Quiet well temper'd aire doth Ioue possesse The seedes of all things Venus cherishes Cyllenius rules ore waters which are great He when he enters where the dog-stâ—rs heat And burning fire 's display'd there where thâ— signe Of Cancer hot doth with the Lyon joyne And where the Zodiacke holds his Capricorne And Cancer vnder which Niles head is borne Ore which when Mercuryes proud fires doe stand And in a line direct as by command Of Phaebe the obeying Ocean growes So from his open'd fountaine Nilus flowes Nor ebâ—s againe till night haue from the Sun Those howers recover'd which the summer wor. Vaine was the old opinion that Niles flow Was caus'd or help'd by Aethiopian snow For on those hills cold Boreas never blowes As there the natiues Sunburnt visage showes And moist hot Southerne windes Besides the head Of every streame that from thaw'd iâ—e is bred Swells then when first the spring dissolues the snowes But Nile before the dogâ—dayes never flowes Nor is confin'd within his bankes againe Till the Autumnal aequinoctian Thence t is he knowes no lawes of other streames Nor swells in winter when Sols scorching beames Are far remote his waters want their end But Nile comes forth in summer time to lend A cooler temper to the sweltring aire Vnder the torrid zone least fire impaire The earth vnto her succour Nilus drawes And swells against the Lyons burning jawes And when hot Cancer his Siene burnes Vnto her aide implored Nilus turnes Nor till the Sun to Autumne doe descend And that hot Meroë her shades extend Doth he restore againe the drowned field Who can the causes of this flowing yeild Even so our mother nature hath decreed That Nile should flow and so the world hath neede As vainely doth antiquity declare The West windes cause of this increases are Which keepe their seasons strictly and long stay And beare within the aire continu'd sway These from the Westerne parts all clouds exile Beyond the South and hang them over Nile Or else their blasts the rivers current meete And will not let it to the Ocean get Prevented so from falling to the maine The streame swells backe and overflowes the plaine Some through the cavernes of earths hollow won be In secret channells thinke these waters come Attracted to th' aequator from the cold North clime when Sol his Merâ—ë doth hold The scorched earth attracting water thither Ganges and Padus flow vnseene together Venting all rivers at one fountaine so VVithin one channell Nilus cannot goe From th' Ocean swelling which beguirts about All lands some thinke encreased Nile breakes out The waters loose ere they so far haue ran Their saltnesse quite Besides the Ocean Is the stars fond we thinke which Phoebius drawes VVhen he possesseth fiery Cancers claws More then the aire digests attraced so Falls backe by night and causes Nilus flow I thinke if I may judge so great a case Some waters since the world created was In after ages from some broken vaine Of earth haue growne some god did then ordaine VVhen he created all the world whose tides By certaine lawes the great Creator guides Caesar's desire to know our Nilus spring Possest th Aegyptian Persian Graecian King No age but striv'd to future time to teach This skill none yet his hidden nature reach Philipp's great son Memphis most honourd King Sent to th' earths vtmost bounds to finde Niles spring Choise Aethiops they trode the sunburnt ground Of the hot zone and there warme Nilus found The farthest VVest our great Sesostris saw VVhilest captiue Kings did his proud charriot draw Yet there your Rhodanus and Padus spy'd Before our Nâ—les hid fountaine he descry'd The mad Cambises to the Easterne lands And lonâ—-liv'd people came His famisht bands Qâ—te spent and with each others a slaughter fed Return'd thou Nile yet vndiscovered No tale dares mention thine originall Th' art sought wherever seene No land at all Can boast that Nile is hers Yet I le reveale As far as that same god that doth conceale Thy spring inspires me From th' Antarticke pole Vnder hot Cancer doe thy surges rowle Directly North winding to East and VVest Sometimes th' Arabians sometimes Libyans blest VVith fruitfullnesse thou mak'st the Seres spy Thee first and seeke thee too thy channell by The Aethiopians as a stranger flowes And the world knowes not to what land it owes Thy sacred head which nature hid from all Lest any land should see thee Nilus small She turn'd away thy spring and did desire No land should know it but all lands admire Thou in the summer Solstice art oreflowne Bringing with thee a winter of thine owne VVhen winter is not ours nature alone Suffers thy streames to both the poles to run Not there thy mouth not heere thy spring is found Thy parted channell doth encompasse round Meroë fruitfull to blacke husband-men And rich in Eben wood whose leaues though greene Can with no shade asswage the summers heat Vnder the Lion so directly set From thence thy current with no waters losse Ore the hot zone and barren deserts goes Sometimes collected in one channell going Sometimes dispers'd and yeilding bankes oreflowing His parted armes againe collected slide In one slow streame where Philas doth divide Arabia from Aegypt Ore the sand VVhere the red sea by one small necke of land From ours is kept thou Nile doest gently flow Oh who would thinke thou ere so rough couldst grow That sees thee gentle heere but when thy way Steâ—pe Catarackts and craggy rockes would stay Thy never-curbed waues with scorne despise Those petty lets and foaming Iaue the skyes Thy waters sound with noise the neighbouring hills Thy conquering streame with froath grown hoary fills Hence he with fury first assaults that I le Which our forefathers did Abatos stile And those neare rockes which they were pleas'to call The rivers veines because they first of all His swelling growth did show Hence nature did His stragling waues within high mountaines hide Which part thee Nile from Affricke betwixt those As in a vale thy pent vp water flowes At Memphis first thou runn'st in fields and plaines VVhere thy proud streame all bankes and bounds disdaines Thus they secure as if in peace a part Of night discours'd But base Photinus heart Once stain'd with sacred blood could nere be free From horrid thoughts Since Pompey's murder he Counts nought a crime great Pompey's Manes bide Within his breast and vengefull furyes guide His thoughts to monsters new hoping to staine Base hands with Caesars blood which fates ordaine Great Senators shall shed Fate to a slaue That day almost the Senates vengeance gaue The mulct of civill war Oh gods defend Let none that life in Brutus absence end Shall th' execution of Romes tirant be Base Aegypts crime and that example dy Bold man he makes attempt against fates course Nor at close murder aimes by opâ—n force A most vnconquer'd Captaine he assaults So much are mindes embolden'd by their faults He durst the death of Caesar
â—nâ—ique venis Discursusque animae diversa in membra meantis Interceptus aquis nullius vita perempti Est tanta dimissa via But others say he did not repeat these Verses but those in the ninth Booke Sanguis erant lachrymae quaecunque foramina novit Humor ab his largus manat cruor ora redundant Et patulae nares sudor rubet omnia plenis Membra fluunt venis totum est pro vulnere corpus These were his last words Hee dyed the day before the Calends of May in the seven and twentyeth yeare of his age Nerva Syllanus and Vestinius Atticus being Consuls He was buryed at Rome in his owne most faire and sumpteous Gardens To my chosen Friend The learned Translator of LVAN THOMAS MAY Esquire WHen Rome I reade thee in thy mighty paire And see both climing vp the slippery staire Of Fortunes wheele by Lucan driv'n about And the world in it I begin to doubt At every line some pin thereof should slacke At least if not the generall Engine craâ—ke But when againe I vtew the parts so peiz'd And those in number so and measure rais'd As neither Pompey's popularity Caesar's ambitions Cato's liberty Calme Brutus tenor start but all along Keepe due proportion in the ample song It makes me ravish'd with iust wonder cry What Muse or rather God of harmony Tâ—ught Lucan these true moodes replyes my sence What gods but those of arts and eloquece Phoebus and Hermes They whose tongue or pen Are still th' interpreters twixt gods and men But who hath them interpreted and brought Lucans whole frame vnto vs and so wrought As not the smallest ioynt or gentlest word In the great masse or machine there is stirr'd The selfe same Genius so the worke will say The Sunne translated or the Sonne of May. Your true friend to Iudgement and Choise BEN. IONSON Vpon this vnaequall'd worke and the Author ROme had beene still my wonder I had knowne Lucan in no expression but his owne And had as yet coniectur'd it a wrong To haue prais'd Caesar in another tongue To bring foorth One that could but vnderstand I thought a pride too great for any Land Yea for Romes selfe Who would be posde to tell How great she was when she could write so well Tell truth was neerer brought by thee till I Found Lucan Languag'd like my infancy Till Rome was met in England in that State That was at once her greatnesse and her fate So all to vs discover'd that naught 's hid Which either she could speake or Caesar did Beyond which nothing can be done by thee Though thou hadst more of Lucan then we see Reveal'd in this wherein there is so much Of myracle that I durst doubt him such As thou hast rendred him But that I know T is crosse to be thy friend and Lucans foe Whom thou hast made so much thy selfe that we May almost striue about his Pedigree Since Rome hath nothing left to prooue him hert But the foule instance of his Murtherers So neatly hast thou rob'd her of his name That she can onely reskew't with a shame Which may she doe whilst Nations reckon thee Lucan in all except Romes infancy I. VAVGHAN LVCANS Pharsalia The first Booke The Argument of the first Booke The fatall causes of this warre are showne Enraged Caesar passes Rubicon Invades Arim'num where to him from Rome Curio and both the banish'd Tribunes come With new incitements to these civill Warres Caesar's Oration to his Souldiers Bold Laelius protestation which by all The rest confirmed makes the Generall Draw out from every part of France at once His now dispers'd and wintring Legions Rome's feare great Pompey with the Senate flyes Heaven ayre and earth are fill'd with prodigies The Prophets thence and learned Augures show The wrath of Heaven and Romes ensuing woe WArres more then civill on Aemathian plaines We sing rage licens'd where great Rome disdaines In her owne bowels her victorie us swords Where kindred hoasts encounter all accords Of Empire broke where arm'd to impious warre The strength of all the shaken world from farre Is met knowne Ensignes Ensignes doe defie Piles a against Piles ' gainst Eagles Eagles fly What fury Countreymen what madnesse cou'd Moove you to feast your foâ—s with Roman blood And choose such warres as could no triumphs yeeld Whilst yet proud Babylon vn or quer'd held The boasting trophaes of a Roman hoast And vnrevenged wander'd Crassus b Ghost Alas what Seas what Lands might you haue tane With that bloods losse which ciuill haÌ„ds haue drawne Yours had been Titans rising yours his sett The Kingdomes scorched in Meridian heate And those where winter which no spring can ease With lasting cold doth glaze the Sâ—ythian seas The Seres yours the wilde Araxis too And those that see Niles spring if any doe Then ' gainst thy selfe if warre so wicked Rome Thou loue when all the world is overcome Turne backe thy hand thou didst not want a Foe But now that walles of halfe fall'n houses so Hang in Italian Townes vast stones we see Of ruin'd walles whole houses empty be And ancient Townes are not inhabited That vntill'd Italy's with weedes orespread And the neglected Plowes want labouring hands Not thou fierce Pyrrhus nor the Punicke Bands This waste haue made no sword could reach so farre Deepe pierce the wounds receiu'd in ciuill warre But if no other way to Neroes raigne The â—ates could finde if gods their Crownes obtaine At such deare rates and Heaven could not obey Her Ioue but after the sterne Giants fray Now we complaine not gods mischiefe and warre Pleasing to vs since so rewarded are Let dire Pharsalia grone with armed Hoasts And glut with blood the Carthaginian Ghosts With these let Munda's c fatall Battle goe Mutina's d Siedge Perusias e famine too To these add Actiums f bloody Navall fight And neere Sicilia g Sextus slavish Fleete Yet much owes Rome to civill â—nmity For making thee our Prince when thou the sky Though late shalt clime chaÌ„gethine earthly reigne Heaven as much grac'd with ioy shall entertaine And welcome thee whether thou wouldst put on Ioues Crowne or ride in Phoebus burning Throne Earth will not feare the change theÌ„ce maist thou shine Downe on thy World to thee all power divine Will yeild and Nature to thy choise will give What god to be or where in Heaven to liue But neere the Northern Beaâ—e oh doe not reigne Nor crosse the point of the Meridian From whence obliquely thou shouldst Rome behold If all thy weight one part of Heaven should hold The Honour'd loade would bowe heavens Axletree Hold thou the middle of the poysed Sky Let all the ayre betweene transparent be And no darke Cloud twixt vs and Caesar fly Then let Mankinde forget all warre and strife And every Nation loue a peacefull life Let peace through all the world in this blest state Once more shut warre like Ianus Iron gate Oh be my god If thou this breast inspire
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
Sylla came With a revenge more bloody His sword reft Rome of that little blood before was left Whilst cutting off cruell Chirurgian Th' affected parts too farre his lancing hand Followes the sore first guilty men are slaine At last when none but guilty could remayne Their hates take greater freedome forth they breake Without the curbe of any law they wreake Their private angers now for Sylla's sake All is not done for every one fulfills Their owne blood thirsty and revengefull wills Pretending his command with impious steele Servants their masters sonnes their fathers kill Which sonne shall be the parricide by strife They seeke a brother sels a brothers life Some hide themselues in tombes liue men remaine Among the dead beasts dennes can scarse containe The flying multitude one strangled dyes By his owne hand one from a precipice Dyes broken with the fall preventing so The tyranny of his insulting foe His funerall pyle one making ere he dyes Leapes in and whilest he may those rites enjoyes Great Captaines heads born throgh the streets on spears Are pil'de vp in the Market there appeares Each secret murder not so many heads In stables of the tyrant Diomed's Thrace saw nor Lybia on Antaeus wall Nor mourning Greece in Oenomaus hall Limmes putrifi'de which all knowne markes had left Worne out by eating time by fearefull theft The wretched parents take and beare away My selfe I still remember that sad day Desirous those forbidden rites to do To my slaine brothers head searcht to and fro The carkasses of Sylla's peace to see What trunke ' mongst all would with that head agree What neede I tell how Catulus was paide With blood how Marius a sad offring made And wretched sacrifice before the tombe Of his perchance vnwilling foe did come His q mangled joynts as many wounds as limmes We saw yet no wound deadly given him Through his spoyl'd body an example rare Of cruelty a dying life to spare His hands chopt off his tongue cut out as yet Wagg'de and the ayre did with dumbe motions beat One slits his nostrils one cuts off his eares His eyes out last of all another teares Left in till then his mangled limmes to see A thing past credit one poore man should be The subject of so many cruelties A lumpe deform'd his mangled body lyes So strangely slaughter'd not disfigur'de more Floates a torne shipwrackt carkasse to the shore From the mid-Sea The fruit of all your toile Why doe you loose and Marius face so spoile That none can now discerne him 'twere more neede Silla should know him to applaud the deed r Praneste's fortune saw her men all dye In one death's space the flowre of s Italy The onely youth of Latium sadly slaine Did wretched Romes Ovilia distaine So mâ—ny men to cruell death at once Oft Earthquakes Shipwrackes or infections Of Aire or Earth Famine or Warre hath sent Never before a doome of punishment The souldiers throng'de could scarcely weild at all Their killing hands the slaine could hardly fall Supported so but number did oppresse The dying people and dead carcasses Encreasde the slaughter falling heavily On living bodies his strange cruelty Secure and fearelesse Sylla from aboue Beheld nor could so many thousands mooue His heart by him commanded all to dye I' th' Tyrthene gulfe their pil'de vp bodies lye The first throwne in vnder the water lay The last on bodies strongest ships they stay And Tiber parted by that fatall bay Sends one part to the Sea carkasses stay The other till the violent streame of blood Enforc'd the waters course to Tibers flood Nor can the bankes the River now containe But ore the fields the bodies floate againe Rowling at last into the Tyrrhene maine On the blew waues it sets a purple staine For this did Silla merit to be stil'de Happy and t saviour and in Mars his field To be interr'de but these blacke mischiefes are To be endurd againe this cruell war Will the same order and conclusion take But feares more horrid suppositions make And in this war mankind shall suffer more The exil'de Maris sought but to restore Themselues againe and Sylla's victories Sought but the ruine of his enemies Their aymes are higher both long powerfull take Vp armes and neither civill war would make To doe as Sylla did Thus wayles old age Remembring past and fearing future rage This terror strooke not noble Brutus heart Nor in this frightfull stir was he a part Of the lamenters but at midnight he When now her waine Parrhasian Helice Turn'de at his unkle Catoes no large house Knockes him he findes waking and anxious For Rome and the whole State a fearefull man Not for himselfe when Brutus thus began Banisht and flying vertue 's onely hold And refuge which no storme of fortune could Ere reaue thee off guide thou this wavering heart And to my thoughts a certaine strength impart At Caesars side or Pompeye's others stand Ore Brutus none but Cato shall command Wilt thou keepe peace and in this doubtfull age Vnshaken stand or mingling with the rage Of the mad rout this civill war approue Others to this sad war bad causes mooue One his stain'd house in peace and feare of Lawes Another fights for want mingling that cause VVith the worlds wracke blind fury leades on none All drawne with gainefull hopes but thee alone The war it selfe affects VVhat bootes it thee T' haue beene so long from the times vices free This onely meede of thy long vertue take The warres find others guilty thee they make But let not wicked war haue power t' employ These hands O gods let not thy lavelin flye ' Mongst others in a thicke skie darkning cloude Let not such vertue be in vaine bestowde The warres whole chance will cast it selfe on thee VVho would not dye vpon that sword and be Cato's offence though slaine by another hand Thou might'st alone and quiet better stand As starres in heaven still vnshaken are VVhen lightnings stormes and tempest rend the ayre Nearer to earth VVindes rage and Thunders spight Plaine grounds must suffer when Olympus height Plac'd by the gods aboue the cloudes â—s free Small things jarres vexe the great ones quiet be 'T will glad proud Caesar in this war to heare So great a Citizen has deign'de t' appeare Nor will it grieue him that great Pompeye's side Is chose not his 't will be enough his pride That Cato has approu'd of civill war Romes Senate and both Consuls armed are Vnder a private man and many moe Of note and worth to these adde Cato too Vnder command of Pompey none liues free In all the world but Caesar but if we Doe for our countreyes Lawes and freedome goe To war then Brutuâ— is not â—aesars foe Nor Pompeys but the Conquerours who ere Thus Brutus spake when for an inside cleare These sacred words drew Cato We confesse Brutus that civill war's great wickednesse But where the Fates will leade vertue shall goe Securely on to make me guilty now Shall
roome but emâ—ty stand those honor'd Sells Caesar was all the Sâ—nate fit to beare VVitnesse of private power and grant what ere He please to aske Crowneâ— Temples their owne bloud Or banishment fortune in this was good He blusht more to command then Rome t' obey But liberty in this durst make assâ—y By one if law could overmaster force Metellus seeing the vast massy doores Of Saturn's temple ready to flye ope Running enrag'd breaking through Caesars troope Before the yet vnopen'd doore he stay'd Only the loue of gold is not afraide Of death and threatning swords the lawes are gone And broke without one â—onflict wealth alone The worst of things had power this iarre to make Staying the rapine thus the Tribune spake Aloud to Caesar thought this breast of mine The temple opes nâ—â—r asure shalt thou finde Robber but what thou buyest with sacred blood This office wrong'd will finde a vengefull God A Tribunes curse pursuing Crâ—ssus made A fatall Parthian war but draw thy blade Let not the peoples eyes scarre thee from this Thy wickednesse the towne forsaken is No wicked souldier from our treasuryes Shall pay himselfe finde other enemies To spoile and conquer other townes to giue No neede can thee to this foule rapine driue In me alone Caesar thou find'st a war These words incens'â— the angry conquerer In vaine Metellus hâ—p'st thou to obtaine A noble death quoth he we scorne to staine Our hand in such a throat no dignity Makes thee worth Caesars 〈◊〉 must liberty Be sau'd by thee the fates confound not so All this but that the lawes rather then owe To thee their preservatâ—on would be broke And tane away by Caesar thus he spoke But when the temple doores the Tribune stout Left not more angry growne he lookes about On his keene swords to play the gowne man now He had forgot when Cotta gan to woo Metellus to giue ore his enterprise The freedome of men subjugated dyes By freedomes selfe quoth he whose shadow thou Shalt keepe if all his proud commands thou doo So many vnjust things haue conquer'd we Already suffred and this now must be Th' excuse t' our shame and most degenerate feare That naught can be deny'd now let him beare Away from hence these seeds of wicked war Losse hurts those people that in freedome are Worst to the Lord is serving poverty Metellus is remoov'd and open'd be The temple doores all the Tarpejan hill With horrid noyse the broken hinges fill And from the bottome of the temple there The Roman peoples wealth which many a yeere Had not been toucht which Carthage warres to vs And the two Kings Philip and Perseus Both conquer'd brought is ransackt gold they reaue Which flying Pyrrhus to thee Rome did leaue For which Fabritius would no traytour be What ere the vertuous frugality Of our forefathers had yet kept vnspent And Asias wealthy tributaries sent What ere Metellus brought from conquer'd Crete And ore the seas from Cyprus Cato â—et The spoyles of all the East and treasures proud Of captiue Kings which Pompey's triumphs show'd This temples impious robbing brought to passe That Rome then first then Caesar poorer was Now had great Pompey's fortune drawne from all The world strong nations with himselfe to fall Aid to the war so neere first Graecia lends And Cyrrha on the Rocke Amphissia sends Her Phocian bands Parnassus learned hill From both her tops sends men Baeotians fill The campe neere whom th' oraculous waters flow Of swift Cephissus men from Pisa too And Theban Dirce and where vnder sea Alphaeus sends his streames to Sicily Th'Arcadians leaue their Maenalus and from Herculian Octa the Trachinians come The Thesprots came and their now silent oake Th'Epirots neere Chaonia forsooke Athens though wasted now with musters quite Yet levies men and to this civill fight Three Saliminian ships sends from her fleet To Phaebus dedicated Ioue-lou'd Crete From Gnossus and Gortina sends to 'th field Archers that need not to the Parthians yeeld Souldiers from out Dardanian Oricum From Athamas and from Encheleae come Fam'd for transformed Cadmus funeralls From Colchos where Absyrtus foaming falls Into the Adrian those where Peneus flowes He that Iolchos in Thessalia plowes Thence was the sea first try'd when Argo bore Those that first sailed to a forreine shore And first of all committed fraile mankinde To mercy of the raging sea and winde That ship taught men a way vnknowne to die From Thracian Aemus and from Pholoe Beely'd with Centaures and from Strymon too From whence the birds to Nile in winter goe From barbarous Cone where into the seas Sixe headed Ister dooes one channell ease At Peuce souldiers come the Mysian And cold Caicus-washt Idalian Barren Arisbe helpes and Pitane Celenae by Apolloes victory Condemn'd that curst Minervaes fatall gift Where into crook'd Maeander Marsyas swift Falling there mingled backe againâ— dooes flow The land that from gold mines letts Hermus goe And rich Pactolus those of Ilium With Ilium's fate to falling Pompey come The tale of Troy and Caesar pedegree Drawne from Iulius could no hindrance be The Syrian people from Orâ—ntes goe Windy Damascus happy Minos too Gaza and Idumaea rich in Palmes Instable Tyre Sidon whom purple fames These ships bound to the war the Cynosure Guides straight along the sea to none more sure Phaenicians that if fame we dare beleeue To humane speech first characters did giue The rivers yet had not with paper serv'd Aegypt but â—arv'd beasts birds and stones preserv'd Their magicke language Taurus lofty wood Forsaken is Tarsus where Perâ—eus flood From Coricus digg'd from an hallow rocke Mallos and Aegae the Cilicians flocke No Pirates now but to a just war prest Fame of this war had stirr'd the farthest East Where Ganges is that only crosse dooâ—s run Of all earth's rivers to the rising Sunne And roules his waues against the Easterne winde Philips great Sonne there stay'd was taught to finde The world more large then his ambitious mind Conceiu'd it and where double channell'd Inde Feeles not Hydaspes mixture Indians That sucke sweete liquor from their sugar canes And those whose haire with saffron is bedy'd Whose garments loose with colour'd gemmes are ty'd Those that aliue their funerall piles erect And leape into the flames helping t' effect Fates worke what glory 't is content to liue No more the remnant to the gods to giue Fierce Cappadocians th' hardy Nations Neare to Ammannus the Armenians Neare strong Niphates the Coastrae from Their lofty woods and the Arabians come Into an vnknowne world wondring to see Shaddowes of woods on the right hand to be Farthest Olostrians come to Romane war Carmanian Captaines too who Southward far See not the set of the whole Northerne Beare By night but little shines Bootes there The Aethiopian land not seene at all By any of the signes Septentrionall But crooked Taurus hoofe those people too Whence great Euphrates and swift Tygris flow From one spâ—ing Persis sends them 't is
Is slaine by Iubaes Manritanian bands BVt now sterne Caesar in Spaines farthest coast Makes war on which though little blood it a cost The fortunes of both Generalls much did stand Affranius b and Petreius did command Those campes with aequall power but concord made Their governement more firme their men obay'd Alternally both Generalls commands Heere besides Romans bold Asturian bands Light Vestones and Celâ—a c were that came From France and with th' Iberi mixt their name A little hill not steepe of fertile lands Swells vp on which the old Ilerda stands Before the towne flowes Sicoris soft streame Among Spaines rivers of no small esteeme On which a bridge of stone high arched stood T' endure the violence of a winters flood The next hill the Pompeyans campe did beare Aequall to which Caesar his tents did reare The river in the midst both campes divides From whence the champion fields vpon both sides Extend themselues bâ—yond the ken of man Swift Cinga bounds them that to th' Ocean Carryes no name d Iber where you two joyne That giues the land her name takes from thee thine The first day they encamp'd from fight was free The Captaines stood each others strength to see Numbring the Eagles shame did then begâ—n To damne their rage and hold their fury in One poore dayes respite to their countrey they And broke lawes gaue but Caesar when the day Declin'd did with a suddaine trench enclose His campe about and to deceiue the foes His army in the front kept station To hide the worke and when the morne drew on He sends swift troopes the next hill to surprise That twixt the foes campe and Ilâ—rdâ— lyes Thither the foes with shame and terror make And by a neerer way the hill they take The fight growes there on sword and valour one Relyes the other on possession Laden with armes march Caesar's souldiers vp ' Gainst the steepe hill their following fellowes prop Their backes with targets vp to keepe them so From falling backe their Piles against the foe They could not vse Pileâ— guide their faltring steps Hold as they clime they catch on shrubs and slips Their swords serue not to fight but cut their way This danger Caesar saw and sent away His horse to wheele charging in flanke the foe And all his foot retreat in safety so The skirmish ended thus and neither side Obtain'd the conquest Thus farre fighting try'd What other fates were added to this war Grew from th'vnconstant motions of the ayre For by cold winters dry North-windes the râ—ine The clowds congealeâ— bowells did containe Snowes on the hills and tops of mountaines lye And frosts that at the Sunne 's appearance flye All lands within those Westerne climates are Hardened by Winters dry conâ—ealing aire But when the Sunne now wexed warmer came To take possession of the heavenly Ram Making the aequinoctiall againe When day t' exceede the night in length began When Cynthia from the Sunne 's conjunction But newly come could hardly yet be knowne Boreas sh ' excludes and fire from Eurus takes He all the cloudes that his whole quarter makes Throwes to the West with Nabathaean blasts The foggs that India that Arabia casts Exhal'd and growne vnder the rising Sunne Sky darkening Coâ—us exhalation Which cooles the Indian aire now blowne away From thence make hot the Easterne countreys day Nor could the loades of those thicke clouds fall downe On the mid world strong tempests driue them on From North and South alone does Calpes ground Drinke the moist aire the farthest Westerne bound Where heavens bow'd hinge does with the Ocean meeteâ— The cloudes driven thither could no further get Their vastnesse hardly could involved be In such strait roome as twxit that earth and sky Those clouds then crusht together by the pole Contract in th' ayre and downe amaine they roule In gushing showres lightnings though thicke retaine No flashing fire extinguisht by the raine Iris no colours can distinctly show Circling the ayre with an imperfect bow She drinkes the sea and to the Ocean The ponderous waues fall from the sky againe The Pyrenaean nowes which Titan yet Could never melt flow downe the rockes are wet With broken ice rivers their wonted way Forsâ—ke as channells the whole fields display Themselues and now as shipwrack'd on the seas Floâ—e Caesars tents and drenched companyes The streame breakes downe his campe rivers oreflow His trenon and workes nor an the souldiers goe To forâ—age the drown'd fields no vittaile leaue The wayes by water cover'd all deceiue The fetchers of provision then came on A famine still the sad companion Of other woes the souldiers by no foes Besidg'd are pin'd one his whole wealth bestowes Vpon a crust of bread not dearely sold Oh meagre thirst of gaine for ready gold An hungry â—eller is not wanting there The waters now haue all no hils appeare The joyning rivers like ore-spreading feâ—ns Cover high rockes transported are the dens Of beasts the streame carryes the strugling horse Not touching ground and as of greater force Then th' Ocean repells the Oceans tide The darkened Pole does Phaebus lustre hide And the blacke skies all colours doe confound So lyes the farthest part of the worlds ground Which the cold zone and frosts perpetuall Cover those countreys see no starres at all Their barren ice breedes nothing good alone To temper with their cold the torrid zone So let it be great Ioue so let it be Neptune whose three fork'd scepter rules the sea Thou Ioue with stormes perpetuall fill the ayre Thou Neptune let no rivers home repaire Let no streames finde prone passage to the maine But with the Oceans tide turne backe againe Make the strooke earth to deluge pervious These fields let Rhine oreflow and Rhodanus Hither their course let all great rivers bend Hither Riphaean snowes lakes fountaineâ— sâ—nd Hither all standing pooles from far command And saue from civill war this wretched land But Caesars fortune with this little feare Of his content returnes greater then ere The gods gan favour and deserv'd t' obtaine Pardon the clowded ayre clear'd vp againe The master'd waters Sol in fleeces spred The night presaging a faire morne look'd red Things keepe their place moisture the skye forsakes VVater late high her owne low center takes Trees and emergent hills t' appeare began The fields at sight of day grow drie againe VVhen Sicoris to his owne bankes restor'd Had let the field of twigs and willow bord They made small botes cover'd with bullockes hide In which they reacht the rivers further side So saile the Veneti if Padus flow The Britaines saile on their calme Ocean so So the Aegyptians saile with woven boates Of papery rushes in their Nilus floates The army in these boates transported now Build vp a bridge and fearing th' overflow Of the fierce streame their worke they doe noteâ—nd Vpon the banke but ore the fields extend And lest againe Sicoris should oreflow In severall channells cut he suffers now For his
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
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
with thy Thessalian bow Feirce wars first seedes did from this countrey grow Heere the first horse for war sprang from a rocke Which mighty Neptune with his trident stroke To chew on the steele bit he not disdain'd And fom'd by his Thessalian rider rain'd From hence the first of ships the Ocean plow'd And seas hid paths to earth-bred mortalls show'd Itonus first of all Thessalia's King To forme by hammer did hot mettalls bring Made silver liquid stamp'd his coines impresse In gold and melted brasse in furnaces Hence did th' account of money first arise The fatall cause of war and tragedies Heere was that hideous serpent Python bred VVhose skin the Delphian Tripos covered Whence to those games Thessalian bayes are brought Aloeus wicked brood ' gainst heaven here fought When Ossa on high Pelions top was set And the Celestiall orbes swift motion let When both the generalls in this land by fate Destin'd encamp'd the wars ensuing state Fills all presaging mindes all saw at hand That hower on which this wars last cast should stand Cowards now trembled that wars fate so neare Was drawne and fear'd the worst both hope and feare To this yet-doubtfull tryall brought the stout But one alas among the fearefull rout Was Sextus Pempey's most vnworthy son Who afterwards a banisht man vpon Sicilian seas turn'd Pirate and there stain'd The fam'd sea-triumphs his great father gain'd He brooking no delay but weake to beare A doubtfull state endeauoures vrg'd by feare To find fates future course Nor does he craue From Delphian Phoebus from the Pyâ—hian caue Or that fam'd Oake fruitfull in akehornes where Ioues mouth giues answere this event to heare Nor seekes advice from them to whom are knowne Birds flights beasts entrailes lightnings motion Nor the Chaldaean skill'd Astrologer Nor any secret wayes that lawfull were But magicke damn'd by all the gods aboue And her detested secrets seekes to prooue Aide from the ghosts and feinds below to craue Thinking ah wretch the gods small knowledge haue The place it selfe this vaine dire madnesse helpt Nere to the campe th' Aemonian witches dwelt Whom no invented monâ—â—ers can excell Their art 's what ere 's incredible to tell Besides Thessaliaes fields and rockes doe beare Strange killing hearbes and plants and stones that heare The charming Witches murmurs there arise Plants that haue power to force the deityes Medea there a stranger in those fields Gather'd worse herbes then any Colchos yeilds Those wretches impious charmes turne the gods cares Though deafe to many nations zealous prayers Their voice alone beares through the inmost skyes Commands to the vnwilling deityes Which not their care of heavens high motions Can turne away when those dire murmurs once Enter the sky though the Aegyptians wise And Babylonians their deepe misteryes Should vtter all th'Aemonian witch still beares From all their altars the gods forced eares These witches spells loues soft desires haue sent Into the hardest hearts ' gainst fates intent Severe old men haue burn'd in impious loue VVhich tempered drinkes and philtrums could not moue Nor that to which the fole his damms loue owes The swelling flesh that on his forehead growes Mindes by no poyson hurt have perished By spells those whom no loue of marriage bed Nor tempting beautyes power could ere inflame By Magicke knot-ty'd thread together came The course of things has stay'd to keepe out day Night has stood still the sky would not obey The law of Nature the dull world at their Dire voice has beene benumn'd great Iupiter Vrging their course himselfe admir'd to see The poles not moov'd by their swift axeltree Showres they have made clouded the clearest sky And heaven has thunder'd Ioue not knowing why By the same voyce with haire loose hanging they Moist swelling clouds and stormes haue chas'd away The sea without one puffe of wind has swell'd Againe in spite of Auster has beene still'd Ships sailes haue quite against the windes been sway'd Steepe waters torrents in their fall haue stay'd And rivers haue run backe Nile not oreflowne In Summer time Maeander straight has run Arar has hasten'd Rhodanus growne slow High hills sunke downe haue aequall'd vales below Aboue his head the cloudes Olympus saw In midst of VVinter Scythian snowes did thaw VVithout the Sunne the tide-rais'd Ocean Aemonian spells beat from the shore againe The ponderous earth out of her center tost Her middle place in the worlds orbe has lost So great a weight strooke by that voyce was stirr'd And on both sides the face of heaven appear'd All deadly creatures and for mischeife borne Both feare and serue by death the witches turne The Tigers fierce and Lyons nobly bold Fawne vpon them cold snakes themselues vnfold And in the frosty fields lye all vntwin'd Dissected vipers by their power are joyn'd Their poison'd breathings poison'd serpents kill Why are the gods thus troubled to fulfill And fearefull their enchantments to contemne What bargaine has thus ty'd the gods to them Doe they obey vpon necessity Or pleasure or some vnknowne piety Deserues it or some secret threats prevaile Or haue they jurisdiction over all The gods or does one certaine deity feare Their most imperious charmes who what so ere Himselfe is forc'd too can the world compell By them the starres oft from the pole downe fell And by their voices poyson Phaebe turn'd Growne pale with darke and earthly fires has burn'd No lesse then if debarr'd her brothers shine By enterposall of the earth betweene Her Orbe and his these labours vndergone Has she deprest by incantation Vntill more nigh she foam'd her gelly on Their herbes These spells of this dire nation And damned rites dreadfull Erictho scornes As too too good and this foule art adornes With newer rites in townes her dismall head Or houses roofes is never covered Forsaken graues and tombes the ghosts expell'd She haunts by fiends in aestimation held To heare hells silent counsells and to know The Stygian cells and misteryes below Of Dis her breathing heere no hindrance was A yellow leanenesse spreads her lothed face Her dreadfull lookes knowne to no lightsome aire With heavy hell-like paâ—enesse clogged are Laden she is with long vnkemmed haires But when darke stormes or clouds obscure the starres From naked graues then forth Ericttho stalkes To catch the nights quicke sulphur as she walkes The corne burnes vp and blasts where ere she tread And by her breath cleare aires are poisoned She prayes not to the gods nor humbly cryes For helpe nor knowes she pleasing sacrifice But funerall flames to th' altars she preferres Frankincense snatch'd from burning sepulchres The gods at her first voice grant any harme She askes and dare not heare her second charme Liue soules that rule their limbs she does entombe Death though vnwilling seizes those to whom The fates owe yeeres with a crosse pompe men dead Returne from grâ—ue coarses from tombes haue fled Young mens hot ashes and burnt bones she snatches Out of the midst of funerall Piles and
men so neere their end Trembled with frantike feare if fates doe lend Presaging mindes of future ills to men Romans that sojourn'd in Armenia then And Tyrian Gades and in what coast soere Or climate they abode lamented there Blaming their causelesse griefe and did not know Their losses in Pharsalia's overthrow An Augur sitting on a th'Euganean mount If fame record a truth where springs the fount Of foggy Aponus where Timauus does First part and thence in severall channells flowes This day quoth he the action 's in the height Pompey and Caesars impious armyes fight Whether Ioues thunder and divining stroke He had observ'd or how thicke aire did choake The jarring heavens or on the poles did looke Or in the firmament had found this fight By the Sunnes palenesse and starres mournefull light But nature sure did differently display From other dayes the sad Thessalian day And if all men had skilfull Augurs bin By all the world Pharsalia had bin seene Greatest of men whose fates through the earth extend Whom all the gods haue leasure to attend These acts of yours to all posterity Whether their owne great fame shall signifie Or that these lines of mine haue profited Your mighty names these wars when they are read Shall stir th' affections of the readers minde Making his wishes and vaine feares inclin'd As to a thing to come not past and guide The hearts of all to favour Pompey's side Pompey descending downe the hill displayes His troopes reflecting rising Phoebus rayes Not rashly ore the fields in order good And marshall'd well the haplesse army stood The left wing first was Lâ—ntulus his care With the first â—egion then the best in war And fourth Thou stout Domitius lead'st the right Valiant though still vnfortunate in fight In the maine battell with his warlike bands Brought lately from Cilicia Scipio stands VVell fortify'd heere vnder a command A gâ—nerâ—ll first in Affâ—cks scorched land But all along the swift Enipeus side The loose-rain'd troopes of Ponticke horsemen ride And mountaniers of Cappadocia Vpon the dryer fields in rich array Doe the earths Monarchs Kings and Tetrarchs stand And all the states that Roman swords command Thither from Libya came Numidians Iâ—grâ—as arâ—hers Crete's Cydonians Fâ—iâ—ce Gaules there fought against their wonted foe Theâ—e warlike Spaniards their short shields did show The Conquerer of all triumphs now depriue And let no people this sad war surviue Caesar that day dislodging to provide For corne was marching out when he espy'd The foes descending downe the champâ—on field And that so often wisht-for â—ay behâ—ld That on one chance of war should set the maine Sâ—â—ke of delay and covetous of reigne In this small tract of time condemn'd had he The civill war as a slow villany But when fates falling ruine shake he saw And both their fortunes to a tryall draw His wondrous loue of sword some languishment Gan feele his minde though ever confident Of good successe now doubts from feare his owne As Pompey fortunes from presumption Did keepe his minde at last exiling feares With confidence he cheeres his souldiers Braue souldiers the worlds aw Caesars estate That lay of fight is come which we from fate So oft haue begg'd oh doe not now desire But by your valours fortunes aide acquire What Caesar is lyes in your hands alâ—ne This is the day which passing Rubicon Was pâ—omist me in hope of which we stirr'd And our forbidden triumphs haue differr'd This is the day that shall restore to you Children and wiues and shares of land bestow Free'd from wars duties this the day that tryes Wiâ—ness'd by fate whose cause the juster is This field the conquer'd side shall guilty make If you with fire and sword haue for my sake Assaulted Rome now fight like souldiers And free your swords from guilt no hand in wars Is pure in both sides iudgement nor for me Fight you alone but that your selues may be Free lords of all the world I for mine owne Content could liue in a Plebejan gowne Or be in any state so you obteine A perfect freedome by my envy reigne Nor with much blood shall all the world be bought But youths of Greece in schooles of wrestling taught Base sluggish spirits that never armes did beare And mixt Barbarian troopes are standing there That when the armies joyne will nere abide The trumpets sound nor showtes of their owne side In civill war few hands alas shall fight Most of the blowes vpon Romes foes shall light And rid the world of well-spar'd people goe Breake through those dastard nations and orethrow The world at your first onset make it knowne That all those nations which so oft were showne In Pompey's triumphs are not worthy prou'd Of one poore triumph Arâ— th' Armenians moov'd Thinke you what Generall shall Rome obtaine With least bloods losse would the Barbarians gaine A soveraignety for Pompey they abhor All Romans as their lords and hate those more Whom they haue knowne The trust of my affaires To friends whose valour through so many wars In France I haue beheld does fortune now Commit what souldiers sword doe not I know And when through th' aire a trembling pile is sent I le truely tell you from what arme it went Those signes I see that nere your Generall fail'd Feirce lookes and threatning eyes you haue prevail'd Me thinkes the rivers swell'd with blood I see And at your feete the slaughtered bodyes ly Of Kings and Senators nations to day Swim in this bloody field But I delay My fortunes in detaining from the field Your forward spirits pardon me though I yeild A while to pleasing hope I nere did see The gods so liberall and so speedily But one fields distance from our wish are we What Kings and nations are possest of now When this field 's fought is Caesars to bestow O gods what stars what influence of the sky Has given so great a power to Thessaly This day allots the punishmâ—nt or gaines Of all our wars thinke vpon Caesars chaines His wrackes and gibbets thinke you see this face These quarter'd limmes stand in the market place Remember Sylla in the field of Mars For ' gainst a Syllane Generall are our wars My care 's for you this hand shall free mine owne Who ere lookes backe before the day be won Shall see me fall on mine owne sword and dy You gods whose cares are drawne downe from the sky By Romes dissentions let him Conquerer be That to the Conquer'd meanes no cruelty And thinkes his countrymen haue not in ought Misdone because against his side they fought When Pompey in a narrow place had shut Your helpelesse valour vp how did he glut His sword with blood but this I beg of you Souldiers let no man wound a flying foe Account him still your countreyman that flyes But while they stand in fight let not your eyes Be moov'd with piety though in that place Your fathers stood but with your swords deface Their reverend lookes Who ere has
sheath'd his blade In kinsman's breast or by the wound he made Has done no wrong to kindred all as one Shall I esteeme kinseman and foe vnknowne Fill vp the trenches teare the rampiers downe That in full maniples we may come on Spare not your campe that campe shall be your owne From which you dying army is come downe Scarse thus had Caesar spoke when every one Fell to their charge and straight their armour don A quicke presage of happy war they take Of their neglected campe â—avocke they make Not rank'd nor marshall'd by the generall Confus'd they stand leaving to fortune all Had all beene Caesars had each souldier fought For monarchy and Romes sole Empire sought They could not all with more desire come on When Pompey saw them march directly downe That now the war admitted no delay But this by heavens appointment was the day He stands amaz'd and cold the war to feare T was fatall in so great a souldier But cheering vp his men his owne feares hiding On a proud steed through every quarter riding The time your valours wisht for souldiers Is come quâ—th he the end of civill wars This is the sword's last worke the judging hower Of nations fates now shew your â—tmost power He that would see his houshold gods againe His countrey wife and children must obtaine All by the sword the gods haue in this fight Dispos'd them all our just cause does invite To hope our swords the gods themselues shall guide Through Caesars breast and in his blood provide Th' establishment of Roman liberty Had they to him decreed a Monarchy To my old age death might long since haue come It was no signe the gods were wroth with Rome Preserving Pompey for her leader now And all helpes else that conquest can bestow Illustâ—ious men such as old times did show Doe willingly these dangers vndergoe Should the Camilli th' ancient Curii Reviue or the devoted Decii Heere they would stand Forces we haue from th' East Numberlesse â—ityes aides war never prest So many hands we vse all nations Of the whole world people of all the zones Of all mankinde twixt North and South that dwell Are heere we may enclose that army well With our wide stretch'd-out wings the victory Askt not all hands some neede but shout and cry Caesars small strength cannot employ vs all Thinke that your mothers from the city wall Tearing their haire entreat your valour now Thinke that the old vnarmed Senate bow Their honour'd hoary heads before your feete And Rome her selfe for freedome doth entreate Thinke that this age and our posterity Doe both entreat one would in freedome dy The other be freeborne And if there be After these pledges a roome left for me I with my wife and sonnes before your feete If th' honour of a generall would permit Would fall vnlesse you conquer heere your shame And â—aesars mocke is banisht Pompey's name I craue in freedome my â—ast age to spend And not â—e taught to serue so neere my end This sad speech fiâ—'d the Roman spirits anew They wish to dy should what they feare be true With aequall furâ— then both armyes meete One for ambition th' other freedome fight These hands shall act what no succeeding yeare Nor all mankind for ever can repaire Thouâ—h free from wars this fight kills men to come And the next age before they enter wombe All Latian names thence fabulous shall be And men in ruin'd dust shall scarsely see The Gabii Veii Cora nor the roome Where Alba stood nor faire Laurentium A countrey desolate which none espyes But the forc'd Consuls in night sacrifice Blaming old Numa's institution These monuments times ruining hand alone Has not defac'd wars ciuill crimes we see In that so many cities empty'd be To that small number is mankind reduc'd We all whom the whole earth has since produc'd Are not enough the townes and fields to fill One towne vs receiues vs all and bondmen till Th'Italian lands old houses stand alone Rotten and want a man to fall vpon And wanting her old Citizens there slaine Rome with the dreggs of men is fill'd againe This slaughter makes that Rome hereafter free From civill war for many yeeres shall be Pharsalia is the cause of all these ills Let Canna yeild that our blacke annalls fills And Allia damn'd in Roman Calenders Rome has remembred these as her small scarres But would forget this day oh fatall time Those liues that fortune had from every clime Brought heere to perish might all losse repaire Mankind susteines by pestilentiall ayre Sickenesse towne-swallowing earth quakes or fires rage Heere fortune showes the gifts of many an age People and Captaines robbing vs of all In one sad field to shew when Rome did fall How great she fell the more thou did'st possesse Of earth the shorter was thy happinesse All wars before did land on thee bestow To both the poles Sol saw thy conquests goe But that a little of the East remain'd Thou all the sky-encompass'd globe had'st gain'd Thine had beene night and day the stars could shine And planets wander ore no land but thine But this one day thy fate as far backe beares As 't was advaunc'd in all those former yeres This bloody day is cause that India The Roman Fasces cannot keepe in aw That Consuls doe not with their plowes designe Sarmatian walls nor in their bounds confine The Scythian Daa that still Parthians owe For the blood lost in Crassus overthrow That liberty nere to returne againe And flying civill war her flight has tane Ore Tigris and the Rhene and can be brought No more though with our bloods so often sought Would we had nere that happinesse possest Which Scythia and Germany has blest Would Rome had ever serv'd since that first light VVhen by the augury of Vulâ—urs flight Romulus fill'd with theeues his walls begun Even till Pharsalia's wofull field was won Brutus we taxe fortune why did we frame Our freedomes lawes or yeareâ— by Consuls name Happy Arabians Medes and Easterne lands That still haue liv'd vnder their Kings commands VVe last of all though now asham'd to bow A Monarch's yoke are forc'd to vndergoe No gods at all haue we when all things mooue By chance we falsely thinke there is a Ioue Can he downe from the starry sky behold Thessalia's slaughter and his thunder held Can he with thunder cleaue a sencelesse tree Pholoe Oete harmelesse Rhodope Must Cassius hand rather this tyrant slay He at Thyestes feast could shut vp day Involving Argos in a suddaine night And can he lend Thessalia his light Where brothers fight and sonnes ' gainst fathers are For mortall men no god at all takes care But for this woe revenge we doe obtaine As much as fiâ—ts that earth ' gainst heaven should gaine This war our Emperours does aequalize To gods aboue and their soules deifyes Adornes their heads with thunder rayes and stars Rome by mens soules in her gods temples sweares When both
noblebody lyes Fire brought not vnderbuilt great Pompey takes Then sitting by the fire thus Codrus speakes Romes greatest Lord the only majesty Of Italy if worse this buriall be Then none at all then floating on the sea Avert thy Manes and great ghost from me T is fortunes injury that makes this right Lest fish or foule or beast or Caesars spight Might wrong thy coarse accept this little brand Of fire since kindled by a Roman hand If fortune grant recourse to Italy Not here shall these so sacred ashes ly But from my hand Cornelia shall take And vrne thy reliques vntill then wee 'll make Thy burialls marke vpon the shore that who So ere would pacify thy ghost and doe Full rightâ— of funerall may finde out so The bodyes ashes and the sands may know Whither to bring thy head Thus having spoke He does with fuell the weake flame provoke Pompey dissolv'd his fat distilling fed The little fire and now day promised By bright Aurora dimm'd the stars weake lights Codrus abruptly leaues the funerall rites And runs himselfe about the shore to hide What mischeife fear'st thou foole for such a deede Which long tongu'd fame for ever shall renowne Caesar himselfe shall praise what thou hast done To Pompey's body Goe then voide of dread Confesse the funerall and require his head An end of dutious workes piety makes The bones halfe-burnt and yet dissolv'd he takes Still full of nerves and vnconsumed marrow Quenching them in sea-water in a narrow Peice of the earth together layes them downe Then lest the ashes should abroad be blowne By the windes force he layes a stone aboue And lest some sailer should that stone remooue To tye his cable with a cole-burnt staffe Vpon the top he writes this Epitaph Heere Pompey lyes fortune this stone we call His tombe in which rather then none at all Caesar would haue him ly Why in a roome So small rash hand includ'st thou Pompey's tombe And shutt'st vp his great ghost as far he lyes As the earths farthest shore extended is Romes mighty name and Empires vtmost bound Is Pompey's tombe this marke for shame confound The shame of heaven if Alcides ly Over all Oete and all Nysa be Great Bacchus monument why should one stone In Aegypt stand for Pompey's tombe alone Did no one peice of earth thy name expresse All Aegypts land Pompey thou mightst possesse Let vs be still deceiv'd and still for feare Of thee to tread on Aegypts land forbeare But if that sacred name must grace a stone Write his each deed and glorious action The Alpine war of rebell Lepidus The conquest of revolt Serâ—ortus The Consull being call'd home those triumphs note Which he but gentleman of Rome had got Cilician Pirates tam'd traffique made free Barbarian kingdomes conquer'd all that ly Vnder the East and North with this make knowne How still from war he tooke a peacefull gowne Contented with three triumphs he to Rome His other conquests did forgiue what tombe Can hold all this his ashes in this graue No titles nor triumphant storyes haue That name that temples lofty roofes and high Triumphall arches deckt with victory VVere wont to beate now neere the lowest sand A small graue shewes which strangers cannot stand Vpright to reade which if it be not showne The Roman travellers passe by vnknowne Aegypt whom civill fate has guilty made 'T was not in vaine the Sibylls verse forbad A Roman Niles Pelusian mouth to touch Or once his summer-swelled banks approach How shall I curse thee for this impious deed May Nile run backe and stay at his first head May thy vnfruitfull fields want winter raine And all like Aethiops barren sands remaine We let thy Isis in Romes temples dwell Thy deify'd dogs and sorrow causing bell Osiris whom thou shewest while thou weep'st A man our god in dust thou Aegypt keep'st And thou that gau'st the tirant temples Rome Has not yet fetch'd thy Pompey's ashes home His ghost lyâ—s yet exil'd If Caesars frownes That first age fear'd yet now thy Pompey's bones Bring home ô Rome if yet on that curs'd land Not turn'd by the waues the marks doe stand VVhoo'll feare that graue whoo'll feare to take from thence Ashes deserving temples that offence Eniâ—ine me Rome to doe my bosome vse Oh too too happy I if Rome would chuse My hand to open that base sepulcher And his deare ashes hither to transferre Perchance when Rome from oracles would craue An end of dearth or pestilence to haue Of too much fire or earthquakes thou to Rome Shalt by the gods exprest appointment come Thy ashes borne by the high Priest For who To sâ—orch'd Siene in lunes heat can goe In view of Nile or Pharian â—hebes descry Vnder the showry Plejades still dry VVhat Fasterne Merchant traffiquing resorts To the red sea or rich Arabian ports But at thy graues ever adored stone And ashes though perchance scatter'd vpon The sands will stay thy ghost to pacificy Before the Casian loue preferring thee This little graue can nothing hurt thy name Thy ghost would be of a faire cheaper fame Shrowded in gold and temples fortune now Beares more divinity entomb'd so low The sea-beat stone is more maiesticke farre Then the proud altars of the Conquerer Some worship gods dwelling in dusky clay That to Tarpejan Ioue refuse to pray T will vantage thee hereafter in thy graue No polisht marbles lasting workes to haue This little dust will quickly scatter'd ly The tombe will fall proofes of thy death will dy And then a happyer age will come when none Shall credit giue to those that shew the stone As false shall Aegypt seeme in times to come As Crete of Ioues to boast of Pompey's tombe FINIS Libri Octavs Annotations on the eight Booke a Pompey in his flight from Larissa came all along the Tempe to the shore and lodged that night in the small cottage of a fisherman about morning he went to sea in a little boate and sailing along by the shore met with a ship of greater burden of which one Peticius a Roman was captâ—iâ—e who knowing Pompey received him and transported him to Lesbos where Cornelia lay Plutarch Apâ—ian b When their boate drew neere to Pompey Septimus arose who had once served as a Tribune vnder Pompey and in the Roman language saluted his generall and welcommed him in the Kings name Achillas complemented with him in the Greeke tongue and desireth him to enter into his boate by reason that the shelues and sands would not afford a passage to his ship c Those that attended Pompey seeing his entertainement not Royall noâ— Magnificent but that a few only in a small boate were sent to meete him began to suspect the treason and counselled Pompey to out to sea and forsake that shâ—re whilest yet he was free from danger d Pompey disdaining to appeare fearefull although he were full of ill presages came into Achillas his boate as how is invited and taking his leaue of his
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
his sonne can stay No weeping wife her Husband can perswade No nor their houshold gods till they haue made Vowes for their safety none an eye dares cast Back on lou'd Rome although perhaps his last Irrevocably doe the people flye You gods that easily giue prosperity But not maintaine it that great city fill'd VVith natiue soules and conquer'd that would yeeld Mankinde a dwelling is abandon'd now An easie prey to Caesar when a foe Begirts our Souldiers in a forreine Land One little trench nights danger can withstand A soddaine worke rais'd out of earth endures The foes assault th' encamped's sleepe secures Thou Rome a war but noysd art left by all Not one nights safety trusted to thy wall But pardon their amaze when Pompey flyes 'T is time to feare then lest their hearts should rise With hope of future good sad augury bodes A worse ensuing fate the threatning gods Fill heaven and earth and sea with prodigies Vnheard-of Starres by night adorne the skies Heaven seemes to flame and through the Welkin fire Obliquely flyes state-changing comets dire Display to vs their bloud portending haire Deceitfull lightnings flash in clearest ayre Strange formed Meteors the thicke ayre had bred Like Iavelins long like lampes more broadly spread Lightning without one cracke of thunder brings From the cold North his winged fires and flings Them ' gainst our Capitoll small starres that vse Onely by night their lustre to diffuse Now shine in midst of day Cynthia bright In her full orbe like Phoeâ—us at the sight Of earths blacke shades eclipses Titan hidâ—s When mounâ—ed in the midd'st of heaven he rides In cloudes his burning Chariot to enfold The world in darknesse quite day to behâ—ld No Nation hopes as once backe to the East He fled at sight of sad Thyestes feast Fierce Vulcan opts Sicilian Aetna's throate But to the sky her flames she belches noâ— But on th' Italian shore obliquely flings Bloud from her bottome blacke Charibdis brings Sadlyer barke Scyllaes doggs then they were wont The Vestall fire goes out on th'Alban mount Ioues sacrificing fire it selfe divides Into two parts and rises on two sides Like the two Theban Princes funerall fires Earth opes her threatning jawes th' Alpes nodding spires Shake off their snow Thetis does higheâ— now Twixt Libyan Atlas and Spaines Calpe flow The natiue gods did weepe Romes certaine thrall The Lares sweating shew'd the offrings fall Downe in the Temples and as we haue heard Nights fatall Birds in midst of day appear'd VVilde Beasts at midnight from the deserts come And take bold lodging in the streets of Rome Beasts make with mens articulate voice their monâ— Births monstrous both in limmes proportion And number mothers their owne infants fear'd Sibilla's fatall lines were sung and heard Among the people and with bloody armes Cybel's head-shaking Priests pronounc'd their charmes I th' peoples eares howling a balefull mone And Ghosts from out their quiet vrnes did grone Clâ—shing of armour and loude showtes they heare In desert groues and threatnings Ghosts appeare The dwellers neere without the City wall Fled fierce Erynnis had encompast all The towne her snaky haires and burning brand Shaking as when she rul'd Agauâ—'s hand Or the selfe maim'd Lycurgus such was she VVho once when sent by Inno's cruelty Great Hercules new come from Hell did fright Shrill trumpets sounded dismall ayres of night That horrid noise that meeting armies yeild Did then present in midst of Mars his field Rose Sylla's ghost and woes ensuing told Plowmen neere Aniens streames Marius behold Rise from his sepulchre and flye appall'd For these things were the Tuscan Prophets call'd As custome was the sagest of them all Dwelt in Etrurian Luna's desert wall Aruns that lightnings motion vnderstands Birds flight and entrailes op'te he first commands Those monstrous birthes that from no seede did come But horrid issues of a barren wombe To be consum'd in fire then all the towne To be encompast in procession Th' high Priests whose charge it is he next doth vrge The City walles with hallowed rites to purge Through their whole circuit following after these Th' inferiour Priests attir'd Gabinian wise The Vestall Maides with their vail'd Sister come That only may see Troy's Palladium Then those that Sibyll's secret verses keepe And Cybell yearely in still Almon steepe Septemuirâ— that governe sacred Feasts The learned Augurs and Apolloes Priests The noble Flameâ— Salius that beares On his glad neck the target of great Mars VVhilst they the towne compasse in winding tracts Aruns the Lightnings dispers'd fire collects And into th' eaâ—tn with a sad murmure flings Then names the places and to th' altar brings A chosen Bull then wine betwixt his hornes He â—owres and sprinkles ore with Salt and Corne His knife the Bull impatient long denyes Himselfe to so abhor'd a Sacrifice But by the guirded Sacrificers strength Hanging vpon his hornes ore come at length Bending his knees holds forth his conquer'd necke Nor did pure blood come out but poyson black Instead of blood from the wound open'd flyes Aruns grew pale at this sad Sacrifice And the gods wrath he in the Entrailes seekes VVhose colour scar'd him pale they were with streakes Of blacke th' infected blood congealed showes Sprinkled with different palenesse various The liver putrifi'de on th'hostile side VVere threatning veines the lungs their fillets hide A narrow line divides the vitall parts The heart lyes still and corrupt matter starts Through gaping clefts no part oth'cause is hid And that which never wâ—thout danger did Appeare on th' entrailes was a double head One head was sicke feeble and languished The other quicke his pulses nimbly beates By this when he perceâ—u'de what woe the Fates Prepar'de he cri'de aloud all that you doe O gods I must not to the People show Nor with this haplesse sacrifice can I Great Iupiter thy anger pacifie The blacke infernall deities appeare In th' entrailes woes vnspeakable we feare But greater will ensue you gods lend aydâ— And let no credit to our Art be had But counted Tages fiction thus with long Ambages darkly the old Tuscan sung But Figulâ—â— whose care it was aright To know the gods and heavens to whom for sight Of planets and the motion of each starre Not great Aegyptian Memphis might compare Either no lawes direct the world quoth he And all the starres doe moue vncertainely Or if Fates rule a swift destruction Threatens mankinde and th' earth shall Cities downe By earthquakes swallow'de be intemperately Shall ayre grow hot false earth her seedes deny Or shall the waters poyson'de be what kinde Of ruine is it gods what mischiefes finde Your cruelties many dire aspects meete If Saturne cold in midst of heaven should siâ— Aquarius would Deucatious flood haue bred And all the earth with waters overspred If Sol should mount the Nemean Lions backe In flames would all the worlds whole fabrick cracke And all the sky with Sol's burnt chariot blaze These aspects ceâ—se but thou that
burn'st the clawes And fir'st the tayle of threatning Scorpion VVhat great thing breedst thou Mars milde Ioue goes downe Oppressed in his fall and in the skyes The wholesome starre of Venus dulled is Mercury looses his swift motion And fiery Mars rules in the sky alone VVhy doe the starres their course forsaking glide Obscurely through the ayre why does the side Of sword-bearing Orion shine too bright VVarres rage is threatned the sword's power all right Confounds by force impiety shall beare The name â—f Vertue and for many a yeare This fury lasts it bootes vs not to craue A peace with peace a master we shall haue Draw out the series of thy misery O Rome to longer yeares now onely free From civill warre These prodigies did scarre The multitude enough but greater farre Ensue as on the top of Pindus mount The Thracian women full of Bacchus wont To raue so now a matron ran possest By Phoebus vrging her inspired brest VVhere am I carried now where leau'st thou me Paean already rapt aboue the Sky Pangaea's snowy top Phâ—lippi plaines I see speake Phoebus what this fury meanes VVhat swords what hands shal in Romes battels meet VVhat warres without a foe oh whither yet Am I distracted to that Easterne land VVhere Nile discolours the blew Ocean There there alas I know what man it is That on Nile's banke a trunke deformed lyes Ore Syrtes sands ore scorched Libya VVhether the reliques of Pharsalia Erinnis carry'd ore th' Alpes cloudy hill And high Pyrene am I câ—rried still Then backe againe to Rome where impious And fatall warre defiles the Senate house The Factions rise againe againe I goe Ore all the world shew me new Kingdomes now New Seas Philippi I haue seene this spoke The furious fit her wearied breast forsooke FINIS Libri primi Annotations on the first Booke a Romane Darts or Iavelins which their footmen vsed about fiue foot long If any man quarrell at the word Pile as thinking it scarse English I desire them to giue a better word For Dart or Iavelin is a wood too generall and cannot intimate a civill warre for darts had fought against darts though a Roman Army had fought against barbarous and forreigne Nations But Pilum was a peculiar name to the Roman darts and so meant by Lucan which if any deny let him read these Verses in the seventh booke of our Author sceleris sed â—râ—mine nullo Externam maculant Chalybem stetit omne coactum Circa pila nefas b Marcus Crassus a great and rich Roman ruling the Province of Syria went with a Consular Army to the Parthian warre and was there defeated and slaine together with his Sonne and his whole Army by Surena the Kings Generall c Nere Munda a City in Spaine the two Sonnes of Pompey were overcome by Iulius Caesar Câ—eius was slaine and Sextus fledde thirty thousand Pompeians were there slaine insomuch that Caesar to besiedge the conquered made a countermure of dead carkasses d Antonâ—us besiedged D. Brutus in Mutina a city of Gallia Cisalpâ—na in raising which siedge both the Consuls Hircius and Pansa were slaine but Augustus afterward raised it e Perusia a city in Thuscia whither Lucias Antonius had fledd was by Augustus forced to yeed through Famine f Where Augustus in a Sea-fight vanquished Antonius and Cleopatra g A fight on the Sicilian Sea where Sextus Pompeius had armed Slaues and bondmen against Augustus by whom he was there defeated h These three were Crassus Caesar and Pompey who all excelling in wealth dignity fame and ambition reconciled to each other and linked together in affinity entred into such a league that nothing should be done in the Common wealth that displeased themselues dividing among themselues Provinces and Armies Pompey by his Lieutenants governed Spaine and Affrica Caesar had his government over all Gallia prorogued for another fiue yeares Crassus governed all Syria i Iulia a vertuous Roman Lady daughter to Caesar and wife to Pompey the great who dyed vntimely for the Common-wealth since her life might haue preserved peace betweene her husband and her father k Beside Rubicon was a pillar raised vp and vpon it a decree of the Senate engraven that it should not bee lawfull for any to come armed homeward beyond that place l Quintus Cassius and Marcus Antonius Tribunes of the people for speaking boldly in the behalfe of Caesar were commaunded out of the Court by the two Consulls Marcellus and Lentulus who vpbraided them with the sedition of the Gracchi and threatned the same ende to them vnlesse they departed the Tribunes escaping out of the Citty by night in poore and base attire fled to Caesar and with them Curio m This Curio had lately beene Tribune of the people and a great enemy to Caesar he was beloved by the vulgar and an excellent speaker but being much in debt Caesar relieved him and made him of his Faction n The lawfull age to triumphin was thirty yeares-old but Pompey the great had triumphed over Hiarbas King of Numidia when hee was but foure and twenty yeares old o The Praetorship Pompey without voyces tooke to himselfe being twenty three yeares olde he was Consull alone and had held other Honours contrary to custome p Pompey the great that hee might beech â—sen at Rome overseer for Corne tooke a course that none should bee brought in from other parts insomuch as that the City endured famiâ—e vpon which Clodius could say The law was not made for the Famine but a Famine was brought in of purpose that such a Law might bee made q When Milo was arraigned for Clodius death Pompey to suppresse the tumult of the people environed the iudgement place with armed men a thing vnlawfull to doe r Sylla 60. yeares old gaue over his Dictatorshippe and lived privatly at Putcoli s Mithridates King of Pontus warred with the Romans forty yeares he was weakened and received overthrowes from Sylla and Lucullus and conquered by Pompey being besiedged in a towne by his sonne Pharnaces he could not poyson himselfe having much vsed Antidotes but fell vpon his sword and dyed t Pompey the great had made a Colony of Cicilian pirats whom he had vanquished v Lac de Lorange those severall townes and Countries of France where Caesars Army lay in Garrison and from whence they were now drawne are heere set downe by their old â—amos and this little volume will not afford roome so far to enlarge my Annotations as to set down the names as they are now called being all changed x The most fierce people of the Belgians where Tâ—turius Sabinus and Arunculus Cotta two of Caesars Lieutenants with fiue Cohorts were entrapped and slaine by fraude of Ambiotix LVCANS Pharsalia The Second Booke The Argument of the second Booke Th' author complaines that future fates are known The sorrow of affrighted Rome is showne An old man calls to minde the civill crimes Of Marius and Syla's bloudy times Brutuâ— with Cato does conferre to whom Chast Martia come from