with Caesars foes takes part Who wanting one to rule their mart She as the daughter of their king Assumes thereof the managing And to that Tyrants murdrous slaue Achillas she due iustice gaue And from his corps his head did shaue So now another sacrifice To thee ô Pompey bleeding lies For expiation to thy ghost But fortune will bestow more cost And heauens forbid this should be all The offrings for thy funerall The tyrants selfe of worth is not Nor all his Realme to cleare that blot And till the Senatorean state On Caesars bowels venge their hate Pompeys reuenge will be in date But yet this broile and martiall rage These leaders deaths could not asswage For now againe fresh stirs arise From Ganimed with more supplies Which fiercely doth on Caesar presse And giue a charge with shrewd successe This one daies danger was so great That Caesars fortune it did threat And so mought Ganemedes name Throughout the world haue flown with fame For whilst that Caesar doth prouide In emptie ships from tother side Some armed troop and old cohort Vnto this I le for his support Vpon a sodaine many foes With armed force do him enclose On this side hostil ships do keepe The shoares and barre him from the deepe Behind his backe the traitors bands In filed ranks with weapons stands No hope of safetie doth remaine No place for flight all valour vaine And that which did him most offend Scarce meanes to find a glorious end No force he had whereby he might In martiall sort frame any fight Now Caesars fortune must be lost And yet nor fight nor slaughter cost Coopt vp whereas the place affords No triall there for bloody swords Thus doubtfull musing whether t weare Fitter to die or basely feare He sternely casts his eyes behind And sees his foes in troops combind Wherewith he cals vnto his mind Scaeua his souldier that with fame Had purchast such a glorious name For that braue end and dantlesse spright Which he shewed at Dyrachium fight Where he alone the Rampart kept And neuer once retiring stept When Pompey had the walles beat downe Yet from them all did win renowne ¶ This memory of Scaeuas Mart Puts courage into Caesars heart And nobly hee resolues to dye VVith fame that through the world shold fly But his designe the Fates gaine-say Fortune shewes him a safer way For as he casts his eye aside Vpon his left hand he espide Ships of his friends that there did ride To swim to them he doth entend And therewith said what shall we end Our Fortunes here by villaines slaine Or rather sinke amidst the maine Then shall this Eunuch Ganimede No conquest gaine on Caesars head So hauing sayd he brauely leapt Into the sea but safe he kept His bookes within his left hand drie And with his right the waues doth trie So through the deeps he safely swamme Vntill amongst his frends he came Who him receiue with ioyfull cries That to the Heauens with Ecchos files Finis libri decimi A sharpe reprehension of Ciuill warre The miserable estate of Italy The Romans themselues worke their owne ruine It should seem that this was written in the beginning of Neroes reigne which was most excelleÌ„tly goueâ—ned for the first 5 yeares with singular Iustice temperance This is meere Ironicall flattery In this he teacheth NERO how he should gouerne by an Imagination of what is The causes of the ciuill war Fortune most triumphes ouer great estates No faith amongst Competitors of kingdomes Romulus and Rhemus Crassus the meanes that kept Caesar and Pompey within their bounds By Crassus death this ciuill rage brake out What mischiefe two ambitious mindes can breed in a quiet state IVLIA the means to hold Caesar Pompey in good correspondency Pompeyes iealousie Popeys humor Caesars humor Pompeyes disposition described Popular affectation Caesars disposition described The Roman Vices Wealth the cause of all excesse The great alteration of the Roman humors Diuision between the Senate and the people Honors bought and sold and not conferred by merit Caesar marching toward Rubicon is forbidden by an apparition Caesars answere to the Apparition Caesars Protestation to Rome Caesar wil passe the Rubicon with his legions The description of Rubicon Caesar passeth Rubicon Caesars speech when he had past the Rubicon Caesar surpriseth Ariminum The amazement of the Ariminenses The coÌ„plaint of the Ariminenses The many wracks that Ariminum had endured Caesar the child of Fortune The Iealousie of the Senate The Tribunes disgraced by the Senate Curios oration Curio accuseth the Senate Curio stirres Caesar to attempt Rome A strong perswasion Curio perswades Caesar that the Senate conspire to wrong him Caesar incensed Caesars oration to his Souldiers Caesars scornefull speech of Pompey and some other Romanes Pompey taxed in diuers kinds Milo Clodius Caesar chargeth Pompey with the cause of this ciuill war Pompey a follower of Sylla Caesar alleageth the wrongs offered him by the Senats decree Caesar insinuates with his Souldiers Caesar aleageth Pompeys prouision for pyrats whilst old Roman Veterans are neglected Caesars protestation against tyrannicall ambition Loelius Loelius oration to Caesar Loelius deuotes his faith to Caesar Loelius most desperate protestation for Caesars seruice The affection Caesars souldiers do beare to him Caesar assembles his forces Opinions of ebbing and flowing of the sea The great resolution of the Druides All that Caesar had conquered in ten yeares warres was hazarded to be lost The feares that the rumors of Caesars approach breedes at Rome The fame of Caesars comming to Rome The Senate flie from Rome The Roman frights and flying The Roman Citizens fall from their old wonted valor Pompey taxed for flying froÌ„ Rome at the bruite of Caesars approch Many prodigious signes seene before these ciuill warres Aruns an Augur seekes out the causes of the ciuill war by diuination A Roman procession A Bull sacrificed Aruns the Augur amazed Aruns afeard to expresse the coniecture Aruns censure Tages the first inuenter of Auguring Figulus an excellent Astrologer Doubtfull coniectures Figulus considers the inclinations of the heauens The censure of Figulus Prayers bootlesse against Destinie The censure of Figulus discomforteth the Romans The prophesying of a Roman Matron rap't with a sudden fury Whether there bee destiny or chance in worldly courses An Imprecation against fore-knowledge The Roman Matrons frequent the Temples with an extraordinary deuotion Not to vse presumption in praying The speech of a Roman Matron The coÌ„plaints of the Romans leauing the Citty and following the warres All warres more pleasing to the Romans then ciuill strife The Romans lay a curse on Caesar Pompey both The coÌ„plaint of an old Citizen declaring the bloudy times of Marius and Sylla Marius a bloudy man Bloudy Fury More cruelties Noble Romans slaughtered Murder in Vesta's Temple Marius chaÌ„ge of fortunes Sylla's raging time of crueltie The liberty that was giuen to out-rage The sundry meanes that men make to dye so
Treuers turne to ioy their teares To see the Romans by the eares And you Lygiers the rest among That vsd to weare your lockes so long For which of old the common fame Comated Gaules gaue you the name Though now you changed haue that guise From Garrisons were freed likewise So all those Nations that did vse Mercurius Altars to infuse And sprinkle round with humane blood And you that with like sauage mood To Mars make cruell sacrifice And yee that do mens hearts agrise VVhen you to Ioue your offrings make And fires with humane bloud do slake VVhose Altars therewith you distaine As deepe as Scythians vse to baine Diana's Altars and much more So doe they ouer-flow with gore And yee O Bards that with your rimes Record their fame to future times That valiantly expose their blood For honour and their Countries good And Druides high Priests of hell That in all barbarous Rites excell Who by your vncoth Sorc'rous spell Pretend that you alone can tell The influence of the starres that shine And natures of the powers diuine Now may you freely at your willes Solace your selues in woody hilles And build your boothes on topps of Trees And preach your Doctrines and Decrees Whereof you Authors are alone For now the Roman Rites are gone Now you may silly fooles perswade That when death hath his conquest made Mens soules descend not to the shades Of silent darke Eraebus glades Nor where the horrid mansion is Of lothsome deepe-indungion'd Dis But when that this worlds life is done Their soules into new bodies runne So losse of life to them brings gaine That would eternity attaine For in another world to liue You say Death onely meanes can giue Yee that in this opinion dwell In happinesse doe farre excell All Northerne nations that are knowne For where you haue this errour sowne All feare of death is cast aside Which terror most the heart doth gryde And from this confidence proceedes Your valour and your ventrous deedes Whose dauntlesse braue ennobled sprights Meetes deaths approches without frights And holds it base for to adiurne Life that so lost will soone returne Lastly those mastring braue Cohorts That shagge-heard Caicos tam'd with forts The bankes of Rhene vnguarded leaue And Caesars host doth them receiue Loe what a world wonne with long paine Is at an instant lost againe ¶ Caesar with these collected swarmes Of valiant Souldiers bred in Armes His haughty courage doth aduance At greater game to try his chance His ranging Troopes with spirits fierce Through Latium fields he doth disperse And all the Townes he doth surprize VVith garrisons he fortifies Then Fame that doth false rumors blaze His foes with true feares doth amaze The Citizens in generall Into despairefull humors fall And in their daunted mindes debate The fortunes of a conquered state Like fearefull Scowts that set a broach False Larums of a foes approach So Romes imaginary feares VVith her owne tongues affrights her eares Then from Meuania tidings came A Towne ennobled by the fame Of that rich soyle wherein it stands That Caesar with huge armed bands Had ouer-runne and pray'd their lands And many of his men of warre VVere come vnto the bankes of Nar VVhich Riuer into Tyber falles And thence would march vnto the walles Of Rome itselfe without delay And that they did at large display Their Banners and their Egles braue That such a mighty host they haue As neuer yet the rumor ran VVas seene in memory of man Yea much more fierce and truculent Then those that were most bloudy bent Of all the people ruthlesse rude That Romans euer yet subdu'd Others againe gaue out reports That daily to this Campe resorts Those Nations that do dwell betweene The frozen Alpes and Northerne Rhene And that they all with one accord From out their Countries did dis-bord Caesar to follow and to ayd And from these warres would not be stayd So as it cannot other be But that with griefe they soone shall see Rome seiz'd and sackt by forraine fone A Roman Chiefe-taine looking on Thus euery one rap't with amaze Doth these approching perils blaze And yet no certaine Authors knowne By whom this frighting newes is blowne But what their weake conceits suggest With that their sences are opprest Neither did this vnmanly doubt Onely appall the common rout But euen the Senate drownd in dread Leauing their homes the Citty fled Yet they decreed at their adiew The Consuls should with force pursue Caesar from whom the Senate flew To safest places then they runne And where is hazard that they shunne The giddy people they exhort To ioyne themselues in their consort And with them such aduentures bide As meanes and fortune could prouide ¶ Loe thus with many heauy hearts Huge numbers instantly departs He that their sudden flight had seene Would thinke all Rome on fire had beene Or else some Earth-quakes fearefull rage Their tottering houses did ingage For with such boysterous presse and cry Out at the Citty gates they flye As if no better hope remain'd To men whom froward fates constrain'd Then to forsake their natiue home To seeke for refuge where they roame Like as a shippe with tempests tost Driuing vpon the Lybian coast Intangled with Sirts wracking sands The crazed mast in danger stands With sailes and cordage rent and torne All ouer ship-boord to be borne The Pylot whom dispaire doth ceaze First head-long leaps into the seas And after him with madding vaine The Saylers plunge into the maine And so themselues to death betake Before the vessell ship-wracke make So out in droues the Romans flye Before that Caesars Campe was nye And left Rome for her selfe to try ¶ No parents counsaile could asswage Their head-strong childrens flying rage Nor louing wiues lamenting teares To pitty turne their husbands feares Nor awe of Gods nor Countries loue Their parting humor could remoue Through brutish feare with base neglect All Natures bonds they did reiect The place where they were bred and borne They fled with shame and left forlorne In their owne houses where they dwell They stay no time to bid fare-well Nor any such affection shew To their deere Citty ere they goe As with full sight her to deplore Whom they perchance shold see no more All flye in hast from Tybers shore ¶ Yee Gods with bounty fortunes lend But niggardly doe them defend This Citty that did so abound With Citizens for warres renownd Obey'd with many conquered slaues Now euery flying rumor braues And as a spoyle and open pray Abandoned to Caesars sway The valiant Romans that were wont In forraigne warres to beare the brunt Of many mighty barbarous foes Did in their Armes such trust repose That slender trenches did suffise To hold them safe from all surprise And by such meanes securely kept Their guarded Tents whilst that they slept But thou O Rome from this art farre Daunted but with the name of Warre Thy walles not deem'd to be of
can the Rostrum thee auaile Or Forum now when Fates assaile What boots it that in thee it lay The armed peoples willes to sway What profits it thy voyce did draw The Senate to infringe the law Whereby the Father and the Sonne This hatefull ciuill warre begunne Sith thou to death thy date must yeeld And shalt not see Pharsalia's field Where these great Captaines led with rage To battailes chance their states engage For crosse-bent Fate denies to thee The issue of these warres to see So you disturbers of the state Make your owne selues a prey to fate And pay the price with your owne blood For which you sold the common good O happy Rome couldst thou but finde Thy Citizens so iust and kinde As that the Gods their mindes would moue Rather to cherish and to loue The publique freedome of the state Then to reuenge their priuate hate O noble Curio 't is thy meed The rau'ning Libicke fowles to feed For to thy lot will neuer fall The honor of a funerall But yet our lines might merit blame To silence that which for thy name Deserues to be in brasse inchast That with all ages it might last I yeeld this therefore to thy spirit The due commend that it did merit Rome neuer bred a greater wit That did within the Rostrum sit Nor more did dignifie the lawes Whilst thou didst stand for iustice cause But after Pride and Luxurie With auaritious Briberie Possest the head-strong wils of youth They swamme in streames that led to ruth So with the times things changed then That age corrupt corrupted men And Curio blasted with the rest Was chiefest cause of Romes vn-rest For Caesar did his minde inthrall With golden gifts of conquered Gaule Though Sylla's power and Marius wrath And Cinna's rage bred Roman scath Though Caesars ancient noble line With glory long did sway and shine Yet for all this their swords lack't might To frame a tyranny out-right They all did still attempt with gold To purchase Rome which Curio sold Finis Libri quarti Lucans Pharsalia The fifth Booke THE ARGVMENT IN Greece the Senate doe decree That Pompey shall their leader be Then Appius doth to Delphos goe The Oracles aduice to know Now Caesar hauing maistered Spaine His mutiners supprest againe And then to Rome in haste he goth There Consull and Dictator both Thence to Brundusium he departs And to Epyrus bends his Marts He rashly venters on the Maine Then comes Antonius with his traine Pompey Cornelia doth betake To Lesbos whilst he warre doth make THESE Captaines now on either side The wrackes of Ciuill warre had try'd And Fortune partiall vnto neither Mingled good lucke and bad together Bringing them with an equall hand Into the Macedonian land Mount Aemus now was thatch't with snow That from th' Atlanticke skies did blow And then the feast dayes onward drew VVhich did their Magistrates renew And that prime season gan appeare That leads the vaunt-gard of the yeare But whilst some latter time remaines To those that yet doe rule the raines The Consuls both did then decree The Senate should assembled be VVith those great Lords both farre neare In Prouinces did office beare And then Epyrus they did chuse The place for this warres Randezvous But oh this forraigne sordid seat For Roman Peeres was farre vnmeet It needs must be a scornfull iest That their high Court should be a guest In stranger lands there to debate The Councels of the Empires state For who a Campe will deeme this place That all the Consuls axes grace The Senates reuerend order sayes They runne not after Pompeys wayes But Pompey for the publicke cause Saith he obserues the Senates lawes ¶ Now when these sad assembled Peeres VVith silence gaue attentiue eares Lord Lentulus from his high Throne In these words makes his meaning knowne If courage such your mindes doe feed As worthy of the Latium breed Or ancient blood boyle in your breast VVhat matter is 't where Romans rest Regard not how farre we reside From Rome by Caesar vilefi'd But know you now with loue and grace Your natiue Countrey peoples face First therefore reuerend Fathers heare By all your powers make it appeare That you the rightfull Senate are Whose high decrees in peace and warre Nations must reuerence neere and farre For be it so that Fortunes sway Would carry vs so farre away As where the ycie lesser Beare Doth dimly twinkle in the spheare Or else whereas the Torrid Zone Refreshing vapours casteth none But alwayes with one counterpaise Equals the length of nights and dayes Yet wheresoeuer we should roame There alwayes is the Empires home With vs we hold as proper mate The supreame care and rule of state So when with fire the furious Gaules Assail'd the high Tarpeian walles At Veia did Camillus wonne And there did Rome her fortune runne The Senatorian ordred state Is neuer chang'd by place or date Caesar the City doth retaine Whose houses empty do remaine The mourning Courts he ouer-awes Where Armes haue silenced the lawes The Roman Courts know but the face Of Senators which he did chase From out the Citty swarming than And him that Caesar did not ban Of that great Senatorian traine His fellowship we must disdaine That fury first did scatter such As did at wicked discord grutch Who with their children and their wiues In peace desir'd to lead their liues But yet for all this raging vaine Here are we now well met againe And all the Gods in recompence Of Italie though chast from thence Hath giuen vs to cheere our hearts The whole worlds force that takes our parts And now in the Ilirian maine Vulteius and his troopes are slaine And Curio that was greatest part Of Caesars Senate in his Mart Lies foyl'd with all his Martiall bands In Affrickes filthy parched sands Therefore your Ensignes now display Braue Captaines thrust on Fortunes way In Ioues high grace your hopes repose Your mindes as forward now expose Against the forces of your foes As you were ready then to run When their approches you did shun Our power no further doth extend For with the yeare the Consuls end But reuerend Lords your powerfull state Is not confin'd to any date Therefore conclude amongst you all That Pompey be your General Hereat the Senate did reioyce And then decreed with one voyce That they would lay on Pompey's fate The publique and their priuate state That done to honors they prefer'd The Kings and people that deseru'd And vnto Rhodes Apollo's seat Whose power by sea was stout and great They presents gaue and for their truth The like vnto the homely youth Of Taygety and then the Towne Of ancient Athens they renowne And to Massilians Caesars spoyle They freely gaue the Phocean soyle ¶ Then Sadalen and Cotyn strong And Deiotarus that had long Beene loyall to the Roman state To honors they did eleuate And therewithall Rhasipolin The Lord of that
Amongst the rest in ciuill strife Nor bard so much as of his wife But thou meane while shalt liue secure From perils that the rest indure And safer then great Kings can bee For being thus remou'd from me Fortune shall neuer thee perplex With those great cares that must me vex But if the Gods will haue it so That we be conquerd by our foe My best part yet shall safe remaine Or if the fates doe me constraine The cruell victors force to shunne Then know I whither safe to runne The grieued dame waxt faint and pale When she had heard this heauy tale Her sences rapted in a sound Sorrow a while did her confound Vntill her voyce was come againe And then did murmuring thus complaine No cause deere Pompey I doe finde To thinke the Fates or Gods vnkinde For wronging of our nuptiall bed Our liues haue happily beene led Death doth not separate our loue Nor funerals need we to proue But that now as the common sort I should be held from my consort And like the base Plebeian rout From thee I should be so cast out It grieues my soule what must our foe With his approch worke me such woe Thy father-in-law we honor doe To breake this league betwixt vs two VVhat is the loue that I haue showne To Pompey yet no better knowne Think'st thou that ought so safe can bee As thy deere selfe is vnto mee Haue not we still with mutuall hearts Withstood all scornes and Fortunes thwarts And wilt thou cruell now me leaue And sep'rate from thee so bequeaue My carefull head to ruines state And to a thundring fearefull Fate Thinkst thou thou dost my life protect Whil'st my desire thou dost reiect As though to me a harme it were With thee in perils part to beare No no for whilst I draw my breath I 'le follow thee vnto the death And after thee so long surviue Vntill the heauy fame arriue Vpon this farre remoued shore But after that will liue no more Meane while thou dost but me inure To Destinies and to endure O pardon me confesse I must In this I feare my strength to trust But if my prayers may take place Or that the Gods doe rue my case Let thy poore wife know last of all What euer Fortune shall befall For though at last thou conquest gaine Perplext yet shall I still remaine And Lesbos will hold me in awe Though thou thy sword with conquest draw For I as much shall stand in doubt That Caesar being put to rout Will flying in a desp'rate case Surprise me in this strengthlesse place This coast will now bee more of fame So honor'd with my noble name Who will not know that place the while Where Pompey's wife liues in exile For euery one when serues the winde The way to Mitelen will finde But now I make this last request If thou in battaile be distrest And that thy conquer'd Armes thou leaue And safety must by flight receaue If thou thy selfe to seas bequeaue O let thy lucklesse vessell striue On any shore first to arriue Then on this coast to seeke reliefe Such meeting would encrease our griefe Thus said as one distract with dread Inrag'd she leaues her loathed bed And her prouides to haste away Impatient of her griefes delay Her Pompey ere she left the place She did not kisse with sweet embrace Nor yet her armes she euer twinde About his necke with fauours kinde So to relieue his grieued minde So quail'd the last fruit of that loue Which they before so long did proue Outragiously they both lament Their streaming teares their bosomes drent And neither of them had the heart To say Farewell when they should part Neuer had they in all their life Endured such a storme of strife All other harmes that could betide With constant mindes they did abide The haplesse dame the place doth leaue And then her traine did her receaue And to the seas doe her conuay Where on the sands she prostrate lay And to the bankes she clinged fast But her aboord they bare at last They did not with such heauy plight At that time leaue their Countries sight Nor from Hesperian coast depart When Caesars Armes did make them start Great Pompeys faithfull wife doth this Forsake her Lord without a kisse And from him flies now left alone But both of them doe part in moane When night approch't she could not sleepe Cold then did her long waking keepe Not vsd before to widdow'd bed From cares she could not weane her head Nor take her rest alone to lye Her husbands sides not being by How oft could she but all in vaine When sleepe her tender eyes did straine With armes deceau'd hugge and embrace The empty bed in Pompey's place And now forgetfull of her flight Did seeke to finde her Pheare by night For though her feruent deere desire Her heart and marrow sets on fire Yet tooke she not delight to spread Her limbes throughout the cooling bed But still that side reserued free Fearing he should vnfurnish't be But oh the Gods did not prouide That so great ioy should her betide For now the fatall day drawes neere That she poore soule shall see her deere Repaire to her with heauy cheere Finis Libri quinti. Lucans Pharsalia The sixth Booke THE ARGVMENT VNto Dyrachium Pompey goes Which guards him safely from his foes Then Caesar with a mighty wall Doth Pompey's Army round enthrall But hee breakes out by open fight Scaeua's braue minde and manly might Then Thessalies description showne And what her old Records makes knowne There Sextus Pompey's worthlesse childe With sorceries himselfe defil'd And doth Erictho's counsell take Which shee learnes from the Stygian lake And doth a carkas raise that telles Much future wracke and heauy spelles Thus hauing serued Sextus turne The speaking carkas she doth burne WHEN these two Campes were lodg'd so nye Confronting in each others eye Their Armes and Ensignes glittring stand Brauing vpon the hilles at hand And both the Captaines prone to fight Hauing assembled all their might The Gods each parties then beheld Of forces equall in the field But Caesar holds it in disdaine The citties of the Greekes to gaine And doth his Destinie debarre To value that successe in warre For nothing now could giue him rest Vntill that Pompey were supprest But doth affect with what he may To giue the world one bloody day And thereby all to ruine bring That of his name the earth might ring The Fates indifferent threw the dice Which of their heads should pay the price Thrice Caesar all his troopes displaide Vpon the hils rang'd and arraide And thrice prouoking signes had showne Of ioyning battell with his fone But when at last he plainly saw To fight he could not Pompey draw Who in his Campe more trust reposde That with a trench was strongly closde His tents and ensignes he did raise And secretly through bushie wayes With all
or ill But most of all she doth desire The funerall piles to set on fire And whilst they burne to filch from thence The Spices and the Frankinsence ¶ The Gods euen at the first request Do grant to her each wicked hest And feare to heare her twice to craue The thing that she desires to haue She buries bodies yet aliue Before that death their soules depriue And though their date might long subsist In spight of Fates she cuts their twist And others dead brings backe againe From funerals with ioyfull traine Restoring life to euery vaine Out of the midst of funerall fires She rapes and greedily desires The smoking cinders as they lye And yong mens bones that flaming fry And raging will not doubt nor feare The torch from parents hands to teare Then all the flakes that she espies Which from the coarse w th black smoke flies And garments vnto ashes turn'd And oylie fragments scarcely burn'd Together she doth scrape and glut But when into a Tombe they put A sollid body moist within With marrow closd in hardned skinne Then will she raue on all the parts Into the eyes her fingers darts And neuer digging leaues withall Till she teares out the very ball Then from the dryed hands she rents And gnawes the pallid excrements The knots her teeth in sunder share Of ropes wherewith men strangled are The hanging carkasses she fleeces And then the gibbets breakes in peeces The wether-beaten paunch she cast Out of the corpes and then at last She lets the sunne thereon to sprout And vn-sod marrow so takes out Those that are hang'd in Iron chaines Whose hands the rusty fetters straines From all the ioynts whereof distilles The oylie moisture that downe trilles In greasie filth and swarthy gore She gathers vp for poysons store Whilst gnawing on the nerues she files Fast by the teeth she hangs the whiles And if that she by chance doe finde A carkasse on the ground vn-shrinde Amongst the rauening beasts and fowle There will this Sorceresse sitting scowle But will not with a knife select The flesh and parts she doth affect But she will onely pry and watch The morsels from Wolues iawes to snatch From murder neuer stayes her hands When as in need of blood she stands That freshly flowes from wounds at first Such she findes out to quench her thirst Nor will she stay her murdrous mood When she would sacrifice life-blood Or that some funerall rites require The trembling intrailes on the fire The babes within the mothers wombe With gashing wound she will vntombe Ere nature bring it forth to light Her flaming Altars so to dight And whensoeuer she needs most Some cruell sturdy humor'd ghost Her slaughtring fist the soules prepares No humane life she euer spares From off the chinnes she rents and teares Of flowring youths the downy haires And with left hand the lockes will shaue Of striplings lingring to the graue This Witch her owne kinne hath not spar'd That death of her dire hand hath shar'd But first she would them coll and kisse And then the head from corpes dismisse And when that death their iawes had fixt She then would gnab her teeth betwixt And so bite off the labbring tongue That to the dry throat fast was clung And with her cold lips then would babble Of whispring charmes full many a rabble And then at last with some vile spell Would send their sprights to shades of hell ¶ The fame that of this Witch did runne Had made her knowne to Pompey's sonne Who in the depth of silent night When Tytan had conuaid his light Vnto the middle of that skye That to our feet opposd doth lye Abrode at that time Sextus traces Into the solitary places Attended by a company Prepar'd and true to villany VVho ranging vp and downe the land VVhere graues and Tombes did vse to stand By chaunce a farre they spy'd this hagge Close sitting by a rocky cragge Neere to a path that straight doth guide The way vnto mount Aemus side There she such charms did mūbling chatter That no Magitians knew the matter Nor yet the Gods of Magickes art Of her strange spels knew any part New fictions she did cunne by heart And fearing that this bloudy warre VVould be transferred yet more farre From Thessaly to other soyles VVhereby the blood that these garboyles On either side would flowing yeeld Should be depriu'd Pharsalias field VVhich she already had defil'd VVith spelles and incantations vilde Did what she could that might withstand To draw the warres from out this land For now she hop't to glut her mood VVith vse of flowing humane blood And that in such a world of strife She should haue deaths and slaughters rife That cinders of the Romans dead Might in Emathia's field be spread And bones of noble Peeres there slaine VVhose ghosts she hop't should be her gain This was her drift this her desire VVherewith her heart was set on fire Proposing to her selfe the spoyle Of Pompey's part vpon his foyle And with like rage to raue and rampe Vpon some wrackes of Caesars campe Then to this hagge with words full milde First spake great Pompey's worthlesse childe ¶ O thou that art the greatest grace Of Sages of Aemonian race That canst at large to men relate Their destiny and future fate And hast the power to turne aside Euents of harmes that should betide I thee beseech doe me that grace To let me know this doubtfull case What is the scope and certaine end VVhereto this ciuill warre will tend I am not least of Roman heires That intrest haue in these affaires Great Pompey is my noble sire And I his sonne that must aspire Either to be the Lord of all Or heire of his great funerall My minde doth doubtfull dread retaine And yet resolu'd I am againe To carry all with courage stout Were I but sure what would fall out Doe thou therefore resolue I pray The doubt of this vncertaine day That we be not surpris'd vnwares Nor blindly led to Fortunes snares From higher powers extort the truth Or on the Gods thou maist haue ruth And all the Stygian ghosts below Vrge to thy power the truth to show Goe search Thessalian fields about And also learne which of our rout Death is resolu'd to him to call That in these ciuill warres must fall This labour is of no base kinde But worthy thy inspired minde A worke of glory by thee donne To know how so great Fate shall runne ¶ This glorifide Thessalian Witch To heare her fame for ioy did itch And thus reply'd O noble youth Didst thou desire to know the truth Of future chance in lesser fate As thou requir'st I could relate Although the Gods it disavow'd For so much is to Art allow'd For though the planets influence Did call some one mans life from hence Yet could we thereof make a stay And so likewise can take away With speciall hearbes his liuing houre That all the starres vnited power
Fortune of this conquering guest Did with false Aegypts fate contest Whether that now the Lagian state The Roman Armes should captiuate Or that the Memphit murdering gleaue Should trayterously the world bereaue As well of him that conquered As of the other vanquished Thy death O Pompey did much good To Caesar and preseru'd his blood By losse of thine whereby the Nyle Should not the Romans trust beguile Hence he to Alexandria Towne Goes safely and for more renowne His Ensignes are before him borne And that dire pledge their wicked scorne But he perceiues that in their breasts A secret spleene repining refts Amongst that people that did hate And murmure so to see their state Subiected to the Roman guise With fagots borne which they despise He sees their mindes and thereby try'd T was not for his sake Pompey dy'd Yet in his lookes no dread appeares But passeth on deuoyd of feares Vnto their Temples and suruayes The Monuments that they did raise Of old vnto Macedons praise But with no pleasure sees those sights Nor in those golden shewes delights Their garnisht Gods feast not his eyes Nor their huge walles that stately rise He willingly discends to see The vault where their Kings tombed bee There he beholds the body laid Of that same Fury that dismaid The worlds Comerce whereon he praid VVith happy mart so ouer-run That Pollean Spring old Philips sonne Whose twist of life reuenging Fate Hath shortned with vntimely date And now his bones interred are Within an holy Sepulcher Whose ashes rather should be strode Throughout the aire the world abrode But Fortune so his ghost did frend That there a Tombe she did him lend Vntill this kingdomes state did end ¶ For if the world should once retaine Her ancient liberty againe His memory would be a scorne As fruitlesse to all Nations borne That possibly so many lands Should subiect be to one mans hands Macedons soyle he did forsake The seate where he his birth did take And conquer'd Athens he despisd Whose state his father had surprisd And carried on by fatall rage With bloody slaughters warre did wage And Asias people did engage His sword each where is exercisd And ouer all he tyrannisd Strange Riuers he with blood engraines The Persian Euphrates he staines And Ganges that doth India trend On earth he was a raging fiend A lightning that such flames did cast As did all lands and people blast A starre malignant vnto Realmes With fleetes he cuts the Ocean streames And then he Nauies did prepare To search the seas that vtmost are Neither the waues nor scorching gleed Nor barren Lybs where Serpents breed Nor Ammons Syrts could him withstand He pierc'd them all with powerfull hand Nay he was wending to the west Whereas the Sunne declines to rest To either Poles his heart was led And would haue drunke at Nylus head But that his latest day him met And Nature onely bounds could set To the ambitious haught desire That this fierce Prince had set on fire And with like enuie workes his bane As he vnto himselfe had tane The whole worlds Empire for his owne Leauing behinde him no heire knowne Whereby great Citties and rich soyles Abandon'd were to wrackes and spoyles In his owne Babylon he dy'd A terror to the Parthian pride O shame these Easterne nations all Macedon Pykes did more appall Then now those people stand in feare Of Roman Piles that we doe beare And though the North wee ouer-awe And Westerne clymes to tribute draw And to the South prescribe their law Yet from the East we haue disgrace Affronted by Arsaces race Crassus with all his Roman host Was haplesse on the Parthian coast Whilst Macedon that little state Securely did suppresse their hate ¶ Now was this boy the King come down From that side of Pelusium Towne Where Nylus fall doth make a Bay Then he the mutinie did stay That this vnwarlike people make And he himselfe doth vndertake To be the hostage and procure All peace and quiet to secure Caesar himselfe and all his traine Whilst in his Court they did remaine Then Cleopatra giues in charge To fit for her a gally barge Wherein she doth her selfe imbarke And findeth meanes that in the darke The chaine that doth the hauen barre The Pharus keeper should vnsparre Whom she corrupts and so she past To Caesars lodgings in great hast VVho thereof neuer thought nor knew Before her presence he did view O Egypts impudence and shame Erynnis fierce to Latium name A strumpet to the Roman state Vnchast our fuell of debate Looke how much woe and wretched toyle Fell out vpon the Grecian soyle And with what wracks and ruine wrought That Spartan face the Troians bought In no lesse fury and mishap Did Cleopatra Latium wrap She frighted if I so might say The Capitoll with Systrons bray And would our Roman spoiles haue bore Vnto Canopo's coward shore And Caesar then haue captiued And him in Pharian triumphs led For doubtfull t was at Actium fight VVhat hand shold sway the Empires right And whether that our Matron Rome Should rule the world with her sole doome These humors that night brought to passe VVhen first this Ptolomean lasse Did with incestious armes imbrace The chieftains of our Roman race ¶ O Anthonie who will disproue Thee for thy lawlesse filthy loue Since Caesars haughtie heart so fries VVith this bewitcing harlots eyes As that amidst the rage of armes Amongst these broiles and ciuill harmes And in this court where Pompeys ghost Did crie for vengeance on this coast And whilst as yet thou wert bespred With blood at thy Pharsalia shed Thou wouldst admit vnto thy bed This foule adulterous venerie And mixe thy armes with bauderie And so didst seeke to raise thy line Vpon a strumpet concubine O shame to Iulia this is scorne That though her Pompey be forlorne Thou her of brothers wouldst prouide Begotten of a Bastard side Thou dost constraine those Roman troops That vnder Pharsals ruins droops To roame about the Lybian coast Who still from place to place are tost Whilst thou thy time dost so mispend And Egypts filthie Iust entend And rather pardon'st Pharos spight Then subiect her to Roman might ¶ To Caesar Cleopatra goes And in her beautie trust repose Her lookes demure and sad withall But yet no teares she did let fall A fained sorrow in her face Which vnto her gaue greater grace Her curled lockes in carelesse wise Dangling about her shoulders flies She thus her speech begins to frame Most mightie Caesar great of fame If noble birth may purchase gace Behold one of the royall race Of Egypts blood king Lagus childe That am distrest and liue exilde From my paternall lawfull right I am withheld by maistring might And if thou wilt vouchsafe therefore With powrefull hand me to restore Vnto my former state and place I will a Queene thy feet imbrace That art a plannet sent