hornest ' engirâ— the adverse fleet As when strong windes with tydes repugnant meet One way the Sea the waues another go These ships vpon the furrow'de Ocean so Make different tracts and waues vpon the maine Which oares rais'd the sea beats downe againe But the Greeke vessels were more nimble far Either to flye or turne about the war They could without long tedious turning weild Themselues and quickly to the sterne could yeeld The Roman ships slow keel'd would firmely stand And lend sure footing like a fight by land The master then of his Praetorian ship Brutus be spake why doest thou let them slip Leaue thy Sea-tricks and joyne the battells close ' Gainst the Phocaicke stemmes â—ur ships oppose He straight obeyes and turnes his owne broâ—d side Against their stemmes what ship so ere they tride To encounter her with her owne stroke orecome Stiâ—kes fast and is surprisde they hoâ—ke in some With oares some some they with chaines hold fast On the seas cover'd face the war is plac'd No brandisht Iavelins manage now the war No darted steele bestowing wounds from far Hands ioyne with hands and in this Navall fight The sword acts all in their owne ships vpright They face their foes prone strokes some fal down slaine In their owne ships dy'd is the Ocean And the waues stiffen'd with congealâ—d blood Ships hook't together could not meet withstood By falling carcasses some halfe dead sinke And their owne bloud mixt with salt water drinke Some that desire their strugling liues to keepe Fall in the ruines of their broken ship Iavelins that mist the aime they did intend Fall in the sea and finish there their end Finding their bodies to receiue a wound A Roman ship by Greeks inviron'd round Fights stiffely still on left hand and on right Maintaining long ' gainst all a doubtfull fight Vpon whose lofty decke whilst Taâ—us bold Strived a seazed Graecian flag to hold Two darts together sent together split His breast and backe and in the middle meet The blood not knowing yet which way to run Makes stand but out at last both darts are throwne He in two wounds his dying soule divides Hither his ship whilst haplesse Telo guides Then whom none better on a boistrous sea Could guide a ship none better knew then he Tomorrow 's weather if the Sunne he spy'de Or Moone and could for futâ—â—re stormes provide He vvith his stemme a Roman ship had broke But through his heart a trembling javelin stroke The ship turnes off following his dying hand Gyareus leaping to his friends command Straight with a Roman javelin strongly flung Was slaine and to the ship fast nailed hung Two twinnes stand vp their fruitfull mothers fame That from one wombe with fates far different came Death parâ—s them their sad parents reft of one Without mistaking know their living sonne Whose lookes the cause of lasting sorrow keepe And make his friends for his slaine brother weepe One of those twinnes from his Greeke ship was bold Vpon a Roman keele to lay strong hold But from aboue a stroke cuts off his hand Which in the place did still fast bended stand And kept the hold the nerues more stiffe became By death his courage by this noble maime Was rais'd and greater by this accident His valiant left hand ' gainst his foes he bent And rushes on his lost right hand to reach But that alas another sword did fetch Off by the shoulder now both hands were gone Nor sword nor target could he weild yet downe He did not sinke but naked breasted stood Formost to saue his armed brothers blood And there all darts all wounds that were ordain'd For many deaths one dying breast contein'd And then his soule fleeting so many wayes He recollects and in his tir'd limmes stayes That little strength and blood was left to skip Before his death into the Roman ship His enemies by weight alone t' oppresse For now the ship laden with carcasses And full of blood bor'd through the side had been And through her â—eakes drinking the water in Was fill'd vp to the hatches sinking than It turn'd the face of the neere Ocean The waters to the sinking ship gaue way And in her roome clos'd vp againe That day Miraculous fates the Ocean did behold An iron hooke throwne to lay violent hold Vpon a ship on Lycidas did light Drown'd had he been but his friends hinder'd it And on his lower parts caught hold in two The man was pluckt nor did his blood spin slow As from a wound but gushing in one spout From all his broken vaines at once let out Into the sea falls his life-carrying blood Never so great a passage open stood To let out any soule life straight forsakes His lower halfe since vitall parts it lackes But in his vpper halfe since in that part Lay the soft lungs and life susteining heart Death staâ—es a while and findes repugnancy Nor at one time could all his members dye The men that mann'd one ship eager of fight All pressing to one side leaue empty quite The other side whose weight ore turn'd the ship Which topsie turvy sinking downe did keepe The Saylers vnder water all of them Were drown'd nor could their armes haue roome to swim One horrid kind of death that day was seene A yong man swimming was whose breast betweene Two meeting Ships sharpe stemms was bored through The brazen stemms through bones and flesh did goe And made a noise his squeezed belly sent Vp through his mouth blood mixt with excrement But when the ships divide themselues againe The body throwne into the Ocean The water through his bored bosome came Now in the Sea shipwrack'd Massiâ—iaâ—s swame Towards their fellowes ship to saue their liues But that already over burden'd strâ—ues To keepe her friends though thus distressed out And from aboue with swords the Souldiers cut Their armes when hold vpon the ship they lay Then downe againe into the Sea fall they Leauing their hands behinde the Ocean Can now no longer their maim'd trunkes sustaine But now when all the Souldiers darts were gone Fury finds weapons Oares by some are throwne Against their foes with a strong arme The mast Do some teare downe and in their fury cast Some teare the Saylers seates bords from the decke Some throwe for weapons they their ships do breake Some wanting swords their friends dead bodies spoile From his owne breast one drawes the mortall Pile With the left hand holding the wound so long To keepe in blood and strength till he had flung The iavelin at his foe then lets it run But nothing wrought so much destruction At Sea as Seas opposed Element The fire which wrapt in vnctious stuffe was sent And sulphur balles the ships apt fuell were Their pitch and melting waxe tooke easily fire Nor now could water quench th'vnruly flame Fragments of broken ships still burning swam Into the Sea to quench his fire one skips For feare of drowning to the burning ships Another cleaues that
Phoebus from Cirrhaes shades I 'll not desire Nor Nysa's Bacchus Caesar can infuse Vertue enough into a Roman muse The cause of these great actions I le declare And ope a mighty worke what drew to warre Our furious People and the World beside Fates envious course continuance still deny'd To mighty States who greatest falls still feare And Rome not able her owne weight to beare So when the knot of Nature is dissolu'de And the worlds Ages in one houre inuolu'd In their old Chaos Seas with Skyes shall ioyne And Starres with Starres confounded loose their shine The Earth no longer shall extend her shore To keepe the Ocean out the Moone no more Follow the Sunne but scorning her old way Crosse him and claime the guidance of the day The falling worlds now iarring frame no peace No league shall hold great things themselues oppresse The gods this bound to groning states haue set But to no Forraine armes would Fortune yet Lend her owne envy ore great Rome that awes Both Land and Sea shee 's her owne ruines cause Subiected ioyntly to three b Lords how ill Prooue shared rules accords and fatall still Ambition blinded Lords what 's th' happinesse To mixe your powers and ioyntly th' earth possesse Whilest Land the Sea and Ayre the Land shall bound Whilest labouring Titan runnes his glorious round And through twelue heavenly signes night follows day No faith keepe those that kingdomes ioyntly sway Rule brookes no sharers doe not this beleeue In forraine states Rome can examples giue A brothers bloud did our first walls distaine Nor was the spacious earth and watry maine This mischiefes price a refuge for theeues fled A little house this brothers hatred bred This iarring concord lasted for a space Dissembled twixt the two for Crassus was The warres sole let like that small necke of land That in the middst of two great Seas doos stand And will not let them ioyne that tane away Straight the Ioniâ—n meets th' Aegaean Sea So when war parting Crassâ—â— sadly slaine With Romane bloud did Asian Charan staine That Parthian losse to homebred rage gaue reines More then you thinke you did fierce Parthians That day our civill war your conquest wrought And now Romes Empire by the sword is sought That State that mistresse ore the World did reigne Rulde Land and Sea yet could not two conteine For Iulia's t deâ—th whom cruell Fates before Had slaine the pledge of their alliance bore Downe to her graue if Fate had spar'de her life Her furious husband and sterne fathers strife She had compos'de and made their armed hands Let fall their swords and ioyne in friendships bands As once the Sabin women enterposde Their sires and husbands bloody iarres composde Thy death faire Iulia breakes off all accords And giues them leaue againe to draw their swords On both sides powerfull aemusation beares On their ambitious spirits great Pompey feares That his piâ—aticke Laurell should giue place To conquerde France and Caesars deeds deface His ancient triumphs fortunes constant grace Makes him impatient of a second place Nor now can Caesar a superior brooke Nor Pompey brooke a peere who justlier tooke Vp armes great Iudges differ heaven approoues The conquering cause the conquerde Cato loues Nor were they aequall one in yeares was growne And long accustomde to a peacefull gowne Had now forgot the Souldier Fame he bought By bounty to the people and much sought For popular praise his Theaters loud shout Was his delight new strength he sought not out Relying on his ancient fortunes fame And stood the shadow of a glorious name As an old lofty Oake that heeretofore Great Conquerors spoiles and sacred Trophies bore Stands firme by his owne weight his roote now dead And through the ayre his naked boughes does spread And with his trunke not leaues a shaddow makes He though each blast of Easterne winde him shakes And round about well rooted Trees doe grow Is onely honour'd but in Ceasar now Remaines not onely a great Generalls name But restlesse valour and in waâ—re a shame Not to be Conquerâ—ur fierce not curb'd at all Ready to fight where hope or anger call His forward Sword confident of successe And hold the fauour of the gods to presse Orethrowing all that his ambition stay And loues that ruine should enforce his way As lightning by the winde fâ—rc'd from a cloude Breakes through the wounded aire with thunder loud Disturbes the Dâ—y the people terrifyes And by a light oblique dazels our eyes Not Ioues owne Temple spares it when no force No barre an hinder his prevailing course Great waâ—e as foâ—rth it fallyes and roures It makes and gathers his dispersed fires These causes mâ—ou'd the Cheâ—fes and such as are In mightâ— stâ—tes the common seeds of warre For since our Câ—ests the conquer'd world hath fill'd Too full and vertue did to riches yeild Since spoiles and warrelike rapine taught vs riot Excesse in Plate in buildings reignes he dyeâ— Of formertimes wee scoâ—n that soft attire That Women were asham'd of Men desire Strength-breeding pouerty is fled and nought But wealth from all the spoiled world is sought The banc of States those Lands encreas'd they hold In th' hands of vnknowne Tenants which of old Caemillus plow share wounded and the hands Of th' ancient Curii till'd the state now stands Not as of old when men from auarice free Could liue in peace and wisht but liberty Hence quarrels grow what pouerty esteemed A vild offence now 's greatest honour deem'd By Sword our Countreys power in curbe to hold Might measures â—ight Lawes and decrees are sold Consuls and Tribunes iarres all right suppresse Fasces are bought the peoples suffrages Corruptly sought and giuen hence bloody iarres Oft staine elections in the field of Maâ—s So griping Vsury growes so faith is lâ—st And ciuill warre as gainefull sought by most By this time Caesar the cold Alpes orepast In his great thoughts the future warre had cast And now to Rubicon's small current come He dreames the Image of affrighted Rome With countenance sad through dusky night appearesâ— On her towre-bearing head her hoary haires Hung downe all torne her armes were nak'd when she Tâ—us sighing speakes oh whither carry yee My Ensignes Souldiers If you come as friends As Roman Citizens your march here ends k A suddaine feare straight chilles the generall veines His haire 's with horrour rais'd faintnesse detaines His steps vpon the banke then thus he praâ—â—s Thou Ioue whose eye these Citie walles surueyes From thy Tarpeian hill You Deiâ—ies Of Troy and Romulus hid misteries Thou Latian Ioue worshipt on th' Alban mount You Vestall fires and Rome whom I account My greatest God blesse this attempt not thee Doe I inuade Conquerour by land and sea Thy Caesar comes thy Souldier still Be hee He in the fault that caus'd this enmity Then brooking no delay the streame showre-swell'd He marches ore so in a â—ibyan field A Lion viewing his sterne foe at hand Till he collect his
first crime but when Petreius spy'd That Caesars fortâ—ne did all actions guide Ilerda he forsakes trusting no more The strength of that knowne world but seeking for Vntamed nations fierce with wars dire loue e To that worlds end the battell to remoâ—ue When Caesar saw the hills and campe forsooke He bids his men take armes and never looke For bridge or ford but with their hardy armes Swim ore the streame the souldiers his alarmes Obey with speed and rushing on to fight Venture those wayes that they would feare in flight Then taking armes cherish their bodies wet And their beâ—ummed joynts with running heat Till noone made shadowes short the horsemen then O retake the hindniost of Petreius men Who doubtfull are whether to fight or flye Two rockâ— hills lift their proud tops on high Making a vale beneath aboue the ground Is ioyn'd below safe passages are found Through windings darke which straights if once the foe Had in possession Caesar well did know He might from thence carry the war as far As Spaines remote and barbarous nations are Runne without ranke quoth he pursue your foes Turne backe the war that by their flight you loose Make them turne face to face though they would fly Giue not the cowards leaue basely to dy But on their breasts let them receiue our blowes This said with swiftnesse they prevent their foes Flight to the hills encamping close beside A narrow trench did both the campes divide And of so little distance was the place They might distinctly know each others face There finding fathers brothers sonnes they see The wickednesse of civill enmity And first for feare standing a little mute With nods and swords lift vp frends frends salute But when deare loue conquer'd the law of warres Over the trenches leape the souldiers T' embrace each other some their old hosts meete Some their schoolefellowes some their kinsemen greete He was no Roman that no enemy knew Sighs breake their kisses teares their armes bedew And though no act of blood were yet begun They feare the mischiefe that they might haue done VVhy mourn'st thou foole why doe it thou beat thy breast And weepe in vaine why hast thou now confest Thou ' gainst thy will to wicked war doest goe Stand'st thou in such great feare of him whom thou Thy selfe mak'st dreadfull let this trumpets sound Neglect the cruell noise let none be found To beare his Eagles and the war there ends Caesar and Pompey private men are frends Now concord come that all things doest enfold In thy white armes and the worlds safety hold The earths blest loue future impietyes Our age may feare the ignorance heere dyes Of their misdeeds and from excuse does bar Their guilt they know their foes their kinsemen are Sinister fates that will by this short peace Their future woes and wickednesse encrease T' was peace and in both campes mixt souldiers stray'd And on the grasse their friendly banquets made By the same fire together Bacchus rites They celebrate and spend the watchfull nights In storyes of the war as lovingly Together they in ioyning lodginges lye Where first they did encampe from what hand fled Each Pile and boast of every valiant deede Denying much they graunt the wish of Fate And loue the wretched Souldiers renovate This loue their future wickednesse encreast For when Petreius saw their friendly feast Thinking himselfe and campe to sale betray'd He armes his houshold servants to invade Dire war and guarded with a troope of those Out of his campe th'vnâ—rm'd Caesarians throwes The sword as in embraces joyn'd they stood Divides them and disturbes the peace with blood Then wrath these war provoking speeches gaue Souldiers vnmindefull of the cause you haue Though Caesars conquest you cannot bestow Vpon the Senates cause this you can do Fight till you are orecome whilest you haue hands And blood and whilest the war yet doubtfull stands Will you go serue and traitrous Eagles take And beg of Caesar he no odds would make Betweene his slaues and at his hands dâ—sire Your Captaines liues our safetyes treasons hire Shall never be nor make we civill war To liue by name of peace betray'd we are People for veines of brasse which deepe-hid lye Would never seeke nor townes would fortify No stately horses to the war should pace No tower-like shipps ore spread the Oceans face If liberty for peace were ere well sold Shall Caesar's Souldiers damn'd obedience hold Bound by a wicked oath and you make light Your faith because in a good cause you fight But pardon 's hop'd oh shames dire funerall Not knowing this great Pompey thou ore all The world art mustring and each farthest King Bringing to fight whilest we are articling Basely about thy safety This feirce speech Turn'd backe their mindes stirr'd warrs wicked itch As when wild beasts wean'd from the woods and shutt Vp close to â—ame haue off their wildenesse put And learn'd t' endure a man if blood once staine Their iawes their wildenesse straight returnes againe Their iawes grow hot and their new boyling rage The trembling keeper hardly can aswage They run on wickednesse and what might seeme In a blinde war the gods or fortunes crime Deceived trust makes ours at bord and bed The late embraced breasts are murthered And though vnwillingly at first they draw Yet when their wicked swords drawne out they saw And striking were their friends they truely hate And with the stroke themselues they animate Petreius campe is with strange tumult fill'd And horrid murther sonnes their fathers kill'd And as if hidden mischiefe lost should be They boast their guilt and let their Captaines see Caesar though robbed of thy men yet see The gods high favour not so much for thee On Aegypt or Massilias seas is done Nor so much honour in Pharsalia won f For this sole crime of civill war does make That thou at length the better cause shalt take The Generalls now their blood-stain'd Souldier No more dare trust within the campe so neere But by swift flight toward Ilerda make From whom all passage Caesars horsmen take And there in those dry hills shut vp their foes Whom Caesar striues with a deepe trench t' enclose Cutting all water off he lets them take No springes nor tents neere to the river make They seeing the way of death convert their feare To rage their horses that vnusefull were To men beseidg'd they kill and since in flight T were vaine to hope addresse themselues to fight Caesar perceiues them comming and well knowes That death is sought by his devoted foes Containe your Piles and swords Souldiers quoth he I le loose no blood to get this victory That foe that meetes the sword nere gratis dyes Hating their liues and cheape in their owne eyes They come to mixe our losses with their death They 'll feele no wounds but ioy in losse of breath But let this heate forsake vm this mad fit They 'll loose their wish of death Caesar the fight Forbids
their oares did wound A miracle of silent slight it show'd She boâ—e no sailes or sea discover'd row'd Now they obserue the tides till th' ebbing seas Leaue the sands bare and make the shore encrease Then from aboue into the Ocean prone The ship falls by two galleyes waited on Ore which a lofty threatning tower was rear'd Where spires and trembling pinnacles appear'd Octavius keeper of th'Illyrian sea Would not assault this ship too suddainly But his swift vessells thought it good to stay Till th' easy passage might encrease his prey And farther on to sea by peace invites His rashly enter'd foes such are the slights Of huntsmen when their toiles they haue dispos'd And fearefull deere in plumed nets enclos'd Their dogs of Crete and Sparta they containe And their wide mouth'd Molossians restraine No dog is trusted in the wood but he That can vpon a full sent silent be And never open when he findes the game Content alone to signifie the same By wagging of the string then presently The Souldiers leaue the I le and eagerly They come a boord the ship when day 's last light Gaue place to the approach of dusky night But the Cilicians of great Pompey's side According to their old sea-craft had ty'd Chaines through the midst o'th'sea of which no show Appear'd aboue but loosely let them flow The chaine was fasten'd to th' Illyrian shore The first and second ships not staid got ore The third was caught of burden much more vast And to the rocke by a drawne rope was cast The rocke hangs ore the sea a wonder tis Hollow and still though falling stands with trees Making a shade hither the sea by tides Oft driues and in those darkesome cavernes hides Ships broke by Aquilon and drowned men Which hidden store the rocke restores againe And when the cavernes belch it vp in heate Sicilian Charybdis cannot get Preheminence Heere did the great ship stand That was with valiant Opitergians mann'd Her from all havens did all ships enclose Some from the rocke some from the shore oppose Vulteius found this vnder-water traine The Captaine of the ship who all in vaine Striving to cut the chaines did then desire Without all hope to fight where to retire Or how to conquer is not seene but here As much as snared valour could appeare It did against so many thousand wights That did enclose scarse one full cohort fights Not long endeed for night in her blacke shade Shut vp the day and peace the darkenesse made Then stouâ— Vulteius thus gan animate The cohort fearing sad ensuing fate Yong men that but for one short night are free Provide in time for sates extremity There 's no man's life is short that does allow Him time to seeke his death nor thinke it now Lesse glorious that we meete a fate at hand The times of future life none vnderstand T is aequall praise of minde to giue away Our liues last moment and the hoped stay Of many yeres so we the actors be No man can be compell'd to wish to dye No way for flight is left at every hand Bent ' gainst our throates the sterne Cilicians stand Let feare be banisht then resolue to dye And let your wishes meete necessity Nor shall we fall in a blinde cloud of war As when two battels joyn'd in darkenesse are VVhen heapes of carcasses bestrow the field Valour lies buried all are aequall held But in a ship the gods haue placed vs Both to our friends and foes conspicuous The I le the continent the seas allow VVitnesses to vs and two parties now From divers shores behold vs in our ends VVhat great and rare example Fate entends I know not VVhat ere Chronicles afford Of trust of Souldiers faith maintain'd by sword VVe shall excell t is a small thing to die Vpon our swords Caesar we know for thee But greater pledges in this sad distresse VVe want our great affections to expresse And envious Fates vs of much praises barre That not our parents nor our children are Heere with vs. Let our foes our valour finde And feare our force and death contemning minde Let them be glad that no more ships were caught Perchance they 'll try by leagues what can be wrought Proffering base life would they would promise vs Pardon to make our deaths more glorious Lest when we fall our killing swords vpon Our foes should call it desperation Much valour must deserue that Caesar may Account the lesse of vs a fatall day Among so many thousand Should fate giue Egresse from hence I would not wish to liue I haue already cast away my breath Drawen by the sweetnesse of approaching death A fury t is which none but they can know To whom nere Fates such knowledge doe allow The Gods deaths sweetnesse doe conceale to make Men liue A noble courage straight did take The young mens minds though all with weeping eyes Before the Captaines speech had view'd the skies And fear'd to see the turne of Charles his waine But now their valiant minds wish day againe After this speech nor was day slowt ' appeare Sol leaving Gemini and drawing neare His height in Cancer when the shortest night Vrg'd the Thessalian Archer Day growne light Discover'd warrelike Istrians on the land The fierce Liburnians and Greeke fleete that stand Covering the seas They first suspending fight Striue to orecome by covenants and invite The ship to yeild by granting life but they Devoted scorning life stand in array Secure in sight resolv'd what end to take No stormes their strong resolved mindes could shake And though but few by land and sea they fought Such confidence deaths resolution brought Against innumerable hands but when VVarre had drawne blood enough their fury then Turn'd from their foes The Captaine first of all Vulteius offring his bare throte gan call Seeking for death is there no Souldier here VVorthy to shed my blood let him appeare And killing me shew that himselfe dares bleed VVith that of life his wounded breast was free'd By many swords Vulteius thankes bestow'd On all but dying him to whom he ow'd His first kind wound he thankefully againe Requites with death Thus meeting all were slaine And on one side the warres whole mischiefe hung So the serpentine brood by Cadmus Sprung Fell by each others hand a dire presage Of the ensuing Theban brothers rage So those of th'waking Dragons teeth once fram'd In Colchos fields by Magicke spells enflam'd VVith kindred blood the fields plow'd furrowes dy'd VVhich mischiefe wrought by hearbs before vntry'd Medea fear'd her selfe So fell these men By baâ—gain'd fate and in the death of them To dye was the least valour they both fall And kill at once no right hand mist at all Though at the point of death nor to their blades Ow'd they their wounds a breast the sword invades Their throates invade their hands and if blinde chance A brothers sword ' gainst brother did advance Or sonnes ' gainst father with vndanted hand And all
at noone is mounted high Those trees no shadow can diffuse at all Their boughs scarse hide their trunkes No shade or small The Sunbeames make since perpendicular It is perceiv'd this is the region where The summer Tropicke hits the Zodiacke The signes obliquely rise not but direct Nor more direct the Bull then Scorpio Moist Capricornus then hot Cancer goe Nor Gemeni then Sagitarius Nor Leo then oppos'd Aquarius Virgo then Pisces Libraes motion Then Aries But whom the torrid zone Divides from vs those people ever see The shadowes Southward which here Northward be You slowly seeing Cynosure suppose Her vndrench'd carre into the Ocean goes And that no Northerne signe from seas is free You stand far distant from each axeltree Your signes in midst of heaven converted be The Easterne people standing at the doore The oracles of horned Ioue t'implore Gaue place to Cato whom his souldiers ply That of that Libyan far-fam'd deity His future fates event he would be taught Him Labienus most of all besought Chance and the fortune of our way quoth he Lâ—nd vs the mouth of that great deity And his sure counsells we may now implore His powerfull guidance through this war and ore The dangerous Syrtes For to whom should I Beleeue the gods would truly or certify Their secret wills then Catoes holy breast Whose life to heavenly lawes was still addrest And follow'd god behold we now haue heere A freedome given to talke with Iupiter Cato enquires of wicked Caesars fate And know what shall be Romes ensuing state Whether this civill war be made in vaine Or shall our lawes and liberties maintaine Let Ammon's sacred voice thy breast inspire Thou lover of strict vertue now desire To know what vertue is seeke from aboue Approovement of the trueth He full of Ioue Whom in his secret breast he carried ever These temple worthy speeches did deliver What Labienus should I seeke to know If I had rather dye in armes then bow Vnto a Lord if life be nought at all No difference betwixt long life and small If any force can hurt men vertuous If fortune loose when vertue doth oppose Her threats if good desires be happinesse And vertue grow not greater by successe Thus much we know nor deeper can the skill Of Ammon teach The gods are with vs still And though their oracles should silent be Nought can we doe without the gods decree Nor needes he voices what was fit to know The great Creator at our births did show Nor did he choose these barren sands to shew Hiding it heere his trueth but to a few Is there a seate of god saue earth and sea Aire heaven and vertue why for god should we Seeke further what ere moues what ere is seene Is Ioue For oracles let doubtfull men Fearefull of future chances troubled be Sure death not oracles ascertaine mee The coward and the valiant man must fall This is enough for Ioue to speake to all Then marching thence the temples faith he saues And to the people vntry'd Ammon leaues Himselfe afoot before his weary'd bands Marches with piâ—e in hand and not commands But shewes them how to labour never sits In coach or charriot sleepes the least a nights Last tasts the water When a fountaines found He stayes a foot till all the souldiers round And every cullion drinke If fame be due To truest goodnesse if you simply view Vertue without successe what ere we call In greatest Romans great was fortune all Who could deserue in prosperous war such fame Or by the nations blood so great a name Rather had I this vertuous triumph win In Libyaes desert sands then thrice be seene In Pompey's laurell'd charriot or to lead Iugurtha captiue Here behold indeed Rome thy true father by whose sacred name Worthy thy Temples it shall never shame People to sweare whom if thou ere art free Thou wilt hereafter make a deity Now to a torrid clime they came more hot Then which the gods for men created not Few waters heere are seene but in the sands One largely-flowing fountaine only stands But full of Serpents as it could containe There on the bankes hot killing Aspes remaine And Dipsases in midst of water dry VVhen Cato saw his men for thirst would dy Fearing those waters thus he spake to them Feare not to drinke souldiers this wholesome streame Be not affrighted with vaine shewes of death The snakes bite deadly fatall are their teeth VVhen their dire venome mixes with our blood The water 's safe Then of the doubtfull flood He drinkes himselfe there only the first draught Of all the Libyan waters Cato sought VVhy Libyaes aire should be infected so VVith mortall plagues what hurtfull secrets grow Mixt with the noxious soile by natures hand Our care nor labour cannot vnderstand But that the world in the true cause deceiv'd In stead of that a common tale receiv'd In Libyaes farthest part whose scorched ground The Ocean warm'd by setting Sol doth bound Medusas countrey lay whose barren fields No trees doe cloath whose soile no herbage yeilds Chang'd by her looke all stones and rockes they grow Heere hurtfull nature first those plagues did show First from Medusas jawes those serpents growne Hissed with forked tongues and hanging downe Like womans haire vpon her backe gaue strokes Vnto her pleased necke In stead of lockes Vpon her horrid front did serpents hisse Her combe comb'd poyson downe no part but this Safe to be seene about Medusa was For who ere fear'd the monsters mouth and face Whom that had view'd her with an eye direct Did she ere suffer sence of death t' affect She hasten'd doubting fate preventing dread Their bodyes dy'd before their soules were fled Enclosed soules with bodyes turn'd to stone The furyes haires could madnesse worke alone Cerberus hissing Orpheus musicke still'd Alcides saw that Hydra which he kill'd But this strange monster even her father who Is the seas second god her mother too Cetos and Gorgon sisters feared she Could strike a numnesse through the sea and sky And harden all the world into a stone Birds in their flight haue fall'n conjealed downe Running wilde beasts to rockes converted were And all the neighbouring Aethiopians there To marble statues not a creature brookes The sight of her t' avoide the Gorgons lookes Her snakes themselues backeward themselues invert She neere Alcides pillars could convert Titanian Altâ—s to an hill and those Giants with serpents feete that durst oppose The gods themselues those wars in Phlegra field Her face could end but shew'd in Pallas sheild Thither the sonne of showre rap'd Daâ—ae Borne on th' Arcadian wings of Mercury Inventer of the harpe and wrestling game Flying through th' aire with borrow'd Harpe came Harpe whom monsters blood before did staine When he that kept Ioves loued cow was slaine Aide to her winged brother Pallas gaue Conditioning the Gorgons head to haue She bids him fly to Libyaes Easterne bound His face averted or the Gorgons ground In his left
Tullus bites A braue young man that studyed Catoes worth And as in pouncing of a picture forth Through every hole the pressed saffâ—on goes So from his every part red poison flowes For blood his teares were blood from every pore Where nature vented moisture heretofore His mouth his nose flowes blood his sweate is red His running veines all parts be bloodyed And his whole body's but one wound become An Aspes sharpe bite did Laeuus heart benum No paine he felt surpris'd with sudaine sleepe He dy'd descending to the Stygian deepe Not halfe so suddaine doe those poysons kill Which dire Sabaean sorcerers distill From off the falsely seeming Sabine tree On an old stumpe a dart-like snake did ly Which as from thence her selfe she nimbly threw Through Paulus head and wounded temples flew T was not the poison wrought his fate the blow It selfe brought death To her compared slow Fly stones from slings and not so swift as she From Parthian bowes doe winged arrowes flee What help'd it wretched Murrus that he did Kill a fierce Basiliske the poyson slid Along his speare and fastned on his hand Which he cut off and then did safely stand With that hands losse viewing securely there The sad example of his death so neare Who would haue thought the knotty Scorpion had Such power in killing or a sting so bad Her straight stroke won when she Orion â—â—ew A trophee which the constellations shew Who small Solpuâ—a from thy hole would flee Yet the three sisters giue their power to tâ—ee So that no rest they found by night nor day They fear'd the ground it selfe on which they lay For neither heapes of leaues nor â—eedes they found To make them beds but on the naked ground Expos'd their bodyes whose warme vapours steame By night attracted the cold snakes to them Whose harmelesse jawes whilest nights astringents cold The poyson freez'd vnhurt their bosomes hold Nor by the guidance of the stars their way Can they discerne but oft complayning say Restore oh gods to vs those wars againe From which we fled restore Pharsalia's plaine Why should we dy whose liues devoted were And sworne to war the death of cowards here The Dipsases on Caesars party are And horned snakes helpe end our civill war Oh let vs goe where the hot zone doth ly 'T would ease our grieved hearts that to the sky We might ascribe our deaths In nought doe we Accuse thee Affrica or nature thee For thou this monster bearing countrey tane From mens plantation didst for snakes ordaine This land all barren where no corne could thriue Thou mad'st that men might from these serpents liue But we are come into their dwellings here Take punishment on vs thou god who ere Hating our journey didst the world divide Placing the doubtfull Syrtes on one side The torrid zone on tother deaths sad seate Plac'd in the midst To thy most hid retreat Our civill war dares goe to the worlds end Our wayes through natures secrets prying tend Worse things perchance must be endur'd then this The pole declines the setting Sunne doth hisse Drench'd in the sea No land doth further ly This way then Iubaes woefull monarchy Knowne but by fame we shall perchance againe Wish for this serpents land th' aire doth containe Some comfort yet some things are living here Alas we wish not for our countrey deare Europe nor Asia different Sunnes which see Vnder what pole oh â—ffricke left we thee 'T was winter at Cyrene when we lay Is the yeares course chang'd in so small a way The South is at our backes to th' adverse pole Our journey tends about the world we rowle We are perchance Antipodes to Rome Let this our comfort be Let Caesar come Oh let our foes pursue where we haue fled Thus they in sad complaints vnburdened Their loaded patience Catoes vertue keepes Them proofe ' gainst any labour who still sleepes Vpon the naked sands and every hower Present at every fate tempts fortunes power Comes at all calls his presence doth bestow Farre more then health a strength to vndergoe Even death it selfe Whilest Cato's standing by They are asham'd impatiently to dy What power ore him had any misery Whose presence griefe in others breasts subdew'd And what small power can be in sorrow shew'd Some case at last did tired fortune giue To their long suffrings there a nation liue Marinarian d Psylls from serpents biting free They arm'd with powerfull incantations be Their blood 's secure and though they did not charme By touch of poyson cannot suffer harme The places nature this did justly giue Thâ—t serpent-free they might with serpents liue T was well that in this poysonous aire they breath For peace is made betwixt themselues and death Of their owne broodes such certaine proofes haue all That when to ground a new-borne childe doth fall Fearing strange Venus hath their beds defil'd By deadly Aspes they try the doubted childe As th' Eâ—gle when her Eaglets are disclos'd Layes them against the rising Sunne expâ—s'd Those that with stedy eye can view his beemes And boldly gaze those only she esteemes The â—ther scornes the Psylls so count it there Their nations pledge if infants doe not feare The serpents touch or freely play with snakes They not content with their owne safety take For strangers care and following th' army then Against those serpents aided Catoes men For when the campe was pitch'd those sands that lay Within the compasse of the trenches they Did purge with snake-expelling charmes throughout And medâ—inable fires made round about Their Wall wort crackes and fennell gumme doth fry Thin Tamaâ—iske Thessalian Centory Strong Panace Arabian Pepperwort Sicilian Thapsos burn'd with Sulphurwort Larâ—he trees and Southernewood which serpents dread And hornes of stags far off from Affricke bred So night was safe If slung by day they were That magicke nations miracles appeare For ' gainst the Psyl's the taken venome striues Markes to the wounded place their spittle giues Whose force the poyson in the wound doth stay Then with a foaming tongue dire charmes they say In ceaselesse murmurs For no time to breath The danger giues Approaching speedy death Admits no silence Oft hath poyson tane In th'inmost parts bin charm'd away againe But when call'd out by their commanding tongue If any poyson dare to tarry long Then falling downe they licke the pallid wound And with a gentle bite squeezing it round Sucke with their mouths the poyson out and it Extracted from the key-cold body spit And in their mouths tasting the poyson well VVhat serpent deepest bit the Psylls can tell Now ore the fields encourag'd by their aide The Roman souldiers wander'd lesse afraide Thus Cato treading sands of Libya The Moone twice waning and twice wexing saw Now more and more the sands to harden gan And Affricks thicken'd ground grew gâ—eâ—e againe Trees here and there began t' extend their shade And cottages of reedes and sedges made How great an hope of better ground had they VVhen
be the gods owne crime who would endure To see the world dissolue himselfe secure Who could look on when heaven should fal earth faile And the conâ—usde world perish and not waile Shall vnknowne Nations in our Roman war Engage themselues and forreine Kings from far Crossing the Seas and shall I rest alone Farre be it gods the Daci and Getes should mone Their losses in Rome's fall and Cato lie Secure as parents when their children die In person mourne build vp with their owne hands The funerall pyle and light the fatall brands I will not leaue thee Rome till I embrace Thy hearse and liberty thy dying face And fleeting Ghost with honour doe attend So let it goe let th' angry gods intend A compleate Romane sacrifice no blouds Will we defraud the war of would the gods Of heaven and Erebâ—â— would now strike dead For all our crimes this one condemned head Devoted Decius by his foes could fall Me let both Roman hosts assault and all Rhines barbarous troupes let me i' th midst receiue All darts all wounds that this sad war can giue Let me redeeme the people let my Fate What ere Romes manners merit expiate Why should the easily conquer'd people die That can endure a Lord Strike onely me Me with all swords and Piles that all in vaine Our wronged lawes and liberties maintaine This throate shall peace to Italy obtaine After my death he that desires to raigne Need not make war but now let 's follow all The common Ensignes Pompey generall Though he orecome 't is not yet knowne that he Meanes to himselfe the worlds sole Monarchy I le helpe him conquer lest he should suppose He conquers for himselfe From this arose Young Brutus courage this graue speech too farre Made the young man in loue with civill war Now Phoebus driving the cold darke away They heard a noyse at doore v chast Martiae Come from Hortensius tombe stood knocking there Once given a Mayd in marriage happier But when the fruit and price of wedlocke she Three births had payd another Family To fill was fruitfull Martia lent a Bridle To joyne two houses by the Mothers side Now wâ—en Hortensius ashes vined rest She in her funerall robes beating her breast With often strokes and tearing her loose haire Sprinkled with ashes from the Sepulchre To please sowre Cato with a gesture sad Thus speakes Whilst blood childing strength I had Cato I did thy will two husbands tooke Now worne away and with oft travell â—roke I come no more to part grant now our old Wedlocks vntasted rites grant me to hold The empty name of wife and on my Tombe Write Cato's Martia lest in time to come It may be ask'de whether I left the bed Of my first Lord bestow'de or banished Nor câ—me I now prosperity to share But to partake thy labours and sad care Let me attend the Campe leaue me not heere In peace Cornelia to the war so neere These speaches mou'd the man though these times are Vnfit for Hymen when Fate cals to war VVithout vaine pompe to tye a nuptiall knot In the gods presence he refuses not No garlands on the marriage doores were worne Nor linnen fillets did the posts adorne No bridall Tapers shone no bed on high VVith Ivory steps and gold embrodery No Matron in a towred crowne that led The Bride forbid her on the threshold tread No yellow veile cover'd her face to hide The fearefull blushes of a modest Bride No precious girdle guirded her loose Gowne No Chaine adornd her necke nor linâ—en downe From off her shoulders her nak'de armes orespred So as she was funerall habited Even like her Sonnes her Husband she embrac'de A funerall robe aboue her purple plac'de The vsuall Iests were sparde the husband wants After the Sabine vse his marriage tants None of their kindred met the knot they tye Silent content with Brutus auspicy His ore-growne haire he from that sacred face Shaues not nor will in his sad lookes embrace One joy since first that wicked war begun He lets his vnshorne hoary lockes fall downe Ore his rough front and a sad beard to hide His cheekes for he alone from factions free'd Or hate had leasure for mankinde to weepe Nor in his bridall bed would Cato sleepe Even lawfull loue could continence reject These were his manners this sowre Cato's sect To keepe a meane hold fast the end and make Nature his guide dye for his Countreys sake For all the world not him his life was lent He thinks his feasts but hungers banishment His choisest buildings were but fence for cold His best attire rough gownes such as of old VVas Roman weare and nothing but desire Of progeny in him warm'd Venus sire Father and husband both to Rome was he Servant to justice and strict honesty For th'publike good in none of Catoes acts Creepes selfe borne pleasure or her share exacts Now with his fearefull troopes Pompey the great To Trojan Capua fled mean't there to seate The war his scatter'd strength there to vnite And his aspiring foes assaults to meete VVhere Apenine rais'd somewhat higher fills The midd'st of Italy with shady hills Then which no part of earth dooes swell more high In any place nor neerer meetes the sky The mountaine twixt two seas extended stands Th'vpper and lower sea on the right hand Is Pisae seated on the Tyrrhene shore Ancona on the left vex'd evermore VVith stormes and windes that from Dalmatia blow Heere from vast founâ—aines doe great rivers flow And into th'double seas divorce doe slide In severall channells downe on the left side Metaurus swift and strong Crustumium flow Isapis ioyn'd t'Isaurus Sonna too And Aufidus the Adriaticke beates Eridanus then which no river gets More ground whole forrests rowles into the sea Oreturn'd and robs of rivers Italy They say that Poplars on this rivers side First grew when Phaeton amisse did guide The day his wandring Chariot burnt the skie And scorcht the earth all rivers then were drye But this whose streames did Phoebus fires withstand Not lesse then Nile if on playne Libyan sand It flow'd like Nile not lesse then Ister 't were Vnlesse that Ister running every where The streames that fall into all seas does meet And not alone the Scythian Ocean greet From springs that downe the hils right side doe flow Rutuba Tyber swift Vulturnus grow Night-ayre infecting Sarnus Liris too Runnes strength'ned by the Vestine rivers through Maricars wooddy lands Siler that glides Through Salerne's fields Macra whose Ford abides No ships into the sea neere Luna fall The hill where he in length extended all Meeting the bâ—nding Alpes France oversees Totâ— ' Vmbrians Marsians and Sabellians is Ferâ—ile and does with wooddy armes embrace The people of the ancient Latine race Nor leaues he Italy before he end In the Scyllaean cavernes and extend Vnto Lacinian Iuno's house his hill Longer he was then Italy vntill The sâ—a divided him and water forc'd The land then when two meeting seas
their strength they strike in this did stand Their piety alone that at one blow They would dispatch them on the hatches now Halfe dead they draw their bowells and much blood Stream'd downe into the sea it did them good To see the scorned day death to preferre And with proud lookes despise the conquerer Now on the ship the heapes of bodyes shew'd The slaughter made on which the foes bestow'd Fit funeralls admiring much to see To any Captaine such fidelity Fame flying through the world did never raise Any one ship with such resounding praise Yet will not coward nations since such braue Examples learne to know that death to saue Their liberty is not a price so deare But kingdomes arm'd with power of sword they seareâ— Liberty can vse armes and swords should be As men should know to keepe their liberty Oh would the fates would let the fearefull liue That valour only death to men might giue Nor was that war that did in Libya grow Lesse terrible then this bold g Curio By a milde Northren winde was wasted ore From Lilybaeum to that well knowne shore VVhere Clupea seated is and where he sees Great Carthages halfe ruin'd aedifice And pitching his first tents far from the maine VVhere Bagrada furrowes the sandy plaine Those hills and eaten rockes goes to behold VVhich were Aâ—taeus kingdome call'd of old Asking the cause of this old name a clowne Thus tells the tale by long Tradition knowne For Giants births Earth yet not barren made In Libian caues a feared issue had Which to his mother brought as true a fame As Typhon Tityus and Briareus name 'T was good for heaven Antaeus was not borne At Phlegra but this guift did more adorne His mighty strength into his limmes though tir'd His mothers touch a vigour fresh inspir'd This caue his dwelling was this mountaine here He lurckt about his foode slaine lions were His bed no leaues of trees no skin of beasts His strength by sleeping on the ground encreast By him th' inhabitants of Libya dy'd And strangers all that to our coast apply'd His strength not vsing a long time to fall Needed not earths rich gift too strong for all He was though standing vp at length through fame Of this dire plague the great Alcides came Whose hand both sea and land from monsters free'd And for th' encounter each put off his weede One's Nemean tother 's Libyan Lions skin Hercules oiles his limmes ere he begin According to th' Olimpicke rites but he Rubb'd ore his limmes with sand it could not be Enough to touch his mother with his feete They grapple then and armes armes folded meete Striving each others necke with heavy hand To bend yet both fixt and vnbended stand Both wonder much to meete their match at length But Hercules vs'd not his vtmost strength At the first bout but weary'd out his foe Which his oft blowing and cold sweates did show His shaking necke nor breast could firmely stand His bending hammes yeild to Alcides hand Alcides then about his short ribbes cast His conquering armes and grip'd his yeilding wast Then tripping vp his leggs he fairely â—ayes His foe stretch'd out vpon the sand earth stayes His sweat and fills with fresh blood every vaine His armes grow brawny his joynes stâ—ffe againe And his fresh limmes vnclaspe the others hands Amaz'd at this new strength Alcides stands Nor fear'd he Hydra so in Lerna lakes Fruitfull by losse of her reviving snakes Though then but yong Now both were aequall growne One in earths strength the other in his owne Nere had sterne Iuno more encouragement To hope she sees his limmes with sweating spent And his necke dry'd as when he did sustaine The heavens but when he clasp'd his foe againe Antaeus staying not till he be throwne Falls of himselfe and rises stronger growne His mother earth to his tir'd members giues What spirit she has and labours when he striues But when Alcides found â—arths touch to be Strengthning to him now thou shalt stand quoth he No more thou falâ—'st nor will we trust againe The ground this breast shall thy crusht limbes susteâ—ne Hither Antaeus shalt thou fall this spoke Him striving to fall downe aloft he tooke And grasp'd his middle fast earth could not lend Strength to her dying sonne nor succour send But till his foâ—s breast starke and cold he found Alcides durst not trust him on the ground From hence selfe-lov'd antiquity and fame Old times recorder gaue this place a name But to these hills a nobler name gaue he That drew the Punicke foe from Italy Scipio arriving on our Libya heere Pitch'd his first campe the ruines yet appeare Of that old trench this place of all the rest Was first by Roman victory possest Curio as if the place were fortunate And still retain'd those former Captaines fate In war rejoyc'd and in this lucky place Pitch'd his vnlucky tents which did deface The places Omen and provok'd sterne foes With strength vnaequall Affricke all that owes Obedience to the Roman Eagles then VVas vnder Varus who though strong in men Of Italy aide from the Libyan King Requires to whom the worlds far regions bring Their force with Iuba no one King alone VVas master of such large dominion In length th'extent of his great Kingdomes ground Gades-neighbouring Atlas and Ioues Ammon bound Neere Thera but in breadth the torrid zone Betwixt the sea and it it coasts vpon So many people to his army presse Th' Autolodes and wandring Nomades Getulians hors'd without caparison The Mauritanians of complexion Like Indians poore Nasamonians Scorcht Garamantes swift Marmaricans Massylians that without saddles ride And with a wand their bitlesse horses guide Mazacian darts that Median shafts excell Those that in empty cottages doe dwell Affrican hunters that all darts refuse And their loose coates ' gainst angry Lyons vse Nor did the cause of civill war alone But private anger bring King Iuba on Curio that yeere wherein he did defile Divine and human lawes striv'd to exile By tribunitiall law from Libyas throne This King and barre him his forefathers crowne VVhâ—lest he would make thee Rome a monarchy He mindfull of the wrong thinkes this to be The greatest guift his scepter could bestow This Iuba's fame affrighted Curio Besides no Souldiers firme to Caesar's side Were in his army none that had beene try'd In Germany but at Confinium tane False to new Lords did to their first remaine Doubtfull and thought both sides indifferent were But when he saw all slacke through slavish feare That the night-guards their trenches did forsake With a distracted spirit thus he spake Daring conceales great feareâ— I le first assay The fight and put my Souldiers in array While tâ—ey are mine doubt growes from rest alone Fight shall prevent their consultation When swords whet their dire wills and helmets hide Their blushes who can then compare the side Or weigh the cause they favour as they stand As no old hate does on the stage command
Sword-players to meete they hate by faction This said in open field he leades them on Whom the warres fortune meaning to deceiue After at first does prosperously receiue For Varus he defeated following on Their flying backes in execution Even to the campe When Iuba first did know Of this sad field and Varus overthrow Glad that the glory of the war did stay For him by stealth he leade his troupes away And without noise commanding silence goes Fearing he should be feared of his foes Sabura next in honour to the King With a small troope is sent before to bring Curio on by provocation As if the war were left to him alone Himselfe with all his kingdomes strength below Keepes in the valley The Ichneumon so Provoking by his tailes deceitfull shade Th' Aegyptian Aspe dooes at the last invade Free'd from the deadly venoms danger quite The sâ—rpents throate stretch'd out in vaine to meete A slying shade out the lost poison goes And all about the Aspes jawes vainely flowes Fortune assists this fraud fierce Curio Descrying not the strength of his hid foe Enâ—oines his horsemen all to issue out By night and range the vnknowne fields about And after them himselfe by breake of day With all his Eagles spread marches away Much but in vaine entreated to suspect Libyan deceite and fraudes that still infect The Punicke warres but to his funerall Fate gaue him vp and civill war did call Her author on ore rockes and mountaines high They march when on the hill from farre they spy The foe who cunning seemes to flye away Till he haue set his battells in array Vnder the hill this Curio did not know But thought it flight and like a conquerour now Brings forth his troopes into the open plaine Then first discover'd they this guilefull trainâ— The seeming-fled Numidians they espy'd On the hills tops enclosing every side Curio and his lost troopes astonisht quite The fearefull could not flye the valiant fight The horses now not feirce attrumpets sound Chaw not their foamng bitts beate not the ground Spread not their manes nor doe their eares advance Nor with their wonted spright curyet and prance Their sweating shoulders fum'd their tir'd necks hung And their dry'd mouth thrust out their weary tongue Their breasts and throates hoarse with oft blowing grew Their heavy pulse far their spent bowels drew The fomings dry and hote grew hard vpon The bloody bits no strokes could force them on Nor often spurrings make them mend their speed Wounds make them goe to hasten on the steed Bootes not the rider for the weary horse In comming on wants courage strength and force He onely brings his Rider to the foes And does his breast to all their speares expose But when the Lybian horse came coursing nigh The ground did shake and clouds of dust did flie As great as Thracian whirlewinds blow about Ore the skies cover'd face and darkenesse wrought But when warres miserable fate did fall Vpon the foot no doubtfull field at all Was fought the battell in that time was done That men could die for forth they could not run To make their flight enclos'd on every side From far by darts directly throwne they dy'd Obliquely neere not wounds alone they feele Orewhelm'd with stormes of darts weight of steele Pent vp in a straight roome the army 's kept Those that for feare neer'st to the middle crept Amongst their fellowes swords are not secure For the forefront not able to endure The foes assault slept backe and straighter made The Globe no roome to weild their armes they had Their crowded limmes are prest one armed breast Against another driven to death is prest The conquering Mauritanian could not haue So glad a spectacle as fortune gaue He saw no bodies fall no streames of blood Kept so by crowde vpright the bodies stood Let Fortune this new parentation make For hated Carthages dire spirits sake Let bloody Hanniball and Punicke ghosts Of this sad Roman expiation boast Let not in Lybia gods a Roman fall For Pompey or the Senate make at all Vs rather for her selfe let Affrica Conquer his men ore'throwne when Curio saw And the dust lay'd with blood gaue leaue to see Scorning t'out-liue such a calamity Or hope in flight he meete his death to dye Forward and valiant by necessity What now availes thy place and troubled barres From whence a Tribune to seditious wars Thou stirr'dst the people and the Senates right Betray'dst and could'st to civill war encite The sonne and father in law thy death is wrought Before these Lords haue in Pharsalia fought To see that field is not permitted thee This satisfaction in your bloods giue ye Great ones to wretched Rome and pay for war Oh happy Rome and Romans happyer far Would but the gods aboue as carefull be To keepe as to revenge our liberty Vnburied Curio's noble flesh is food For Libyan birds but since t' will doe no good To conceale that which from times injury Fame still will vindicate wee 'll giue to thee The praise that to thy life dooes appertaine Rome never nurtur'd a more able man Nor one to whom whilest good the lawes ow'd more But vice then hurt our city when the store Of wealth Ambition Riot had declin'd To the worst part his yet vnsetled minde And changed Curio the states fate controul'd Brib'd by the spoiles of France and Caesars gold Though potent Sylla and fierce Marius Cinna and Caesars line got rule ore vs By sword to whom did such power ever fall This man sold Rome the other bought it all FINIS Libri quarts Annotations on the fourth Booke a For this conquest much avayled Caesar having quieted Spaine he might securely prosecute the rest of the war having debarr'd Pompey of those legions on which he most relyed this conquest cost little blood for Afranius and Petreius forced by famine yeilded to Caesar b Afranius and Petreius with aequall power with mutuall loue and care governed fiue legions for Pompey in Spaine and chose Ilerda by the appointment of Pompey as a convenient seate for the war c The Celtae leaving France and passing the Pyrenâ—an mountaines seated themselues by the river Iberus and were called Celtâ—beri d Cinga falling into Iber looses his name to Iber which also giues name to all Spaine e Afranius and Petreius when Caesar's horsemen had stopped their wayes of forraging and fetching in Corne and withall frighted because many cities in that part had revolted to Caesar and the rest were like to follow their example resâ—lved to transserre the war into Celtiberia which remained yet in the friendship of Pompey at having received great benefits from him in the Sertorian war besides they supposed that the fame of Caesar was yet more obscure among those barbarous people therefore at the third watch they secretly dislâ—dged and passing over the river Sicoris they marched with speede toward Iberus When Caesar by his scouts vnderstood this and hearing that beyond there were mountainous strait and
Appius feares warres doubtfull chance alone Solliciting the gods th' events to heare And Phoebus Temple that for many a yeare Had beene shut vp at Delphos opens he Parnassus with two tops reaching the sky Twixt East and West aequally distant lyes To Bacchus and Apollo's deityes Sacred to whom in mixed sacrifice The Theban wiues at Delphos solemnize Their trieterickes this one hill alone Appear'd when all the world was overflowne And stood as middle twixt the sea and sky One top Parnaffus then contented thee For one alone did aboue water shew Young Phoebus there with shafts vnvsed slew The speckled Python that in waite long lay His banisht mother great with childe to slay Themis the kingdome then and Tripos held But when h Apollo the cleft ground beheld T' inspire oraculous truth and further findes The gapâ—ng earth exhale prophetike windes Downe in that sacred caue himselfe he hides And now turn'd Prophet there Apollo bides VVhich of the gods lurkes here what deity Shot downe from heaven vouchsafes to dignify This caue what heavenly god dwells heere below That does the fates aeternall courses know And things to come and telling people sure Vouchsafes the touch of woman to endure VVhether this powerfull god barely relate The fates or his relation make them fate Perchance that spirit that all the world maintaines And the poiz'd earth in empty aire susteines Through these Cirrhaean caues does passage get Striving with his aethereall part to meete This spirit once entered the virgins brest Striking her humane soule sounds forth exprest VVith hideous noise so vrging flames come from Sicilian Aetna's over burden'd wombe Typhaeus so throwes vp his stones abroade Prest with Inarime's aeternall loade This god expos'd to all deny'd to none Is free'd from hearing human crimes alone To him no man whispers vnlawfull prayers For he things fixt vnchangeable declares Forbidding men to wish and gratiously Giues just men dwellings though whole townes they be As once to Tyre he teaches vs wars slight As to th' Athenians in their navall fight At Salamine he cleares the causes showne Earths barrennesse and aire 's infection Our age no gift of heaven wants more then this Of Delphos oracle which silent is Since Kings afraid to haue their fates exprest Forbid the gods to speake nor is the Priest Of Delphos for the god 's long silence sad This Oracle's cessation makes them glad For to that breast where ere he doe inspire Vntimely death is punishment or hire Of his reception the fitt's vehemence Too much orecomes the strength of human sence And their fraile soules the god 's high motion shakes Appius whilest too too neare a search he makes To know Rome's fate to th' vnstirr'd Tripodes And silent cavernes does his steps addresse The Priest commanded t'ope that dreadfull seate And for the god a prophetesse to get Findes young Phemonoe as she carelesse roues ' Mongst the Castalian springs and silent groues And makes her breake the Temple doores The maide To stand in that most horrid place afraide Thought by a vaine deceit Appius to bring From his desire of knowing future things Why hop'st thou Roman truth should here be showne The hill quoth she is mute the god is gone Whether the spirit haue left these cavernes quite And to the worlds far regions tane his flight Or Phytho burnt by barbarous Brennus vp Did with the ashes fill this hole and stop Great Phaebus way or that the gods decree Make Cirrha mute thinking it prophecy Enough that Sibyll's bookes among you liue Or Phoebus wont from out his temple driue All wicked persons now no mouth haue found Worthy enough his Oracles to sound The Maids deceit appear'd her feare imply'd She falsely had the present gods deny'd Then a white fillet ties her lockes behinde With Delphian Bayes and wreathed garlands binde Her haire before The Priest thrusts on the maid VVho fearefull still about the entrance staid And durst no neerer to the god to come Nor to approach the temples inmost roome There counterfeiting that she was possest She vtters from an vndisturbed brest Fain'd words with no confused murmure flowing Nor the least signe of divine fury showing Her words so deepely could not Appius wound As great Apolloes truth no trembling sound That broke her speech there was no voice so shrill As all the caues capacious throat might fill Her Lawrell fell not from her frightd haire The temple and the wood vnshaken were These signes betray'd her fearefull to receiue The god when angry Appius did perceiue That 't was no Oracle Thou wretch quoth he Both I and these abused gods will bee Reveng'd for this vnlesse thou straight descend And truely tell what all these stirres portend To the affrighted world with that the maid Descends downe to the Oracle afraid And standing ore the vault the god possest VVith a full spirit her vnaccustom'd brest The rockes so many yeeres vnwasted spirit He fills her with and comming to inherit A Delphian brest nere fill'd he Prophetesse Fuller her former minde he banishes And bids all woman from her breast begone She raging beares in this distraction Not her owne necke her haire vpright throwes downe The sacred ornaments and Phoebus crowne Her necke turnes wildly round downe she throwes All tripodes she meets with as she goes And with an inward fire she burnes which shewes Thee Phoebus wrath nor doest thou onely vse Thy prickes thy flames and incitations now But bridles too the Prophetesse shall know More then she must reveale all times are heapt Vp in one heape and many ages crept Into her wretched breast things orders too And all contend out into light to goe The Fates desiring vtterance striue within VVhen the world ends and when it shall begin The prophetesse can tell and vnderstands The Oceans depth and number of the sands As the Cumaean Sibyll in a scorne Her prophecies should serue all nations turne From the vast heape of vniversall Fate VVith a proud hand cull'd out the Roman State So now the Phoebus fill'd Phemonâ—â— Striues obscure Appius where to find out thee ' Mongst all the Delphian inspirations Then first from her mad mouth the foaming â—unnes And in the horrid caue were heard at once Broke-winded murmurs howlings and sad grones At last these words fall from the maide orecome Great threates of war thou only freed from Shalt in Eubaea's pleasant valleys rest And there she stopt Phoebus her speech supprest Yee Tripodes keepers of fate that know All the world's secrets and Apollo thou Skill'd in all truth from whom the gods conceale No future times why fear'st thou to reveale That action that our Empire 's ruine brings Great Captaines deaths and funeralls of Kings And all the people that with Rome shall bleede Haue not the gods this mischiefe yet decree'd Or stay those fates whilest planets are at strife And doubt about condemning Pompey's life Or hid'st thou fortune to effect more sure Our liberties revenge and Brutus cure Of monarchy
againe then the maides breast Shou'd ope the temple doores and out she prest Her mad fit holds nor had she all explain'de Part of the god within her still remain'd And round about her wandring eyes he rowl'd Nor does her face one constant posture hold But sometimes threatning sometimes fearefull t is Sometimes a fiery red her countenance dyes Sometimes her pallid cheekes anger exprest Not feare nor can her wearied heart finde rest But as a while after the windes are câ—as'd The Ocean muâ—mur's so oft so bings eas'd The maidens breast But twixt this inspir'd light And her plaine humane vnderstandings sight A darkenesse came Phoebus oblivion sent Then from her breasts the gods high secrets went And divinations to the Tripodes Return'd againe But when her fit gan cease Shee falls Nor didst thou beguil'd i Appius feare From doubtfull Oracles thy death so neare But in that tottering world with hopes most vaine Thought quietly Eubaea to retaine Ah foole what god but death could set thee free Out of the world 's generall calamity And war there shall thy hearse entombed lye And so possesse Eubaea quietly Where th' sea by marble-fam'd Carystos is Straightn'd and pride-revenging Nemesis Rhamnus adores a straighten'd currert strong That channels holds and Eurypus along Beares ships by violence changing oft his tide From Chalcis to ill harbouring Aulis side By this time Caesar come from conquer'd Spaine With his victorious Eagles was againe Marching k another way when rate almost The prosperous course of his whole war had crost For conquer'd in no fight the generall In his owne campe gan feare the losse of all His treason's fruit those hands that faithfull still Had serv'd his warres now glutted with the fill Of blood began to quit their generall Th' alarmes tragicke sounds not heard at all A while and cold sheath'd swords their thirst of war Had cool'd or else the greedy souldier Damning for gaine both cause and generall Would set his blood stain'd sword at higher sale Caesar not more in any danger try'd How tottering and vnfirme a prop his pride Had lean'd vpon and well might stagger reft Of all those souldiers hands and almost left To his owne sword he that so many lands Had drawne to war knowes now the souldiers hands Not his must doe the deede Their plaints now be Not dumbe nor timorous is their mutiny That cause that does suspitious mindes restraine Whilest each one feares where he is fear'd againe And thinkes that he himselfe distasts alone His rulers tyranny in this was gone Their number to secure their feare is able Where all offend the crime 's vnpunishable They poure out threats now Caesar let vs cease From wicked war thou seek'st by land and seas Swords for these throates and vpon any foe Wouldst our too cheape esteemed liues bestow Some of vs slaine in war in Gallia lye In Spaine lye some and some in Italy Ore all the world thy army 's slaughtered While thou orecom'st what bootes our blood that 's shed ' Gainst Gaules and Germans in the North so far For all thou pay'st vs with a civill war When Rome we tooke and made the Senate flye What spoiles from Men or Temples gathered we Guilty in swords and hands all villany We goe vpon vertuous in poverty Alone what end is there of war at all Or what can be enough if Rome too small See our gray haires weake hands and bloodlesse armes Our vse of life is gone in warres alarmes Our age consum'd send vs now old at least To choose our deaths this is our bad request Our dying limmes on hard ground not to lay Nor strike steele helmets till our dying day To seeke some frends to close our eyes in death To get our proper Piles our last to breath In our wiues armes let sicknesse end our dayes Let 's vnder Caesar find some other wayes Of death then sword why hood winkt leadst thou vs With a vaine hope on acts portentuous As if in civill war we were not able To know what treason is most profitable Our wars haue taught him nothing if not this What we can doe nor is this enterprise Forbid by law he was our generall In th'German wars here we are fellowes all Whom treason soiles it makes of aequall state Besides in his vnthankefull aestimate Our valour 's lost and whatsoere we doe Is call'd his fortune but let Caesar know We are his fate Though friended by the gods Caesar is nothing if with vs at odds This said about his tent they mustur all With angry lookes seeking their generall So let it goe ye gods since piety Forsakes vs and our hopes on vice relye Let discord make an end of civill war What generall would not such a tumult scarre But Caesar that the fates still suddaine tryes And loues through greatest dangers t'exercise His fortunes comes nor till their rage abate Stayes he but meetes the fury of their hate Cityes and Temples spoyles to them he nere Deny'd though Ioue's Tarpejan house it were Senators wiues and daughters to deflower All villanyes would Caesar from his power Haue them aske freely and wars guerdon loue And nothing feares but that his men should proue Honest Ah Caesar art thou not asham'd That civill war by thine owne souldiers damn'd Should be allow'd by thee shall they first be Weary of blood and hate impiety Whilest thou runn'st headlong on through wrong and right Giue ore and learne to liue out of a fight Giue thy guilt leaue to end Why to these wars Doest thou enforce vnwilling souldiers The civill war flyes from thee on the top Of a turfe mount stands Caesar fearlesse vp Deserving feare by his vndaunted looke And thus as anger prompted him he spoke Whom you with hands and lookes did absent braue Souldiers vnarm'd and present now you haue Heere sheath your swords if you would end the wars Sedition that no act of valour dares Faint hearted fooles and flying spirits declares Tir'd with their matchlesse Captaines conquering state But goe leaue me to war with mine owne fate These weapons will find hands when I cashiere All you as many men as swords are heere Will fortune send me shall all Italy In such a fleete with vanquisht Pompey flye And shall my conquests not bring men to share The wealthy spoiles of this neere finisht war Reaping the profit of your toile and so Vnwounded with my laurell'd charriot goe You an old worne and bloodlesse company Then Rom's plebeians shall my tryumphs see Can Caesars fortune feele the losse of you If all the streames that into th' Ocean flow Should threaten to withdraw themselues the seas Would by the losse of them no more decrease Then now they fill Thinke you that such as ye Can any moment to my fortunes be The gods care never will so low descend That fates your deaths or safeties should attend The fates attend on great mens actions Mankind liues for a few and you whom once Spaine fear'd and all the North
Aegaean joyn'd With the Tyrrhene so with th' Ieâ—â—an The Adriatike met How oft in vaine That day the sea seem'd mountaines topps to ' ore flow And yeilding earth that deluge t' vndergoe But such high waues on no shore raised be But from the worlds far part and the maine sea They rowle the earth embracing waters bring Their monstrous waues so whâ—n the heavens high king Help'd his tir'd thunder with his â—rotheis mace To mankinds â—uine earth then added was To Neptunes kingdome when the sea confounded All lands and Tethys by no shore was bounded Contented with no limit but the skyes Then also would those â—welling seas arise Vpto the starres had not great Ioue kept downe Their waues with cloudes nor sprung that night alone From naturall causes the thiâ—ke aire was growne Infected with the dampes of Acheron And clogg'd with foggy stormes waues froÌ„ the maine Fly to the cloudes and fall like showres againe The lightnings light is lost it shines not cleare But shootes obscurely through nights stormy aire The heavens then trembled the high pole for feare Resounded when his hindges mooved were Nature then fear'd the old confusion The elementall concord seem'd vndone And night that mixt th' aetheriall deityes With the infernall â—eem'd againe to rise Their hope of safety was that in this great Wraâ—ke of the world they were not perisht yet As farre as you from Leucas top may see The quiet sea so farre could they desery From waues high tops the troubled Ocean But when the swelling billowes fall againe The maine-mast top scarce aboue water stands The topsailes touch the cloudes the keele the sands For ground is seene from whence the sâ—as arise In hills in waues the seas whole water is Feare conquers art the master does not know Which waue to breake which waue to yeeld vnto But the seas discord only aides them now The barke one billow cannot overflow Let by anothers force which still susteines The yeilding side the barke vpright mainteines Her course supported by all windes no more Low Sasons gulfes Thessalia's crooked shore Or the Ambracian dangerous ports they fear'd But ore the high Ceraunia to be rear'd â—y billowes Caesar thinkes it now to be A danger worthy of his destiny Are the gods troubled so to ruine me Whom sitting heere in a small barke quoth he They haue assaulted with a storme so lowd If on the seas not warres they haue bestow'd The glory of my death fearelesse I come Ye gods to any death that ye can doome Though this too hasty fate great actes breake off I haue already done things great enough The Northren nations I haue tam'd and quell'd My foes at home by armes Rome has beheld Great Pompey my inferiour honours stay'd From me in war the people forc'd haue pay'd All Roman honours in my titles be Let it be knowne fortune to none but thee Though full of honour to the shades below I both Romes Consull and Dictator goe I dye a private death ô gods I craue No funerall let the seas inmost waue Keepe my torne carkasse let me want a tombe And funerall pyle whilest lookt for still to come Into all lands I am and ever fear'd Thus having spoke most strange the tenth waue rear'd His barke aloft nor from the billowes top Did she fall downe kept by the water vp Till on the rocky shore she stood at last His fortune and so many kingdomes cast On shore and townes againe he did receiue Caesar's returne next morne could not deceiue His souldiers so as his stolne flight had done About their generall flock they every one Assaulting him with lamentations And not ingratefull accusations VVhither did thy rash valour carry thee Too cruell Caesar to what destiny Didst thou leaue vs poore soules venturing vpon Th' vnwilling seas and stormes thy selfe alone In thee to seeke for death was cruelty VVhen all the world esteemes thy head so high And on thy life so many liues of ours Depend did none of vs deserue t' haue power Not to surviue thee sleepe did vs detaine While thou wert tost vpon the watry maine Was this the cause thou went'st to Italy Alas it shames vs it was cruelty To venture any man on such a sea For the last act of things such hazards be VVhy doest thou tire the gods so much to goe And venture the worlds greatest Captaine so From fortune's worke and favour thus t' haue sent Thee safe a shore to vs be confident Of the warres issue This vse doest thou make Of the gods favour to escape a wracke Rather then gaine the worlds sole soveraignety Thus while they talke night past the Sunne they see And a cleare day his waues the tired maine By the windes leaue compos'd and smooth'd againe The Captaines also on th' Italian side VVhen the tâ—r'd Ocean free from waues they spy'd By the pure Northwinds rising thence convay'd Their ships which their skill'd Marriners had stay'd So long for feare while winds auspicious fail'd Like a land army their joyn'd navy sail'd On the broad Sea but the chang'd windes by night Fill'd not their sailes but broke the order quite So Cranes in VVinter Strymon's cold forsake To drâ—nke warmâ— Nile and in their first flight make As chance directs of letters various formes VVhen their spread wings are by the violent stormes Of strong South-windes assailed by and by â—n a confused globe all mingled fly The letter 's lost in their disranked wings But the next morne when rising Titan brings A stronger winde to driue the navie ore They passe the vaine attempted Lissus shore And to Nymphaeum come Southwinds that blow The haven on them the Northwindes fled bestow VVhen Caesars legions all collected were And Pompey saw the war was drawne so neere To his owne campe he thinkes best to provide For his wiuâ—â— safety and in Lesbos hide Thee faire Cornelia from the noise of warre Alas in just and noble mindes how farre Prevailes true loue true loue alone had power To make great Pompey feare wars doubâ—full houre His wife alone he wisht free from that stroke That all the world and Romes whole fortune shooke But now a ready mâ—nd wants words in him He yeilds to sweete delayes from fare steales time But when th'approching morne had banisht rest And faire Cornelia his care-wounded breast Clasping from her averted husband seekes A loving kisse wondring to feele his cheekes Moistened with teares tâ— hidâ—en cause she feares And daâ—es not finâ— great Pompey shedding teares He then thus mourning spake oh dâ—arest wife Dearer to me then life not now when life I loath but in our best prosperity That sad day's come which too too muâ—h haue we Yet not enough dâ—fferr'd Caesar's addrest For fight thou must not stay Lesbos the best And safest place will be for thee to hide Doe not enâ—treat me sweete I haue deny'd It to my selfe nor absent long shall we Remaine for swift will this wars tryall be Great things fall speedily To heare not see Thy
passage free from fight But rather force the trenches and breake downe The forts and passe where ruine leades him on Through swords and slaughter to enforce his way The part of the neere trench most fitly lay Minutius castle call'd trees thickly set Making a groue obscure ore shadow'd it Hither his Cohorts by no dust betray'd He led and suddenly the walls assay'd So many Roman Eagles glister round The field at once so many trumpets sound That now to swords the victory nought owes Feare had discomfited th' astonisht foes Yet wherein valour only could be show'd That ground where first they stood they dying strow'd But the Pompeyans now want foes to slay Whole showers of Pilâ—s in vaine are throwne away Then fire rowâ—'d vp in pitchy stuffe they throw Vpon the workes the shaken turrets bow Threatning a fall the battred bulwarks grone Beat by the rammes impetous fury downe And ore the trenches Pompeys Eagles fly To vindicate the Roman liberty That place which not a thousand companyes Nor all the strength of Caesar could surprise One man alone guards from the Conquerers Denying Pompey's conquest whilest he weares A sword and liues His name was Scaeva once A common souldier of those legions That serv'd in Gallia then Centurion By blood promoted to all mischiefe prone And one that knew not in a civill war How great a crime the souldiers valours are He when he saw his fellowes leaving fight And seeking out safe places for their flight Whither quoth he base slaues and beasts does feare Vnknowne to all that armes for Caesar beare Driue you can you retire without one wound Or are you not asham'd not to be found Among the heape of men though faith were gone Anger me thinkes should make you fight alone We are the men of all through whom the foe Has chose to breake let this day bloody goe On Pompey's side I should farre happyer dy In Caesars sight but since the fates deny Him for a witnesse Pompey shall commend My death your breasts and throates vndaunted bend Against their steele and turne their weapons backe The dust far off is seene this ruines crackâ— Has by this time enter'd our generalls cares We conquer fellowes Caesar straight appeares To challenge though we dye this fort his voice More then th' alarums first inciting noise Their fury stirr'd then wondring at the man And eager to behold the souldiers ran To see if valour disadvantag'd so Surpris'd by place and number could bestow Ought more then death He making good alone The falling worke first throwes dead bodyes downe From the full tower to overwhelme the foes The posts the wals slaughter it selfe bestowes Weapons on him threatning himselfe to fall Downe on their heads and thrusts off from the wall The breasts of scaling foes with poles and stakes And with his sword cuts off his hand that takes Hold on the bulwarkes top and with vast stones Pashes their heads in peices breakes their bones And dashes out their weakely-fenced braines Downe on anothers haire and face he raines Pitch fir'd the fire whizzes in burning eyes But when the pil'd vp carcasses gan rise To aequall the walls height as nimbly then Into the midst of Pompey's armed men Scaeva leapes downe from thence as Libbards fierce Breake thorough the besetting huntsmens speares Then Scaeva wedg'd in round and by th' whole war Enclos'd yet where he striks is Conquerer His swords point dull with blood congealed growes And blunt nor does it peirce but bruise his foes His sword has lost the vse and without wound It breakes mens limmes The foes encircling round At him direct their weapons all and all Their hands aime right and javelins rightly fall There fortune a strange match beholds one man ' Gainst a whole war His strong sheild founded than VVith often strokes his broken helmet beat Downe to his Temples wrings with paine and heat And nothing else protects his vitall parts But th' outside of his flesh stucke full of darts VVhy with light darts and arrowes doe you striue Vaine fooles such wounds as cannot kill to giue Let the Phalaricke strong her wilde fire throw Or massy walls of stone gainst such a foe Let battring Rammes and wars vast engines all Remooue him thence he stands for Caesar's wall ' Gainst Pompey's course His breast no armes now hide Scorning to vse a sheild lest his left side Should want a wound and he be forc'd to liue By his owne fault what wounds the war can giue He takes alone and bearing a thicke wood Of darts vpon his breast now wearyed stood Choosing what foe to fall on so at sea Doe whales and monstrous beasts of Libya So a Getulian Elephant clos'd in By hunters round all shafts from his thicke skin Beates backe and breakes or mooving it shakes off The sticking darts his bowells safe enough And through those wounds no blood he looses so So many shafts and darts cannot bestow One death At last a Cretan bow let flye A sure Gortyan shaft in the left eye Of Scaua stucke the shaft be voide of feares The ligaments and opticke sinnewes teares That th' arrowes forked iron head did stay And kick'd the shaft with his owne eye away So if a Libyan looped javelin peirce The side of a Pannonian beare more fierce Growne by her wound she wheeles her selfe about Eager to catch the dart and pull it out Which still turnes with her Scaeua's lookes now bore No fiercenesse all his face deform'd with gore A shout that reach'd the sky the Conquerers raise So little blood though drawne from Caesars face Could not haue joy'd them more But Scaeua now In his great heart suppressing this deepe woe With a milde looke that did no valour show Hold Countrey-men quoth he forbeare me now VVounds further not my death nor now neede I Moe weapons in but these pull'd out to dye Into the campe of Pompey carry me Doo 't for your generalls sake let Scaeua be Rather th' example now of Caesar left Then of a noble death Aulus be left These fained words of his vnhappily And did not the swords point against him see But as to seize him and his armes he ventures His throate the lightning sword of Scaeua enters His valour then by this one death renew'd VVax'd hot who ere dares thinke Scaeua subdu'd Thus let him rue quoth he if from this steele Pompey seeke peace let him to Caesar kneele Thought you me like your selues fearefull and base You loue not Pompey and the Senates cause As I loue death VVith that the dust rais'd high Gaue them all notice Caesars troopes were nigh And from wars shame did the Pompeyans free Lest a whole troope should haue bin thought to flee From Scaeua only VVhen the fight was done He fell and dy'd for fight when blood was gone Lent strength His friends taking him as he fallâ— Vpon their shoulders to his funeralls Are proud to beare him and that breast adore As if some sacred deity it bore Or
should yon feare cowards whilest I am by To see those fiends that shake at sight of me Then with warme blood opening fresh wounds she fills His breast and gore to th' inward parts distills Of the Moones poisonous gelly store she takes And all the hurtfull broodes that nature makes Foame of mad dogs which sight of water dread The pyth of staggs with serpents nourished Was mixed there the dire Hyaena's knot The spotted Lynx his bowells wanted not Nor that small fish whose strength though Eurus rise Can stay the course of ships the Dragons eyes The sounding stone that brooding Eagles make Warme in their nests th' Arabian nimble snake The red sea-viper pretious gemms that kept Skins from th' aliue Libyan Cerastes stript The Phoenix ashes lay'd in Araby With these when vile and namelesse poisons she Had mixt and leaues fill'd with enchantments strong And herbes which her dire mouth had spit on young What poyson she did on the world bestow Then adds a voyce to charme the gods below More powerfull then all herbes confounding noises Much dissonant and far from humane voices There was the barke of dogs the wolues sad howle The scriches waâ—ling hollowing of the Owle All voices of wilde beasts hissing of snakes The sound that beat from rockes the water makeâ— The murmur of stirr'd woods the thunders noise Broke from a cloud all â—â—is was in her voice The rest Aemonian incantations tell And thus her voice peirces the lowest hell Furyes and Stygian fiends whose scourges wound All guilty soules Chaos that wouldst confound Vn-number'd worlds king of the earth beneath That griev'st to see the gods exempt from death Thou Styx and faire Elysium which no spirit To a Thessalian witch deserues t'enherit Thou that thy mother hat'st Persephone And heaven thou lowest part of Hecate By whom the silent tongues of fienes with vs Haue entercourse hells porter Cerberus That currishnesse into our breasts doest put You destinyes that twice this thread must cut And thou the burning streames old ferriman Tired with ghosts brought backe to me againe If I invoke you with a mouth prophane And foule enough to heare these prayers daine If with a breath fasting from humane flesh These incantations I did nere expresse If womens wombes whole burdens vpon you And luke-warme braines I often did bestow If one your altâ—rs heads of infants slaine I set and bowells that must liue againe Obey my voice no ghost that long has felt The Stygian shades nor long in darkenesse dwelt But one that lately from the living went And is but yet at pale hells first descent And one which though obedient to this spell Could be but once transported ore to hell I aske let some knowne souldiers ghost relate Before great Pompey's sonne his fathers fate If civill war of you haue merited Then lifting vp her foaming mouth and head She saw hard by the ghost of that dead man Trembling to enter his old goale againe Fearing those cold pale members and into Thâ—â—â—ounded breast and entrailes torne to go Ah wretch from whom deaths gift is tane away To dye no more that fates durst thus delay Ericttho wonder'd wrath with death and fate The liueles coarse with living snakes she beateâ— And through earths craneys which her charmes had broke Bark'd to the fiends and thus hells silence shooke Maegera and Tisiphone that slight My voice through hell with your dire whips affright Hither that wretched spirit or from below By your true names of Stygian bitches you I will call vp and to the Sunnes light leaue No dead mens graues shall harbour or receiue Your heads I le follow you observing well And from all tombes and quiet vrnes expell False Hecate thee to the gods I le show To whom thou vsest with bright lookes to goe In thy pale rotten forme and so provide Thou shalt not thy Tartarian visage hide Vnder the earths vast weight I will relate VVhat food destaines thee in what wedlockes state Thou lou'st the nights sad king with such a staine That Ceres shall not wish thee backe againe ' Gainst thee the worlds worst judge I will set free The giants or let to the day to thee VVill you obey or shall I him invoke VVhose name the earths foundations ever shooke VVho without hurt th'vnvailed Gorgon sees Of whose strong stripes Erinnys fearefull is VVho keepes an hell vnknowne to you and where You are aboue that dare by Styx forsweare Then straight the clotted blood grows warme againe Feedes the blacke wounds and runnes through every veine And th' outward parts the vitall pulses beate In his cold breast and life 's restored heate Mixt with cold death through parts disused runns And to each joynt giues trembling motions The sinnews stretch the carkasse from the ground Rises not by degrees but at one bound Stands bolt vpright the eyes with twincking hard Are op'd not dead nor yet aliue appear'd The face his palenesse still and stiffenesse stayes He stands at this revivall in amaze But his dumbe seal'd-vp lips no murmur made Only an answering tongue and voice he had Speake quoth Ericttho what I aske and well Shalt thou rewarded be if truth thou tell By our Haemonian art I le set thee free Throughout all ages and bestow on thee Such funeralls with charmes so burne thy bones Thy ghost shall heare no incantations Let this the fruit of thy revivall be No spells no herbs shall dare to take from thee Thy long safe rest when I haue made thee dy The gods and Prophets answere doubtfully But he that dares enquire of ghosts beneath And boldly goe to th' oracles of death Is plainly told the truth spare not but name Plainely the things and places all and frame A speech wherein I may conferre with fate Adding a charme to make him know the state Of whatsoere she askt thus presently The weeping carcasse spake I did not see The sisters fatall threds so soone alas Backe from those silent bankes enforc'd to passe But what by speech from all the spirits I gain'd Among the Roman ghosts fell discord reign'd Romes wicked war disturb'd hells quiet rest Some Captaines from sad hell some from the blest Elysian fields come forth and there what fate Entends to doe they openly relate The happy ghosts look'd sad the Decii then Father and sonne wars-expiating men I saw the Curii and Camillus wailing Sylla himselfe against thee fortune railing His issues Libyan fate braue Scipio Bewail'd and Cato Carthages great foe His nephew's bondage-scaping death did monc â—mong the blessed spirits Brutus alone Reioyc'd first Consul that Romes king exil'd Fierce Catiline sterne Marius and the wilde Câ—thegs breaking chaines orejoyed were The popular law promulging Drusi there And daring Gracchi shouting clapt their hands Fetter'd for euer with strong iron bands In Plutoes dungeons impious ghosts had hopes Of blessed seates Pluto pale dungeons opes Prepares hard stones and adamantine chaines To punish the proud Conquerour ordaines Take you this comfort in a blessed roome The
ghosts expect your side and house to come And for great Pompey in Elysium Prepare a place The houre shall shortly come Envie not then the glory of so small A life that in one world shall lodge you all Make hast to meete your deaths and with a minde Haughty though from small funeralls descen'd To tread vpon the soules of Roman gods For burialls â—all this mortall odds And the Pharsalian fight must only try Who shall by Nile and who by Tyber lye But seeke not thou thy destiny to heare Which fate though I be silent will declare A surer prophet shall thy father be In Sicily although vncertaine he Whither to call thee whence to bid thee flee Or in what coast or climate safe to be Teare Europe Asia Affricke fates divide Your funerall as they your triumphs did Oh wretched house to you the world shall yeild No place more happy then Pharsalia's field Thus having spoke the carcasse did remaine VVith a sad looke and begg'd for death againe But could not die without a magicke spell And herbes nor could the fates restore to hell His soule once sent from thence VVith that the witch Builds vp a lofty funerall pile to which The dead man comes she layes him on the fires Leaues him and lets him dye and then retires With Sextus to his fathers campe and now The welkin gan Auroraes light to show But to the campe till Sextus take his way The darke charm'd night kept off approaching day FINIS Libri Sexti Annotations on the sixt Booke a From their campes by the river Apsâ—â— both generalls at one time brought forth their armies Pompey entending to entercept M. Anthonius and Caesar entending to ioyne with Anthony Anthony certified by some Greekes of Pompey's ambushes kept within his campe till the next day Caesar came to him Pompey then fearing to be enclosed by two armies departing thence marched to asparagu neere Dyrrachium and there encamped thither also marched Caesar and encamped not far from him b Caesar wanting provision was desirous of battell but Pompey better provided of all necessaries purposely delayed it c Caesar perceiving that Pompey would not bee drawne out to fight the next day by a great compasse and difficult way went to Dyrrachium hoping to exclud Pompey thence where his corne and provision lay which Pompey perceiving went thither also by a neerer way d Caesar that his owne men might with the lesse danger forrage and fetch in corne as also to hinder Pompey from forraging and to lessen his estimation among forreine nations kept with garrisons all the tops of the hills and fortified castles there and drew strong trenches from castle to castle so on every side enclosing Pompey The worke extended fifteene miles in compasse being so tarâ—e that Pompey within wanted nothing and Caesar could not man his workes round e Caesars souldiers wanting victuall besieged Pompey abounding with all store of provision Pompey seeing the strange vnheard of food that Caesars souldiers eate while they besieged him said that he now made warre against beasts f Pompey vnderstanding by some renegadoes that Caesars crosse trench betweene the two bulwarkes toward the sea was not finished sent a ship manned with archers and other souldiers to assault the defenders of the worke behind Himselfe about the end of night came thither also with his forces Caesars cohorts that watched there neere the sea seeing themselues assaulted both by land and sea ran away whom the Pompeyans pursued with a great slaughter till Mar. Anthonius with twelue cohorts comming downe the hill made the Pompeyans retreat againe g Caesar to repaire that dayes losse assaulted with three and thirty cohorts the castle which Torquatus kept and beate the Pompeyans from the trench Which Pompey hearing brought his fift Legion to their succour Caesars horsemen fearing to be enclosed began first to flie which the foote seeing and seeing Pompey there in person fled also this victory if Pompey had pursued he had vtterly overthrowne Caesar h Pompey the great slaine vpon the bankes of Nile i Iuba King of Mauritania which had slaine Curio and his Legions before in the Affrican war was vanquished by Caesar and fearing to fall into Caesars hands 〈◊〉 and Petrejus slew each other k For in these two conflicts Caesar lost nine hundred footmen sixty two horsemen thirty Centurions tenne Tribunes and thirty two Ensignes of war LVCANS Pharsalia The Seventh Booke The Argument Great Pompey's flattering dreame his souldiers all Eager of battell vrge their Generall Their wish though rash and fatall findes defence In Ciceroes vnhappy eloquence Against his will great Pompey's forc'd to yeild The signalls given Pharsalias dreadfull field Is fought Romes liberty for ever dyes And vanquisht Pompey to Larissa flyes SAd Titan later Thetis lap forsooke Then natures law requir'd and never tooke A crosser way as if borne backe againe By the sphaeres course would be eclipsed faine Attracting cloudes not food t' his flames to yeild But loath to shine vpon Pharsalia's field That night of Pompey's happy life the last Deceiv'd by flattering sleepes he dream'd him plac'd In the Pompeyan Theater among Romes people flocking in vnnumber'd throng Where shouting to the skyes he heard them raise His name each roome contending in his praise Such were the peoples lookes such was their praise VVhen in his youth and first tryumphant dayes Pompey but then a gentleman of Rome Had quieted the west and Spaine orecome Scattring the troopes revolt Sertorius led And sat by th' Senate as much honoured In his pure candid as trumphall gowne VVhither the doubtfull fancy fearefull growne Of future fate run backe to former joyes Or prophesying by such sights implyes Their conâ—rary and bodes ensuing woe Or else on thee fortune would thus bestow A fight of Rome that could not otherwise Oh doe not wake him from this sleepe to rise No trumpet peirce his eare the next nights rest VVith the foregoing day's sad war opprest VVill nought but fights but blood and slaughter show Happy were Rome could she but see though so Her Pompey blest with such a dreame at this And happy night oh would the deityes Had given one day Pompey to Rome and thee That both assured of your destiny Might reape the last fruit of a loue so deere Thou goest as if thy Rome should thee interre And she still mistresse of her wish in thee Hopes that the fates lodge not such cruelty As to depriâ—◠〈◊〉 of thy honour'd tombe To mourne for thee old men and young would come Children vntaught would weepe the Matrons all VVith haire as once at Brutus funerall Loose hung would beat their breasts now though they feare The swords of the iniurious Conquerer Though he himselfe relate thy death they 'll mourne At publike sacrifice as they adorne Ioues house with laurell wretched men whose mone Conceal'd in sighs must vent it selfe alone And dares not sound in publike theaters Now had the rising Sunne obscur'd the starres VVhen all the souldiers murmuring vp
to Styx were sent Waâ— like Domitius e death was eminent Whom â—ates had carry'd through all overthrowes Nere without him did Pompey's fortune loose Vanquisht so oft by Caesar yet dyes now With liberty and gladly falls into A thousand wounds proud that he shall no more Be pardon'd now Him weltering in his gore Caesar espy'd with taunts vpbraiding thus Now my successor proud Domitius At length thou shalt forsake thy Pompey's side And war is made without thee He râ—ply'd VVith that last breath which in his dying breast Struggled thou Caesar hast not yet possest The dire reward of all thy wickednesse But yet art doubtfull of thy fate and lesse Then Pompey vnder whom seâ—ure I goe And a free ghost downe to the shades below And dying hope that thou subdu'd to day To â—s and him for thy misdeedes shalt pay VVith this last speech away his spirit flyes And night eternall closes vp his eyes VVe cannot in the worlds sad funerall Particular teares pay to the death of all Nor search each private fate whose breast a wound Receiv'd who spurn'd mens hearts vpon the ground VVho through the mouth receiv'd his mortall wound And thence breath'd out his soule who fell to ground At the first stroke who stood vpright the while His lopt-off limbes fell downe who with a pile VVas fast nail'd to the earth whose blood spun out And sprinkled all his foes arm'd breast about VVho kills his brother and that then he may VVithout shame rifle throwes his head away VVho teares his fathers face that standers by Conjecture by his too much cruelty T was not his father whom he robb'd of life No death is worthy of particular greife Nor haue we time to weepe for every wight No other losse was like Pharsalia's fight Rome there by souldiers heere by kingdomes dyes There private mens heere nations tragoedyes Heere flow'd Assyrian Graecian Ponticke blood But all these bloods the powerfull Roman flood Droue through the field away All people there Are deeplyer wounded then one age can beaâ—e Farre more then life then safety heere is gone For all succeeding times we are orethrowne These swords subdue all ages that shall serue Alas what could posterity deserue To be in thraldome bone fought we with feare Spar'd we our throates the punishment we beare Of others flight To vs that since doe liue Fates should giue war if they a tyrant giue Pompey perceiv'd Romes fate and gods were gone In all this losse not mooved for his owne Ill hap Ascending a small hill to see The slaughters all that cover'd Thessaly Which while the war endur'd could not be spy'd He thence discern'd how many people dy'd How many swords reach at his destiny In how much blood he falls nor wishes he As wretches vse all with himselfe to drowne And mixe the nations ruine with his owne But for survivall of most part of men He deignes to thinke the gods even worthy then Of prayers from him and makes this to be His sorrowes comfort spare ye gods quoth he To sinke all nations Pompey if you lift Although the world remaine and Rome subsist May be made wretched if moe wounds on me You would inflict a wife and sonnes haue I So many pledges haue we given to fate Ist nought for civill war to ruinate Me and my house are we a losse so small VVithout the world why wouldst thou ruine all Fortune now nought is mine With that he rides Through his distressed troopes and on all sides Sounds a retreat from death calling them backe Thinking himseâ—fe not worth so great a wracke Nor lack'd he spirit their weapons to defy VVith throat or breast but fear'd if he should dy No souldier then would fly but there would fall And all the world â—y with their generall Or out of Caesars sight a death he sought In vaine thy head to Caesar must be brought Where ere he please to see 't His wiues deare sight Another reason was that caus'd his flight For in her sight the fates his death decree'd Then Pompey mounted on a gallant steede Fled from the field fearing no swords behind But bearing still a fate-vnconquer'd minde No sighes nor teares he spent with majesty His griefe was mixt such as befitted thee Pompey in Romes calamity to shew With lookes vnchang'd didst thou Aemathia view That minde which wars successe could neere erect To pride wars losses cannot now deject Fortun 's as far below thy wretched fate As she was false to thy triumphant state Securely now from Empires burden free Thou goest and on thy past prosperity Hast time to looke all boundlesse hopes are gone And what thou wert may now be truely knowne Fly this dire battell and to witâ—esse call The gods that none for thy sake Pompey fall That stay behind thee in Thessalia No more then Aegypt Munda Affrica The battels greatest part fought not for thee Nor shall the honour'd name of Pompey be VVars quarrell now the foes that still will be ' Mongst vs are Caesar and Româ—s liberty And t will appeare more plaine after thy flight Thy dying Senate for themselues did fight Let thy flight comfort thee thou shalt not see Those blood-staind troopes nor their impiety The rivers swell'd with blood looke backe and see And pitty Caesar with what heart can be Revisite Rome made happyer by this field VVhat banishment in forreine lands can yeild To thee by thee what ere can be endur'd Vnder th'Aegyptian tyrant rest assur'd The gods and favouring fates as best preferre T were worse for thee to be the conquerer Let all the people waile and weepe no more But dry their teares and let the world adore As well thy ruine as prosperity Looke vpon Kings with a commanding eye Aegypt and Libyas Kings whom thâ—u hast crown'd And cityes builâ— by thee and choose a ground VVhere thou wilt dy Larissa towne beheld First witnesse of thy fall fled from the field Thy noble selfe vnconquer'd by the fates VVhose Citizens all issuing forth the gates To meete thee as if Conquerer they went And gifts from loue and sorrow did present They ope theiâ— temples and their houses all And wish themselues paâ—tâ—kâ—rs of his fall Much of his great name 's left in his owne eye He seemes the least nations would helpe him trâ—â— Once more his fortune and renew the war He cryes be faithfull to the Conquerer What should the conquer'd doe with townes and men Thou Caesar thy countreys bowells then Wert wading through Pharsalia's bloody field Whilest peoples loues to thee he reconcil'd Pompey rides thence the people sigh and cry And raile against each cruell deity The people's favour now is truely proov'd Whilest great thou couldst not know thy selfe belov'd When Caesar saw the field with Roman blood Was overflow'd enough he thought it good His swords from execution to refraine And spare poore liues that would haue dy'd in vaine But left the foes should to their campe in flight Retire and rest should banish terrour quite He straight
quivers bring along If you O Parthians vndisquieted I ever left when I pursu'd the fled Vnquiet Alans to the Caspian strait And forc'd you not for safety to retreat To Babylon marching ore Cyrus ground And the Chaldaean kingdomes vtmost bound Appearing nearer then the Persian To the Suns rise where into th' Ocean Nysas Hydaspes and swift Ganges fall Suffer'd you only when I conquer'd all To goe vntriumph'd Parthias King alone Of all th' Easts monarchs scap'd subjection Nor once alone doe you your safety ow To me who after Crassus overthrow Appeas'd the just incensed wrath of Rome For all my merits now let Parthia come Out of her bounds appointed and passe ore Greeke Zeugma's walls and the forbidden shore Conquer for Pompey Rome will loose the day Gladly The King refus'd not to obey Though hard were his command laying aside His kingly robes and in a servants weede Attir'd he goes in a distressed time 'T is safe for Kings like poorest men to seeme Therefore how much liues he that 's truely poore Safer then Kings The King tooke leaue at shore And by the Icarion rockes great Pompey gone Leaues Ephesus and sea-calme Colophon Shaving small Samos foaming rockes he go's A gentle gale blowes from the shore of Cos Gindon and Phebus-honour'd Rhodes he leaues And sailing straight in the mid-Ocean saues Telmessums long and winding circuits First Pamphylia greetes their eyes but Pompey durst Commit his person to no towne but thee Little Phaselis thy small company And few inhabitants could not cause a feare More in the ship then in thy walls there were But sailing thence againe high Tauâ—us showes It selfe and Dipsas that from Taurus flowes Could Pompey thinke when erst he clear'd the seas Of Pirates rage it purchas'd his owne ease He now flyes safe along Cicilian shores In a small ship there many Senators Following oretake their flying generall Within the haven of Celendrae small Where in and out ships on Selinus past In full assembly of the lords at last Thus sadly Pompey spake my Lords whose sight As deare companions botâ— in war and flight I doe esteeme my country though we stand On a bare shore in poore Cicilian land Attended with no force advice to take And new provision for a war to make Yet bring couragious hearts I lost not all In Thessaly nor did my fortune fall So low but that this head againe may rise Could Marius after all his miseryes In Libya rise to a seaventh Consulship And me so lightly fall'n will fortune keepe A thousand Captaines on the Graecian sea A thousand ships I haue Pharsalia Has rather scatter'd then quite overthrowne My strength but me my actions fame alone Which all the earth haue seene my name that now The whole world loues shall guard Consider you Th' Aegyptian Libyan Parthian monarchies Bâ—th in their strength and faith and then advise Which fittest is to ayde Roms labouring state But I my Lords will to your eares relate Freely my secret'st cares and tell the truth How I encline I doe suspect the youth Of Aegypts King for true fidelity Requires strong yeares I feare the subtlety And double heart of Mauritania's King Remembring Carthage whence his race did spring He gapes for Italy and his vaine brest Is much with thought of Hanniball possest Whose blood commixt with th' old Numidiâ—ns Obliquely Iuba's pedegree distaines He swell'd to see Varus a suppliant growne And Roman fates inferiour to his owne Therefore my Lords to th' Easterne world let vs Retire Euphrates with a spacious Channell divides the world the Caspian straits On tother side yeild safe and large retreats Another pole measures th' Assyrian dayes And nights another colour beare the seas Sever'd from ours their ainâ—e is soveraignty Their bowes more strong their steeds more fierce and high Then ours no boy nor aged man wants skill Or strength to shoot deadly their arrows kill Their bowes first brooke Pellaean speares and won Th' Assyrian wall-renowned Babylon And Median Bactra Nor so fearefull are The Parthians of our piles but that they dare Come out to war against vs they haue try'd Their shafts sufficiently when Crassus dy'd Nor are their trusty shafts arm'd at the head With steele alone but deadly venomed Slight wounds are mortall and the least blood drawne Will kill Oh would on the fierce Parthian I were not forced to depend their fate Does too too much Romes fortune aemulate Too many gods ayde them He draw from home Some other nations of the East to come To war But if Barbarians leagues deceiue Our hopes or else our scorn'd alliance leaue Let fortune then our sad and shipwrack'd state Beyond the knowne and traffiqu'd world translate I will not sue to Kings whom I haue made But in my death this comfort shall be had Lying far off this body shall not be Subject to Caesar's rage nor piety But there revolving my whole life's past fate Still honour'd in those parts was Pompey's state How great has Easterne Tanais me seene How great beyond Maeotis haue I bin Into what lands did my victorious name More sound or whence in greater triumph came Favour my purpose Rome what happyer Can the go is grant thee then in civill war To vse the Parthian armes to overthrow That land and mixe their ruine with our woe When the fierce Parthians haue with Caesar fought Crassus revenge or mine must needes be wrought This said he heard their murmur to condemne His plot But Lentulus ' mongst all of them In spirit and noble griefe the forward'st man Thus worthy his late Consulship began Has the Pharsalian losse so broke thy minde Has one dayes fate the world so low declin'd Doth that one battell our whole cause decide And no cure left to helpe our wounded side Is no hope left thee Pompey but to sue At the proud Parthians feete woulâ—st thou eschew All lanâ—s and climes and thither aime thy flight Where crosse poles reigne and vnknowne starres giue light T' adore the Parthians and their deityes Chaldaean fires and Barbarous sacrifice Why in this war pretend'st thou liberty Why is the wretched world deceiv'd by thee If thou canst serue whose name they trembled at As the cheife ruler of the roman fate Whom they haue seene leade captiue Kings before From wilde Hyrcania and the Indian shore Shall they now see cast downe and broke by fate Measuring themselues by Pompey's begging state With Rome and Italy aspire t'enherit Thou canst spake nothing worth thy fate and spirit Their ignorance i th' Roman tongue requires That thou in teares shouldst vtter thy desires Would'st thou so wound our shame that not from Rome But Parthia the revenge of Rome should come She chose thee Generall of her civill war Why doest thou spread her losse and wounds so far As Scythia and teach Parthia to goe Beyond her bound Rome shall in her deepe woe This speciall comfort loose of bringing in No Kings but serving her owne citizen Canst thou delight from farthest parts to come
honour now the fates to thee Through the whole life gaue long prosperity And the world knowes not vnlesse now they see How Pompey's spirit could beaâ—e adversity Blush not that such base hands thy death afford But thinke who ever strike 't is Caesars sword Though they these limbs all torne and scatter'd leaue Yet am I happy god no god can reaue My happinesse my fortunes and my breath Expire at once nor wretched is my death Cornelia and my son this slaughter see So much more patient let my sorrow be The more Cornelia and my son approoue My dying constancy the more they 'll loue So well could he his dying spirits guide Such strength of minde had Pompey when he dy'd But poore Cornelia that had rather dy Then see that sight with shreekings fills the sky T was wicked I deare Lord that murdred thee For whilst at Lesbos thou turnd'st in to me Caesar had enter'd Aegypts shore for who But he had power that horrid act to doe What ere thou art sent from the gods to kill Pleasing thine owne revenge or Caesars will Thou know'st not wretch where Pompey's bowels be Thou strik'st with fury there where conquer'd he Desires thy stroke now let him suffer more Then his owne death and see my head before I am not guiltlesse from the crime of war The only wife following my Lord so far Fearelesse of campes or seas and conquer'd too I tooke him in which Monarchs durst not doe Did I for this husband deserue to be Left safe aboord false Lord why spar'st thou me Or thought'st thou life thou dying fit for me I le finde a death though not from Ptolomey Oh sailors let me leape downe from the decke Or with these twisted shrowdes to breake my necke Or let some worthy friend of Pompey's now Heere sheath his weapon and for Pompey doe An act that hâ—e'll impute to Caesars hate Why doe you hinder my desired fate Husband thou liv'st Cornelia has not power Yet of her selfe they hinder my deaths houre And there she sounds to be the Conquerours pray The fearefull fleete hoist sailes and post away But when great Pompey fell that sacred face And honour'd visage kept his former grace Though angry with the gods deaths vtmost hate Chang'd not his visage and majesticke state As they confesse that his rent necke did see For sterne Seâ—timius in that cruelty Findes out an act more cruell to vncover His face he cuts the cloth that was cast over Invading halfe-dead Pompey's breathing face His dying necke acrosse the bords he layes Then cuâ—s the nerves and I veines the twisted bones He breakes the art to whip off heads at once VVas not yet found But when the head was torne Off â—rom the trunke 't was by Achillas borne Dâ—generate Roman base Septimius Vs'd in an vnder office couldst thou thus Basely cut off great Pompey's sacred head To be oh shame by another carryed Young Ptolomey to know great Pompey's face Those haires that kings haue honour'd whose curl'd grace Adorn'd his noble front stroakes with his hands Fixt on a pole the head of Pompey standes VVhilst yet his lips with throbbing murmurs shooke His eyes vnclos'd and liuely was his looke That head that still determin'd war and peace That rul'd the Senate lawes and suffrages Romes fortune in that face tooke greatest pride Nor was the wicked tyrant satisfy'd With sight but for memoriall of the fact Dire arts the heads corruption must extract The braine is taken out dry'd is the skin The noisome moisture purged from within Medicines make solid and preserue the face Degenerate issue last of Lagus race Whom thy incestuous sister shall depose VVhen sacred vaults the Macedon enclose When dust of Kings in sumptuous buildings lyes And the ignoble race of Ptolomey's In Pyramids and rich Mausolean graues Vnjustly rest must Pompey by the waues And headlesse trunke against the shore be swept VVas it too great a trouble to haue kept The carcasse whole for Caesar this sad date Did fortune giue to Pompey's prosperous state By such a death as this to pull him downe From such an height heaping all plagues in one Sad day which he so many yeares had bin Free from nor yet had Pompey ever seene Ioy mixt with woe no god his prosperous state Did ere disturbe none helpt his wretched fate But once for all with a differring hand Did fortune pay him torne vpon the sand Salt water playing in his wounds the mocke Of seas he lyes and beat ' gainst every rocke No figure left of him t is note enough To know great Pompey that his head is off But fates ere Caesar on that shore arriue A suddaine funerall to Pompey giue Lest he in none or in a better tombe Should ly To th' shore did fearefull Codrus come Out of his lurking hole that was before Great Pompey's quaestors and from Cyprus shore Had follow'd him he by the shades of night Durst goe true loue had vanquisht terrour quite To find his slaughter'd Lord along the sand And through the waues to bring the trunke to land Faint light through dusky clouds sad Cynthia gaue But different colour'd from the foamy waue The trunke appeard which Codrus catching straight When the waues ebb'd but tired with the weight Expects their flow to helpe him and so bore The trunke to land and plac'd it on the shore Then falling downe bathing the wounds in teares Thus to the gods he speakes and clouded stars Fortune no costly pile with odours fill'd Thy Pompey craues nor that his hearse may yeild Precious Arabian fumes to fill the ayre Nor that the pious Roman neekes should beare Their countreys father forth nor to adorne A funerall pompe old tryumphs should be borne No funerall songs nor that his troopes the while March a dead march about their generalls pyle Great Pompey but a base Plebejan Beere That his torne limbs may carry to dry fire Let him not want wood and a burner though But meane and let it be ô gods enough That with loose haire Cornelia does not stand To take her last embrace and then command To fire the pile from this last funerall rite She is away yet hardly out of sight This said far off a little fire he kenn'd Burne a neglected herse watch'd by no friend Thither he goes and taking thence a part Of fire and halfe-burn'd stickes who ere thou art Neglected ghost deare to no friend quoth he But happier then great Pompey pardon me If any knowledge after death remaines That by a strangers hand thy hearse susteines This wrong I know thou yeild'st and castendure For Pompey's sake this losse of sepulture And art asham'd of funerall rites whilest he Lyes an vnburyed ghost Then speedily With his armes full of fire poore Codrus ran To find the trunke which to the shore againe The waues had beat then off the sand he wipes And gathering vp the ribs of broken ships He layes them in a ditch on no hew'n trees Or well built pyle the
death and wishing stormes she lyes They first arriv'd on Cyprus foamy shore From thence a milde Eastwinde commanding bore Their shipps to Catoes Libyan campe as still A doubtfull minde doe sad presages fill Cneius from shore spying his fathers traine And brother running to the sea amaine VVhere is our father brother speake quoth he Liues the worlds head and honour or are we Vndone and Pompey to the shades below Has borne Romes fate he answeres happy thou VVhom fate into another coast disperst Thou brother this dire mischeife only hear'st Mine eyes are guilty of a fathers death Nor did he loose by Caesars armes his breath Nor of his fall a worthy author found By the false tyrant of Niles impious ground Trusting the gods of hospitality And his owne bounty to old Ptolomey In recompence of kingdomes given he dy'd I saw them wound our noble fathers side And thinking Aegypts King durst not haue done So much I thought Caesar had stood vpon The shore of Nile But not our fathers wounds Nor blood so shed so much my heart confounds As that his head which mounted on a speare Aloft we saw they through their cyties beare Which as they say is kept for Caesars eye The tyrant seekes his guilt to testify For whether dogs or fowles devouring maw Consum'd his trunke or that small fire we saw Dissolved it by stealth I doe not know What ere injurious fate to that could doe I did forgiue the gods that crime and wept For that part only which the tyrant kept When Câ—â—ius heard these words his inward woe In passionate sighs and teares he could not show But thus inflam'd with pious rage gan speake Lanch forth the fleete sailers with speed and breake Through the crosse winds a passage with the oare Braue Captaines follow me never before Knew civill war more worthy ends then these T'interre vnbury'd Manes and appease Pompey with slaughter of th'effaeminate boy Why should not I th' Aegyptians towers destroy And from the temples Alexander take To drowne his hearse in Marcotis lake In Nile Amasis and those Kings with him Digg'd vp from their Pyramides shall swimme All tombes shall rue Pompey 's no sepulcher Isis their goddesse now I le disinter Osiris linnen-cover'd shrine disperse And kill god Aâ—is over Pompey's hearse Vpon a pyle of gods I le burne his head Thus shall the land by me be punished I will not leaue a man to till those fields Nor take the profit that Niles flowing yeilds The gods and people banished and gone Thou father shalt possesse Aegypt alone This said to lanch the fleete forth he assayes But Cato stills the young mans wrath with praise Now ore the shore when Pompey's death was knowne The sky was peirc'd with lamentation A greife not seene not pararell'd at all That common people mourne a great mans fall But when Cornelia quite exhaust with teares Was seene to land with torne dishevel'd haires Their troubled lamentations sounded more Cornelia landed on a friendly shore Gathering the garments and triumphall weedes Of haplesse Pompey that exprest his deedes And ancient trophes painted robes and sheild That thrice great Ioue in triumph had beheld Into the funerall fire she threw them all Such was her lords imagin'd funerall Example from her piety all take And funerall fires all ore the shore they make T' appease the ghosts slaine in Pharsalia So when the shepheards of Apulia Make winter fires on their baâ—e-eaten ground To spring their grasse againe a glistering round The Vulturs arms and high Garganus yeilds And hot Matinus bullocke-pasture fields But not more pleasing was 't to Pompey's spirit That all the people raile at heauen and twit The gods with Pompey then what Cato spoke Few words but from a truth-fill'd breast they broke A Roman's dead not like our ancestry To know the rule of right but good quoth he In this truth scorning age one powerfull growne Not wronging liberty the people prone To serue he only private still remain'd He sway'd the Senate but the Senate reign'd Nought claim'd he by the sword but wish'd what he VVish'd most the Senates freedome to deny Great wealth he had but to the publike hoord He brought far more then he retain'd the sword He tooke but knew the time to lay it downe Arm'd he lov'd peace though armes before the gowne He still prefer'd and ever pleas'd was he Entring or leaving his authority A chast vnriotted house and never stain'd VVith her Lords fortune to all lands remain'd His name renown'd which much availed Rome True liberty long since was gone when home Sylla and Marius came but Pompey dead Even freedomes shadow is quite vanished No Senates face no colour will remaine Of power none now will be asham'd to reigne Oh happy man whom death when conquer'd caught And Aegypts guilt swords to be wisht for brought Perchance thou could'st haue liv'd in Câ—sars state To know the way to dy is mans best fate His next to be compel'd and such to me If captiv'd now fortune let Iuba be Not to be kept to shew the enemy I doe not beg so headlesse kept I be More honour from these words the noble ghost Receiv'd then if the Roman barres should boast Hit praise Now mutinous the souldiers are Since Pompey's death growne weary of the war In which broiles Tarcho Catoes side to quit Tooke vp the colours who prepar'd for flight With all his ships was chid by Cato so Never reclaim'd Cilician wouldst thou goe To thy old theft at sea is Pompey slaine And thou return'd to Pyracy againe Then round about he on each man gan looke Mongst whom one boldly thus to Cato spoke Not hiding his intent 't was not the loue Of civill war but Pompey first did mooue Our armes execuse vs Cato we adhaer'd By favour now he whom the world preferr'd Before her peace is dead our cause is gone Now le ts returne to our left mansion Our houshold gods and children deare to see For what can civill wars conclusion be If not Pharsaliaes field nor Pompeys death Our time of life is spent now let vs breath Our last in peace let our old age provide Our funerall pyles which civill war deny'd Two greatest Captaines For no barbarous Or cruell yoke will fortune lav on vs. No Scythian nor Armenian tyranny The subjects of Romes gowned state are we He that was second Pompey being aliue Is first with vs the highest place we giue His sacred name He whom wars fortunes make Shall be our lord no generall wee 'll take Vnto the war we followed thee alone We 'll follow fate Pompey now thou art gone Nor haue we cause to hope for good successe Since Caesars fortune now doth all possesse Th' Aemathian strength is by his victory Dispers'd we loose his mercy only he Has power and will to spare the conquered Our civill war 's a crime now Pompey's dead 'T was duty while he liv'd If Cato thou Wilt serue thy countrey still le ts follow now
hand a shield of shinning brasse Wherein to see the stone transforming face Of sterne Medusa Pallas bad him keepe Then lay'd Medusa in an endlesse sleepe But yet not all part of her snaky haire Defends her head some snakes still waking are Some ore her face and sleeping eylids glide Minerva doth th'averted Perseus guide And with a trembling hand directs the stroake Of his Cyllenian Harpe which quite broke Her large snake-cover'd necke How strange a looke Had Gorgons head cut off by Perseus stroke And towring blade what poyson did arise In her blacke mouth what death shot from her eyes Which not Minerva durst to looke vpon And Perseus sure had bin congeal'd to stone Had not Minerva hid that dismall face With those snake-haires Now Perseus flyes a pace To heaven with Gorgons head but in his mind Considering how the nearest way to find Over the midst of Europe meanes to fly But Pallas straight forbids that injury To Europes fruitfull fields and bids him spare The people there for who can in the ayre Refraine to gaz when such a bird he spyes Perseus converts his course and Westward flyes Ore desert Libya whose vnfruitfull seat Vntill'd lyes ope to nought but Phaebus heat Who runs his burning course straight ore their heads No land then this a larger shadow spreads ' Gainst heaven nor more the moones ecclipse doth cause When straying not in latitude she drawes Neither to North nor South but still is found In signes direct· Yet this vnfruitfull ground Barren in all that 's good a seed could yeild From venome which Medusaes head distill'd From those dire drops mixt with the putrid earth Sols aiding heat did giue new monsters birth First from that dust so mixt with poyson bred Rose the sleep-causing Aspe with swelling head Made of the thickest drop of Gorgons gore Which in no serpent is compacted more She wanting heat seekes not a colder clime Content to liue in her owne Libyaes slime But oh how shamelesse is our thirst of gaine Those Libyan deaths are carryed ore the maine And Aspes at Rome are sold as marchandise In scaly folds the great Haemorrhus lyes Whose bite from all parts drawes the flowing blood Chersidros then that both in land and flood Of doubtfull Syrtes liues Chelydri too That make a reeking slime where ere they goe The Cenchris creeping in a tract direct Whose speckled belly with moe spots is dect Then ere the various Theban marble takes Sand-colour'd Ammodytes the horned snakes That creepe in winding tracks the Scytale No snake in winter casts her skin but she The double-head Dipsas that thirsty makes The water-spoyling Newte the dart-like snakes The Pareas whose way his tale doth guide The Prester too whose sting distendeth wide The wounded's foamy mouth the Seps whose bite Consumes the bones dissolues the body quite The Basiliske whose hisse all snakes doth scarre Hurtfull before the venome touch who far All vulgar serpents from his sight commands Reigning alone vpon the empty'd sands You dragons too glistring in golden pride Who hurtlesse wander through all lands beside Hot Affrik mortall makes aloft you fly Through the ayre on wings and follow speedily The heards your strokes the mightyest buls destroy Great Elephants not escape you all you kill Nor neede you poysons helpe to worke your will This thirsty way among these venom'd snakes Cato amidst his hardy souldiers takes Where many losses of his men he found And deaths vnusuall from a little wound A trodden Dipsas turning backe his head Did bite young Aulus Ensigne bearer bred Of Tyrrhene race no griefe nor paine ensew'd His wound no pity found no danger shew'd But in alas did fiery venome deepe Into his maâ—row and scorch'd entrailes creepe Which quite drunke vp all moisture that should flow Into his vitall parts his palate now And tongue is scorch'd and dry no sweate could goe To his tir'd joynts from 's eyes no teares could flow His place nor his sad generalls command Could stay this thirsty man out of his hand He throwes his Eagle water runs to haue Which the dry venome in his heart did craue Though he in midst of Tanais did ly Padus or Rodanus he would be dry Or drinke the streamer where ever Nilus flowes The soyle ads to his drought the worme doth loose Her venoms fame help'd by so hot a land He digs and seekes each veine in all the sand Now to the Syrts he goes and in his mouth Salt water takes which could not quench his drought Although it pleas'd He did not know what kinde Of death he dy'd nor his disease could finde But thinkes it thirst and now full faine he would Rip open all his veines and drinke his blood Cato commands them loath his men should stay To know what thirst was straight to march away But a more wofull death before his eye Appear'd A Seps no poore Sabellus thigh Hung by the teeth which he straight with his hands Cast off and with his pile nail'd to the sands A little snake but none more full then she Of horrid death the flesh falls off that nigh The wound did grow the bones are bared round Without the body naked shewes the wound His shankes fall off matter each members fills His knees are bar'd his groine blacke filth distills And every muscle of his thighes dissolues The skin that all his naturall parts involues Breaking lets fall his bowels nor doth all That should remaine of a dead body fall The cruell venome eating all the parts Alâ— to a little poisonous filth converts The poison breakes his nerues his ribs doth part Opens his hollow breast there shewes his heart His vitalls all yea all that man composes And his whole nature this foule death discloses His head necke shoulders and strong armes doe flow In venomous filth not sooner melts the snow By hot South windes nor waxe against the Sunne This is but small I speake burnt bodyes run Melted by fire in filth but what fire ere Dissolv'd the bones no bones of his appeare Following their putrid iuice they leaue no signe Of this swift death the palme is only thine Of all the Libyan snakes the soule take they But thou alone the carcasse tak'st away But lo a death quite contrary to it Marsian Nasidius an hot Prester bit Whose face and cheekes a suddaine fire did rost His flesh and skin was stretch'd his shape was lost His swelling body is distended far Past humane growth and vndistinguishd are His limmes all parts the poison doth confound And he lyes hid in his owne body drown'd Nor can his armour keepe his swolne growth in Not more doth boyling water rise within A brazen caldron nor are sailes more swell'd By Westerne windes No limme he now can weild A globe deform'd he is an heape confus'd Which ravening beasts did feare which birds refus'd To which his friends durst doe no obsequy Nor touch but from the growing carcasse fly But yet these snakes present more horrid sights A fierce Hamorrhus noble
the armyes marching on apace Neere met stood parted but a little space They veiw'd each others hands striving to know Each others face thinking which way to throw Their piles from whence their fates most threatning show What monstrous acts they were about to doe There they their brothers and their fathers spy'd Against them stand yet would not change their side But piety their breasts amazed held And the cold blood in every limme congeal'd And every souldier his prepared pile And ready stretch'd-out arme contain'd a while The gods send thee ô Craestinus not death The common plague but feeling after breath VVhose pile first throwne of all the fight began And Thessaly with Roman bloâ—d did staine Oh frantike violence did Caesar stand Quiet and was there a more forward b hand Shrill cornets then began the aire to wound Th' alarums beat and all the trumpets sound The noise and showts of souldiers peirce the sky And reach the convexe of Olympus high Aboue the thundring cloudes the noise they make The Thracian Aemus sounding valleys take High Pelion's cavernes eccho backe the sound VVhich Pindus and Pangaean rockes rebound Th'Octaean mountaines grone the souldiers feare Their showtes thus eccho'd from all hills to heare Numberlesse piles with different mindes are throwne Some wish to wound others to light vpon The ground and keepe their harmelesse hands from ill Chance rules them and makes guilty whom she will But the least part of slaughter heere was done VVith darts and flying steele the sword alâ—ne Was able civill quarells to decide And Roman hands ' gainst Roman breasts to guide Pompey's great army narrowly dispos'd In a thicke Phalanx stand with bucklers clos'd For fence but wanted roome their rankes thus fill'd To throw their piles their swords or armes to weild But Caesars loose-rank'd troopes all nimbly goe And the thicke armed wedges of the foe Making their way through men and steele assaile And through the strongest joynted coates of maile Peirce the ill guarded breasts each stroke findes out A breast though nere so fenc'd with armes about One army suffers tother makes the war All cold and guiltlesse Pompeys weapons are All Caesars impious swords are reeking hot But fortune heere long doubting waver'd not She swiftly bore fitting so great a day A mighty ruine torrent-like away When Pompey's horse ore all the fields at large Had spred their wings the foes in flanke to charge The light arm'd souldiers scatter'd all attended And ' gainst the foe their missile weapons bended With their owne weapons every nation fought Yet by all hands the Roman blood was sought Arrowes stones fire lead headed darts were throwne Which melted in the aires hot motion There th'Ituraeans Medes Arabians shot Their shafts good archers all yet levell'd not The aire beâ—ore their eyes was only sought By their wilde aimes yet death from thence was wrought But no dire crime could staine the forraine steele Nought could worke mischiefe but the Roman pile The ayre was daâ—kened with thicke arrowes flight VVhich ore the fields orespread a suddaine night Then c Caesar fearing lest his front should yeild To their assault obliquely cohorts held VVhich suddainly from the right wing he sent VVhither the wheeling horse their forces bent But Pompey's horse vnmindefull now of fight Nor stay'd by shame at all take speedy flight Vnhappily alas were civill wars Left to the trust of barbarous souldiers As soone as ere some galled horse had throwne Their riders and their limbs had trampled on The horsemen fled and left the field each one Or turning reines vpon their fellowes run No fight ensues but execution hot One side with sword the other with bare throat Made war nor could Caesarian hands suffice To execute their routed enemies Oh would the blood that barbarous breasts did yeild Could haue suffic'd Pharsalia's mortall field And that no other blood thy streames might staine Let those bones scattered ore thy fields remaine But if thou wouldst with Roman blood be fill'd Spare all the nations Let the Spaniards wilde Th' Armenians Syrians and Cilicians Galatians Gaules and Cappadocians Surviue for when this civill war is done These people will be Romans every one These feares once rais'd through every quarter fly Sent by the fates for Caesars victory Then came the war to Pompey's Roman power The war that variously had wander'd ore The fields there stucke there Caesars fortune stay'd No forreine Kings fought there no barbarous ayde From severall nations to that place was brought There their owne brothers there their fathers fought Mischiefe and fury rag'd there Caesar are Thy crimes oh fly from this sad part of war My soule and leaue it to eternall night Let no succeeding age by what I write Learne how much ill may be in civill fight Or rather let our teares and sorrowes dy What heere thou didst O Rome conceal'd shall be Caesar th'inciting fury of his men And spur to their blind rage lest his guilt then Should wanting be at all rides through all parts Adding new fury to their fired hearts Viewing their swords looking whose points with gore VVere lightly stain'd whose blades were bloody'd ore Who faulter in their blowes who hold their hand Who faintly strike who fight as by command And who with greedinesse who changes looke To see a Roman slaâ—ne himselfe then tooke Survey of bodyes gasping on the ground To let out all the bloâ—d crushing their wounds As fierce Enyo shakes her bloody lance And Mars incites his warlike Thracians Or driues with furious lashes ore the field His Horses starting at Minerva's shield Blacke nights of slaughter and dire deedes arise Like one great voyce the dying souldiers cries Clashing of armed breasts falling to ground And swords with swords meeting and breaking sound He with fresh swords his souldiers still supplyes To strike the faces of their enemies Forcing them on still vrging at their backe And with his javeling beating on the slacke Against the Senate not Plebejan fâ—es He guides their hands and swords full well he knowes VVhere the lawes liue where the states blood does flow Where he may conquer Rome and overthrow The worlds last liberty Together then Fall Senators with Roman Gentlemen Those honour'd names Metells Lepidi Corvini and Torqauati slaughter'd dy That oft commanders ore great Kings haue bin And except Pompey all the best of men In a Plebejan helme disguised there What weapon noble d Bruâ—us didst beare The Senates highest hope Râ—mes greatest grace The last of all thy ancient honour'd race Through the arm'd foes rush not too rashly on Nor seeke out thy Philipâ—iâ—ke faâ—e too soone Fate will to thee a Thessaly allot In vaine thou aimest there at Caesars throte He has not yet mounted the top of fate And reach'd that height that governes humane state To meâ—it that braue death no let him reigne That he as Brutus offring may he slaine Heere call Romes honour dyes heere heap'd on high The slaughter'd Senate with Plebeians ly But ' mongst those nobles that