented him might keep him perpetually waking till the long Variety of Pain killed Him Cage they build Of Wood whose Grates on ev'ry Side were fill'd With equal Pikes of Steel which sharp and thick By Art in Order plac'd erected stick All Sleep by this Invention was deny'd And when through length of Time to either Side Dull Slumbers Him inclin'd a Row of Pikes Into his Bowels through his Body strikes Oh! cease to grieve brave Youth suppress thy Tears He Overcomes that this with Patience bears His Glory long shall flourish while in Heav'n Or Earth to constant Faith a Place is giv'n Or Virtue 's Sacred Name alive shall be A Day shall come wherein Posterity Great Regulus shall tremble when they hear Thy Fate which Thou with so much Scorn did'st bear Thus Marus spoke and with sad Care again His Wounds fomented to allay the Pain Fame in the mean time having sprinkled o're Her rapid Wings with Blood as if before Dip'd in the Streams of Thrasimenus Lies With Truth commixing through the City flies And to the People's Minds again recalls The Loss of Allia and Tarpeian VValls Storm'd by the Senones Sad Terrour shakes Her Reins and Fear the Tempest greater makes Now to the Walls with winged Speed She flies An horrid Voice is heard OUR ENEMIES APPROACH and then with Piles and Darts the Air In vain they beat Th' affrighted Matrons bare Their hoary Locks and with them as they Weep The Walls and Pavements of the Temples sweep And to the Gods for Friends deceased pray Too late Alass and rest not Night or Day Howling with Grief the scatter'd People ly Before the Gates and with a carefull Eye All that return observe About them throng And as they speak hang listning at their Tongue But cannot Credit give if News of Joy They chance to tell and yet again their Stay Intreat and sometimes with sad Looks alone Not Words with such as hasted to be gone Prevail for Tdings and yet Trembling stand To hear what they so Earnestly demand Bad News doth Force their Tears and if deni'd To know or if the Messenger reply'd With doubtfull Words from thence new Fears arise And now when Troops returning to their Eyes More near appear'd out at the Gates they run Fearing they had been lost and then begun To Kiss their Wounds and tire the Gods with Pray'r Among these honoured for his pious Care Old Marus with him young Serranus led And Martia who since Regulus was dead Still kept at Home all Company forsook And onely for her Childrens Sake did brook The Light now runs into a Grief as great As was her former Though distracted strait She Marus knew and thus accosts him Thou Great Faiths renown'd Companion surely now Thou giv'st me lighter Wounds or say hath Fate Caus'd the revengefull Sword to penetrate Into my Bowels deep What e're it be So Carthage Him in Chains may never see Nor Sacrifice Him to His Father's Pain I 'm pleas'd Ye Gods How oft have I in vain Oh my dear Son intreated Thee forbear Thy Father's Courage and His Heat in War That his sad Glory might not Thee engage In Arms. I have of too vivacious Age The hard Afflictions undergone But now Spare Us I pray ye Gods If any of you For Us have fought suppress the Enemy But when this sullen Cloud of Misery Was past the Senate with all Speed prepares To give Support to their distress'd Affairs All strive with Emulation the War To undertake and present Dangers bar The Progress of their Griefs The chief of all Their Cares was no appoint a General Upon whose Conduct shaken Italy And the whole Frame of her Affairs might be Imposâ—d when now their Countrey did appear To sink For Iove resolved to defer Awhile the Time of Her Imperial Pow'r And rising look'd from the Albanian Tow'r Upon the Tyrrhen People and beheld The Carthaginian with Successes swell'd Preparing his Victorious Arms t' invade Our Walls But Iove his Head then shaking said I never will permit that Thou shalt come Proud Libyan Youth within the Walls of Rome Thou mayst the Tyrrhen Vales with Slaughter fill And make with Latine Blood the Rivers swell And overflow their Banks but I defend That the Tarpeian Rock thou shouldst ascend Or to those Walls so dear to Me aspire With that four Timesâ— he threw his forked Fire Which shin'd through all the Tyrrhen Land and cast A Cloud upon the Army as it past From the divided Heav'n But yet all this The Libyan to divert could not suffice With that
prepar'd and to The Altars with all Diligence I drew The coal-black Lambs with mine own Hand for I The Night before was fill'd with Horrour by A Dream for thrice my Sister call'd on you With a loud Voice thrice on Sychaeus who Leaping for Joy with a most chearfull Face I thought appear'd But while I strove to chace These Fancies from my Mind and as the Day Began that what I saw might prosper pray The Gods She Frantick runs unto the Shore And on the silent Sands where you before Had stood her frequent Kisses fix'd and prest Your Foot-steps with a kind embracing Breast As Mothers late deprived of their Sons Their Ashes hugg From thence away she runs Like a rude Bacchinal her Hair displai'd To that high Pile which she before had made Of a vast Bulk from whence she might explore All Carthage-City with the Seas and Shore Then putting on the Phrygian Robe and Chain Enrich'd with Gems when she to Mind again Had call'd the Day wherein she first had seen These Presents and the Banquets that had been At your Arrival made and how the long Labours of Troy you told while on your Tongue With Pity her still-listning Ear depends Then to the Port her weeping Eys she bends And Off'ring to the Gods in Death her Hair Thus speaks Ye Gods of lasting Night who are By our approaching Death much Greater made Be Present I beseech you and my Shade O'recome with Love and weary now of Life Receive with kind Aspect Aeneas Wife And Venus Daughter who t' avenge the Guilt Of my Sychaeus Death these Tow'rs have built Of lofty Carthage now the Shade to you Of that great Body come My Husband who Was fam'd for his kind Love perhaps Me there Expects and would renew his former Care This said the Sword that fatal Sword which she Thought a sure Pledg of Dardane Love to be Into her Breast she thrusts her Servants who Beheld her with sad Cries and Shreeking through The Palace run The Noise unhappy I Receive and frighted to the Palace fly Like one distracted with my Hands my Face I tear and strive to climb up to the Place Thrice with that Sword I thought my self to kill As oft I sounding on my Sister fell But when the Rumour of her Fate was spread Through all the Neighb'ring Cities thence I fled To fam'd Cyrene and by Fate still cross'd From thence upon your Coast by Tempests toss'd I now am cast The Trojan Prince inclin'd To Tears at this resolv'd to be more kind To Her and now all Sadness Grief and Care Was lai'd aside and Anne no longer there A Stranger seem'd to be But when the Night All things by Sea and Land had cover'd quite Her Sister Dido seem'd with sad Aspect These Words to Her then sleeping to direct Can'st Thou Oh Sister can'st Thou long endure Within this Family Oh too secure T' indulge Thy self to Rest And dost not see What dangers Thee surround what Plots 'gainst Thee Are lai'd Or dost Thou not yet understand How fatal to Thy Kindred and Thy Land The Trojans are So long as Sphears above With Rapid Turning-round the Stars shall move And with her Brother's Light the Moon shall shine Upon the Earth between the Trojan Line And Tyrians there shall be no Peace Arise Be gone from hence * Lavinia was the Daughter of King Latinus whom Aeneas married Lavinia's Jealousies Now secret Plots contrive and in her Minde Something of Mischeif 'gainst Thee is design'd Beside nor think that this is but a Dream Hard by Numîcus with a gentle Stream From a small Fountain through a Valley flows Hast quickly thither and Thyself dispose To Safety there the Nymphs with Joy shall Thee Receive into the Flood and Thou shalt be In Italy Eternally Ador'd A Goddess And as Dido spake that Word She vanish'd into Air. Anne frighted by These Prodigies awakes and instantly Through Fear cold Sweat o're all her Limbs is spread Then clad with a thin Garment from her Bed She leaps and through a Window that was low Into the open Fields doth speedy go Untill Numîcus in his sandy Waves Receiv'd and hid her in his Chrystal Caves Now when through all the World its Beams the Day Had spread and in the Trojan Chambers they The Tyrian Lady miss'd with Cries through all The Latian Fields they run and Anna call At length Her Footsteps to th' Neighb'ring Flood They follow and as there they Wond'ring stood The River from his Chanel strait expell'd The Stream and in the Bottom they beheld 'Mong the Coerulean Sisters Anne who broke Silence and to the Trojans kindly spoke Since that when first the Year begins is She Divinely worshipp'd through all Italy When to this Fight that did so fatal prove To Italy the spightfull Wife of Iove Had Her instructed in her Chariot light Up to the Stars again she takes her Flight Hoping full Draughts of Trojan Blood she may At length receive The Lesser to obey The greater Goddess hasts and strait to all Besides unseen repairs to Hannibal Sequestred from all Company alone She finds Him sadly ruminating on The dubious Event of His Affairs And War with anxious Sighs to ease His Cares With this kind Language She salutes Him Why Most Mighty King of Cadmus Progeny Dost Thou persist to vex Thy self with Care Know that the angry Gods appeased are To Thee and now an Eye of Favour cast On th' Agenorides Away make haste Draw Thy Marmarick Forces out to fight The Fasces now are chang'd and Fabius quite By a Decree of Senate now hath lai'd The War and Arms aside it may be said With a Flaminius Thou hast now to do Me the great Wife of Iove nor doubt it True To Thee hath sent I in th' Oenotrian Land Religiously ador'd a Goddess stand Sprang from Your Belus Blood Then quickly go And all the Thunder of War's Fury throw Where high Garganus doth it self display Through Iâ—pygian Fields unto the Sea The Place is not far distant thither all Thy Ensigns bear that Rome at length may fall This Victory shall Libya suffice This said into the Clouds again She flies By these Assurances of promis'd Praise Doth Hannibal His Thoughts dejected raise Great Nymph said He the Glory of Our Line Then whom by Us no Goddess more Divine Is held most happy with such Tidings fraught Thee after I victoriously have fought At Carthage in a Marble Temple I Will place and in her Statue Dido nigh To Thee shall be ador'd This said He then Full of glad Thoughts thus animates his Men. Now all your tedious Cares your Sense of ill And slow-tormenting Pains of sitting-still My Souldiers lay aside We have appeas'd The Wrath of Heav'n the Gods with Us are pleas'd Hence is it that I Fabius can declare Discharg'd of his Command the Fasces are In other Hands Now let Me see those great And valiant Acts which oft with so much Heat You promis'd when excluded from the Fight Behold a Libyan
perceivs the War to be Almost suppress'd and at a Stand but see The sad Displeasure see the Wrath of Heav'n One Consul I believe to Rome is giv'n To ' ther to Carthage He draws with Him all Affairs and madly fears that Rome should fall By any other Hand then by His own She cruel from the Tyrian Senate none Could more destructive choose no Warlike Steed To carry Him against the Fo hath Speed Enough It grievs Him that His March should be Retarded by the Night's Obscurity With Swords half drawn He marches that no Stay To draw a Sword His fighting may delay But ye Tarpeian Rocks and Tow'rs that be Sacred to Iove through him ally'd to Me And my thrice happy Countrie 's Walls which now I standing leave the Witness of my Vow Where e're the common Safety calls me I Will go and greatest Dangers will defie But if still deaf to what I shall advise The Camp will fight I shall no longer prize Th' Enjoyment of my Sons and dearest Home Nor like to Varro me shall wounded Rome Returning see Thus high in Discontent The Generals both to the Army went The Libyan within th' Aetolian Plains As by His Dream advis'd encamp'd remains Neither had Italy e're sent a Force Greater for Number both of Foot and Horse Into the Field for then they fear'd the Fall Both of the City and the Nation all (o) Varro having resolved to fight wheresoever he met Hannibal the People gave him an excessive Liberty to raise men so that he had a greater Army then ever the Romanes levied before to the number of eighty eight thousand men See Plutarch in Fabio Their Hopes upon one Battel did depend Therefore the Faun-got Rutuli did send Join'd with Sicanian Arms their Sacred Bands Into the War Those that possess the Lands Of Daunus and Laurentine Palaces And fam'd Numicius Waters join'd with these From Castrum likewise to the War they came And ArdeÌ„a once fatal to the (p) Ardea was a wealthy City of the Latines distant from Rome eighteen Miles when Aeneas entred Italy Turnus was King of it who gave Battel to Aeneas and was slain by him Tarquimus Superbus besieged this City when his Son left the Camp and posted to Rome to ravish Lucretia which not onely forced him to raise the Siege but subverted his Dominion over the Romanes See Liv. lib. 1. Name Of Phrygians and Lavînum where of old Built on a lofty Hill they did behold Great Iuno's Temple and Collatia where Chast Brutus took his Birth with those that are Wont to frequent Diana's cruel (q) Diana's Grove near Aricia a Town scituate behinde the Alban Hill upon the Via Appia In this Grove Numa pretended his Private Conference with the Nymph Egeria Grove And that the Mouth o' th' (r) Tiber. Tyrrhen River love They likewise that in Almo's warmer Stream Cherish (s) Almo a small Brook that flows into Tiber wherein once a year the Image of Cybele was washed Cybele to the Army came Thy Tybur too Catyllus muster'd and (t) Praeneste built by Praenestus the Son of Latinus and Nephew to Vlysses and Circe where there was a Temple Dedicated to Fortune and famous for its Oracles Praeneste that upon an Hill doth stand Sacred to Fortune and Antemna fam'd Before Crustumium from the River nam'd With the Labîci skill'd to Plow and those That dwell where now Imperial Tiber flows With Anyo's Neighbours and the People where The Fields with cold Simbrivium water'd are And the Aequicolae for Tillage known Their Captain Scaurus was whose Chin the Down Then newly cover'd but his rising Worth Began to future Times to set him forth These were not wont with Steel to point the Spear Or Quivers full of winged Shafts to bear Piles and short Swords they love their Heads with Brass Defended are their Crests all else surpass But those which Setia that 's reserv'd alone For Bacchus Table and (u) The Velitrini upon the Confidâ—nce of a Prophesie that told them a Citizen of their City should one day obtain the Dominion over all Italy did very often contend with Rome but were still worsted untill Augustus who was born there obtaining the Empire fulfilled the Prophesie Velitrae known By many Battels from her Valley sent With such as Cora listed and that went From Signia full of hurtfull Wines with those Where the black Fen of Satura o'reflows The Pontine Level with a noisom Flood Which running through the Fields all stain'd with Mud Vfens within his Chanel strait collects And with the Slime the Neighb'ring Sea infects Were under valiant Scaevola's Command Who Great in 's Ancestours nor of that Hand Unworthy held whose honour'd Figure He Carv'd in his Target wore where they might see The flaming Altars ' midst the Tyrrhen Bands Now angry with himself bold (x) Mutius Scaevola who when Rome was besieged by Tarquinius Superbus and Porsenna issued out of the City by night resolving to kill Porsenna and passing disguised through the Guards coming into his Tent not knowing the King slew one of his Nobles and finding immediatly his Errour in a Rage burnt his Hand for the Mistake Liv. lib. 1. Mutius stands And Valour in his Image seem'd to be Turn'd into Rage Porsenna instantly Having escap'd the Blow to Arms returns While He his erring Hand for Anger burns Then from the fam'd Circaean Hills and from Anxur high-standing on a Rock they come With those that Plow the Hernick Stony Fields And fair Anagnia that such Plenty yields Of Wheat But Sylla the Terentines joyn'd With Privernates led Then those that shin'd In their bright Arms from Sora lately sent Next these the Fabraterian People went And Scaptian Youth Atina too was there From her cold Hill and Suessa worn with War And from the Plough Trusino not to be Esteem'd as weak But those that Lyris see Mixing his sulph'rous Waters with the cold Fibrenus and with silent Streams by old Arpinum glides with the Venafrian Bands And him that with the Larinates Hands Brings his Auxiliaries and the vast Aquinum of her Men doth quite exhaust Tullius to War in brasen Arms did bring A Noble Youth that did from Tullus spring And of so great a Wit that Fate ordain'd That He should give to the Ausonian Land (y) Marcus Tullius Cicero The famous Oratour One of his Race that should be understood Beyond the Indies and their famous Flood Of Ganges whose great Voice the World should fill Who by the Thunder of his Tongue should still The Noise of War nor shall Posterity Er'e hope the like for Eloquence to see But from Theramnean Blood of Clausus sprung Inimitable for â—rave Deeds among The Chief was (z) Vid. Lib. 15. Nero Him the Troops that came From Amiternum and which takes her Name From Bactrians Casperula with all From Foruli and which we Sacred call To th' Mother of the (a) Cybele Gods Reate and Nursia that as besieg'd by Frosts doth stand
And Troops from Tetricus cold Rock to th' Field Attend all arm'd with Lances and their Shield Made Globe-like round no Plumes their Helmets bear And their left Legs with (b) This kind of Armour on the left Legs was peculiar to the Sabines among the Italians and Aetolians among the Greeks Boots defended are These as they Joyfull march'd some Praises sung To Thee great (c) Sanctus was the Father of Sabus Sanctus for from Thee they sprung Some Sabus honour Thee who first of all Thy People from Thy Name didst Sabines call But Curio rough with 's scaly Coat of Mail And on his Helmet's Crest an Horses Tail Into the War so great Assistance brings That not the Raging Sea more num'rous flings Its foaming Billows up nor Bands more light And Active when She imitates a Fight Riding through num'rous Troops with Moon-like Shields (d) Amazon The Warlike Maid leads through the Scythian Fields And makes Thermodoon and the Earth resound The Noise Here those that in thy Stony Ground Numana dwell and those that near the Shore With flaming Altars (e) Iuno who had there a Temple Cupra Thee adore Were to be seen They likewise thither send Their Aids who the Truentine Tow'rs defend By the adjoyning River and the Sun From their bright Targets by Reflexion At Distance rais'd a bloody Light and there Ancon as rich in Purple did appear As are the Libyan or Sidonian Looms Then water'd by Vomanus Adria comes And near to them the Ensigns they behold Of churlish Asculum which fam'd of old Vepîcus sprung from Saturne built Him by Her Charms Phoebean Circe forc'd to fly Depriv'd of his own (f) Turned into a Wood-pecker by Circe Figure through the Air With yellow Plumes Once the Pelasgi there Inhabited and Aesis as by Fame We learn their Ruler was and left his Name Unto the River and his People all Began Asili from himself to call Nor coming from their hollow Hills with worse Supplies did Vmbrian Swains the Camp enforce These Aesis Sapis and with rapid Waves Roll'd over lofty Rocks Metaurus Laves Clitumnus too that Bulls for Sacrifice Washeth in Sacred Streams and Nar that flies Foaming to Tiber and whose Waters run Ingloriously Tinia and Rubicon With Clavis and which from the Senones Was Senna call'd but Tyber ' midst of these With Banks unshaken near th' Imperial Walls Swells high and thence into the Ocean falls Their Cities Arna and Mevania rich In spacious Meads Hispellum Narnia which Upon a steep and rocky Hill doth ly Inginum too of old infected by Moist Clouds and lying in an open Plain Fulginia wanting Walls Near these remain A warlike People Amerini nam'd And Camers near to them for Arrows fam'd With wealthy Sarfina renown'd for Store Of Milk and the Tudertes that adore The God of War These a stout Race of Men Contemning Death were led by Piso then A Youth and there in such an Habit shin'd But equalling by his sagacious Mind The Antient and in Policy his Years Excelling at the Armie's Head appears In Parthian-painted Arms and Golden Chain Whose Gems a Lustre cast through all the Plain But then a Legion of Hetrurian Bands Compleat stout Galba a great Name commands From Cretan Minos He his Pedigree Deriv'd and from Lustfull Pasiphae (g) Silius in this agrees with Virgil in his Bucolicks that the Bull fled from Pasiphae till Daedalus made a Cow of Wood where in the Qu. was enclosed and the Bull deluded So hated by the Bull and from that Line His Noble Ancestours in Order shine Then Cere chosen Bands Cortona then Proud Tarcon's Family send chosen Men With old Graviscae Alsium by thy Streams Grecian Alesus lov'd and that which seems Besieg'd by a rude Plain Fregellae nor Was Fesula the Fam'd Interpreter Of Thunder wanting with her Sacred Bands And near to them Clusinum Muster'd stands Once a great Terrour to the Walls of Rome When thou Porsenna Arm'd didst thither come And didst endeavour to restore in vain Th' expell'd Tarquinii to the Throne again Then Luna from her Snow-white Quarries prest Her lab'ring Youth Luna before the rest Fam'd for her spacious Port which can contain Ships without Number and shuts in the Main Not far from these the Vetulonian Band The Glory once of the Maeonian Land Which first ordain'd twelve Fasces to precede The Consuls and to strike a silent Dread As many Axes added it was She That first adorn'd with polish'd Ivory Triumphal Chairs Her Nobles first array'd In Tyrian Purple and that Trumpets made Courage by them in Battel to enflame Next these the Nepesinian Cohorts came And Just Falisci and Flavinia those That keep thy Fires Near whom Sabaca goes In Fens abounding and that near thy Lake Cimînus dwell with them that Sutrium take For their Abode and those that to the Rites Of Phoebus high Soracte oft invites Caps of the Skins of Beasts their Heads defend Two Darts they carry and their Spears commend Before the Lycian Bows These all in War Most expert but the Marsian People are Not onely Valiant but can likewise Charm To sleep the banefull Adder and disarm The Viper of her Teeth by Herbs and Spells Anguitia first as Fame the Story tells Oëtes Race those hurtfull Simples shew'd And with her Touch all Poison's Force subdu'd She from her Sphear could shake the Moon and Floods Stop with her Voice and calling down the Woods The Mountains naked make But full of Dread (h) Who being vanquished by Apollo in his Contention of Musick had his Skin strip'd over his Ears Marsyas when he the Phrygian Creni fled By Sea unto that People gave his Name When with a Lute Apollo overcame His shrill Mygdonian Flute The Chief of all Their Ciâ—ies they from antient Marus call Marruvium and for Corn in moister Fields More inward Alba store of Apples yields The rest were little Towns obscure in Fame But in their Numbers greater then their Name 'Mong which Pelignus and cold Sulmo sent Their Cohorts nor then these less diligent Were those of Cales born near them in Blood From Calaïs as by Fame 't is understood The Noble Founder of a City fair Whom Orithyia ravish'd through the Air For Boreas nurs'd in Getick Caves No less Active in War then these Vestini press Their Youth inur'd to Hardship by the Chase Of salvage Beasts They likewise War imbrace That in thy Tow'rs Fiscellus dwell and now They also arm that fertile Pinna mow And thy rich Meads Avella that so soon Sprout up and then in Emulation Of the Frentani the Marrucins drew Corfinium's People and Theate too All these with Rustick Weapons arm'd for Fight Could with their Slings a Bird in highest Flight Strike down the Skins of Bears about their Breast In Hunting kill'd they wear And now the rest That were for Wealth or Ancestours renown'd In all the Tract of the Campanian Ground Appear in Arms or their Assistance send The Osci in their Neighb'ring Plains attend Th'
the Eagles in the Air Comets the Fall of Kings with flaming Hair Shine fatally and salvage Beasts by Night Break through the Camp and Works and in the sight O' th' frighted Souldiers through the Neighb'ring field Scatter the Limbs o' th' Centinel they kill'd Deluded by the Image of their Fear From their dark Graves the Ghosts of Gauls appear To break and then the high Tarpeian Rock As torn from its Foundation often shook The Temples of the Gods with Streams of Blood Were wet Quirinus Statue as it stood Wept largely Allia greater then before Swells higher then the Banks the Alps no more Stand still nor Apennine which Night and Day Shook with vast Ruptures and where Libya Extended lyes ev'n from the very Pole 'Gainst Italy the flaming Meteors roll Such horrid Thunder-Claps the Heav'ns above Divide that they detect the Face of Iove The Lemnian God his Lightning likewise threw From Aetna and as broken Quarries flew Up to the Clouds as in the Giant 's Wars Knock'd his Phlaegraean Head against the Stars But ' midst them all as conscious of the Fight He looks and Sense-distracted with the Fright With horrid Cries the Camp a Souldier fills And panting thus express'd the future Ills. Spare us ye cruel Gods the Fields I see Too little for the Heaps of Slaughter be Through thickest Ranks the Libyan Captain flies And His swift Chariot over Companies Of Men and Arms drives on and drags along Their Limbs and Ensigns while the wind with strong Impetuous Blasts a furious War doth make Against our Eys and Faces From thy Lake Sad Thrasimen unmindfull of his Years In vain Servilius now reserv'd appears Whither Oh whither is' t that Varro flies Oh Iove among the Stones see Paulus lies The last great Hope of Rome's declining State These Ruins Trebia now exceed thy Fate Behold a Bridg is made of Bodies flain And silent Aufidus into the Main Rolls mangled Corps o're all the Plains I see The Elephants insult with Victory Our Consul's Axes and our Fasces stain'd With Blood a Tyrian Lictor in his Hand After our Custom bears To Libya The Pomp of Romane Triumph's born away Oh Grief Yet this ye Gods that we behold Is your Command while by congested Gold Torn from left Hands victorious Carthage sees (s) Mago sent to Carthage with the Tidings of this Victory carryed with him a Bushel saith Livy others more of Gold Rings then worn onely by Romane Gentlemen The Measure of the Romane Miseries The End of the Eighth Book In Vacuas vitam senior disperserat auras At Solimus simul ense fodit praecordia et atrum Sustentans vulnus mananti sanguine signat In clâ—peo mandata Patris fuge praelia Varro Ac summi tegmen suspendit Cuspide teh Defletumque super prostemit membra Paâ—enteÌ„ Honoratissimo Domino Dn o. Thomae Comiti Southampton Baroni Wriothesley de Tichfeild SumÌ„o totius Angliae Thesaurario c Sanctioribus Regis Caroli 2 â—i Consilijs atque Inclyti Ordinis Periscelidis Equiti c. Tabula sumÌ„a cum observantia DDD SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Ninth Book THE ARGUMENT The Consul Paulus as advis'd declines The Fight forbidden by unhappy Signs Rash Varro urgeth for a Day A Son In that sad Night before the Day begun His Father flying from the Libyan Side Vnhappy kills who bids him as he dy'd Forewarn the Romanes to avoid the Fight His Son this Warning on his Shield doth write And kills himself for Grief The fatal Field Is fought the Romans miserably kill'dâ— The Libyans have the Day While 'fore his Eys His Men are slain the Coward Varro flies WHILE Italy thus vext with Prodigies The Signs in vain of future Ruin sees Discover'd by the Gods as if they might Prove happy Omens of the following Fight The Consul waking spends the Night and now Throws in the Dark his Jav'lins then as slow Upbraids his Colleague and while yet 't was Night Would have the Trumpets sound a Charge and fight The Libyans no less eager to engage Urg'd by the adverse Fates with sudden Rage Out from the Camp they sally and begin To Skirmish For the Macae that had bin Disperst for Forage through the Neighb'ring Plain A winged Showr of Shafts like sudden Rain Pour on the Romanes and before the rest Mancînus who to be the first had prest To dip in Hostile Blood his Weapon dy'd And with him many gallant Youth beside Nor yet though Paulus sadly did declare How cross the Auspicies and Entrails were Would Varro from the Battel have abstain'd (a) It had antiently been a Custom amoâ—g the Romanes where both the Consuls were together to command alternately by Moneths but Varro and Paulus had otherwise agreed to command the Army by Alternate Daies Paulus on his Day kept the Army from engaging but soon as Varro took his turn he without consulting his Colleague immediately gave Battel to the Libyans Unless the Lot by which they did command The Camp by Turns had thwarted his Desire And forc'd the hasty Fates a while retire But yet no longer then a Day could be Between a thousand Deaths and their Decree Allow'd Into the Camp the Troops return Again while Paulus ceaseth not to mourn Seeing the Reins of the next Day 's Command Were to be trusted in a frantick Hand And that those Souls were then preserv'd in Vain From Slaughter For enrag'd and mad again For that he had the Battel then delai'd Dost Thou thus now Aemilius Varro said Thy Gratitude and the Reward repay Of that thy guilty Head Or else have they From Thee deserved such a base Return Who snatch'd Thee from the Laws and threatning Urn Command them to surrender to the Fo Their Arms and Swords or when to fight they go Cut all their Right-Hands off But you whom I Have often Weeping seen commanded by The Consul to retire or shun the Fo No more expect the Signal when you go To fight or slow Commands let ev'ry Man Be his own Leader and go boldly on In his own Ways When first the Sun shall shed His Morning Rays upon Garganus Head These Hands the Ports shall open for you all Then charge them quickly and this Day recall Which you have lost Thus he with mad Desires To Fight the discontented Camp inspires When Paulus not the same in Mind or Face But as if after Fight he 'd seen the Place Strew'd with his slaughter'd Friends and as if there In View the Miseries ensuing were As when all Hope of her Son's Life is past In Vain his yet-warm Body in her last Embrace a Mother huggs and seems to be Sensless with Grief By Rome's dear Walls said He So often shaken by those Souls which now Night with a Stygian Shade surrounds and know No Guilt forbear I pray to run upon Your Ruin till the Wrath of Heav'n be gone And Fortune's Fury be consum'd 'T will be Enough if our New Men shall dare to see The Fo without a
the Backs of them that fly Ev'n in their Gen'ral's View all Shafts provokes The Consul's Helmet by their furious Stroaks Bruis'd and his Arms all shatter'd Paulus throws Himself more fierce at this among his Foes But Varro having lost his Courage quite While Paulus to another Place the Fight Pursu'd strait wheels about and with his Hand Turning his Horse said Thou dost justly stand Corrected Rome that did'st to Varro give Command in War while Fabius is alive But now what civil Discord in my Minde What sad Dissension of my Fate I finde What secret Fraud of Destinies I all These Torments will determine in my Fall But Oh! some God my Sword withholds and Me Reserves Alass for greater Misery Shall I live then and to the Tribes agen The Fasces stain'd with Blood of Countrey-Men And broken thus return And as I go My Face to other angry Cities show Or then which Nought more Cruel could for Me By Hannibal be wish'd fly hence and Thee Oh Rome behold More his distracted Fear Had utter'd but the Enemy drew Near And Charging him more Close with Darts his Steed Snatch'd the loose Reins and fled the Field with Speed The End of the Ninth Book Hinc citus ad Tumulum donataâ—e Funera Paulo â—bat et Hostilis Lethi Iactabat Honorem Omnibus Exequijs Nudo jamque Annibal Unus Sat Decoris Laudator Erat. c Honoratiss o Domino Dn o. Iacobo Compton Baroni de Compton Comiti NorthamptoÌ„ Tabula sumÌ„a cum observantia D.D.D. SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Tenth Book THE ARGUMENT Paulus great Valour and what Slaughters he At Cannae made He is advis'd to flee But Thoughts of Flight rejects By Hannibal Christa with his six Sons together fall Servilius by Viriathus slain By Paulus Hand is soon reveng'd again And fighting ' midst his Foes at length he dies The Libyan Celebrates his Obsequies Commends his Valour and his Noble End Their Counsels who their Countrey did intend To quit by Scipio are suppress'd To Rome Without all Pomp doth Consul Varro come The Multitude incens'd against him are By Fabius appeas'd The Slaves for War Are Arm'd the Senate passeth a Decree That none that Captiv'd are shall ransom'd be WHEN Paulus saw the Adverse Fight encreas't As when with Spears encompass'd a wilde Beast Leaps on their Points and by his Wounds doth know Where to direct his Rage and choose a Fo Into the thickest of the Globes he goes And to all Dangers doth himself expose And seeks a Death from ev'ry valiant Hand Upbraiding thus his flying Men Oh! stand Stand stoutly to 't and in your Breasts receive The Sword nor wounded in your Backs thus leave The World there nothing now remains at all For Us but the sole Glory of our Fall Me to the Shades below you all shall finde Your Leader Then swift as the Northern Winde Or winged Shafts which in dissembled Flight The Parthian backward shoots into the Fight And where unmindfull of his tender Age Paetus like Mars in Courage did engage He rush'd into the mid'st of all his Foes And the Youth whom light Vascons did enclose And fierce Cantabrians did with Darts surround Freed from their cruel Arms while they gave Ground And Trembling fled As when a Goat in View Through a large Plain the Huntsmen close pursue And in the Chase the weary Beast so nigh Approach they think to catch't if suddenly Gnashing his Teeth a Lyon from his Den Before their Eys appears their Colour then And Blood flies from their Cheeks their Weapons all Inferiour to their Danger they let fall And flying think no more upon their Prey Now with his Sword on such as in his Way Oppose he press'd and such whom baser Fear Made fly with Darts he follows in the Rear Fury and Rage delight him and to Crown His Deeds with Honour by his Hand alone A multitude of Nameless People fall And if another Paulus there 'mong all The Dardan Troâ—pâ— had been Cannae its Name Had surely lost and Haâ—nibal his Fame At length his Wing declin'd and suddenly The Front gives Way and all together fly There Labiâ—nus fellâ— whom Cingulum Sent from her lofty Walls there Ocris whom With Opiter Vine-bearing Setia sent From fertile Hills Their Deaths were different Though the Sidonian join'd the Time for there Shot through the Hip fell Labienâ—â— here One through the Shoulder t' other through the Knee The Brothers wounded him accompany And there Macaenas who of antient Fame Through the Maeonian Land his Noble Name From Tyrrhen Kings deriv'd wounded quite through The Groin a Tyrian Jav'lin likewise Slew But through the thickest Paulus â—corning all Desires of Life and â—eeking Hannibal Charg'd furiously and thought his Destiny Could onely cruel be if he should dy And Hannibal survive Fearing this Rage For that if once in Fight they did engage So great a Storm and Tempest could not be Without great Mischief Iuno instantly (a) Vid. infra pag. 12. Frighted Metellus Shape assuming Why Consul said She sole Hope of Italy Dost thou Renew thy Rage in Vain while Fate Resists if Paulus live the Romane State May stand if otherwise thou draw'st with Thee All Italy Oh Paulus Can it be That thou wilt while the State thus totters go To hazard 'gainst so insolent a Fo Thy Sacred Head For now so flush'd in War Is Hannibal that with the Thunderer He dares contend and Varro I beheld When first He wheel'd about hath left the Field Himself reserving for a better Day Allow the Fates their Time and while you may From Death redeem your Soul that 's greater far Then Ours You soon may have another War To this with Sighs the General reply'd And is' t not Cause enough if Nought beside Did move Me that I now should wish to dy In Arms when to an Act so Monstrous I Metellus urging hear Thou Fool away Fly Oh! fly hence with Speed nor Heav'n I pray Thee in the Back may Hostile Weapons wound But with thy Varro mayst thou safe and sound Enter the Walls of Rome Dost Thou think Me Worthy so base a Life and not to be As worthy Coward of a Nobler End Because the Libyan who dares contend Forsooth with Iove permits it Oh thou base Degen'rate Issue of a Valiant Race When should I choose to fight With whom should I Desire to Cope but such an One that by My Hand subdu'd or I by his might give To Me a Name that after Death shall live Thus chiding 'mong his Foes himself he threw And as Acherras covertly withdrew From the throng'd Maniples and sought Retreat To the Main Body with more nimble Feet Him through the thickest Ranks with Targets fill'd And constipated Arms pursu'd and kill'd So Belgick Hounds an hidden Boar pursue And with Sagacious Noses drown'd in Dew Through devious Ways the doublings of the Beast Detect and all his Footsteps closely prest Through thickest Groves where Hunts-men cannot come To beat still follow nor desist
enflam'd With the last Rites of Funeral by Me And Decent Sepulture shall Honour'd be How Great here Paulus dost Thou ly Whose Fall Alone is greater Joy to Me then all The Thousands We have slain and so when Fate Me with the Safety Carthage of thy State Shall call do I desire to dy This said T' Interr his Friends when the next Morn displai'd Her Blushes from her Bed and to prepare A Pyle of Arms that to the God of War Were to be burnt He gives Command then all Though weary to the Work commanded fall And strait in sev'ral Heaps the Groves are lai'd And on the shady Hills tall Woods are made To Eccho with their Axes here to Ground They fell the Ash and shady Pop'lar crown'd With hoary Leaves and there the Holm that took Root in their Grand-sire's Age and firmest Oak With Pines that flourish by a River and Sad Cypress that near Sepulchres do stand A mournfull Ornament These to the Field They bear and there with Emulation build The Fun'ral Pyles an Office to the Slain Fruitless and sad till in the Eastern Main Sol drench'd his panting Steeds and by his Flight From Heav'n with Stygian Darkness rais'd the Night But when again the Phaëthontian Reins Shed their first Beams on the EoÌ„an Plains And did to Earth its Colours all restore They Flames apply and Corps distilling Gore Burn in an Hostile Land an horrid Dread Of various Chance seising their Thoughts is spread With Silence through their Hearts lest Fortune by An adverse Fight might cause them there to dy But Sacred Mars to Thee up to the Skies Like a vast Hill a Pyle of Arms doth rise The General himself lifts up a tall And flaming Pine and thus on Thee doth call Great Father Mars who now hast heard my Pray'r These Sacrifices of a Prosp'rous War And First-fruits of the Fight within this Flame I Hannibal or'e the Ausonian Name Victorious burn to Thee and living Bands Offer these chosen Arms with gratefull Hands Then throwing in the Torch the greedy Fire Devours the Pyle and strait a flaming Spire Breaks through the Smoak and to the Stars ascends And a clear Light through all the Field extends Thence hasting to the Tomb and Funeral To Paulus giv'n the Honour of his Fall Insulting boasts A lofty Pyle there They Had rais'd and softer Beds compos'd of Hay Gifts likewise added are to th' Valiant held A Fun'ral Honour His dire Sword and Shield Of late a Terrour and a stately Sight Then Fasces torn and Axes ta'ne in Fight No Wife no Sons no Troops of Kindred near Ally'd were there nor on the lofty Bier As Custom was old Images precede And grace the Exequies But now instead Of other Pomp was Hannibal alone Sufficient to Eternize His Renown Shining with richest Purple to the rest Upon the Pyle He sighing threw his Vest And after that His Gold-embroider'd Cloak Then to His Shade with this last Honour spoke Ausonia's Glory go Thou thither where Souls great in Deeds and Virtue seated are Thou by Thy Noble Death hast Honour gain'd Fortune as yet with her unconstant Hand Our Labours guids and doth command that We Of future Chances ignorant should be Thus He and strait from crackling Flames into Aetherial Air the joyfull Soul doth go Now Fame her Voice encreasing to the Skies The Sea and Earth and chiefest City fliesâ— (m) So great saith Livy lib. 22. was the Lamentation Confusion through the City that Fabius whose present Courage gave Counsel to the rest was constrained to confine the Women to their Houses and in that great Consternation to omit the Anniversary Sacrifice to Ceres They now distrust their Walls and trembling all Hope Safety onely in the Capitol For now for their Defence no Youthfull Bands Survive an empty Name Ausonia stands Without a Body that the Enemy Not yet broke through the Gates they think to be Delay through Scorn their Houses now appear To burn the Temples spoil'd and ev'ry where Their Sons in cruel Slaughter to expire Before their Eys and the sev'n Tow'rs on Fire One Day lamented the approaching Falls Of twice an hundred (n) Senatours Chairs and sinking Walls Of now-exhausted Rome depriv'd of twice Three hundred thousand Youth besides and this After sad Trebia and the Tuscan (o) Thrasimene Flood And of Allies as great a Loss of Blood Amidst these Griefs the Pious Senate all By Lot to their appointed Charges fall Old Fabius super-vising what was done With Diligence th' Affrighted calls upon Believ 't there 's now no Reason to delay We must be speedy that the Libyan may T' approach our armed Walls attempt in vain By Sitting-still cross Fortune Strength doth gain Among the Fearfull and Adversity Through Fear grows greater Go go speedily (p) Such Arms as were taken from their Enemies had long been preserved as Trophies in their Temples but in this Exigency they were constrained to make use of them to Arm their Slaves Snatch from the Temple Arms Brave Youths go make The Courts and Porches naked quickly take The Targets from the Walls were gain'd in War Enough our Numbers for our Countrey are If we loose nothing through our Fear to fight In open Fields that horrid Plague may fright Perchance but the light-naked Moor shall ne're Break through these Walls or boast his Triumphs here While Fabius thus excites their Minds with Dread Dejected 'Bout the Walls a Rumour 's spread That Varro was at Hand and ev'ry Breast With secret Trouble and with Doubt 's possest As when a Vessel wrack'd safe from the Sea Alone the Pilot swimming makes his Way To th' open Shore the People trembling stand Uncertain whether they should lend an Hand To help Him or refuse Him and the rest So lost his sole Survival all detest How great his Infamy who durst come near The Ports so sad an Omen to their Fear These Discontents and Troubles to aâ—swage And turn the wav'ring People from their Rage Fabius declares How Base it was to be Vex'd at Mis-fortunes in Adversity It did un-manly seem in those to bend Who their Original from Mars pretend Who could not hide their Griefs but were intent To remedy their Woes by Punishment But if they would permit him to upbraid To Him that Day more Dismal shin'd he said When He saw Varro marching to the Field Then that wherein Dis-arm'd he Him beheld This Language all their Threats allay'd and strait Their Hearts were turn'd Now they condole his Fate Now summ up all the Comforts from them ta'ne By the Sidonian in two Consuls slain (q) At Varro's Return lest the People should grow insolently-cruel at the Mis-fortunes of their Generals the Senate gave him Thanks that he had not despaired of the future good Fortune of the Common-Wealth Then to congratulate Him out they run In Troops protesting that whate're was done They did believe proceeded from a great And valiant Minde That trusting to the Fate Of their
Modesty consum'd beside Infamous Honour that alone rely'd On Wealth with Idleness the City void Of Laws and lazy People quite destroy'd And then a cruel Pride provok'd their Fall Their Vices want no Aids for none of all Th' Ausonian People had a larger Store Of Gold so full a Sail their Fortune bore Then they their long-Sleev'd Robes Assyrian Dy Enrich'd they Feast with high Regality Ev'n in the midst of Day soon as the Sun Diffus'd his Light their Banquets they begun Their wanton Lives all Stains of Vices bear Beside the Senate to the People were Severe the People through the Senate's Hate Incens'd Seditions raise and with Debate Divide their Hearts The Head-strong Youth mean-while Their Crimes encrease and greater Sins defile The Aged And then such as were of Base Extraction and whom an Ignoble Race Defam'd their Falling Countrey 's Reins desire To guide and to the Chief Command aspire With Slaughter likewise 't was their Use of old T' exhilarate their Banquets and behold Dire Spectacles of such as with the Sword Contend mix'd with the Feast while on the Board Besmear'd with Gore the very Goblets swell Not more with Wine then Blood of those that fell With Cunning These that to the Tyrians He Their Minds deprav'd might turn more eagerly The Libyan Prince attempts Because He knew Rome notwithstanding all that Chance could do Would never yield 'T was easie to procure What He desir'd Pactulus not obscure For Guilt in this He Counsels to require A Share in Government and to desire That with a Sociate Consul he might bear Alternate Fasces If an equal Share To Him in Pow'r and Honour they deny'd Nor to behold two Axes would abide He a Revenger in their View would stand Of that Repulse Therefore a Chosen Band With Speed was sent and Virius who the rest In Eloquence excell'd himself addrest Chief in the Embassie His Birth indeed Was mean But yet his Fury did exceed All else Scarce what was impiously desir'd By th' frantick People had He told and fir'd Their Ears with swelling Words when a loud Cry From the whole Counsel rising did deny His Message with unanimous Disdain Then ev'ry One upbraids him and the Fane Through the Contention of their Voices shook And here the brave Torquatus with a Look Grave as his Grand-sire's said Dost Thou presume Oh Capua such Messengers should come Within the Walls of Rome 'Gainst which to bear Their Arms nor Hannibal nor Carthage dare After their Cannae Hath 't not touch'd your Ear That when in the Tarpeian Temple here The Latines proudly urg'd the like Demands Not with a Vote or Words but furious Hands They were repuls'd and He who hither brought And with proud Language utter'd what they sought With so great Violence was Headlong thrown Out at the Temple-Gates that bruis'd upon The fatal Rock he there did expiate In View of Iove his Language by his Fate And I his Off-Spring (d) This Torquatus who is commended by the Poet for his Austerity was descended of the Consul Manlius whom the Romane Militia dreaded for his overmuch Severity in Command He it was who when the Latines as now the Capuans demanded to have a Consul of their Nation in Rome forced Annius their Ambassadour out of the Capitol and as some affirm broke his Neck down Stairs who that Oratour Then from this Palace of the Thunderer Expell'd and Consul with his naked Hand Defender of the Capitol did stand This Mad-man who appears with threatning Eys To view these Trophies of Rome's Victories And his Fore-Father's Faction to pursue Vex'd Fabius seeing that He fiercer grew In this Dispute thus interposing said Oh Impudence Behold that Seat is made Vacant by Storms of War and whom of all Your Crew I pray do you intend to call And substitute in Noble Paulus Place Doth thy Lot Virius with the Senate's Grace Cite Thee before all other Or doth now The Purple to our Bruti Thee allow As equal Go thou Fool go thither where Perfidious Carthage may for Thee prepare Her Fasces As with Heat he this Exprest Impatient ev'n with Sighs within his Breast Longer to keep his Anger that thus broke Like Thunder forth aloud Marcellus spoke How dull a Patience Varro doth thy Minde Possess Confounded with this stormy Winde Of War so much that now a Consul Thou These mad vain Dreams art able to allow Why dost thou not from hence these Headlong throw Out at the Gates and make these Half-men know How great a Pow'r the Consuls have that be Created by Our Custom And let Me Advise Thou never-sober Youth whose Fall Is nigh fly quickly hence Our General Shall Arm'd before your Walls an Answer make Such as is meet With that they all forsake Their Seats and with loud Clamours press upon The Capuans who hasted to be gone While Virius vex'd at that Repulse le ts fall In murmur'd Threats the Name of Hannibal But Fulvius the Presages of whose Minde His future Honour at that Time Divin'd And falling Capua's Image 'fore his Eys Appear'd Replies Though Crown'd with Victories Thou Hannibal His Neck in Chains to Rome Shouldst bring Yet ne're hereafter shalt Thou come Within these Sacred Walls then take Thy Flight I pray Thee whither Thy sick Thoughts invite At length this angry Answer of the vext Senate they bore away with Threatning mixt Is it thy Will Great Iove that Fates should ly Still Buried in so great Obscurity An Age more happy shall hereafter come When a Campanian Consul Pious Rome Shall gladly entertain and shall afford Secure those Fasces of Her own Accord To valiant (e) The first of Foreiners that had the Honour of being Consul was Cornelius Balbus born in the Territories of the Carthaginians But after him many others were admitted and among them L. Fulvius a Tusculane immediately after his Countrey had rebelled against Rome and he was the Ancestour of that Fulvius who reduced Capua to their Obedience See infra Book 13. Nephews that were long deny'd Through Arms War but of their Grand-sire's Pride This shall a lasting Punishment remain Rome shall as soon the Suffrage entertain Of Carthage as of Capua This Reply When Virius intermixing cunningly Fiction with Truth did with the Fates declare The Fatal Signal of a Bloody War Was giv'n and the Campanian Youth inspir'd With Fury Arms and Hannibal desir'd The People flocking from all Parts invite The Libyans to their Houses and recite What mighty Things the Libyan Prince hath done How He like Hercules had over-run The Alps and in His Course had pass'd those high Aspiring Rocks that to the Gods are nigh Who had a Conquerour choak'd up the Stream Of Po with Slaughter And how He the same Great Conqu'rour troubled with Ausonian Blood The Lydian Lake and Banks of Trebia's Flood Transmitted had with an Eternal Name To Fame How He Flaminius overcame And Paulus Consuls whom in Fight He slew Beside how He Sagunthus overthrew In His first War And
then Pyrene's Heights Iberus and His Father's Stygian Rites They all exâ—oll and th' War which long before He in His Childehood at the Altar swore And then so many Gen'rals overthrown In Fight so many slain that He alone By all the Weapons of the Gods did stand Untouch'd in Battel While He did command With such a Person therefore they should joyn Their Hands and with Him in a League combine But if that Bloodless People's high Disdain Vain Contumacy and that Citie 's Reign That equal Laws and Fasces had deny'd As to their Servants Capua would abide Varro was then to be preferr'd that He Consul in Purple might more Glorious flee Thus boasting they by Lot choice Men prepare To send that with the Tyrians might swear A League but Decius then the sole Renown Of Capua in his Breast reserv'd alone Unconquer'd Courage and receiv'd into The Midst of the Assembly for He Knew He might not long delay Why do ye make Such Haste dear Countreymen said He to break Our Father's Laws And thus to entertain Into your Families that guilty Man For breaking of the League condemned by The Altars How is thus all Memory Of Justice lost 'T is Noble still in great Affairs with private Men or with a State To keep Faith in Distress Time doth invite Us now for the Rutulians to fight Now should our Armies move our Ensigns fly While their State totters and a Remedy Their Wounds require That Kindness is alone That 's offer'd when Prosperity is done And that gives Aid where Fortune is declin'd For 't is no Honour to a gallant Minde To hug the Fortunate Then hearken now To Me their Souls like to the Gods I know And Hearts still greater then their greatest Ills. Believe Me Them nor Thrasimenus fills Cannae nor Paulus Memorable Fate Ev'n These are they that with their Arms did beat (f) The Samnites extremely vexing the Capuans by their Incursions into their Borders and at length fortifying the Hill Tifata and defeating their Army in the adjacent Plain the Capuans with Tears desired Aid of the Romanes who sent two under the Conduct of their two Consuls Valerius Corvinus and Cornelius Cossus who triumphed over the Samnites and freed the Capuans Liv. lib. 7. The Fo fix'd on your Walls and Capua From the proud Samnites rescu'd These are they Who gave you Laws who all your Fears expell'd And which the Sidicinian Army quell'd Then what Allies through Malice do you fly Or rather whom d' ye entertain Shall I A Trojan who from Father Capys came To whom he left his Sacred Rites and Name From Iove of great Iulus Kin shall I Among these Half-men Nasamonians ly Or 'mong the barb'rous Garamantians which In Grinning salvage Beasts resemble pitch My Tent mix'd with Marmarick Troopers Or Shall I endure a General that for The League and Justice takes his Sword and Praise From Blood alone unto Himself doth raise No Right and Wrong your Decius does not mix With such Indifference that he should fix On such a Choice you with no Good so great Hath cruel Nature Arm'd as with the Gate Of Death which alwaies-open gives you Pow'r To leave a tedious Life at any Hour Thus to their Ears averse while Decius spent His Breath in Vain a chosen Regiment Made League with Hannibal and strait a Band Of light Autololes with Noise at Hand Appear'd sent by the General before While He with a great Body Marcheth o're The Plains with Speed and Decius agen Exclaims Come now 's the Time dear Countreymen The Hour 's arriv'd while following Me you may Perform an Action worthy Capua Now let Us all those Barb'rous Troops destroy Let ev'ry one strive soly to enjoy That Honour if the Fo approach the Gate Obstruct with Carcases and expiate This Errour with your Swords Such Blood alone Can purge your guilty Souls from what is done While this in Vain to all unpleasant He Express'd inform'd of his Severity With an Heartfull of Rage the Libyan stands Before the Walls and instantly Commands The Deputies into the Camp to send For Decius whom rough Valour did commend And a Breast arm'd with Faith a Soul inclin'd To Justice and then Capua a Minde More great who with undaunted Courage took Those menacing Commands and with a Look Most fierce as bitter Words returns again The Libyan Him so full of brave Disdain Amidst so many Arms and Ensigns thus Aloud upbraids After Flaminius And after Paulus We are challeng'd See! Alass mad Decius would contend with Me To give a Fame and Honour to his Fall But hence my Souldiers quickly march with all Your Ensigns and in Spight of Him to Me Let the Campanian City open'd be What new Wars He can raise I 'de gladly try 'Gainst Us to whom the Alps did openly And Rocks that strike at Heav'n o're which a God Alone before Impregnable had trod With that He angry blush'd and from His Eys Through Fury kindled sudden Flames arise And foaming at his Mouth deep Sighs he draws That break in dreadfull Murmurs from his Jaws By the whole Senate thus attended Hée The City enters and his Face to see The People flocking round He venteth all The Storms of his dire Rage and burning Gall While the approaching Dangers more enflame Brave Decius Minde who saw the Instant came Of Time wherein He was to vanquish all The Praise of an Unconquer'd General Him neither Flight nor Barricado'd Doors Conceal But Free as if no Libyan Pow'rs No Hannibal were then within the Town He with a Fearless Look walks up and down When strait with cruel Arms a furious Band Seis'd Him and forc'd Him at the Feet to stand Of Hannibal who on a lofty Throne A Conqu'rour sate and with a Thundring Tone This bitter Language vents Dost Thou presume Alone to under-prop declining Rome And rescue Her from Ruin Thou Fool say Which of the Gods from Me shall take away So great Enjoyments Or was I to be Subdu'd reserv'd dull Decius to Thee Weak Decius To whom no Woman born In Agenorean Carthage but would scorn To Yield But Him for why such high Disdains Should We endure Fast in deserved Chains My Souldiers binde Scarce He an End had made Of Railing when stout Decius they invade And binde with Chains His Hands upon His Back Then as a Lyon on the lofty Neck Of a young Bull amidst the Herd doth leap And murmuring with Rage Victorious deep Into his trembling Flesh his Claws hath prest There hanging feeds upon the groaning Beast So Decius raging while His Chains they binde Come speedily for such We ought to finde Thy Entrance Hannibal these Chains the Prize Of this unhappy League close binde He cries So Decius may a Worthy Victime fall For 't is not fit that Thou who placest all Delight in Humane Blood shouldst Sacrifice Bulls to the Gods Let Capua in this Behold thy Right-Hand see thy League as yet The Court Thou hast not enter'd nor hast set Thy Foot with in the
let Them see A single Combate between Thee and Me. Marcellus this demands This said the Fame And Value of the Danger did enflame Him with the Libyan to begin the Fight But this to Iuno was no pleasing Sight Who Him diverted hasting to His Fall From what He then design'd while Hannibal Strives all He can to Rally and to Stay His frighted Troops Such then from Capua And from those fatal Mansions do We come Said He Oh stand ye Wretches You whose Summ Of Glory is Dishonour Credit Me No Place will Faithfull prove to You that flee You have deserv'd that all Ausonia now Should rise against You and it is from You You that with so great Terrour routed are That all may both of Peace and Life despair His Voice suppress'd the Trumpet 's Sound and though Obstructed through their Ears his Clamours go In Graecian Arms young Pedianus stood Most fierce in Fight and from that Trojan Blood Himself derived that from Antenor came Nor less then His Original in Fame Was He (k) A River that descends from the Alps and running more then forty Miles under Ground breaks out again near Venice and emptieth it self into the Adriatick Sea the Euganean Lake not far from it Sacred Timavus Glory and A Name belov'd in the Euganëan Land To Him nor Father Po nor those that boast Their Aponus nor the Venetian Coast Could any Equal finde Whether he fought Or in a studious Life the Muses sought Or turn'd Aönian Ditties with his Quill Not any was more famous for His Skill As He in full Career did close pursue The Libyans at their Backs and near them knew The Cask and Noble Spoils of Paulus slain Worn by young Cinyps who rejoyc'd in vain In that great Favour of his General This Cinyps was belov'd by Hannibal None was then He more Beautifull in Face None in the Fore-Head had a greater Grace So shines that Ivory that in the Air Of Tibur bred Time never can impair Or Gems of the Red-Sea which in the Ear For Whiteness of admired Price We wear Him Glorious in His Helmet and His Crest Well known in the last Rank among the Lest When Pedianus spy'd and to His Eys Paulus from Shades below appear'd to rise Gnashing his Teeth he charg'd him Must said He The Trophies of that Sacred Head by Thee Be worn which not without the Crime of all The Gods and Envy ev'n your General Could wear See Paulus and with that upon The Ghost of Paulus calls to see it done And as he fled his Lance with all his Force Thrusts in his Side then lighting from his Horse Tears off the Cask and Trophies of the Great Consul with his Right-Hand and while he yet Could see despoils him of his Honour all His Beauty is dissolved in his Fall And strait a Stygian Colour over-casts His Snow white Limbs and all the Glory blasts Of His admired Form His Amber Hair Disorder'd falls His limber Neck can bear No more its former Weight but as opprest Sinks with His Head into His Milky Breast So when then (l) Lucifer Cythereian Star again Rising refresh'd from the Eöan Main Himself to Venus boasts if Clouds invade His Face the Lustre of his Beams will fade And soon decreasing in that Mask of Night Retires his languishing and fainting Light Ev'n Pedianus as he takes in Hand His Helmet at his naked Face doth stand Amaz'd and checks his Rage and then away Bearing with Shouts unto his Friends his Prey He Spurs his furious Steed which Stains with Gore From his fierce Mouth the frothy Rems he wore But then Marcellus fierce in Arms came on And meeting Him the Honour He had won Thus gratulates Go Antenorides Go on and by such valiant Acts as these Surpass thy Ancestours it now said He Remains the Spoils of Hannibal should be Our Prize Then fir'd with Rage his fatal Lance With dreadfull Noise he threw nor had perchance His Wish been vain had not the Obvious Force Of Gestar with his Body stop'd the Course O' th' flying Shaft for while He fighting near At Hand defends his General the Spear Not aim'd at Him past through Him ending all His mighty Threatnings in His changed Fall With that the General with Speed withdrew Struck with the Danger of his Death and to The Camp retir'd Then with a Headlong Rout The Libyan Army turn'd their Arms about And all contend who shall most Speedy fly Their Enemies Pursue and satisfie The long-contracted Anger of their Woes While ev'ry Man with Emulation shows To the Revenging Gods and Heav'n His Sword All stain'd with Blood (m) The Reputation of this Victory was of greater Consequence then the Victory it self though some say the Carthaginians lost two thousand three hundred and the Romanes but one man for from thence the Romanâ—s took Courage scarce believing before that Hannibal could be vanquished in open Fight That Day did first afford That which ev'n from the Gods none durst believe Before that it was possible to give A Stand to Hannibal in Fight but then They took His Chariots Elephâ—nts and Men And strip'd the Living and thus joy'd to see That Hannibal did from the Slaughter flee Return Marcellus to the God of War In Honour is compar'd and Greater far In Triumph march'd then when He once did bring (n) His Victory over Viridomarius King of the Gauls See above in the first Book Opimous Spoils to the Tarpeian King But when the Libyan Prince with much ado Had from His Trenches forc'd the Conqu'ring Fo When and with how much Hostile Blood shall I Wipe off this Stain Ausonia saw Me fly Oh Iove said He dost thou conclude that I Am worthy after Trebia thus to dy And You My long-unconquer'd Troops who are Alass now Vanquished without a War By Capua's Wealth I not degenerate From former Acts have seen You turn of late Your Conqu'ring Ensigns from the Latines and Shew'd them Your Backs and when I call'd to stand And fight from Me You fled Affrighted all As if from the Italian General What then o' th' antient War remains said He In You who can when I recall You flee Thus Hannibal while with loud Shouts their Prey The Romane Troops to Nola bear away But Rome which had been long inur'd to hear The sad Disasters of their Friends and ne're Enjoy'd Success the joyfull Tidings brought At Length how Happily they then had fought With that great Favour of the Gods erects Her drooping Head and Courage recollects But first those Coward Youths that slowly to The War were drawn and while it rag'd withdrew And hid themselves from Danger punish'd be For their Concealment Then with Infamy They Mark all those that through a fond Desire Of Life had Arts invented to retire Or in a League with Hannibal had bin Involv'd and purge the Nation from that Sin That fatal Counsel's punish'd and Thy Crime Metellus who consulted in a Time Of Danger to desert Thy Native Land Such then
Taurea with his bare Strength His Spear advanc'd And it with Headlong Rage and Fury lanc'd Into the Air while of another Minde The brave Ruâ—ulian seeking where to finde A certain Place to give a Wound now shook Then couch'd His Spear and many a threatning Stroke Pretends till fix'd in 's Shield his Jav'lin stood But was depriv'd of the desired Blood Then instantly he drew his Sword when strait Taurea to fly the Menaces of Fate With his steel'd Heel drives on his nimble Steed While at his Back the Romane with a Speed Great as his Rage pursu'd and very near Giving the Reins approach'd him and as Fear The Conquer'd so the Conquerour Desire Of his deserved Blood Honour and Ire Into the Gates invite and while they there Scarce Credit what they see that He should dare Alone to break into their Walls and haste So boldly through th' amazed Town he past Through th' adverse Port and to his Friends retir'd With that th' Mindes of all the rest were fir'd With the like Heat and Industry t' invade The Walls and where he had a Passage made To enter Flames and Swords strait shine then Showrs Of Stones and Darts assault the highest Tow'rs None could the Rest in Courage to engage Excell all Hands were equall'd by their Rage Dictaean Shafts fly through the Air and fall With Wounds i' th' midst o' th' Town The General Is pleas'd to finde that they had left no Room For his Encouragement they all assume So eagerly their Task Whom when he spy'd So well resolv'd and Fortune made a Guide To all up to the Gate he Furious came And sought with Danger to encrease his Fame Three Brothers Twiris who each a chosen Band Had of an Hundred men at their Command Guarded that Pass and there their Station held Of these in Beauty Numitor excell'd Laurens in Running and Laburnus Tall Above the other but their Weapons all Were diff'rent One Renowned for his Bow For 's Spear the other wont in Fight to throw His poison'd Lance and not to trust his Sword But Lamps with Flames and Sulphur mix'd the Third Compos'd So famous in a former Age That horrid Monster of a Triple Rage Gerîon fought on the Atlantick Shore Whose three Right-Hands three sev'ral Weapons bore One cruel Flames Behinde him t'other drew His Bow the third his trusty Jav'lin threw And dealt three sev'ral Waies at once a Wound When these thus varying Fight the Consul found With diff'rent Arms the Slaughter that appear'd At th' Entrance of the Gate and Posts besmear'd With Blood of such as thither did advance With an inraged Force his twisted Lance He throws Importing Death th' Italian Yew Cuts through the Air and where as then he drew His Bow and from above his Arrows ply'd Stout Numitor was Naked pierc'd his Side But not Content to fight besieged there In War Unskilfull though still apt to dare With headlong Heat rash Virius open threw The Gate and broke into the Field and to The Conqu'rours Rage his miserable Men Expos'd these Scipio fiercely charg'd But then As he the offer'd Troop insatiate kills Calenus born upon Tifata's Hills Bred up to bold Attempts His Courage great As was His Body often wont to beat Lyons to fight bare-Headed to Contend With Steers and down the winding Horns to bend Of fiercest Bulls by Force unto the Ground And for his vigorous Fate before Renown'd He while bold Virius from the Town expell'd Some rash Assailants whether that He held His Breast-Plate useless or to shun Delay Into the Field had Naked made His Way And nimbler now the panting Fugitives O'retakes and sev'ral Ways Victorious drives And now already Veliternus through The Belly he had thrust and Marius who With equal Sport was wont to exercise Equestral Fights with Scipio by him dyes Struck backward to the Ground by an huge Stone Torn from the Earth Expiring with a Groan H'implores his Friend and Gaping underneath The Rock was crush'd But Sorrow for his Death Doubling his Strength while all his Face o'reflows With Tears his singing Cornel Scipio throws Hasting to his Expiring Friend to show The wish'd for Comfort of a dying Fo. The Shaft as if a Bird the liquid Air Divided had past through his Brest and there Dissolv'd his mighty Frame swift as its Way A nimble Galley makes upon the Sea Which flies more nimbly then the Winds as oft As to their Breasts reduc'd the Oars aloft The curling Surges strike and with the Strength Of one joynt Strook runs farther then her Length But Volesus Ascanius who had cast His Arms away that he might lighter haste Unto the Walls as through the Plain he fled Pursues Strait sever'd by his Sword his Head Drops at the Owner's Feet but by the Force Of running forward in its speedy Course The following Trunk at length beyond it falls No longer now to keep their open Walls Did the Besieged hope When strait about They Face and shut their own Companions out That beg to be receiv'd Their Hinges then They turn and strive too late their Bars agen And Bolts to fix At this th' Italians prest More fiercely on and the Besieg'd infest And had not Earth been taken from their Sight Wrap'd in the Stygian Bosom of the Night The Souldiers their Assault so furious made The broken Gates had then been open lai'd But yet the Darkness brought not equal Rest To all These Fearless Slumbers such as blest With Victory Men know enjoy but there With dolefull Cries of Women ev'ry where With dire Complaints and trembling Parents Groans Capua affrighted her sad Fate bemoans And prays a Period of her Woes to see The Head and Authour of her Treachery The Senate murmurs Virius all Cares Of Life now lai'd aside aloud declares No Hopes of Aid from Hannibal Said He I hop'd to rule o're Rome and did agree If Gods the Libyan Arms and better Fate Assisted had to Capua to translate Trojan Quirinus Empire It was I That sent that Force to shake their Walls and high Tarpeian Tow'rs I had the Courage there To ask an equal Consul that might bear The Fasces in Our Name It hitherto Sufficeth We have liv'd and while We now Have Night enough whoever in his Minde Affecteth it at Acheron may finde Eternal Liberty let Him repair Unto my Table and My Cates and there Drenching himself in Bacchus Fruits his Minde Subdu'd he soon a Remedy may finde For all his Woes the Sting of Death may charm And with that pleasant Poison Fate disarm This said a Multitude attend him Home Amidst his Palace in a spacious Room A mighty Pyle of Wood did still remain The common Receptacle of the Slain But yet the People Grief and Fear distract While now too late on Decius they reflect Their Thoughts and his brave Valour punish'd by A cruel Banishment Then from the Sky Divinest Faith looks down and vexeth their Fallacious Hearts and strait through ev'ry Ear A secret Voice is spred Break no Accord
to the Consul Marcellus Tidings came that the Carthaginians Fleet arrived near Pachynum which encouraged their Party within the City to break off the Treaty Marcellus with his Fleet arriv'd upon Zanclaean Coasts and when all things were known The Murther of the King th' ambiguous Minde O' th' People and what Places Arms had join'd With Carthage what their Strength who firmly stood In Amity with Rome what vain and proud Conceits then (r) Syracusa so called from the River Arethusa entertain'd Who at the Gates his Entrance did withstand Close to the War he falls and with an high Incensed Breast le ts the whole Fury fly Of 's Arms through all the Neighb'ring places So Himself from Rhodope doth Boreas throw And with Tenth Waves against the Earth doth raise The Main and following th' ejected Seas Raves with his roaring Wings By the first War Leontine Territories wasted are A Land where once the cruel Laestrigon Did reign The General went Furious on To whom it seem'd all one if slowly He Subdu'd the Graecian Forces as to be O'recome Through all the Plain they Frighted fly So as you 'd think they were a Company Of Women that his Men at first withstood And Ceres Fields made Fertile with their Blood In ev'ry Place they 're slain nor as they run Would furious Mars permit them Death to shun Such as hop'd Flight some Safety might afford The General prevented with his Sword And urging on his Troops that seem'd too slow With his Shield's Point exclaims Go quickly Mow With your keen Swords that coward People down That in their Wrastling Exercise alone Are Skill'd whose lazy Youth with Joy affect The slender Praise to be with Olive deckt When they those easy Conflicts in a Shade Have undergon and a poor Conquest made This must your onely Honour be if You The Enemy as soon as Seen subdue This from the Gen'ral heard the Army strait More furiously fall on and press on Fate Now the sole Contest 'mong themselves remain'd Who should the Foremost be what valiant Hand The rest Excel in noblest Spoils Not more Enrag'd the Billows of Euripus roar Broken 'gainst Caphareus Propontis so The bellowing Sea with Violence doth throw From its strait Mouth nor near the farthest Sun With greater Tumult doth the Ocean run And strike th' Herculean Pillars Yet in Heat Of Blood and Fury of a Fight so great Was the milde Grace of Noble Valour fam'd A Tyrrhene Souldier Asylus Nam'd At Thrasimenus Lake once Captive made The milde Commands and easy Bondage had Of Berra undergone and Home agen With his kinde Master's leave return'd and then Resuming Arms his former Misery Reveng'd in the Sicilian War while He Was mingled in the midst of all the Fight And did by Chance on 's Master Berra light Who to the League from Carthage sent did there Entring the Social War an Helmet wear Of Brass that shutting close secur'd his Face The Youth He with his Sword invades and as Fainting with feeble Steps he left his Stand And Backward went o'rethrew him on the Sand. Hearing the Conqu'rour's Voice poor Berra strait His fearful lingring Soul from instant Fate Recov'ring from his Chin the Fastning tares Of his then treach'rous Helmet and to Pray'rs Had farther Language added but amaz'd At that so sudden Sight Asylus gaz'd On his known Face and as his Sword he stai'd With 's Hand with Groans and Tears obortive said Oh! beg not Life I pray or Doubtful so Entreat 't is just that I defend my Fo. He the best Souldier is who first and last In War defends his Faith Me first Thou hast Rescu'd from Death and not preserved by Thy Fo didst him preserve I 'de not Deny My Self who have endur'd so much of Ill To be Unworthy and deserving still To fall into things Worse should this my Hand Not make thy Way where Fire and Sword withstand And kindly raising him as this he said With Life the Benefits of Life repay'd His first Attempts in Sicily thus blest With Quiet Troops Marcellus forward prest And his Victorious Eagles turning to The Ephyreian Walls he strait way drew About the Syracusian Towr's a Line Yet did his love of Fighting now decline With grave Advice he strives to take away Their blind Resolves and Fury to allay But lest perhaps they might refuse or fear To credit Offers that so Gentle were The Siege with strictest Guards still forward went And He with cautious Arms then more intent Watch'd fearless in the Front with secret Care Designing Dangers not expected there So in the Po or in Cayster's Streams Swims the White Swan and while her Body seems Unmov'd with the prone River forward goes And with her Feet through silent Surges rows But while the Town Besieg'd still doubtful stands What to resolve their Arms and Social Bands Th' excited People and the Cities sent T' enforce the Camp Thither Messana went That lies upon the Sea from Latian Ground Too far disjoyn'd by Oscan Tribes renown'd Then Catinè too near Typhaeus Flame And for two pious (s) Catine lying just at the foot of Aetna was thence fired When two Brothers Amphinomus and Anapius took their aged Father and Mother and carryed them through the Flames into Safety Their Statues were after honour'd with an Epigram more lasting then the Brass or Marble by the Excellent Claudian too long to insert here Brothers known to Fame And Camerina not by (t) Forbidden to be stirred by the Sibylline Oracles Fates to be Once mov'd then Hybla that presumes with Thee Hymettus Hives of Nectar to compare Selinis that so many Palms doth bear And Myle once a Port secure but now The Shore alone a Refuge doth allow And dangerous to such as scape the Sea Then lofty Eryx and Centuripe From her high Mountain with Entella came Entella plentiful in Wine a Name To Troy's Acestes dear Then Tapsos and Acra that high on Icy Hills doth stand With these an Agathyrnian Band was there And Tyndaris that glories in her Pair Of Laeda's (a) Castor and Pollux Sons and Agragas that breeds And brings her num'rous Troops of Warlike Steeds That all the Air inflame with Neighing loud And roll unto the Walls a dusty Cloud Their Leader Grosphus was whose carved Shield The Monument of antient Torture held A fierce Bull 's Image which while Bodies burn'd By Flames put underneath to bellowings turn'd Sad Groans and you 'd believe some Oxen goar'd And driven from their Stalls then truly roar'd But this reveng'd (u) Perillus who invented for Phalaris the Tyran of the Agrigentines a Bull of Brass into which when the Condemned were put and Fire placed underneath their Cries imitated the bellowing of a Bull. Of this Torture Perillus the Inventour made the first Experiment condemned to it by the Tyran th' Inventer of so Dir◠An Art did bellowing in his Bull expire Thither came Hesa thither Gela came Gela that from the River takes her Name And the (x)
Man contends to mount his eager Steed Marcellus when he saw his Son among The rest put on his Arms and in the Throng Joyful and Brisk Thou dost appear more Great Said He then Me by thy admired Heat May this thy early Labour Happy be Such as at Syracusa once I Thee Beheld before thine Age would Thee allow As fit for War engaging with a Brow Like mine Oh! hither come my Glory stand Close to thy Father's side and by my Hand Learn a new Way of Fighting Then he lay'd His Arms about his Neck and briefly pray'd Grant from the Libyan Gen'ral Oh! thou King Of Gods that on these Shoulders I may bring Opimous Spoils to Thee As here he ends From the clear Sky a bloody Dew descends And Iove the Fatal Drops had sprinkled on His then succesless Arms. Scarce had he done His Speech when through the Straits advancing up The Fatal Mountain strait a nimble Troop Of Nomades upon them fly and pour Their Darts as thick as an Etherial Show'r While from their secret Ambush they supply'd The Fight with armed Troops On ev'ry side When Valour found her self thus close beset And nothing now remaining as a Debt Unto the Gods He onely sought to go With a great Name unto the Shades below Then at a distance his contorted Spear With all his Force he throws now fights more near At Hand with 's Sword and had escap'd perchance That cruel Storm of Danger if a Lance Had not transfix'd the Body of his Son But then alass the Father's Hands begun To shake and weak through Sorrow loosely bare His hapless Arms untill an obvious Spear Pierc'd through his naked Breast by which sad Wound He falls his Face imprinting on the Ground When Hannibal perceiv'd amidst the Fight The Fatal Lance within his Bosom light Aloud he crys now Carthage cease to fear The Romane Laws the Name of Terrour here Lyes prostrate and the (y) Though in the time of Marcellus there were in Rome many Eminent Captains yet none did exceed him in Conduct Strength or Courage For which his Fortune made him particularly Renowned having fought many single Combats and in all been a Conquerour Plutarch observes that he was called Marcellus quasi Martialis as most excelling Warriour Hannibal so much honoured him for his Valour that he burned his Body after the Romane Manner and sent his Ashes to Rome Column of their State But that brave Hand so like mine own of late Shall not obscurely to the Shades be sent True Valour 's void of Envy Strait they went About to build his Pyle which to the Skies By mighty Oaks brought from the Woods doth rise You might believe the Libyan General Had dy'd then Incense Cates his Shield withall And Fasces his last Pomp are brought and while With his own Hand the Taper to the Pyle The Prince applies Eternal Praise said He We have acquir'd For of Marcellus We Have Italy depriv'd Perhaps they may At length now lay down Arms. Go then and pay To that great Soul and to his Dust all Dues Of Funeral I never will refuse Thee this O Rome that thou the Sepulcher Of one whose Valour made him Great in War With Titles may'st adorn and lasting Fame Among Rutulian Nephews crown his Name Such is your other Consul's Fate whose Steed Him breathless to your Camp convey'd with Speed Such then Affairs did in Ausonia stand But not the same in the Iberian Land Was the Event of Arms. The quick Surprize And Conquest of New-Carthage terrifies The Nations round about The Gen'rals there Unless they joyn with Social Aids despair Of Safety since Young Scipio had fought As if He Thunder in his Arms had brought From Italy with so great Auspicies That he a fenced Town whose Height their Eys Could hardly reach as on an Hill it stood Had taken in one Day and fill'd with Blood While ev'n their Warlike Hannibal before He overthrew Sagunthus that for Store Of People and for Wealth might not appear As Equal unto that had spent a Year To his great Brother's Deeds aspiring still The next was (z) Hasdrubal Brother to Hannibal was by him left sole Governour of Spain when he began his March towards Italy with two thousand Horse twelve thousand Foot and fifty Ships Hasdrubal who on a Hill Encamp'd encompass'd with a rocky Wood. Here his chief Strength fierce Cantabrians stood Mix'd with rebellious Africans and there Then the swift Moor more swift Asturians were And with as much of Majesty did he Iberia rule as then in Italy His Brother Hannibal with Terrour liv'd It chanc'd a Tyrian Solemn Day reviv'd Their antient Honour and the Time wherein The Walls of Carthage they did first begin And a new City of small Houses rais'd His Nations Rise the General much pleas'd Thus to commemorate his Ensigns all Adorn'd with Laurel kept the Festival And th' Gods appeas'd Loose from his Shoulders hung His Brother's Gift a Mantle which among Some other Presents as a Complement Of their strict League Trinacria's Prince had sent A stately Robe among Aeölian Kings An Eagle through the Clouds with golden Wings Snatch'd up in Texture hov'ring to the Sky A Boy A spacious Cave there was hard by Which in the Purple there the Needle made The Cyclops House here Polypheme was lay'd Along and swallow'd Bodies dropping Gore Between his Deadly Jaws About him store Of broken Bones which chewing forth he threw Then for his Drink his Hand extended to Läertes (a) Vlysses Son he calls and belching up Crude Blood with Wine commix'd it in the Cup. Conspicuous in this Robe at Altars made Of Grass the Peace o' th' Gods the Tyrian pray'd When riding in amidst them all behold A Scout that Hostile Arms approach'd them told The Worship of the Gods unfinished With troubled Minds they from the Altars fled All Sacred Rites broke off all Night they lay Encamp'd But when the dewy Morn the Day First rais'd a furious Fight began and there Stout Sabbura first felt the thrilling Spear Of Scipio Both Armies seem'd to be Mov'd with the Omen The first Victim We I' th' Field Ye sacred Shades to you have slain Exclaims the Romane Gen'ral Now again Into the Fight and Slaughter Souldiers go As with best Captains you were wont to do This said they all fall on by Lena's Hand Falls Myconus Latinus Cirta and Stout Maro Thysdrus kills and Catiline Incestuous Nëalces doth disjoyn From his own Sister's Bed Then Cartulo A Libyack Prince is sent to Shades below By fierce Nasidius Thee likewise Thee Laelius thou great Renown of Italy Things scarce to be believ'd performing there Amidst the Carthaginians full of Fear Pyrene's Land beheld Nature bestow'd On him all Happy things which were allow'd By all the Gods When he was heard to plead At th' Bar not Nestor could in Speech exceed Or when the Fathers and the Court did stand In Doubt and his Opinion did demand He led the Senat 's Hearts as with a
Charm But when the Noise of Trumpets did Alarm His Ears within the Field with such an Heat He rush'd into the Fight and Armies that You 'd think he had been born for War alone And nothing without Praise by him was done From a stoln Life the Gala fighting threw (b) He was designed to be Sacrificed at Carthage but his Mother gave another Childe in his stead Whom 's Mother once by changing him withdrew From Byrsa's cruel Rites But quickly all Such Joys as rise from Gods so cheated fall Then Murus Alebis and Draces who With an Effeminate Cry for Life did sue By him were slain Poor Draces as he pray'd And beg'd his Head cut off the Murmurs stay'd In his dissever'd Throat But Hasdrubal Had not the like desire to Fight Not all The extream Loss and Slaughter of his Men Him mov'd But to the Woody Hills agen And lurking Holes of pathless Rocks he flies And to the Alpes and Italy his Eys Are turn'd the great Advantage of his Flight The Signal silently is giv'n and Fight Quite lay'd aside they are Commanded through The Woods and Hills to fly dispers'd and who Soe're escap'd should to Pyrene's Top Ascend their Chief and sole remaining Hope All Marks of Honour as a General Then lai'd aside disguised with a small Iberian Targe first Hasdrubal ascends The Hills and flying quits his wandring Friends To the forsaken Camp the Romanes strait Their Ensigns send No City captivate Could yield more Spoils and did their Rage withdraw From Slaughter as the Libyan foresaw So in some Brook surpriz'd when he despairs Of Safety from his Groin the (c) This may very well be reckoned among Vulgar Errours The Testicles of the Beaver being in no wise so valuable as his Skin Besides that they are not onely out of his reach lying close to his Spine but not at all attempted by him when hunted Beaver tares The parts that caus'd his Danger and away Swims from his Fo. Intent upon his Prey When thus the Libyan had with Speedy Flight Trusting to Rocky Woods in Shades like Night Himself conceal'd strait back again they go Unto a greater War to meet a Fo More sure to be subdu'd But first upon Pyrene's Hill with this Inscription A Shield they fix (d) When the Romanes had utterly subdued an Enemy they Triumphed when onely put him to Flight they in the Place erected a Trophy which was commonly as out of Tacitus his second Book may be observed of heaps of Arms taken in the Field with an Inscription on a Table as here Scipio fixed over them SCIPIO A CONQUEROUR HASDRUBAL'S SPOILS UNTO THE GOD OF WAR In the mean time beyond the Hills all Fear Now lay'd aside Bebrycian People were By Hasdrubal soon arm'd who Prodigal To purchase Hands for Aid and ready all Prepar'd to thrust into the War with Store Of Gold and Silver thither sent before And with long Labours gain'd in Wealthy Lands Had rais'd their Warlike Minds Hence active Bands (c) Hasdrubal took the Field with such Forces as at first he hired of the Ligurians about eight thousand Men and soon after the Averni and other Gauls with the People of the Alps joyned with him so that he became no less formidable at Rome at that time then Hannibal Fill'd the new Camp All Mercenary Souls Those that where (f) Rhosne Rhodanus swift Billows rowls Delight to dwell with those where Arar flows Most softly through the Fields And now the Snows Of Winter all resolv'd the Year retains A milder Face Then through the Celtick Plains Entring a speedy March he goes admires The Conquer'd Alps and pervious Heights enquires The very Foot-steps where Alcides trod Compares with th' Adventures of the God His Brother's Ways When to the Top of all He came and in the Camp of Hannibal Sate down What higher Walls said He do Rome Invest which after these once overcome By my great Brother stand yet safe Oh may The Glory of so brave a Hand I pray Prove Happy nor let it the Envy be Of any angry Deity that We The Stars approach'd Then where a safe Descent The Hill declining shew'd strait down he went With hasty Arms. Through all so great a Dread Not the Beginnings of the War had spread Two Hannibals they now report and two Strong Camps on either side and glutted through Success with Romane Blood the Chiefs the War Joyntly pursue The Armies doubled are And to the Walls the Fo would quickly haste And sticking on the Gates they Jav'lins cast From Elysaean Hands should shortly see Much vex'd at this the Land of Italy Thus with her self Alass ye Gods must I With so great Fury of the Libyans ly Despis'd who Saturn when the pow'rful Hand Of Iove he fear'd conceal'd and in my Land An Empire gave Now the tenth Summer's Corn Appears since thus I have been sadly torn And now a Youth who wanteth nothing more But to invade the Gods the farthest Shore O' th' World hath left and 's Arms against me bends And the high Alps prophan'd with Rage descends Into my Land How many Corps have I Of Slain entomb'd Alass how often by My flaughter'd Sons deform'd I have no Trees With pregnant Buds his Corn the Peasant sees Yet Green cut down with Swords the Tow'rs of all My Villages into my Bosom fall And by their Ruins is my Land defac't Yet now must I endure this Youth at last By whom my wasted Coasts invaded are Who seeks the ruthful Reliques of the War To burn Then wandring Africans may rend My Bowels with their Ploughs and Moors commend The Crops which the Ausonian Furrows yield Unless their Troops insulting through the Field I in one Grave interr As thus She then Her Woes revolv'd and Night both Gods and Men Compos'd to Rest to Nero's Camp She went He with a Neighb'ring Trench was then intent The Libyan from Lucanian Coasts to keep The Youth here Latium's Image in his Sleep Accosts O Nero Thou who art become Marcellus lost the greatest Hope of Rome The (g) Clausus was a General of the Sabines who after Peace was made between Romulus and the Sabines came with five thousand Clients and encorporated them with the Romanes with whom they they equally enjoyed all Privileges of Citizens but suffrage in Creating Magistrates From this Clausus came both the Claudian Tribe and Family Clausi's Glory shake off Sleep by Thee Something of Moment must attempted be If thou wilt add unto thy Country's Fates Which ev'n the Conquerours when from the Gates The Foe 's repuls'd shall wonder to be done With shining Arms behold (h) Hasdrubal Brother to Hannibal Amilcar's Son Like a dire Deluge overruns the Plains Where Sena still her Gallick Name retains Unless thy winged Troops Thou thither strait Draw out to Fight thine Aid will come too late To ruin'd Rome hereafter Rise be gone I have condemn'd Metaurus Region And all those spacious Fields to Libyan Bones And Graves This said
thus The Youth detain'd Triumphing Eurythus A joyful Victour for the Prize appears And the fair Present of an Helmet bears Away Their fix'd Rewards the other found And with green Wreaths their un-cut Tresses bound Each had two Shafts with Native Metal steel'd This done more cruel Conflicts stain the Field The Sword 's drawn Hand to Hand and a fair War They represent Not such as Guilty are Nor vitious Men are to the Sword design'd But such whom Valour equall'd and a Minde Inflam'd with Love of Praise A perfect Face Of their past Labours and of Mars his Race A worthy (m) This Spectaclâ— much more Memorable then those where the Guilty and Condemned contended was presented by two Spanish Princes Brothers by the Father named Orbis and Orsua who disputing for the Sovereignty of a City were resolved to determine the Controversie at this Solemnity by the Sword and though the Poet in imitation of that samed Dispute and Funeral of Eteocles and Polynices saith they both dyed yet Livy affirms the Elder Orbis overcame the Younger Spectacle Among these were Two Brothers who what will not Princes dare To act what Crimes do Scepters want engage In a full Cirque while the whole Pit their Rage Condemns in single Combat for a Throne 'T was a dire Custom in their Country known Where Orphan Sons their Father's Royal Seat With Hazard of their Lives invade Both meet With all the Fury that a Mad Desire Of Rule affords and both at once expire Bearing to Ghosts below ambitious Hearts Glutted with Blood and in their Inward parts With one joynt Thrust their Swords push'd on are drown'd And adding railing Language to each Wound Struggling their angry Souls fly into Air. Nor could their Ghosts this Enmity forbare For when their Bodies were together brought Unto one Pyle as if they still had fought (n) The Bodies of Eteocles and Polynices who contended for the Sovereignty of Thebes both slain in one Battel being thrown upon the Pyle the Flames arising from them divided themselves as if their Souls had still maintained their Power over them The Impious Flames 't is strange asunder fly Nor would their Ashes there togetherly The rest with sev'ral Gifts as was their Share Of Courage or of Force rewarded are Some Oxen that with Ploughs impress'd could Till The Earth Some Youths 'mong Tyrian Spoils with Skill Accustom'd to explore the Dens of Beasts Some Silver Plate with wealthy Robes and Crests Rising on shining Helmets bore away The Spoils and Trophies of the Libyan Prey Then with the Dart they Honour sought the last Of these Circensian Games and strove to cast Beyond the Mark. Here Neighbour to that Land Where Tagus Pale becomes with golden Sand Was Burnus Famous for his long Descent And Line with Glagus who the Windes out-went With his strong Arm. Aconteus too whose Dart In its most speedy Course the nimblest Hart Ner'e miss'd With them (o) Indibilis was a petty but Warlike King of Spain who after he had performed many notable Exploits against the Romanes made Peace with Scipio but soon as he removed thence rose again in Arms but was subdued and slain by Scipio's Lieu-tenants Indibilis who long In War delighted now esteem'd among Confederates of Rome who often slew With his sure Shafts the towring Fowl that flew Among the Clouds And stout Ilerdes who Could easily surprize the flying Doe Burnus who in the Mark first fix'd his Dart Damum receiv'd a Maid that mix'd with Art The milky Fleeces with Getulian Dye But who the next was Honour'd and that nigh Unto the Mark a Shaft had thrown with Joy Ilerdes for Reward receiv'd a Boy The third Palm brave Aconteus had a Brace Of Dogs that would the Boar with Mettle chace But when Applause and Shouts these Honours had Approv'd in Scarlet Laelius richly clad And Younger Scipio with a chearful Look The Names and Manes of the Dead invoke Then strait their Jav'lins throw delighting so All Honour to their Sacred Dust to show And add that Ceremony to the Games At length the (p) Scipio General whose Face proclaims His inward Joy when he their Pious Hearts Rewarded had with Gifts to their Deserts And giv'n a Weighty Corslet all of Gold Unto his Brother and a Pair of bold Asturian Steeds to Laelius rising threw With Force his Conqu'ring Jav'lin and to shew The Shades were truely Honour'd as it flies Amidst the Field 't is strange before their Eyes Fix'd in the Earth the Jav'lin stands and strait With Leaves the lofty Boughs themselves dilate But now its Shadow wide the growing Tree Extends the Augurs all with Prophecy Command them on to greater Things to go Which by those Signs the Deities foreshow With this Presage the Libyans all from Spain Repuls'd to Latium he returns again His House and Country both reveng'd while Fame The Triumph leads Nor other Cares inflame The Romane Breasts then Libya to commit And Sacred Fasces to his Youth But yet (q) The Graver â—ort and particularly Fabius either through Envy or too much Caution opposed Scipio in his design to invade Libya See Livy The Graver Sort who fal'n in Courage or Success had wanted in that dubious War Opposing his Designs as Rash with Fear Their Dangers magnifie and as he there High in the Dignity (r) His great Exploits in Spain had gained him not onely the Consulship but the Favour of the People so that notwithstanding the Power of Fabius Acilius and others in the Senate he obtained the Commission he desired of Consul pray'd Authority of Senate to invade And ruin Carthage with his Arms this grave Reply aloud the Elder Fabius gave I hope I need not fear that I who am Loaden with Age and Honour who in Fame And Years abound should by the Consul be Esteem'd a Person that maliciously From his Just Praises would detract My Name Is with sufficient Splendour rais'd by Fame Nor wants what I have done with such Success New Praise But while I live 't were Wickedness To my dear Country to be wanting or Conceal my Minde in Silence You the War Intend to Libya to transferr For We Now want an Enemy in Italy Nor is' t enough that we have Hannibal Subdu'd What greater Honour can in all Eliza's Land be found but if you are Spur'd on by Glory what should you Debar To reap this Harvest Thee for Deeds at hand Fortune hath Fit and Worthy made Our Land Ev'n thirsts to drink the Blood of Hannibal Whither the War or Ensigns do you call Extinguish first the Flames of Italy You plainly quit a weary Enemy And at that Instant Rome must Naked stand But when you waste the Syrts and barren Sand Will not that horrid Plague with Fury move 'Gainst these known Walls invade Tarpeian Iove Depriv'd of Arms and Men Of how great Weight Is it should you give Way and leave the State To the Emerited and when we are Struck with the Thunder of so great a
Swell like a raging Tempest and all Rest Deny at length his Sighs that as a Winde Within the Bowels of the Earth confin'd Shakes the whole Fabrick untill forth it breaks Into the Air make Way and thus he speaks Is then the Birth and Title of a King Ye Gods from whom Kings sprung so vain a thing That with one Shock of Fortune onely I Must fall so low into Captivity As to become their Slave to whom of late I was a Terrour Are the Laws of Fate Of so great Force that whatsoe're's Design'd By them by all must be obey'd must binde The Deities themselves Alass if so Why do poor Mortals to their Temples go And vainly crave that Aid which cannot be Confirm'd unless the Fates the same decree How oft did I before I took in hand This War their Counsel and Consent demand As oft their Tripods what I ask'd allow'd And I as often to their Honour vow'd Dardanian Spoils But since I am or'ethrown 'T is not my Crime they want them but their own From them it was that (f) By this Marriage with Sophonisba he was induced to quit his League with the Romanes and engage against them with the Carthaginians Sophonisba's Charms Prevail'd and Head-long thrust me into Arms Against that Faith which I to Rome before Religiously had sworn I would no more Of this complain had we together dy'd Or had not Masanissa both my Bride (g) After this Overthrow and the Submission of Carthage Masanissa was restored to his own Estate and â—or a Reward had a great part of Syphax his Kingdom conferred on him by the Romanes My Throne and Crown enjoy'd Ye Gods You were If not Unjust in this at least Severe Else wherefore did I not when Hostile Fire Had seiz'd my Camp within those Flames expire Then might I to the Shades below have gone At least a King Then I had onely known The Fate of being conquer'd not the Shame Nor then had Rome recorded Syphax Name Among her Captives Nor then had these Hands That shook a Scepter o're so many Lands Been thus bound up in Chains But why do I Complain of Life and not resolve to Dy What though they study to preserve me still A living Trophy here yet is my Will Free as the Conquerours's and Rome shall finde I still retain the Empire of my Minde That stands above her reach where I alone Will rule and scorn to live but on a Throne This said a sudden Silence seiz'd his Soul And as deep Waters in still Chanels roul And murm'ring less into the Ocean flow So the Resentments of his Griefs that grow Too great to be express'd through ev'ry part Like a swift Fever runs till his great Heart Resolv'd to bear that Load no more deny'd Nature her common Food and starv'd He dy'd And as a Lion that hath long in Blood Maintain'd his Empire in some Libyan Wood Surpriz'd at last in Toils and kept to be The Pastime of the Cirque raging to see His Native Freedom lost doth roaring round His Prison walke and with that dreadful Sound Was wont all other Beasts to Terrify And with their Flocks make trembling Sheepherds fly Shakes all about But when he findes at length That nor his Rage prevails nor yet his Strength Can his Escape procure all proffer'd Food He growling flies forgets all thirst of Blood And in Disdain of his Captivity Resolves in sullen Silence there to dy So that great King to whom not long before Rich Gems were from the Erythraean Shore For Tribute brought to whom with Lions Tame And towred Elephants Getulians came And prostrate at his Feet Obedience pay'd At first in Love then War a Captive made In a dark Dungeon dy'd and the sole Fame (h) That he dyed by Abstinence is consonant to the Opinion of Appian his great Heart not brooking the Shame of being lead in Triumph That he was a Spectacle in this Triumph Mariana dâ—nies though Polyb. lib. 16. and Livy whom Silius follows consent That he 'gainst Scipio fought preserves his Name But while at Rome their Triumphs still encrease At Carthage the sad purchase of their Peace Shews them a Face of things which they deplore As much as those deep Wounds they had before In War receiv'd and Zama's fatal Plain On which so many Libyans were slain And Hannibal disarm'd For now they see That nor in Peace nor War they can be free Not all the Wealth their num'rous Conquests gave Nor Subjects gain'd by Hannibal could save Their own at Home for while his conqu'ring Hand O'return'd Sagunthus and the Iberian Land Subdu'd and when his Troops Pyrenè past The Celtae gain'd and Italy did waste Their Victories abroad still calling for Recruits as costly prov'd as if the War Had been in Libya made onely their Fear Of Utter Ruin was not then so near It was not now enough that they had seen Those wealthy Trophies that had thither been From Sicily from the Herculean Bars And farthest Nations in preceeding Wars By great Amilcar sent transported all To Rome and there within the Capitol Among Aegates Spoils hung up to be Eternal Monuments of Infamy Their dreadful Elephants that had so long Against all stranger Nations been so strong A living Wall with all the Arms which there Since Dido first Phoenician Walls did rear Had been stor'd up and had a Pannick Dread Over the Alps and high Pyrenè spread Are yielded to their Foes with trembling Hands And conquer'd Carthage now as Naked stands As when Eliza first her Walls begun Or when enrag'd Hyarbas over-run Full of Revenge her narrow Bounds and while Her Ashes yet were warm upon her Pyle Fix'd his victorious Arms Nor can they see By Land a Period to their Misery Earth hath not space enough whereon to lay Their Chains which now extended to the Sea Confine the Force of Carthage that no more It can from Africk to Europa's Shore Terrour diffuse but melts into a Name Like Troy in Ruin onely known to Fame (i) At the Burning of the Carthaginian Navy which is said to be five hundred Sail the Cry and Lamentation of the People was as great as if all Carthage had at the same time been utterly destroyed Plutarch in the Life of Scipio That Navy which before the Fate of Rome Prevail'd had brought unvalu'd Treasures Home Which through the Seas from East to West had flown And where the Romane Eagles were not known Under its swelling Wings Sidonian Dyes Had often born and chang'd for such Supplies As Meroè and black Syenè yields With whatsoe're renowns those spicy Fields Where Ganges flows by which the Libyan Land Though they dire Serpents in the barren Sand Plough up as great a Plenty ev'ry where Enjoy'd as theirs whose Harvest twice a Year Their Garners fills is by this Storm of Fate Contracted to so small a Number that They now despair e're more with Hostile Oars To fright from Latian and Sicilian Shores The trembling Nymphs but
all Those Dangers stand which can upon Me fall T' enjoy Thee here But this our Enemies Will not allow Domestick Treacheries Have now so far above the Arms of Rome Prevail'd that I a Captive shall at Home In Peace be made and hence in Chains be born Snatch'd from thy dear Embrace to be the Scorn (p) The Custom of leading Captives in Triumph was first introduced by the Romanes and among them onely in use the Principal Captives in Chains passing before the Chariot of the Triumpher and for the most part as he entered the Capitol they were led to Prison and on the same Day he layed down his Authority and they their Lives See Cicero In Verrem Of second Triumphs and when that is done A Pride peculiar unto Rome alone I shall not dy like Syphax from the View Of all the World but they will something New For Me invent Whatever was by Us Before Inflicted on their Regulus Will be esteem'd too Little I shall be In Parts divided through all Italy And feel in each a Death and yet not all Their Malice satiate when to Minde they call The Fun'rals of their Friends But that I may Their Plots avoid and keep a better Way Still open to my Fall I now must fly M'Ingrateful Country or resolve to dy This Day before thine Eyes for in this Hand Of Mine alone my Fate shall ever stand Nor shall the World believe the Life and Death Of Hannibal depends upon the Breath Of Rome As this He spake She stop'd the rest With Kisses and reclining on his Brest Her drooping Head whil'st Tears like April-rain Into his Bosom flow by Sighs again Dry'd up Since so it is said She no more Will I my Hannibal thy Stay implore Go and be Happy may those Gods who Thee With such Severity deny to Me Protect Thee when Alone go Happy may Thy wish'd Return be speedy But I Pray For what I cannot Hope those Gods who now Us separate alass will not allow That We should meet again As from her Tongue These last Words fell about his Neck She flung Her Arms and after many Kisses past While both contended who should give the Last With a long Silence for with Grief each Heart Too big for Language swell'd at length they part Now Night the middle of her Course had run Between the Rising and the Falling Sun When Libya's anxious Champion at the Fane All things prepar'd for Flight arrives again There findes the Priestess from her hoary Head Tresses like curling Serpents overspread Her wrinckled Neck a Mantle cross her Breast In which forsaken Dido's Death exprest By her fair Sister's Hand and there bequeath'd As Sacred with the Sword She Frantick sheath'd In her own Bosom fastn'd by a Charm On her left Shoulder and her other Arm Quite Naked waving round a Stygian Wand With which by adding Words She could command The Pow'rs of Hell She meets him at the Door And leads him in The Sacrifice before Prepar'd and She no Minutes now delay'd Invoking some Infernal Names to aid The Work strait horrid Voices rend the Air Some mornful Groans some Sighs of sad Despair Then as if Hell were near the Noise of Chains With doleful Cries which their inflicted Pains Extort For all the Ghosts of Cadmus Race Whom Guilt had stain'd frequenting still the Place To the un-kindled Altars brought Supplies Of Bloodlike Flames which of themselves to rise Appear and by their gloomy Light and Smell Of Sulphur shew that they were brought from Hell At length the Sacrifice was open lay'd Whose Entrails when the Priestess had survay'd She thus the Gods declar'd If Hannibal Be from his Country free He never shall Become a Slave to Rome His very Name Shall make the Syrian Armies own'd by Fame And Italy once more shall fear lest She By his Invasive Arms should ruin'd be Scipio shall not more Fortunate at Rome By th' World be held then Hannibal at Home One Year shall give a Period to their Breath And each finde Satisfaction in his Death In Latian Ground shall Scipio's Ashes ly On Libyssaean Hannibal shall dy With this ambiguous Oracle his Minde As Great and High as when he first design'd The War as if the Gods were still the Same Away he speeds Thoughts of his former Fame And Victories all present Fears allay And with reviving Hopes his Faith betray To a vain Confidence That He alone If arm'd could shake the World and Rome unthrone Ambition and Revenge think nought too great For their Attempt and whil'st he doth repeat The Actions which atchiev'd his former Fame He counts all Easy that 's within his Aim Nor weighs th' Incertainty of Fates to come Those civil Factions that before at Home Weak'ned his Arms now undistinguish'd groan Under that Yoke which Rome for Him alone So long prepar'd so that ev'n He might boast A Victory when Envious Carthage lost Her Liberty and Captiv'd Hanno found No other Hand could cure that Fatal Wound But Hannibal's alone who now got Free Would search the World to finde a Remedy Thus chearful with the Gods misunderstood As a fierce Tyger thirsting after Blood Far from his Covert rangeth seeking Prey O're the Vocanian Plains he took his Way And through the Thapsian Fields his Course pursu'd Where still the Gods resolving to delude His Thoughts with dubious things he Waking dreams Of future Fates and swiftly Posting seems This Language from the Genius of the Place To hear Fly hence fly Hannibal apace Let Asia no longer now attend Thine Arm the World 's great Quarrel to defend Delay the Mother is of Doubts and Fears And he that long the Yoke of Bondage bears Forgets that he was Free and entertains A Servile Love of Safety with his Chains Thy Presence shall encrease the Noble Fire In Syrian Breasts and they at length conspire 'Gainst Rome with Thee and Carthage entertain An Hope by Thee her Freedom to regain That War which Thou didst with so great Applause Wage as Thine Own is made the Common Cause Of the whole World and all Mankinde is now Provok'd to be Assertours of thy Vow Of Romanâ— Blood all Seas all Lands shall taste And (q) Where Scipio the â—last of the Pompeian Generals was overthrown by Caesar in which Battel ten thousand of the Pompeians were slain Thapsus 'mong the Chief in Fame be plac't No sooner did the Blushes of the Morn The Stars extinguish and the Day was born When they arriv'd near to that Fatal Shore Where trembling Seamen hear the Billows roar (r) These Syrtes are two whereof the less is not far distant from Carthage and against it is the Island Ceâ—cinna whither Hannibal fled Of its Dangers and Site see Strabo Geogr. lib. 17. Against those Syrts which moving to and fro Bring certain Ruin wheresoe're they go Charybdis nor dire Scylla's Rage so great A Danger to Sicilian Vessels threat Sometimes themselves above the Waves they heave And stand like Promontories to deceive Unskilful
Mariners strait falling back Choak up the Chanel and prepare a Wrack Under smooth Waters where with all their Pride Display'd tall Ships of late might safely ride But Hannibal less fears the Treach'rous Sand Or raging Seas then the more Treach'rous Land Which Confident of better Fate he quits And to a little Bark himself commits The Seas as Conscious that he was too Great To be their Sacrifice their Rage forget The Syrts retire and the Conspiring Gales Pursue the Bark and swell her pregnant Sails The careful Pilot for Cercîna steers Scarce knowing that the Fraight his Vessel bears Once balanc'd the whole World yet wonders Heav'n In that tempestuous Track a Course so ev'n Allow'd so much the flatt'ring Destinies With a smooth Vizor of Success disguise Intended Ruin that ev'n Hannibal Measures from hence what ever might befal Himself and while they yet the Africk Shore On which the Fates resolv'd henever more Should tread in View retain'd I now am Free Perfidious Country both from Rome and Thee My better Fortune now saith He doth stand Not in a Senate's Vote but in this Hand This Hand which maugre thy Ingratitude Shall Thee if Me the Gods do not delude Redeem and Thou at length confess that none Can breake thy Yoke but Hannibal alone Now from the flying Ship the Land withdrew The Libyan Shore descends no more in View Those Altars which Vlysses once did rear To rescue his forgetful Friends appear Unhappy Men who in those Dang'rous Fields Found out those strange Delights that (s) In these Syrtes inhabited Lotophagi among whom Vlysses his Companions bewitched with the Taste of the Lotus desired to dwell till Vlysses there raised Altars to Sacrifice for their Recovery the Ruins whereof were to be seen in the Time of Strabo lib. 17. and Homer Odyss lib. 9. Lotus yields Whose Taste all other Pleasures far exceeds Man nothing more to make him Happy needs In this all dear Delights at once they found And Memory of Friends and Country drown'd No sooner these were lost but to their Eyes Cercîna ' midst the Waves began to rise Approaching near the Port some Ships they found Whose Carthaginian Owners Homeward bound Soon as the Prince they spy'd upon the Shore Haste to salute Him and almost Adore The Memory of his high Deeds within Their Breasts still liv'd how great He once had been To Minde they call and pay unto his Name Those Honours which they know his Merits claim Though now his State be less for with a Cloud O'recast or else Eclips'd the Sun 's allow'd To be the same in Virtue as before When it shin'd Brightest nor was He the more To be neglected 'cause the borrow'd Rays Of Train at which the Common People gaze And great with Envy swell aside are lay'd He still is that fam'd Hannibal who made So many Barb'rous Nations to submit To his Commands and Native Rites forget While fierce Massylians with Iberians stood In Fight Revengers each of others Blood While rude Cantabrians with the Celtae came T' assert his Quarrel and beneath his Name United liv'd as if one Clime their Birth Had giv'n and nurtur'd them on Fertile Earth Here all are busy to express their Care To entertain Him and to such as were Inquisitive to know what did invite Him thither cunning He reply'd I might Indeed have gone to Tyre another Way But none so near I judg since I this Day Must speâ—d in Sacrifice to th' Pow'rs above That what I there must prosecute may prove Propitious to the State which thither Me Hath sent and since within this Island We Few Trees for Shelter finde let Me entreat Your Sails this Day to shroud Us from the Heat O'th'scorching Sun No sooner said but all Their Hands employ some from the Masts let fall The Sails some lift them with their Yards to Land On which extended streight for Tents they stand And now whatever Rare the Isle affords Makes up the Feast and round the hast'ned Boards Lyaeus flows and first To Liberty A Bowl is crown'd which all as greedily Quaff off as if in it they thought to finde Their Wish and Sense of Bondage from the Minde Expel And as the sparkling Liquour warms Their Blood each man as if he were in Arms Defies the Pow'r of Rome now scorns to bear That Yoak which in a Sober mind his Fear Would prompt him to imbrace and what before He durst not Think he now dares Act and more All former Fears are banish'd This exclaims 'Gainst Hanno's Pride and That his Countrey blames For want of Courage bids the Prince again Attempt to take away that Fatal Stain For which as in th' inflaming Juice he steeps His Brains he in a Drunken Pity weeps But Hannibal whose Thoughts were far from thence Remov'd and entertain'd a nobler Sense Of what they suffer'd then themselves mean while Looks on their Follies with a scornful Smile And with repeated Cups still feeds the Flame Untill as he design'd he overcame Their Strength and while their Hands as yet retain'd The Blushing Bowls Sleep all their Senses chain'd The End of the First Book of the Continuation Infaustis Masanissa rapit Connubia taedis Praecipitatque suae Sophonis bae Fata Veneno Hausta Romanos metuens Nova Sponsa Triumphos Servata infelix it Libertate sub Vmbras Dignissimo Viro Gulielmo Wiseman de Magna Canfeild in Comitatu Essex Baronetto Iabula observantiss D.D.D. A CONTINUATION OF SILIUS ITALICUS To the DEATH of HANNIBAL The Second Book THE ARGUMENT To Hannibal Isalces doth relate King Masanissa's Love and the sad Fate Of Sophonisba Rome dreads the Report Of a new War In the Ephesian Court Scipio and Hannibal are entertain'd And meet as Friends The City Temple and Its Wealth describ'd Great Alexander's Deeds Eumolpus sings Whence a Discourse proceeds Who the best Captains weâ—e Past Actions are Revolv'd The King resolves upon a War WHILE thus pretended Piety beguiles The Vulgar and the glad Deceiver smiles At the Success Secure that none could bear The Tidings of his Flight before the Fear Of being stop'd was past to Sea again He hastens hoises Sail while yet the Reign Of Night continu'd and the (a) Cynosura or Vrsa Minor which the Tyrians observed in Sailing as the Greeks did Helice or Vrsa Major according to that of Ovid lib. Trist. Two Bears there are of which the Tyrian seeks The Less the Greater guides the wandring Greeks Tyrian Star Lent faithful Beams to guide the Mariner And as well pleas'd with what had past his Friends Discours'd how much their Mirth had made Amends For all Delays his sure Numidian Guide Who once attended on great Syphax Bride Began But He inspir'd above the Rest To Me appear'd who did so much detest And scorn their Names who through a shameful Dread Of Dying had submitted to be led In Triumph and in Chains before they Dy'd Had tamely Sacrific'd unto the Pride Of Roman Conqu'rours How He did declame For this 'gainst
the Joy that could express the Pride They had conceiv'd in being near ally'd To that Great Hannibal who late the Fear Of all the World had been when he had there Himself refresh'd again He hoists his Sails For Antioch from thence with prosp'rous Gales At Ephesus arriv'd where glad to finde The Syrian King who with a dubious Minde His Hate conceiv'd against the Roman Name Pursu'd at length he fix'd and by his Fame In Arms appearing like a Martial Star Guided his wand'ring Thoughts into a War And now o're all the Syrian Cities Fame Her lofty Head had rais'd and with the Name Of Hannibal awak'd the God of War When strait the sev'ral Nations which from far Their Tribute to the Syrian Crown did bring And gave the Title (c) Antiochus the Sixth from Seleucus who was Alexander's Lieutenant in Syria much enlarged his Dominions by his several Conquesâ—s and was therefore called The Great Appian Syriac GREAT unto their King Fly into Arms and to th' Ephesian Court The Princes and Embassadours resort All promise Aid secure that He was come To stand a Bulwark 'gainst the Force of Rome And Asian Tow'rs defend with greater Odds Then all their Arms or Tutelary Gods All his great Merits plead and fondly raise The Value of his Virtues with their Praise No Errours are allow'd in all that He Hath done So little do the Vulgar see A Fault where they affect or know to State The Reasons of their sudden Love or Hate Carthage though now in Chains Unpiti'd stands The Gods are prais'd that her Ingrateful Hands He had escap'd For his late Overthrow And Fight they cast not on the Publick Fo But Home-bred Treachery as not the Crime Of Fortune but the Envy of the Time Envy which still detracts from greatest Deeds And on the Ruins of the Virtuous feeds Which first against the God's rebellious Wars Had rais'd and made the Giants Storm the Stars She Honour still pursues wheree're it goes Wheree're it treads She Stygian Poison throws That its fair Foot-steps quickly doth Deface And raiseth her own Trophies in its Place With this Applause the Court and City ring Some invocate the Gods others the King Importune to the War Then strait their Bands They List and levy Troops in sev'ral Lands Nor were those Aids to Syrian Bounds confin'd But Names and Nations to their Arms were joyn'd (*) Parthians Who when the Strength of Rome was greater far The Fates decreed should in a (d) Marcus Crassus with his whole Army was overthrown and Himself slain by the Parthians future War Her Pow'r though back'd by all the World restrain And with a Consul's Blood her Eagles stain With those the Medes who ev'n on Conqu'ring Foes Their Manners and their Habit did impose (e) From the Medes the Persians as also the Armenians learned their Arts of Riding Shooting and likewise their Habit and Custom of adoring their Kings Strabo in his Eleventh Book From whom the Persians first Tiaras wore And falling Prostrate did their Kings adore Whose mighty Monarchs their Imperial Throne Had fix'd upon the Walls of Babylon Till weak'ned with Delights that Empire which (f) Semiramis Queen of Babylon renowned for Her many Great Victories in Asia over the greatest part whereof She Reigned fourty two Years and at the Age of Sixty two Years was slain by her Son Ninus who degenerating as likewise most of Her Successours from her Virtue the Empire fell first into the Power of the Persians who left it to Alexander Of Her see Iustine in his Tenth Book A Woman rais'd to so admir'd a Pitch By Men less Valiant lost the Prize became Of the Pellaean Youth and crown'd his Name And as if all that Asia could prepare Where Hannibal appear'd too little were T' attend his Fate as if the Earth alone Too Narrow were for Him to Fight upon Though Europe gave her Aids and Warlike Thrace Must'ring her Chariots did the War Embrace Cilician and Phoenician Ports are throng'd With Ships for War and those where Hero long'd So oft to see Laeander from the Seas Rising like Hesp'rus when he sought to please The Paphian Queen untill returning Day Reviv'd her Fears and call'd her Love away But when the Rumour of so great a War So many Nations joyn'd though distant far Touch'd the Italian Coast as swift as Thought To Rome it flies and soon as thither brought Fear through all Quarters runs in sev'ral Shapes Affrights their Mindes commits a thousand Rapes Upon their Sense and greater Prodigies Then all before abused Fancy sees What ever did Portend their former Ills Seems now again to fright the World and fills The People's Ears Sometimes the Alps are said To tremble while Trinacrian Flames invade Th' Italian Shore as if from Aetna's Womb Th' Infernal Gods themselves had threatned Rome Etrurian Augurs strait consulted are And from these vain Reports divine a War While Nature sporting to confirm their Fears Makes Lions bring forth Lambs and Wolves teem Bears Then as if Carthage had her Chains again Thrown off and arming her Revenge with Spain The Boii Celtae and those Nations all That Rome had reason still her Foes to call Did Italy Invade the Roman Dames Run to the Temples and with Holy Flames The Altars Crown and thus to Heav'n complain If these our Walls yet merit to remain Great Father Iove if Sybil's Prophecies Shall be confirm'd and thou dost not despise Tarpeian Tow'rs Ah! then why should not We After so many Wounds and Toils be Free Was Rome exalted to so High a State Through so much Blood that She might be to Fate A richer Sacrifice and must She fall By None but by the Hand of Hannibal Rather to those her Walls her Pow'r confine And with the Tarquins let Porsenna joyn Or to the Rage of Senones or Flames Of Brennus give Us up Let not those Names That with such Valour have your Temples here So oft preserv'd and were esteem'd so Dear To Heav'n be now made Victims to the Hate Of One proud Man who to accelerate Our Ruin hath disturb'd the Peace of all The World If Fates Decree that Rome must fall Give Her a Fo whose Virtues may exceed Her Own and let our Crimes and Vices bleed By a more Pious Hand such as from Blame May free your Justice with a better Name He Perjur'd from those Holy Altars flies Where Peace was sworn and doth that League despise Which in the Name of all the Gods was sign'd And now his Arms hath with a People joyn'd Where We that Fate which He at Capua found Shall undergo where Vices will abound As Victories encrease and We shall be Lost by our Triumphs in their Luxury (g) After the Romanes had advanced their Conquests into Asia they were soon entangled in the Delights of those Provinces and brought their Vices into Italy to the Ruin of the Antient Roman Virtue Thus will perfidious Carthage not by Arms See her Revenge on Us but Asia's