Such Brothers future Times shall wish to see And your last valiant Acts your Memory Shall crown with Honour if our Verses live Or miserable Nephews that survive Shall read these Monuments your Virtues claim And great Apollo envy not Our Fame But now his Troops dispers'd through all the Plains The Consul with his Voice from Flight restrains While He could use His Voice Whither d' ye bear Those Ensigns How are you destroy'd by Fear If the first Place of Battel you affright Or you want Courage in the Front to fight Behinde Me stand but lay aside your Fear And see Me fight Their Fathers Captives were From whom you fly What Hopes can we pretend If once subdu'd Shall we the Alps ascend Oh! think you see Tower-bearing Rome whose Head Her Walls do crown submissively now spread Her Hands while her proud Foes her Sons enchain Daughters are ravish'd and their Parents slain And in their Blood me thinks I see the Fire Of holy Vesta now alass expire Oh! then prevent this Sin Thus having said His Jaws with Dust and Clamour weary made His Left Hand snatching up the Reins the Right His Sword his Breast to those that fled the Fight He doth oppose now threatens Them and then Himself to Kill unless they turn agen These Armies when from high Olympus Iove Beheld the noble Consul's Dangers move His Mind to Pitty Then he calls his Son The God of War and to Him thus begun My Son I fear that gallant Man 's not far From Ruin if thou tak'st not up the War Withdraw him full of Fury from the Fight Forgetfull of Himself through the Delight Of Slaughter Stop the Libyan General Who will more glory in the Consul's Fall Then all those Numbers that He doth destroy Thou seest besides how soon that (h) Young Scipâ—o Warlike Boy His tender Hands in Battel doth engage And strives by Action to transcend his Age Thinking it tedious to be young in War Thou guiding (i) Scipio Africanus who but fourteen years old in this Fight rescued his Father and at twenty five years undertook the War of Spain and never relinquished it till he had subdued Hannibal Him he shall hereafter dare T' attempt Great things and his first Trophie shall Be to prevent his Noble Father's Fall Thus Iove strait Mars from the Odrysian Field His Chariot summons and assumes his Shield Which like a gloomy Thunder-bolt its Beams Scatters abroad his Helmet too that seems To other Deities a Weight too great And 's Breast-Plate that with so much Toil and Sweat The lab'ring Cyclops form'd then shakes his Spear Stain'd with the Blood of Titans through the Air And with his Chariot fills the dusty Plain The dire Eumenides and dreadfull Train Of Furies him attend and ev'ry where Innumerable Forms of Death appear While fierce Bellona who doth guid the Reins Whips on his Steeds and all Delay disdains Then from the troubled Heav'n a Tempest forth Doth break and in dark Clouds involves the Earth His Entrance ev'n the Court of Iove doth shake And Rivers by his Chariots Noise forsake Their Banks and struck with Horrour backward fly To their first Springs and leave their Chanels dry The Garamantian Bands now ev'ry where Invest with Dars the Consul and prepare New Presents for the Tyrian Prince the Spoils Of his rich Arms his Head through many Toils Of that sad Day bedew'd with Sweat and Blood While He not to give way to Fortune stood Resolv'd and then more fierce with Slaughter grown Returns the num'rous Darts against him thrown Till over all his Limbs the Blood of Foes Mix'd with his own in Streams diffused flows And then his Crest declining in a Ring More closely girt the Garamantians fling Their steeled Shafts with nearer Aim and all Like Storms of Hail at once about him fall But when his Son perceiv'd a Dart to be Fix'd in his Father's Body as if He Had felt the deadly Wound his pious Tears Bedews his Cheeks and Paleness strait appears To run o're all his Body and with Groans That pierce the Skies his Danger he Bemoans Twice he Attempted to anticipate By piercing his own Breast his Father's Fate As oft the God of War converts his Rage Against the Fo with whom he doth engage And Fearless through the armed Squadrons flies And in his furious Speed doth equalize The Deity his Guid. The Troops that round His Father fight give Way and on the Ground A Tract of Blood appears Where er'e he goes Protected by the Heavenly Shield he mows Whole Squadrons down On heaps of Arms he Slew Such as oppos'd his Rage with him that Threw The Dart who dy'd before his Father's Eys With many more as pleasing Sacrifice Then snatching from the Bones the fixed Spear Upon his Neck from Danger he doth bear His fainting Sire The Troops at such a Sight Amazed stand the Libyans cease to fight Th Iberians all give way A Piety So great in tender Years turns ev'ry Eye Upon him to Admire what they beheld And strikes deep Silence through the dusty Field Then said the God of War Thou Dido's Towers Hereafter shalt destroy and Tyrian Powers Compell'd by Thee a League shall entertain Yet never shalt thou greater Honour gain Then this Go on brave Youth go on and prove Thy self to be indeed the Son of Iove Go on for greater Things reserved be Though better never can be giv'n to Thee This said the Sun now stooping to the Main The Deity returns to Heav'n again Involv'd in Clouds Darkness the Fight decides And in their Camps the weary Armies hides But when in her declining Wain the Night Phoebe withdrew and by her Brother's Light The rosie Flames from the Eöan Main Gilded the Margent of the Skies again The Consul fearing that the Plain might be A great Advantage to the Enemy To Trebia and the Mountains takes his Way And now the winged Hours advanc'd the Day When with much Toil the Bridg was broken down O're which the Romane Army pass'd and thrown Into the Flood when to the Rapid Stream Of swift Eridanus the Libyan came Seeking by marching round through various Waies The Fords and where its Course the River staies Trees from the Neighb'ring Groves at length he takes And to transport his Troops a Navy makes The valiant Consul from the antient Line (k) Sempronius Gracchus had then the Command of the Romane Navy to guard Sicily and the Coast of Italy from the Carthaginians whose Fleet he had dispersed and leaving Sicily under the Care of King Hiero on the Fame of Hannibal's entring Italy came with his Forces to Trebïa and joyned with Cornelius Scipio Of his Death see Book 12. O' th' Gracchi sprang whose Ancestours did shine In Monuments with noble Titles crown'd For Valour both in Peace and War Renown'd Thither from high Pelorus came by Sea Incamping near the Banks of Trebia The Carthaginians likewise in the Plain The River over-pass'd encamp'd remain Encourag'd by Success of their Affairs
from the upper Earth so far Erected through the Air the Mountains rise And with their Shadow intercept the Skies No Springs no Summer's Glories do appear But deform'd Winter still inhabits there And on the Cliffs perpetually defends Her Seat and thither from all Quarters sends The swelling Clouds and Hail-commixed Showres Here all the Storms and Winds their furious Powers Dispose Beyond the Rocks no Eyes extend Their Sight the Hills above the Clouds ascend Though Athos lay on Taurus Rhodope On Mimas or though snowy Pelion be On Ossa Heap'd or Othrys were beheld On Haemus lai'd to these they all must yield Alcides first to these unknown Abodes Aspir'd to go whom cutting Clouds the Gods Beheld and cleaving highest Hills to clime Those Rocks untrod-on since the Birth of Time But now the Souldiers their March retard As if those sacred Bounds which Nature barr'd Bearing those Impious Arms they had transgrest And going forward should the Gods resist 'Gainst which the General whom nor the Height O' th' Alps nor Terrours of the Place affright To cure their Minds with Monsters terrifi'd And to recall their Courage thus reply'd Is' t not a Shame that through Obsequious Fear Of Gods You that so many Trophies wear Of War now weary of Success should yield Your Backs to Snowy Hills and be repell'd With idle Terrours while no Courage warms Your Hearts and You to Rocks submit your Arms. Oh! My Companions think You now assail The Walls of Rome or Iove's high Temple scale This Labour will give up into Your Hands Ausonia and bring Tyber into Bands This said the Army mov'd by promis'd Spoils In haste the Mountain climb nor think what Toils Ensue while He commands them to forsake Alcides Foot-steps and new waies to take To tread in Paths that might be call'd Their own And by Their Names in future Times be known Then through untroden Places first of all He breaks and from the Top of Rocks doth call His Troops and where in hard congealed Frost In the white Cliffs the slipp'ry Path was lost His Sword th' obdurate Ice divides and now Into deep gaping Pits of yielding Snow Whole Squadrons sink and from the hollow Top To Bury them alive fresh Ruins drop Sometimes fierce Corus on his gloomy Wings Collecting Snow against their Faces flings Sometimes uniting all his Rage in Storms From the Advent'rous Souldier takes his Arms Which with the whirling Blasts unto the Skies In Circles that delude the Sight arise The higher they Ascend and seek to Ease Their Steps the more their Labours still encrease To one great Height a greater doth succeed And ev'ry Hill another seems to breed Hence all their Sweats and Labours which before They had O'recome they durst not now Explore Such Fears repeated Objects do present And wheresoe're their trembling Eies were bent The horrid Face of Winter ever White Appearing gives sad Limits to their Sight So Mariners that late forsook the Land And now amid'st the calmed Ocean stand While no propitious Wind or gentle Blast Fills the loose Sails upon the steady Mast From the smooth Sea divert their weary Eies And fix their Expectation on the Skies Above these Miseries and sad Distress The Places gave in a most sordid Dress An Alpine Band like salvage Beasts their Locks Stiff with eternal Squallour from the Rocks And aged Mountain-Caves their Faces show And with their constant Vigour through the Snow Through Thorns and invious Paths by them alone Frequented and familiarly known By various Incursions on Them prest And their enclosed Enemy infest All Places now assume another Form The Snow's made red with Blood there Ice grew warm With purple Streams and that which ne're before Could be o'recome resolvs by reeking Gore And as with Iron Feet the Horse divide The yielding Frost their Hoofs there fix'd abide Within the closing Ice Nor was their Fall The onely Mischief but they leave withall Their Limbs behind which by the piercing Frost Fall as cut off and there are sadly lost (x) In this Passage over the Alps other Authours affirm he spent fifteen days and broke his Forces more then if he had fought his way through Armies of his Enemies losing in his March from Rhodanus before he arrived in the Taurine Plains above six and thirty thousand Men and a vast Number of Horses Through all these Miseries when they had past Twelve daies as many tedious Nights at last To the desired Top they come and there Hanging on broken Cliffs their Tents they rear But Cytherea who through Fear grew Faint Goes to her Father with this sad Complaint What stint of Punishment I pray what end Of Plagues shall the Aeneades attend When shall they after Toils by Sea and Land Repose Why now doth Carthage take in hand And labour thus to drive my Progeny From that Renowned City giv'n by Thee See! on the Alps they Libya impose Threatning our Empire 's Ruin and the Woes Of lost Sagunthus Rome may justly fear Oh! whither shall we Troy's last Ashes bear Those sacred Ruins and th' Assarick Race With Vesta's Secrets Give us Iove a Place Where we may Safely dwell Is it so small A thing that they have Wandring sought through all The World their Exile Or shall Troy become Again a Prey in captivated Rome Thus Cytherea whom the Thunderer Thus answers Erycina cease to fear Nor let these high Attempts or what 's design'd By envious Libya perplex thy Mind Thy Blood possesseth and shall Long possess The high Tarpeian Towr's the Fates no less Permit By this great weight of War will I Perpend their Virtue and their Valour Try Shall that brave Nation that so long hath been Inur'd to War that hath with Triumph seen So many their great Labours overpast The Honour of their Ancestours at last Decline Or shall they whom our Seed did raise Who never spar'd their Blood in seeking Praise Still thirsting after Fame obscurely spend Their Time or with Inglorious Silence end Their Daies as poison'd with the Love of Ease Valour suppress'd doth perish by Degrees It is a mighty Work not to be done Without much Toil and Labour that alone Among so many valiant Nations Rome Should to her self the Reins of Rule assume Yet shall the Time arrive when She shall be (y) After the Battel of Cannae Rome was reduced to such Distress that some consulted to quit their Countrey but by the Virtue of Fabius Scipio and others she recovered to that Height of Glory that afterward made her Mistress of the World The Chief Ennobled by Calamity Hence their great Acts shall add unto the Skies New Stars and Names hence Paulus shall arise Hence Fabius and Marcellus who shall be Pleasing for his Opimous Spoils to Me. These by their Wounds shall raise in Italy An Empire that not all the Luxury Of their degen'rate Issuecan destroy And there 's already born a Warlike (z) Scipio Africanus who invading Libya forced Hannibal to quit Italy to â—elieve His own Countrey
behold Of a choice Ram the Leader of the rest O' th Wealthy Flock from its inspired Breast Answers to the Marmarick People sung Then out of Earth this Wood thus Shady sprung And Groves of aged Oaks that now the Skies Do seem to touch and such at first did rise By antient Favour keeping as before Their Po'wr and we with Altars warm adore While I these things with Admiration view Struck with a Noise of Terrour open flew The Temple-Doors and strait a greater Light Our Eyes beheld The Priest array'd in White Before the Holy Altars did appear The People all contending to go near Then I as I was order'd having pray'd Behold the God doth suddenly invade The Prophet and through all the Ecchoing Grove Grave Murmurs from the trembling Beams do move And now a Voice more loud then usual through The yielding Air doth break For Latium you Intend said he and to infest with War The Issue of Assaricus prepare I see what warlike Libya intends And now the cruel God of War ascends His Chariot and his furious Steeds expire Towards th' Hesperian Coast a gloomy Fire While Blood upon their Reins doth largely flow But thou who dost desire Events to know Of Battels and th'Extremities of Fate Couragiously attempting Toyls so Great (h) The Plains in Apulia called by the name of Diomed near Canna where Hannibal gave that Memorable Overthrow to the Romanes Th' Aetolian Captain's Iapygian Field Invade encrease of Honour thou shalt yield To thy Sidonian Fathers after Thee Into the Bowels of rich Italy No Conquerour shall further penetrate Till by thy Hand subdu'de the Dardan State Shall tremble and their Youth ne're quit their Fears While Hannibal alive on Earth appears These Oracles brought Bostar and Desires Of present Battel into all inspires The End of the Third Book Hic Puer ut patrio defixum Corporâ— Telum Conspexit rapta duris ex Ossibus Hasta Innixum Cervice ferens humeroque Parentem Emicat attonitae tanta ad Spectacula Turbae Tela tenent c Memoriae Illustriss mâ— Celsissimaeque Arausionensium c. Filiae Caroli Regis natu Maximae Tabula Religiose Dominae Dom nae Mariae Principissae Primi Magnae Britt Fra et Hibern Consecrata SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Fourth Book THE ARGUMENT The People's Fears when Hannibal had past The Alpine Hils the Senate's Care and Haste T' oppose His Progress On Ticinus Shore The Armies meet What Auguries before The Fight begun foretold the Libyans Stay In Italy the Romanes lose the Day Scipio in Fight 's relieved by his Son Then but a Boy The Romanes marching on To Trebia their Arms with Gracchus join And lose a second Day The Apennine When Hannibal had with His Army crost In Cold and Moorish Grounds an Eye He lost His Son demanded for a Sacrifice To Saturn by the Senate He denies And promiseth hereafter to make good Those Rites again with Noble Romane Blood NOW Fame Ausonia's frighted Cities fills With Rumours That the Cloud-encompass'd Hills And Rocks that threatned Heaven the War imbrac'd That now the Carthaginians had pass'd Those pathless Waies and often doth repeat That Hannibal who seem'd to emulate Alcides Labours did the Plain possess And thus mischievous Tumults doth express Encreasing as She goes and Swifter far Then swiftest Winds with the Report of War Shakes the affrighted Tow'rs The People's Fear Apt to believe the Vainest things they hear The Rumour feeds Now all with Care and Speed Prepare for War the Noise whereof is spread Through all Ausonia must'ring Arms and Men. They whet their Piles and Rust wip'd off agen Its cruel Splendour to the Steel restore The Youth their Plumed Helmets long before Lai'd up in Peace repair their Loops they join To Darts and new from Forges Axes shine With these impenetrable Coats of Mail They form and Breast-Plates destin'd to prevail 'Gainst many Hands and frustrate strongest Blows Some carefully provide Italian Bows While others teach the panting Steeds to wheel Or trot the Round and whet on Stones their Steel Then with like Care and Speed they Stones convay To antient Walls and Castles whose Decay Was wrought by Time in these their Magazin Of Arms they make and speedily begin With Bars of Oak their Trenches and their Gates To fortifie while Fear precipitates All that they Act and doth in chief Command Some in the Desert Fields amazed stand Others their Houshold-Gods and Home forsake And frighted on their trembling Shoulders take Their feeble Parents whose weak Thread of Life Was almost spent One drives before his Wife With Locks dishevel'd dragging a little Son That in each Hand unequally doth run Thus do the People vent their Fears nor scan The Cause or whence those Rumours first began The Senate though these bold Beginnings fill'd Their Hearts with Terrour and they now beheld Ev'n in the Heart of Italy a War To which the Alps and pathless Rocks from far Seem'd to descend oppose a valiant Mind Against Adversity resolv'd to finde Honour in Dangers and by Valour raise A Name so great of such Immortal Praise As Fortune never did before bestow Or to the best Successes would allow But now his Troops chill'd with a long Excess Of Cold and Tyr'd doth Hannibal Caress In safe Retreats and to their joyfull Eyes Shews through rich Fields their Way and Rome their Prize Yet He omits not to pursue the Cares Of War and still consulting his Affairs He onely takes no Rest. As when of old Ausonia's happy Territory bold And Warlike Nations fiercely did invade And by their Valour to the World were made A Terrour the Tarpeian Thunderer And Captiv'd Romanes felt a cruel War (a) Soon as Hannibal had passed the Pyrenaean-Hills the Gauls thuogh it was Rumoured that the War was intended against Italy hearing how He had subjugated Spain betook themselves to their Arms resolved to oppose him but upon Treaty at His Camp near Illiberis now Salsas the petty-Kings won by His large Bribes to His Party gave free Passage to His Army by their City Ruscino now Roussilon in Gascony whereupon the Boii mortal Enemies to the Romanes immediatly revolted from their Obedience and wiâ—â— Him invaded Italy See Livy lib. 21. While He endeavours with his Gifts the vain And wav'ring Nations to his Side to gain And join in Arms the Consul Scipio from (*) Marseillus in Provence Massilia by Sea returning Home Arrived suddenly upon the Shore And these great Captains that had try'd before The sev'ral Labours of the Sea and Land Now in the Plain more near to Danger stand And joyn their Fates while a most dismal Hour Approach'd For when the Consul with His Power Came to the Camp and Fortune all Delay Had lai'd aside the Troops no longer Stay Endure but all incensed with Desire Of Fight the Fo in view the Sign require The Tyrian Captain then to animate His num'rous Army doth aloud relate His glorious Conquests in th' Iberian War
let Them see A single Combate between Thee and Me. Marcellus this demands This said the Fame And Value of the Danger did enflame Him with the Libyan to begin the Fight But this to Iuno was no pleasing Sight Who Him diverted hasting to His Fall From what He then design'd while Hannibal Strives all He can to Rally and to Stay His frighted Troops Such then from Capua And from those fatal Mansions do We come Said He Oh stand ye Wretches You whose Summ Of Glory is Dishonour Credit Me No Place will Faithfull prove to You that flee You have deserv'd that all Ausonia now Should rise against You and it is from You You that with so great Terrour routed are That all may both of Peace and Life despair His Voice suppress'd the Trumpet 's Sound and though Obstructed through their Ears his Clamours go In Graecian Arms young Pedianus stood Most fierce in Fight and from that Trojan Blood Himself derived that from Antenor came Nor less then His Original in Fame Was He (k) A River that descends from the Alps and running more then forty Miles under Ground breaks out again near Venice and emptieth it self into the Adriatick Sea the Euganean Lake not far from it Sacred Timavus Glory and A Name belov'd in the Euganëan Land To Him nor Father Po nor those that boast Their Aponus nor the Venetian Coast Could any Equal finde Whether he fought Or in a studious Life the Muses sought Or turn'd Aönian Ditties with his Quill Not any was more famous for His Skill As He in full Career did close pursue The Libyans at their Backs and near them knew The Cask and Noble Spoils of Paulus slain Worn by young Cinyps who rejoyc'd in vain In that great Favour of his General This Cinyps was belov'd by Hannibal None was then He more Beautifull in Face None in the Fore-Head had a greater Grace So shines that Ivory that in the Air Of Tibur bred Time never can impair Or Gems of the Red-Sea which in the Ear For Whiteness of admired Price We wear Him Glorious in His Helmet and His Crest Well known in the last Rank among the Lest When Pedianus spy'd and to His Eys Paulus from Shades below appear'd to rise Gnashing his Teeth he charg'd him Must said He The Trophies of that Sacred Head by Thee Be worn which not without the Crime of all The Gods and Envy ev'n your General Could wear See Paulus and with that upon The Ghost of Paulus calls to see it done And as he fled his Lance with all his Force Thrusts in his Side then lighting from his Horse Tears off the Cask and Trophies of the Great Consul with his Right-Hand and while he yet Could see despoils him of his Honour all His Beauty is dissolved in his Fall And strait a Stygian Colour over-casts His Snow white Limbs and all the Glory blasts Of His admired Form His Amber Hair Disorder'd falls His limber Neck can bear No more its former Weight but as opprest Sinks with His Head into His Milky Breast So when then (l) Lucifer Cythereian Star again Rising refresh'd from the Eöan Main Himself to Venus boasts if Clouds invade His Face the Lustre of his Beams will fade And soon decreasing in that Mask of Night Retires his languishing and fainting Light Ev'n Pedianus as he takes in Hand His Helmet at his naked Face doth stand Amaz'd and checks his Rage and then away Bearing with Shouts unto his Friends his Prey He Spurs his furious Steed which Stains with Gore From his fierce Mouth the frothy Rems he wore But then Marcellus fierce in Arms came on And meeting Him the Honour He had won Thus gratulates Go Antenorides Go on and by such valiant Acts as these Surpass thy Ancestours it now said He Remains the Spoils of Hannibal should be Our Prize Then fir'd with Rage his fatal Lance With dreadfull Noise he threw nor had perchance His Wish been vain had not the Obvious Force Of Gestar with his Body stop'd the Course O' th' flying Shaft for while He fighting near At Hand defends his General the Spear Not aim'd at Him past through Him ending all His mighty Threatnings in His changed Fall With that the General with Speed withdrew Struck with the Danger of his Death and to The Camp retir'd Then with a Headlong Rout The Libyan Army turn'd their Arms about And all contend who shall most Speedy fly Their Enemies Pursue and satisfie The long-contracted Anger of their Woes While ev'ry Man with Emulation shows To the Revenging Gods and Heav'n His Sword All stain'd with Blood (m) The Reputation of this Victory was of greater Consequence then the Victory it self though some say the Carthaginians lost two thousand three hundred and the Romanes but one man for from thence the Romanâ—s took Courage scarce believing before that Hannibal could be vanquished in open Fight That Day did first afford That which ev'n from the Gods none durst believe Before that it was possible to give A Stand to Hannibal in Fight but then They took His Chariots Elephâ—nts and Men And strip'd the Living and thus joy'd to see That Hannibal did from the Slaughter flee Return Marcellus to the God of War In Honour is compar'd and Greater far In Triumph march'd then when He once did bring (n) His Victory over Viridomarius King of the Gauls See above in the first Book Opimous Spoils to the Tarpeian King But when the Libyan Prince with much ado Had from His Trenches forc'd the Conqu'ring Fo When and with how much Hostile Blood shall I Wipe off this Stain Ausonia saw Me fly Oh Iove said He dost thou conclude that I Am worthy after Trebia thus to dy And You My long-unconquer'd Troops who are Alass now Vanquished without a War By Capua's Wealth I not degenerate From former Acts have seen You turn of late Your Conqu'ring Ensigns from the Latines and Shew'd them Your Backs and when I call'd to stand And fight from Me You fled Affrighted all As if from the Italian General What then o' th' antient War remains said He In You who can when I recall You flee Thus Hannibal while with loud Shouts their Prey The Romane Troops to Nola bear away But Rome which had been long inur'd to hear The sad Disasters of their Friends and ne're Enjoy'd Success the joyfull Tidings brought At Length how Happily they then had fought With that great Favour of the Gods erects Her drooping Head and Courage recollects But first those Coward Youths that slowly to The War were drawn and while it rag'd withdrew And hid themselves from Danger punish'd be For their Concealment Then with Infamy They Mark all those that through a fond Desire Of Life had Arts invented to retire Or in a League with Hannibal had bin Involv'd and purge the Nation from that Sin That fatal Counsel's punish'd and Thy Crime Metellus who consulted in a Time Of Danger to desert Thy Native Land Such then
how will you Hannibal Subdue With that as Mad amidst them all He rush'd and when he Hasdrubal beheld Among the foremost Troops with Fury swell'd Like a Sea-Monster that hath long been tost In the vast Deep quite void of all repast When 'mong the Waves a Fish far off She spies She boils within and then with eager Eys Pursuing in the Flood her swimming Prey Swallows with Fishes mix'd the Briny Sea Now no delay of Darts or Words Thou Me No more shalt 'scape Pyrene's Woods said He (o) Haesdrubal was formerly so shut up in his Camp by Nero between Illiturgiâ— and Mâ—ntissa in Spain that he could no way be relieved and therefore Treated with him for many Days on Conditions to draw all the Carthaginians out of Spain and protracted that Treaty till he had by Degrees in the Night given his whole Army means to escape over the Hills into places of Security See Livy lib. 16. Shall not deceive Me here nor yet with vain And faithless Promises shalt thou again Delude as captiv'd in th' Iberian Land With a false League thou once didst fly my Hand Thus Nero and withall he threw a Dart And not in Vain For in the lower Part Of 's Side it stuck With that on him he leaps With 's Sword and as with 's Target-Point he keeps His trembling Body down If now said He At the last Gasp Thou dost desire it We Unto thy Brother thy Commands will bear To whom the Libyan replies I fear Not Death make use of this thy Victory Till to my Shade a swift Revenger He Arrive But if unto my Brother Thou Wilt bear my last Desires then say that now I bid him burn the Capitol and there Mix with the Ashes of the Thunderer My Bones and Dust. As more he did desire To add his Heart still boiling-up with Ire The Conqu'rour pierc'd him with his Sword and then Cut off his Faithless Head With that his Men Their Gen'ral slain are routed and the Fight No more pursue and now at length the Night The Sun and Day obscures when they repair With mod'rate Food and Sleep their Strength and bare The Way they came their Conqu'ring Ensigns er'e The Day return'd back to the Camp for Fear Shut up Then Nero as He did advance The Libyan's Head aloft upon his Lance Said Cannae Trebia Thrasimenus We With this thy Brother's Head have now to Thee Repay'd O Hannibal Thy Treach'rous War Ingeminate and hither call from far Thy doubled Troops Such their Reward shall be Who the Alps cross'd desire to joyn with Theâ—e But Hannibal who did his Tears suppress By Constant bearing made his Sorrows less And vows in time fit Sacrifice to pay Unto his Brother's Shade Then far away His Camp removes and so dissembling right His Griefs by Quiet shuns a Dubious Fight The End of the Fifteenth Book Si tibi non segnes contra tua fulmina saâ—â—e Visi stare sumus dignam te nate Tonantis Affeâ—imus dextram tum dextra Scipio dextram Amplexus fatur magna sunc te praemia clarae Virtutis Masanissa manent â—itiusque vel armis Quam stratae studio vincetur Scipio Mentis Honoratissimo viro Edoardo Stanley Armigero Illustrissimo Domini DnÌ„i Iacobi Comitis Derbia qui Sub Rebellibus Martijrium passus est Filio natu Secundo Tabula Observantissime D.D.D. SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Sixteenth Book THE ARGUMENT The Libyan Army to the Brutian Land Retires What full Obedience the Command Of Hannibal obtain'd Two Generals In Spain or'ethrown a Third a Captive falls Into brave Scipio's Hands Prodigious Flames Crown Massanissa's Head who strait disclaims The Libyan Side and with the Romane joyns Both Hasdrubal and Scipio their Designs In Syphax Court pursue The League again Confirm'd with Syphax Scipio goes for Spain Where all subdu'd with great Solemnities His Father's and his Uncle's Obsequies He celebrates Contending for Command Two Brothers give a Combat Hand to Hand And both are slain To Rome the Consul goes Where his Designs old Fabius doth oppose But by the Senate his Desire approvâ—d The War is into Libya remov'd BUT Hannibal who for his Country grieves And 's own Mishaps the (a) The Brutians first revolted to Hannibal See before in the eleventh Book page 296. Brutian Land receives Where he entrench'd the Time considers when The War suspended he might raise agen As when a Bull the Stalls forsakes and quits His Empire of the Heard and Straying gets Into some Wood enclos'd on wandring Fights He ruminates and fiercely Bellowing frights The Groves then or'e the lofty Rocks he goes Tears them up with his Horns and Trees or'ethrows While Trembling Shepheards on high Hills from far ' Behold him thus preparing a new War But now that Vigour which had quite destroy'd Ausonia had He other Helps employ'd Through a base Envy lab'ring to retract Their Mindes at Carthage was constrain'd to Act Without their Aid and through the length of Time In his Affairs to wax more Dull Yet him The Fear and Terrour by his valiant Hand And by so many former Slaughters gain'd As an Inviolable Sacred Head In Battel still preserv'd So that instead Of all their Arms their Aids of Camps and all Their fresh Recruits the (b) Hannibal had nothing now left him but the Reputation of his former Deeds to keep his Army together which though very much straitned and Hopeless of all Reliefe from Carthage and all Italy the Brutians excepted their Enemies continued Faithful through a Veneration of his Worth and Valour till he was recalled to relieve his Country Name of Hannibal Alone suffic'd So many Troops that there Differ'd in Speech So many Hearts that were Divided in their Barb'rous Customs all Stood firm a Reverence of their General Kept their Mindes Faithful when Affairs declin'd But the Dardanian Arms not onely finde Success in Italy but (c) Phoenix was one of the four Generals who after Hasdrubal the Brother of Hannibal quitted Spain maintained the War there but was soon after forced to retire likewise into Africa Phoenix yields Iberia beaten from those Golden Fields And (d) This Mago was Brother to Hannibal who as the former Generals beaten out of Spain retired to Gades and thence went with some few Forces by Sea into Italy to joyn with Hannibal Mago having lost his Camp in haste Urg'd by his Fears by Sea to Libya past But Fortune not Content with what before For Scipio She had done reserv'd in Store Another Honour (e) This Hanno not that great Enemy to the Barcean Family after Mago left Spain was sent thither by the Carthaginians but soon after his Camp was invaded by Syllanus one of Scipio's Lieutenants his whole Army destroyed and himself taken Prisoner Hanno then amain Advanc'd and leading on a Barb'rous Train With rattling Shields the Native Spaniards brought Too late Yet had he not with Scipio fought Nor Valour Art nor Policy in War Was wanting in Him
Breast doth thus excite Their Rage and Stimulates the following Fight Do we stand still before a Captiv'd Foe Asham'd we have begun Asham'd to go On with this Omen goodly Valour Shall These be the first-Fruits of the General Must we fill Italie with such a Fame Premise such Fights as this Go on for shame This said with Fury they invade the Wall On which they leave their Hands and backwards fall With that in haste a Mount was rais'd above The Town whereon the Fighting Squadrons move But with an (q) This Engine is described by Livi Lib. 21. to have been very long smooth and round but square at the End out of which came a Pike of Iron like that of the â—omane Pile in length three Foot that it might penetrate both through the Arms and Bodies of the Enemy About it they fastened Flax and Pitch which kindled and gathering Flames in its Motion was not onely very hurtfull to all that stood in its way but terrible to those at Distance Engine that by many hands Was mov'd the brave Besieg'd the thronging Bands Drive from the Gates It was a mighty Oak Strange to behold which for defence they took From th' Pyrenaean Hills This strongly lin'd With num'rous Pikes of Steel could hardly finde By Walls resistance and about besmear'd With Sulphur and with unctious Pitch appear'd Like an huge Thunder-bolt and from the Walls Of their high Arcenal it swiftly falls Cutting with trembling Flames the yielding Air So Comets running with their bloody Hair From Heav'n to Earth cast a Prodigious light And with a furious Force that did affright Ev'n Hannibal upon the Armie flies Tossing their smoaking Members to the Skies Till fix'd to a vast Tower the active Flames (r) These were called Plutâ—i by the Latines and were made use of to cover Beams and Planks while the Souldiers were working to keep them from being fired by the Enemy Through the raw Hides consume the mighty Beams And there in burning Ruins both the Men And Arms involves The Carthaginians then Grown wise by loss through secret Mines convey Their Troops and so the City open lay That labour of Great Hercules the Wall To th' Earth with noise incredible doth fall And in its Ruin Stones immense doth roll That Eccho from the Alps unto the Pole So airy Rocks torn from their Native side By Storms with horrour do an Hill divide The Breach was soon with Heaps of Bodies slain Obstructing their Advance supply'd again Amidst those Ruins both with equal Rage Do meet before the rest in 's prime of Age Murrus ennobled by a Latine Line Himself a Greek his Mother Sagunthine Whose Parents in a Sacred League combin'd Dulichian Nephews to Italian joyn'd He as stout Vaidus his Companions calls Aloud unto the Fight upon him falls And wounds him where unarm'd he did appear Between his Cask and Corslet with his Spear Stopping his bold Attempts and as he lies Prostrate upon the Ground insulting cries Th' art down false Carthaginian surely thou As Conquerour didst fancy foremost now To climbe the Capitol but what could move Such bold Desires Go war with Stygian Iove Then as Iberus fiercely did advance To succour him fix'd in his Thigh his Lance And spurning Vaidus dying Face quoth he This to the Walls of Rome your Way must be O fear'd and valiant Hands you all must tread This Path whither soe're your Haste doth lead And as Iberus labour'd to renew The Fight his Target seis'd and pierc'd him through His naked Side Iberus rich in Land And Flocks unknown to Fame could well command His Dart and Bow against a flying Beast Happy in 's Private life had he possest Those Weapons still within his Father's Groves To succour him with speed now Ladmus moves On whom bold Murrus grimly smiling Thou Said he shalt tell Amilcar's Shade below That this right-Hand after the Vulgars fall Shall give you for Companion Hannibal Then rising high with 's Sword on 's Helmet struck Which through the very brasen Cover broke ' His cracking Scull Then Chremes who his Hair Unshorn like to a Cap on 's Brow did wear With Masulus and Harcalo though old Yet not unfit for War who with a bold And fearless Hand a teeming Lyoness Would stroke then Bragada whose Shield's Impress A River's Urn Hyempsal who the Wrack Of Ships from dang'rous Sands would boldly take As Spoils from raging Seas these sadly all Slain by his fatal Hand together fall And with them Atyr skilfull to disarm Serpents of Poison whose sole Touch could charm To sleep the banefull Adder and apply The Cerast all suspected Broods to try And thou Hyarba Garamantick born By Oracular Groves thy Helmet like an Horn Bending about thy Temples there wer 't slain Accusing Iove and Destinies in vain That often falsly thy Return express'd But now with Bodies slain the Heap encreas'd And with the yet-warm Streams of slaughter smoaks While Murrus to the Fight aloud provokes The General as when pursu'd by cries Of Spartan Dogs a Boar the Forest flies And met by Hunters on his Back doth rear The Ensigns of his Rage and his last War Attempts and as his foamy Blood he eats Groaning his Tusks against their Javelins beats But in another Quarter where Despair Had forc'd the Youth to sally free from fear That any Hand or Dart could work his fall Raging amidst the Troops was Hannibal And shakes his Sword that was not long before With Fire enchanted on th' Hesperian Shore Made by Old Temisus whose pow'rfull Skill Could temper with his Charming Tongue the Steel So in Bistonian Plains the God of War Brandish'd his Sword when in his Iron Car The Titans he pursu'd or with the Breath Of 's Steeds and Noise of 's Wheels extinguisheth The Flames of War Hoscus and Pholus now Lygdus and Dirius to the Shades below By him were sent To them Galesus fair The Twins Chronus and Gyas added were With Daunus who all other did excell In Pleading at the Bar and by his Skill Though a most Just Observer of the Laws Still gain'd the Hearers minds unto his Cause But furiously with Rage transported now This Language adds as he his Darts doth throw Whither proud Carthaginian will the Spite And Fury of thy Father thee incite Here are no Fabricks by a Womans Hand Erected purchas'd with a Price or Land To Exiles measur'd by an Oxe's Hide Here the Foundations of the Gods abide And Romane Leagues While thus he boasting speaks With a fierce Charge the Carthaginian breaks Into the fighting Ranks that him surround And seising on him Captive having bound His Hands upon his Back commands him strait In slowly-killing Pains to meet his Fate Then bids his Ensigns to Advance and through The Heaps of Slaughter'd Men the Way doth shew Exciting all by Name and gives away Sure of Success the City as their Prey But now inform'd by some that Fled that Heaven To Murrus in another Part had given The Day with Victory
Oh lost Admonishments and Prodigies That strive in vain to stop the Destinies Ev'n Gods themselves must with the Fates dispence And here Corvinâ—â— fam'd for Eloquence And of a Noble Name whose Helmet bore Thy Bird Apollo that did long before The Valour of his (e) Marcus Valerius a Youth and a Tribune seeing a Gaul of extraordinary Stature advance from the rest of the Army to challenge any Romane to a single Combate obtained Leave of the Consul to encounter him and as he advanced to meet him a Crow which is the Bird Sacred to Apollo took its stand upon his Helmet with its Head towards his Enemie whose Face as often as he assaulted Valerius the Bird furiously invaded till terrified with the Omen the Gaul lost both his Reason and Courage and was immediatly slain by Valerius who from thence was called Corvinus Grand-Father declare Full of the Gods and troubled at the Fear Of his Companion intermingled than With Counsel Pray'rs and with these Words began By the Iliack Flames the Fate of Rome Our Countrie 's Walls and by our Sons that from This Fight 's Event the Fates as yet suspend Yield to the Gods We pray thee and attend A Time more fortunate for Battel they A Field will give thee and a better Day Onely disdain not Thou t' expect the more Propitious Gods and that more happy Hour Which shall for Libya's Destruction call And when not forc'd as now our Ensigns all Shall follow when our Birds shall gladly feed And pious Earth no more so strangely bleed How much is left to Fortune in this Place Skilfull in War Thou know'st Before our Face The Fo appears those woody Hills now threat An Ambush on the left Hand no Retreat The Lake allows the Pass is narrow too Between those Hills It 's Wisdom then in you With Stratagems to strive and fight Delay Untill with fresh Supplies Servilius may Arrive that with you in Command doth share And 's Forces in the Legions equal are The War with Policy we must pursue To th' fighting Man the least of Honour 's due Corvinus thus exhorts the Captains were No less importunate and all with Fear Divided Sometimes for Flaminius pray Unto the Gods then him intreat t' obey The Pow'rs Divine and not their Will oppose With that his kindled Fury higher rose And hearing full of Rage that new Supplies Would soon be there Saw you not Me he cries When in the Boian War I charg'd and when So great a Ruin and such dreadfull Men Came on that the Tarpeian Rock again Did tremble then what Multitudes were slain By me How then this vengefull Hand the Ground Bestrew'd with Bodies which the deepest Wound Could scarce destroy yet were they forc'd to yield And now their scatter'd Bones oppress the Field Therefore Servilius Arms may come too late To this brave Action if you think not that I cannot overcome unless I share My Triumphs and contented am to bear A part of Honour but the Gods do seem T' advise us otherwise Oh do not Dream You that now fear the Trumpets Sound of Gods So like your selves Our trusty Swords are odds And Augury enough against the Fo. The best Presage the Romane Souldiers know Is that in Feats of Arms they do excell Must it be then resolv'd that I sit still Corvinus basely thus within a Vale Besieg'd while the Sidonians do prevail Against Arretia's Walls and levell to The Ground the Tow'r of Corythus and go Thence to Clusinum and at length may come Untouch'd unto the very Walls of Rome Vain Superstition a Deformity In men of Arms Valour alone should be The Goddess that should o're their Souls command Troops of sad Ghosts by Night about us stand Whose Corps are tumbled still in Trebia's Waves And swift Eridanus and want their Graves Thus having said without Delay he quits Th' Assembly and Inexorable fits His last unhappy Arms a Sea-Bulls Hide His Helmet lines and on the Top its Pride A triple Crest ascends and largely sprâ—ads A Main the Locks resembling of the Swedes Above was Scylla waving in her Hand A broken Oar and Dogs about her stand With gaping Jaws This noble Trophie He Gain'd near Garganus and the Victory So pleas'd him having flain the Boian King That fitted to his Head he us'd to bring This as his Glory into ev'ry Fight Then takes his Coat of Mail whose Scales were knit To Chains of Steel and studded o're with Gold Next he assumes his Shield where they behold The Stains of Celtick Blood which He before In Battel shed and in it carv'd he bore A she-Wolf's Figure in her gloomy Den Licking a Child's soft Limbs as it had been Her Whelp and nurs'd of the Assarick Line A Stem that afterwards was made (f) Romulus Deified Divine At last he girds his Sword and to 's Right Hand Makes fit his Lance. Hard by doth ready stand His Horse which cover'd with a Tiger's Hide Champs on his frothy Bit with pleasing Pride Then mounted where the way between the Hills Was streight thus with Encouragement he fills His Men. Your Work and Honour it will be Dear Countrey-men to let your Parents see Fix'd on a Spear and born with Joy through all The Streets of Rome the Head of Hannibal That Head may satisfie for all the rest Let each man therefore fancy in his Breast What may excite his Rage and thus deplore My Brother now upon Ticinus Shore Unburyed lyes Alass my Son through all The Po now swims and wants a Funeral Thus to himself let ev'ry Man prepare Revenge but as to you who have no Share Of private Grief let those great things which fire A publick Soul enflame your greater Ire Think they have broken through the Alpine Hills And then remember those Nefandous Ills Sagunthus suffer'd what a Sin it was In them Iberus Sacred Bounds to pass And now ev'n Tyber touch For while in Vain With Birds and Entrails Augurs you detain It onely wanteth now that he invade The Capitol This when he ' d eager said And seeing that his Horse amidst the Croud Of thousands rais'd his cloudy Mane aloud He cries To fight my Orphitus must prove Thy Task What other to Feretrian Iove Opimous Off'rings can in Triumph bare For why should any Hand this Honour share With Me Then moves and hearing a known Voice In Fight Far hence said he that Martial Noise Shews thee to be Murranus and I Thee Already high in Tyrian Slaughter see How great a Praise attends thee but I pray Let thy Sword wider make that narrow Way Then knowing born upon Soracte's Hill Aequanus who in Beauty did excell And Arms the Customs of whose Countrey were The Entrails thrice through harmless Flames to bear When as the Pious Archer did desire To offer Sacrifice in Holy Fire Noble Aequanus may'st thou ever so Unburnt on Phoebus flaming (g) That some Reliques of this Superstition was remaining in Pliny's Time he testifies lib. 7. cap. 2. in these
Punishment said She My Dear I beg this One thing onely by Those Pledges of our Loves permit that I May Share with Thee whatever Dangers be Destin'd by Land or Sea or Heav'n to Thee I did not send Xantippus to the War Nor did I give those heavy Chains that are About thy Neck why then dost fly Me so To Punishment Oh! give me leave to go Me and my Children and perhaps our Tears May Carthage move to Pity If her Ears The cruel City stop we then may all Thou and thy Family together fall Or if resolv'd to dy here dy with Me For I a Sharer in thy Fate will be As thus she spoke the Vessel by Degrees Loos'd from the Shore to put to Sea She sees Then most Unhappy mad with Grief She cries Lifting her weary Hands unto the Skies See Him that boasts with treach'rous Libyans thus And Foes to keep his Faith but what to Us Was promis'd Violates Oh! where is now Perfidious man thy Faith and Nuptial Vow These Words He unrelenting heard The rest The Noise and Dashing of the Oars supprest Then down the River with the Stream We run Unto the Borders where the Sea begun O're which We sail and with Our hollow Pine Cleave the vast Billows foaming with their Brine I dreading more then Death proud Libya's Scorn Wish'd that the Ship by some rude Tempest born Against some Rock might split or else that We Might by the raging Seas o'rewhelmed be But gently-breathing Winds the Vessel bore Away and Us to Libyan Rage restore Which I unhappy saw and Home was sent A sad Relatour of his Punishment T was an hard Task nor would I now relate To Thee how Carthage then did imitate The Fury of wild Beasts to vent their Spleen If any Age in all the World had seen Any thing Greater then that high and brave Example which the Rev'rent Virtue gave Of your great Father 'T were a Shame for Me To add Complaints to those dire Torments He So unconcern'd endur'd and truly You Worthy of so great Blood Your self should shew By wiping Tears away A (h) This Engine built in Form of a Cage and proportioned to his Body is best though briefly described by our Authour who notwithstanding omits one exact part of his Punishment mentioned by Valerius Maximus lib. 9. cap. 2 viz. That they cut off his Ey-Lids so that continual Light as well as those Pikes of Iron that tormented him might keep him perpetually waking till the long Variety of Pain killed Him Cage they build Of Wood whose Grates on ev'ry Side were fill'd With equal Pikes of Steel which sharp and thick By Art in Order plac'd erected stick All Sleep by this Invention was deny'd And when through length of Time to either Side Dull Slumbers Him inclin'd a Row of Pikes Into his Bowels through his Body strikes Oh! cease to grieve brave Youth suppress thy Tears He Overcomes that this with Patience bears His Glory long shall flourish while in Heav'n Or Earth to constant Faith a Place is giv'n Or Virtue 's Sacred Name alive shall be A Day shall come wherein Posterity Great Regulus shall tremble when they hear Thy Fate which Thou with so much Scorn did'st bear Thus Marus spoke and with sad Care again His Wounds fomented to allay the Pain Fame in the mean time having sprinkled o're Her rapid Wings with Blood as if before Dip'd in the Streams of Thrasimenus Lies With Truth commixing through the City flies And to the People's Minds again recalls The Loss of Allia and Tarpeian VValls Storm'd by the Senones Sad Terrour shakes Her Reins and Fear the Tempest greater makes Now to the Walls with winged Speed She flies An horrid Voice is heard OUR ENEMIES APPROACH and then with Piles and Darts the Air In vain they beat Th' affrighted Matrons bare Their hoary Locks and with them as they Weep The Walls and Pavements of the Temples sweep And to the Gods for Friends deceased pray Too late Alass and rest not Night or Day Howling with Grief the scatter'd People ly Before the Gates and with a carefull Eye All that return observe About them throng And as they speak hang listning at their Tongue But cannot Credit give if News of Joy They chance to tell and yet again their Stay Intreat and sometimes with sad Looks alone Not Words with such as hasted to be gone Prevail for Tdings and yet Trembling stand To hear what they so Earnestly demand Bad News doth Force their Tears and if deni'd To know or if the Messenger reply'd With doubtfull Words from thence new Fears arise And now when Troops returning to their Eyes More near appear'd out at the Gates they run Fearing they had been lost and then begun To Kiss their Wounds and tire the Gods with Pray'r Among these honoured for his pious Care Old Marus with him young Serranus led And Martia who since Regulus was dead Still kept at Home all Company forsook And onely for her Childrens Sake did brook The Light now runs into a Grief as great As was her former Though distracted strait She Marus knew and thus accosts him Thou Great Faiths renown'd Companion surely now Thou giv'st me lighter Wounds or say hath Fate Caus'd the revengefull Sword to penetrate Into my Bowels deep What e're it be So Carthage Him in Chains may never see Nor Sacrifice Him to His Father's Pain I 'm pleas'd Ye Gods How oft have I in vain Oh my dear Son intreated Thee forbear Thy Father's Courage and His Heat in War That his sad Glory might not Thee engage In Arms. I have of too vivacious Age The hard Afflictions undergone But now Spare Us I pray ye Gods If any of you For Us have fought suppress the Enemy But when this sullen Cloud of Misery Was past the Senate with all Speed prepares To give Support to their distress'd Affairs All strive with Emulation the War To undertake and present Dangers bar The Progress of their Griefs The chief of all Their Cares was no appoint a General Upon whose Conduct shaken Italy And the whole Frame of her Affairs might be Imposâ—d when now their Countrey did appear To sink For Iove resolved to defer Awhile the Time of Her Imperial Pow'r And rising look'd from the Albanian Tow'r Upon the Tyrrhen People and beheld The Carthaginian with Successes swell'd Preparing his Victorious Arms t' invade Our Walls But Iove his Head then shaking said I never will permit that Thou shalt come Proud Libyan Youth within the Walls of Rome Thou mayst the Tyrrhen Vales with Slaughter fill And make with Latine Blood the Rivers swell And overflow their Banks but I defend That the Tarpeian Rock thou shouldst ascend Or to those Walls so dear to Me aspire With that four Timesâ— he threw his forked Fire Which shin'd through all the Tyrrhen Land and cast A Cloud upon the Army as it past From the divided Heav'n But yet all this The Libyan to divert could not suffice With that
the Plains appear He should Advance and Fight Both Armies now Drew near and by the Running to and fro The confus'd Neighing of the fiery Steeds And clashing Arms a sudden Murmur spreads It self through all the troubled Troops as when Loud Conflicts 'twixt the Winds and Seas begin Their inward Rage and Storms that lave the Skies The Billows strait let loose and as they rise Their threatning Noise through all the trembling Rocks From their Foundations shaken by the Shocks Expire and Surges from the Bottom thrown With angry Foam the lab'ring Ocean Crown Nor was this cruel Storm of Fate alone The Labour of the Earth Dissension Crept into Heav'n and Gods to War incites Here Father Mars and here Apollo fights And Neptune there vext Cytherea here And Vesta and Alcides angry there For lost Sagunthus Old Cybele too And Gods of Mortals made Quirinus who First rais'd the Romane State with Faunus then Pollux that lately with his Brother-Twin Had shifted his Alternate Life but there ' Girt with a Sword Saturnia doth appear And Pallas 'mong the Libyan Waters born And Hammon too whose Temples with an Horn Are Circumflex'd and many lesser Gods Beside who coming from their bless'd Abodes To see this Fight with their Approaches shook The Earth and all their sev'ral Stations took Some on the Neighb'ring Hills while others shrow'd Themselves from Mortal Eys within a Cloud The Heav'ns were empty left while all to Wars Descend and strait to the forsaken Stars As great a Clamour rose as when within Phlegraean Plains the Giants did begin The Fight with Hercules or Iove for all His Thunder-bolts did on the Cyclops call When the bold Earth-born Army did invade His Throne and Mountains upon Mountains lai'd The Charge so fierce no Dart or Spear before The rest was thrown but an impetuous Showr Of Shafts together fell with equal Rage And as they thirsting after Blood engage The Storm a Multitude of both destroy'd But where the Sword more closely was imploy'd The greater Number dy'd on whom the rest Stood to maintain the Fight and as they prest To strike a Fo would spurn them as they groan The Sea as soon with raging Billows thrown 'Gainst Calpe might remove it from its Seat As all the Libyan Rage to a Retreat Could force the Romanes or the Romanes make The Libyan Bands their Station to forsake So close they fight no Space was left at all For Blows to miss or when they dy'd to fall Helmets 'gainst Helmets clash and ev'ry Stroke Excuss'd the hidden Flames Targets are broke 'Gainst Targets Swords by Swords are hack'd and Feet On Feet do tread so furiously they meet Breasts against Breasts are bruis'd and where they stood Earth could not be discern'd o'reflown with Blood And the thick Clouds of Arrows as they fly Take from their Eys the Day and hide the Sky Those of the second Rank as if they fought I' th' Front with their long Pikes and Lances sought To wound the Fo and those that farthest stood With missile Weapons labour'd to make good The Fight with those were foremost all the rest With Clamour their Desire to Fight exprest And with their horrid Shouts the Enemy Provoke And now all sorts of Weapons fly Some hard'ned Stakes Pines burning others fling And weighty Piles These Fatal Pellets sling Those Darts and which would shake the strongest Wall Huge Stones from the Phalarick Engines fall And through the Clouds the singing Arrows fly How can I hope ye Goddesses whom I Religiously adore this Day to show To future Times Can you such Pow'r allow Ye Learned Virgins to my Mortal Song And trust the Cannae to a single Tongue If you affect our Fame nor shall decline To give Assistance to our high Design Hither from your Parnassus hither all Your Sacred Lays and Father Phoebus call But maist thou Noble Romane still appear As Constant and thy future Triumphs bear With as great Courage as Adversity Thou then didst meet Such maist Thou ever be Nor tempt the Gods to try if those that are Deriv'd from Troy can bear so great a War And thou O Rome no more with Tears deplore Thy dubious Fate but rather now adore Those Wounds that shall Eternal Praise to Thee Produce for â—hou shalt never Greater be But sink in thy Success and by the Name Of former Miseries defend Thy Fame Now Fortune shifting Sides between them went Deluding with sad Doubts of the Event The Rage of Both and furious Mars so long As Hope between in equal Ballance hung Rag'd in their Arms alike So have I seen The standing Corn while yeâ— the Stems were green Mov'd by a gentle Wind wave to and fro The Weighty Ears which as they Nodding go To this Side then to that alternately The sev'ral Motions of the Wind obey At length Nealces with confused Shouts Brings on his Barb'rous Troops and Charging routs The adverse Wing the Ranks disorder'd through The Intervals the fierce victorious Fo Breaks on the trembling Files and strait a Flood That like a Torrent rush'd of reeking Blood Runs on the Plain None falling are by Spears Thrust on their Faces for the Romane fears (f) This hath been frequently observed of the Romanes when they have seen their Case desperate particularly in Cataline's Army where every man that dyed fell with his Face towards his Enemy See Salust Wounds on the Back and on his Breast receives His cruel Death and Life with Honour leavs Among the first affecting still to be I' th' hottest of the Fight and equally To meet all Dangers stood brave Scaevola Who scorning to survive so sad a Day Sought worthy his great Ancestour to fall And dy beneath that Name perceiving all Was lost Our Life how short soe're it be Now in despight of Fate let Us said he Extend For Valour is an empty Name Unless in Death's Approach a lasting Fame By suff'ring bravely or by Wounds we gain Surviving Honour Speaking thus amain Into the Midst where the fierce Libyan's Hand Cut out his Way through those that did withstand He like a Tempest falls and there he slew Tall Calathis and with his Sword quite through His Body pierc'd as boasting he put on The Arms of one there slain strait down upon The Ground he tumbles biting with his Teeth The Hostile Arms the Tortures of his Death By that suppressing as he groveling lay Neither could Gabar or stout Sicha stay With their joint Valour his Impetuous Rage For valiant Gabar as he did engage Lost his Right-Hand but Sicha mad with Grief And coming rashly on to his Relief Stumbling by Chance upon his Sword doth wound His Naked Foot by which upon the Ground He falls and by the Hand of 's dying Friend Lies prostrate This his Fury in the end Nealces fatal Rage upon him brought Who by so great a Name incited sought The Honour of his Fall and strait a Stone Torn from the Neighb'ring Rock and tumbled down By the swift Torrent from the Mountain
be brought while the Enemy fearing little on that Side was wholly intent on the Land and entering the City there had it before Sun-set in his possession Before in Western Seas he hid his Flame Th' ensuing Morn from Earth had chas'd away Night's Shades when first they Altars raise then Slay Unto the God of Seas for Sacrifice A Bull and so to Iove Then equallize Rewards to all Deserts and gain'd with Blood Valour her Crown receives Here shining stood One with rich Trappings on his Breast and there Another on his Warlike Neck did wear A golden Snake this with a Mural Crown Was honour'd But then Laelius in renown Both of his Family and Valour all Excelling is created Admiral Besides a Gift of thirty Oxen and The Libyan's Arms that did in Chief command Then Spears to some and Martial Ensigns are To others giv'n as they deserv'd and share Of Spoils And when the Praise of Gods and Men Was perfected their Captive Riches then Survay'd and Prey lay'd up this Gold was for The Senate and those Talents for the War This Kingdom they for Donatives Design That for the Temples of the Pow'rs Divine Is Chiefly kept whatever else remains Rewards the Souldiers Valour and their Pains Then the Iberian King whose (o) Among the Captives a Virgin of incomparable Beauty was brought to Scipio who finding her betrothed to Luceius a Prince of the Country not onely restored her Inviolate into his Hands but gave with her a very large sum of Mony presented to him by her Parents in token of their Gratitude as a Dowry from Him See Livy ibid. Sponsal Flame Was fix'd deep in his Bones as summon'd came To whom much joy'd his Spouse a Virgin Fair And Pure he chearful gave Then free from Care Their Tables spread upon the Neighb'ring Shore And feasting High with solemn Sports before The rest thus Laelius Brave General Go on ador'd for thy Chast Minde through all The World To Thee the Glory and the Praise And celebrated in Immortal Lays The Valour of great Heroes shall give Way That (p) Agamemnon Captain who a thousand Ships by Sea From the Mycenae drew and Argive Arms Joyn'd with Thessalian through a Woman's Charms Infring'd his (q) The small City Lyrnessus taken by Achilles in the Expedition against Troy Hippodamia or Brisaeis the King's Danghter became Achilles Prize but Agamemnon who was Generalissimo Enamoured of her took her from him Social League and they beheld All Tents within the Phrygian Army fill'd With Captive Beds A Barb'rous Maid by Thee Alone more spotless in Virginity Is kept then Troy's Cassandra Thus the Day In Talk they spent till Night in dark Aray Rais'd her black Steeds inviting all to Rest. In the mean Time Aemathian Broils infest Th' Aetolian Land invaded suddenly By (r) Philip King of Macedon entring League with the Carthaginians fell upon the Allies of the Romanes and wasted all the Graecian Coast till at length recalled by Broils at Home and the ill Success of the Carthaginians he was constrained to accept a dishonourable Peace from the Romanes Macedonian Ships an Enemy With whom the Acarnanian quickly joynâ—d For then King Philip in a League combin'd With Libya against the Romane Name Those new Commotions had rais'd The Fame Of his Descent his Antient Crowns and Throne From the Aeäcides and (s) Achilles from whom he descended Thetis Son His Grand-Sire puff'd him up Now He with Fear Of 's Arms by Night fill'd Oricon and where On the Illyrick Coast Taulentians dwell In small and nameless Walls upon them fell With furious War Thence passing on by Sea Tesprotian Borders and Phoenicia Alarm'd with vain Attempts he Epire view'd Then on the Coast of Anactorium shew'd His Ensigns then th' Ambracian Bay and Shores Of Pella scour'd with rapid War his Oars Beating Leucate's chafing Waves he streight At Actium saw Apollo's sacred Seat Nor left he Ithaca Laërtes Throne Untri'd nor Same 's nor those Rocks whereon White-foaming Floods the Cephalenians see And Neriton with Rocky Fields then He To Pelops Countrey went glad to behold Achaian Walls and Calyâ—â—â— of old Affected by Diana After these To the Caretes and Oeniâ—â—â—s With promise to the Greeks 'gainst Italie To use his Arms he went then Ephyre Patrae and Princely Pleuron he survay'd Two-crown'd Parnassus and by Phoebus made To speak Prophetick Rocks and though agen Often by War call'd homeward sometimes when (t) In his absence both Sarmatians and Thessalians Dolope invadâ—d his Country Sarmatian Orestes did infest His Kingdoms or fierce Dolopes opprest His Countrey yet unwilling to forbear His vain Designs the shadow of a War He carried up and down the Grecian Coast Till all his hopes plac'd in the Libyans lost By Sea and Land a Suppliant he sign'd A League with the (u) Romanes Dardanians nor declin'd From them in his own Kingdom to receive (v) The Governour of Tarentum was a Brutiâ—â— a Nation formerly observed to be of an Inconstant Faith who enamoured of a Tarentine Woman whose Brother was a Souldier under Fabius was induced by her to betray the City to Fabius See Plutarch in the Life of Fabius The Law But then Tarentum's Fortune gave To Italy encrease both of Renown And Riches For at length that treach'rous Town Was by old Fabius conquer'd and of all His Titles of a Wary General The last became For then his Industry Gain'd that safe Honour that the City He Had taken without Blood And when 't was known That a Sidonian Captain in the Town Burn'd with a Woman's Love and that through Ease A silent Treason thence might Valour please To his lov'd Sister strait her Brother who Then bore Rutulian Arms is forc'd to go Instructed to subdue the Woman's Minde With ample Promises if She inclin'd The Libyan to betray the Gates And thus The Libyan overcome old Fabius His Wish enjoy'd and through th' unguarded Walls By Night into the Town the Army falls But who that heard Marcellus then was slain In Fight would think that Sol should joyn again His flaming Steeds so turn'd away from Rome That noble Person that brave Breast in whom The God of War inhabited who nev'r In its most horrid Shape did Danger fear In Combat fell in his renowned Fall Alass how great a Blow to Hannibal In him thy Terrour Carthage prostrate lay Who had perhaps from Scipio born away Had but the Gods been pleas'd awhile to spare His Life the Name of finishing the War Which seated then within the Daunian Land Between both Camps a little Hill did stand Crispinus with Marcellus bore like Share In Cares and Honours and the Common War Pursu'd to whom Marcellus thus began I have a Minde to view those Woods and on The Hill to lodg our Men lest first it be Possess'd in Ambush by the Enemy I would Crispinus if you please that you Would share in this Design for seldom two In Counsel fail When this they had Decreed Each
then thy Self who long hast toil'd For the Cadmaean Race Thou hast embroil'd The Seas and Earth and into Italy Hast sent a furious Youth while we might see The Walls of Rome stand trembling and of all Man-kinde for Sixteen Years was Hannibal The Chief 'T is time the Nation to compose The Period is come and we must close The Gates of War The suppliant Queen reply'd Nor in that hanging Cloud did I abide With a Design a Day prefix'd at all To change nor yet the Armies to recall Nor War extend but what You can bestow Since now all Favour towards me is low And our first Love 's decay'd 'gainst Fates Decree I nothing ask Let Hannibal now flee His Enemies as you are pleas'd t'ordain And let in Carthage Romane Ashes reign By th' mutual Pledges of a double Love Thy Wife and Sister I this onely Iove Intreat that my brave Captain may survive All Dangers and be kept by Thee Alive Nor let him Captiv'd Latian Fetters wear But let these my dear Walls that batter'd are With Mis'ries though the Tyrian Name decline Stand and for Honour's sake be kept as Mine Thus Iuno To whom Iove this short Reply Vouchsaf'd The Walls of lofty Carthage I Will for some time forbear as you desire And grant them to your Pray'rs and Tears entire To stand Yet know dear Wife at what a rate I this indulge not long that City's Fate Endures For there will come a General Who under the same (o) Scipio Aemiâ—ianus who in the last Carthaginian War took and razed Carthage Name will ruin all These Tow'rs preserv'd And from this fatal Fight Escaping Hannibal Ethereal Light At this Entreaty may enjoy a while Hee 'l seek the Stars and Ocean to embroil And with returning Arms to fill the Earth I know his Heart still pregnant with a Birth (p) The War which afterwards ensued under Antiochus See the Continuation Boâ—k the Third Of War But to this Boon this shall remain A Law He never must behold again Saturnus Empire nor to Italy Return From instant Death now let him be Remov'd with Speed lest if i' th' open Plain He joyn in Battel he should not again By all thy Pow'r from Scipio's Hand be freed While thus their Fates the Thunderer decreed Both to the City and to Hannibal The Armies to the Fight advance and all With Shouts invade the Skies Earth in no Age Before two mightier Nations did engage In Fight nor greater Generals had seen Equal in Arms contending While between These two their fam'd Dispute's un-valu'd Prize Was whatsoe're is cover'd with the Skies The Tyrian rich in Purple 'bove the rest Rais'd his proud Head upon his Crimson Crest A waving Plume A cruel Dread precedes From his great Name his Sword a Lightning sheds Well-known to Italy On th' other Side Scipio in radiant Robes in Scarlet dy'd His dreadful Target shews where breathing War His Father's Image and his Uncle's are Engrav'd Huge Flames from his high Fore-head fly And thus the Hopes of all and Victory Under so great a Force of Arms and Men Stood in the Generals alone And then Thus Fear or Favour as 't is often seen Suggests If valiant Scipio had been In Libya born the Empire might have come To Agenorean Nephews Or had Rome Giv'n Birth to Hannibal then doubtless He The World had subject made to Italy Now rapid Storms of flying Shafts brake through The Air and with them Clouds of Horrour drew Then to the Sword more close each Army came And Fight it Face to Face A dreadful Flame Burns in their Eys and those that in the Van Contemning Danger first the Charge began Between both Armies fell and long before Not seen by them the Earth drunk Native Gore But here in Courage hot as He was Young Stout Masanissa flings himself among The Macedonian Cohorts and flies round About with 's winged Darts the Champagn Ground So when the painted Britain goes to War He circumvents with his hook-bearing Carr The thronged Bands A Graecian Phalanx then In a close Body had drawn up their Men As was their Country's Use and firmly stood With intermingled Spears to make it good Unmindeful of the Compact he had made After the League these (q) Philip King of Macedon of whom see Book the Fifteenth Page 430. Philip to the Aid Of Cadmus shaken City sent And now Broken with many Wounds the Soldiers grow More thin and as on ev'ry Side they lay Prostrate upon the Ground an open Way Between the Weapons leave Then with a Stroke Of Ruin in th' Ausonian Cohorts broke And cancell all their Graecian Perjuries Archemorus by Rutulus Teucer dies By stout Norbanus in declining Age Both by their Mother Mantua sent t' engage In Arms. But Samjus brave Calênus slue And Selvis Clytuis a Pellaean who Vainly insulted in his Country's Name But alass Clytuis 't was not (r) The City where Alexander the Great was born Pella's Fame That could from Daunian Darts defend thee here But Laelius with Upbraidings more severe Then these the (s) Of these see above Book the Eleventh Page 296. Brutian Bands of Latine Race Destroys Was Italy so Vile a Place That it with Tyrian Oars You thus said He Through the rude Seas and raging Waves should flee But 't is enough that you are fled Will You With Latine Blood a forein Land imbrue This said He Silarus active in the Fight Prevented with a Shaft that in its Flight Stuck in the Bottom of his Throat so hard It flew that it at once the Passage barr'd Of Life and Voice Vergilius destroy'd Caudînus By Amanus Sarris dy'd Their Looks and Habit of their Arms well-known And Language that concorded with their own Inflam'd their Rage Whom when Amilcar's Son Perceiv'd inclining from the Fight to run He cries Betray not thus our Nation stand Then charg'd and turn'd the Battel with his Hand As when a Parethonian Snake that long I' th' Garamantian Fields was fed among The fervent Sands with Poison swell'd doth rear His Neck and spouts through the infected Air The flowing Venom to the Skies so He Herjus that with his Spear continually Dealt Wounds who of Marrucian Lineage came And in Theatè had a noble Name More nimble stops and as he something high Attempted seeking with his Enemy An equal Praise with a swift Hand quite through His Body drives his fatal Weapon to The Hilts. The Wounded falls and as he lies Prostrate his Brother seeks with dying Eyes When Young Pleminius came on apace And brandishing his Sword before his Face Enrag'd at his sad Fall with a loud Cry Threatning demands his Brother This Reply Gave Hannibal I shall refuse no more If you think fit your Brother to restore On this Condition that from Shades below You Hasdrubal recall Shall I forego My juster Hate 'gainst such as Romanes are Or shall I let my Heart relent and spare One born on the Italian Ground then may The Ghosts me as a
dy'd Aurora threw Over her Rosy Cheeks a Veil of Dew Through which dissolving Chrystal from Her Eyes Day did more sadly yet more Fragrant rise Soon as He entred Prostrate at his Feet She falls and thus now sues his Love to meet If my distracted Piety did swell Too High if what I utter'd did not well Beseem a Captive mighty Prince I here Beseech You pardon Me not wont to bear So weighty Griefs and since th' Immortal Gods Above my Syphax Fate on You these Odds Due to your Valour and good Fortune have Bestow'd whatever be my Doom I crave It may proceed from You. And as you are A King and with my Lord did lately share In the Numidian Name let Me not be Expos'd to any Roman's proud Decree As I am onely Wife to Syphax I Would rather any Libyan's Mercy try Then trust a Stranger But withall you know What I a Carthaginian Daughter to Great Hasdrubal may from a Roman fear If then no other Remedy appear Within your Pow'r I here beseech you still By Death to free Me from the Romans Will. Scarce this with all Allurements that could move At once the Conqu'rour's Pity and his Love She had declar'd when He wipes off her Tears With fervent Kisses and her future Fears Allays with Promise to preserve her Free From Roman Hands But pleads Necessity To be Secure that Night to Consummate Their Nuptial Rites Unwillingly to Fate And his Desires She yields and at the Time Her doubtful Heart as Conscious of a Crime Calls back her Blood then sends it forth again Into her Cheeks so shines a Scarlet Stain On Ivory asham'd to have it said One Day a Captive her and Bride had made And now the Weary Horses of the Sun To the Tartessiack Shore their Course had run When Masanissa with all Sacred Rites The Presence of the Marriage God invites But no good Omen shew'd him to be there The Fire the Incense flies the Altars are Smooth'rd in Stygian Smoak a dreadful Sound Through all the Temple runs and shakes the Ground And as from thence into their Chamber they Retire the Holy Tapers all the Way With Sputt'ring Flames as if Alecto shed Sulphure upon them lead them to their Bed All this intent upon his Mistress Eyes He either did not see or did Despise Concluding what He should enjoy would all Those Miseries out-weigh that could befal Before this Fatal Night was spent The Fame Of Masanissa's hasty Nuptials came To Scipio's Ear He fearing to give Way To such a growing Mischief soon as Day Had chas'd away the Stars by Laelius sends A Summons and thus sharply reprehends His Levity 'T is my Belief said He That when We first contracted Amity In Spain and then in Africa when Thou Didst both thy Self and all those Hopes which now Thou callst thine Own to Me commit that then Something in Me thou did'st 'bove other Men Worthy that Trust conceive But I in none Of all these Virtues that did prompt Thee on To seek my Friendship more of Glory plac't Then in my Temperance That with a Chast And Sober Minde I could suppress the Flame Of hottest Lust and this I then did aim To other thy rare Virtues might be joyn'd For trust Me Noble Prince We cannot finde So much of Danger from our Armed Foes As from those stronger Pleasures that enclose Us round and whotsoer'e repells their dire Assaults and can by Temp'rance his Desire Within Himself Subdue a Victory Of greater Honour gains then that which We O're Syphax have obtain'd Those Noble Things Which Thou with Valour worthy greatest Kings Hast in my Absence done I did of late To all of Name in Arms commemorate With all due Praise and still shall keep in Minde But I had rather Thou on what 's behinde Would'st with thy Self reflect then Blush to hear Me give 't a Name It plainly doth appear To all the World that Syphax was or'ethrown And Captiv'd by the Auspicies alone O' th' Roman People Whatsoever He Possess'd his Kingdom Wife and People We May challenge as our Prize and none a Share Of Right can claim Though Sophonisba were No Carthaginian born or did not We Her Father Gen'ral of their Armies see Yet must She who a King that was our Friend An Enemy hath made and in the End Against Us drawn to Arms be sent to Rome And there the Senate's and the People's Doom Attend. Strive therefore to subdue thy Minde Shake this lewd Passion off so much inclin'd To draw Thee into Ruin nor the Grace Of all thy Virtues with one Vice Deface Nor by one Crime deprive thy Self of all Those Thanks at Rome for which thy Merits call Struck to the Heart as if some sudden Flame Were darted through his Blood the Fire of Shame Flies to his Face Yet nothing He replies But strait retires with Sighs and swelling Eyes And knowing that what Scipio had decreed Must stand Irrevocable sends with Speed For Me and with a Box into my Hand A fatal Poison puts with this Command Bear this to my Dear Sophonisba say That Masanissa was resolv'd to pay That Faith to Her which kindest Husbands ow To their Dear Wives But since the Fates have so Decreed that They now countermand his Will To whom it is subjected He is still Resolv'd his second Promise firm shall stand And that Alive into a Roman's Hand She may not fall advise that with her Drink She intermix this Poison Bid Her think Upon the General her Father and Her Country think how once She did command The Hearts of two great Kings to whom Sh' hath been In Marriage joyn'd and let Her Dy a Queen The baneful Drug to my Dear Mistress I With this harsh Message brought Prepar'd to Dy And with Undaunted Minde the Worst to bear That Fate could add She with Attentive Ear Listn'd to what I said and as She took In her fair Hand the Poison with a Look Moor Chearful then when She a Bride was made To Masanissa I accept She said His Nuptial Present nor is it to Me At all Unwelcome since my Husband He Can nothing Greater on his Wife bestow But yet withall I pri'thee let Him know That Sophonisba would more pleas'd have Dy'd If at her Death She had not been his Bride For then my Country might upon my Tomb Have writ that thus I Triumph'd over Rome No sooner spoke but to her Lips She joyn'd The deadly Cup and Greedy there to finde A speedy Death swallows it all and while We Trembling stand about Her with a Smile Which made her Lovely ev'n in Death her Heart Recalling now the Blood from ev'ry Part To its Relief She sinks and as She lies Upon her Couch gives one Great Sigh and dies As the Numidian this sad Story told The Day began to rise They now behold The Tyrian Coast by which they Steer unto That City whence the Carthaginians drew Their fam'd Original when Dido from Her Brother fled Receiv'd as if at Home With all
that while Stratonica was present his Pulse and Spâ—â—its were stronger discovered the Cause of his Malady to his Father who readily assented to his Desires and from them came the race of this Antiochus Of Stratonîca had the hidden Flame Reveal'd to shew how much a Noble Minde 'Bove Cupidinean Shafts prevails resign'd Into his Arms his Love and rescu'd from The hand of Fate a Race of Kings to come Hence to our Royal Line this solemn Day We consecrate and grateful Honours pay Thus the Iönian sung and as among The rest the lofty Subject of His Song The Libyan applauds the Romane thus To him began Though 'twixt the Gods and Us Great is the difference yet Virtue may Raise Men to those Felicities which they In Heav'n enjoy and none so worthy are Of that high Bliss as those whose Name in War Hath plac'd them here on Earth above the rest Of Humane Race Fate cannot such devest Of Immortality For with Applause The World adores them and obeys their Laws From these all Arts and Virtues that the Minde Of Man enrich at first took Birth and finde Their just Rewards For when Immortal Iove Had fram'd the World though all the Stars above In Order plac'd and strugling Nature saw All things created here her certain Law And Times obey yet guided by their Will Mankinde among themselves a Chaos still Retain'd No Bounds of Justice to repress The Hand of Rapine Vices in Excess Reign'd in all Mindes the Names of Right and Wrong Unknown to all the Virtuous were the Strong Nor then did Man to greater Good aspire Then what seem'd such suggested by Desire But lest a Custom in Licencious Deeds The use of Reason and Celestial Seeds Should quite deprave that true Promethean Fire The Breasts of some Brave Heroes did inspire Those Monsters to subdue and to compel The too Licencious under Laws to dwell The Ill to punish and the Good to Crown With due Rewards Hence Honour and Renown The Mindes of Mortals first from baser Earth Rais'd towards Heav'n from whence they took their Birth But since Lyaeus and Alcides Wars The World with Trophies and the Heav'n with Stars Adorn'd who tell me hath the greatest Name In Arms deserv'd and an Immortal Fame If such their Praise if such their Merits are The Libyan replies No Hand in War So worthy Fame so mighty things hath done As the Pellaean Youth whose Valour won More Victories then Time had Years to Crown His Life allow'd The Force of whose Renown His Laws on farthest Nations did obtrude And Kingdoms which he never saw subdu'd For who that heard how great his Conquests were How small his Force would not with Reason fear compast round Those Arms which Persia's (p) When some of Alexander's Captains saw the vast Number of his Enemies they adviseth him to fall upon them by Night but He replyed he scorned to steal a Victory Quintus Curtius Monarch With Troops so numerous that all the Ground 'Twixt Tigris and Euphrates scarce could yield Them room to stand subdu'd in open Field Scorning to Fortune or to Night to ow A Victory He in full Day the Fo Assails while God and Men together stand Spectatours of the Wonders of his Hand And see each Macedonian Souldiers bring A Nation captivated to their King But not to speak of Battels where his Skill And Conduct all subjected to his Will No Town no City though the Sea and Land Conspir'd against his Force could Him withstand (q) The City of Tyre was so obstinate in holding out against Alexander's whole Force that he resolved once to raise the Siege but fearing it might stain the Glory of his former Victories after seven Months Siege and many terrible Attacks wherein He lost a great part of his Army He took it See Quintus Curtius in his Fourth Book Our Tyrian Walls alone the Glory have To have resisted well and that They gave A longer Stand to th' Torrent of his Rage Then all the Persian Pow'rs that did engage Against his Arms. No Object was above His Courage whose Example would remove All Obstacles that others might deterr And though in great Designs he would confer The Best he follow'd his own Thoughts alone And so made all his Victories his Own And may He have the Praise for none hath more In Arms deserv'd perhaps no God before Next him that Noble Epirote that came To the Tarentines Aid the Crown may claim His Courage when a Youth Pantauchus found Above his Strength though for his Strength renown'd While in two Armies View as once before His mighty Ancestour on Xanthus Shore Great Hector slew He his proud Fo subdu'd And to the wondring Macedonians shew'd All things that they had seen in former Times (r) Pyrrhus was invited into Italy by the Tarentines to assist them against the Romanes He was a Prince eminent for his Valour and Esteemed by the Macedonians as the likest Alexander of any of his Successours He slew Pantauchus Demetrius his Lieuteâ—ant in single Combat See Plutarch in the Life of Pyrrhus In their so glorious Prince except his Crimes Nor were his Victories by Arms alone Where Fortune more then Virtue oft is known To give the Bays His Wisdom Conquest findes Where his Sword could not reach and or'e the Mindes Of Men his Triumph gains and thus he drew From Romane Leagues Italian People to His side They thought themselves more Safe within His Camp then they in fenced Towns had bin Under the Romane Laws For he first taught That Art and Camps to their Perfection brought But if a Third you Seek who hath no less Then these deserv'd though Envious Gods Success Deny'd Me here Me Hannibal behold Who with as early Courage and as bold Attempts a War against the Romane Name Pursu'd and from the farthest Gades came To seek a Fo which future Times might call Most Worthy to contend with Hannibal Not soft Sabaeans or Arabians or A People that the Rites and Toils of War So little knew that charg'd with rich Perfume More then with Sweat or Dust did more presume On Numbers then their Arms or such whose Ease And Lusts must prove the Conquerour's Disease And future Ruin I through Nations born In War and nurtur'd in it with a Scorn Of Fate and Fortune or'e Pyrene o're The dreadful Alps Victorious Ensigns bore And found that Fo with whom I might contend With greater Fame who boast that they descend From Mans himself and to the World no less Appear by their great Valour and Success (s) As when Tarentum Capua and other Cities contended for Superiority with Rome and gave Opportunity to forein Enemies to enter Italy when Hannibal came against them all parts of Italy with Sicily Sardinia c. united under the Roman Laws Nor was it when some other Citie 's Pride With Rome for Empire strove and did divide Their scatter'd Force but when all Italy Her Strength united to encounter Me. I shall not open those deep
did thus disseminate In seeming Flight his cruel Shafts no more Sought with his nimble Courser as before To overtake but his whole Fury to His Lance committing the swift Weapon threw From the loose Thong and where the Chains devest Loosen'd by running to and fro his Breast Into the upper Part a deadly Wound The fixed (s) A Spear made of that Wood. Cornel gave down to the Ground He dying sinks and in his Fall le ts go From his right Hand the Shaft his Left the Bow But with a better Fate Charmelus who Soracte's Honour was did then pursue The Fight for he his Sword with Blood had stain'd Of Bragad ' who o're (t) King of Mauritania Iuba's People reign'd Zeusis who of Spartan Phalanthus Race A Race implacable derived was And whom his Mother a Phoenician bare T' a fam'd Laconian by him likewise there Was slain But Nampsicus not daring to Appear in Fight before so fierce a Fo Nor yet as Fear perswaded thence to fly Crep'd through the Bushes to an Oak that nigh Did stand and climbing to the Top among The shady Leavs conceal'd himself and hung Upon the Boughs that trembled with his Weight Him begging earnestly to shun his Fate And leaping fearfull oft from Bough to Bough Furious Carmelus with a Pike quite through The Body pierc'd the Fowler so in Groves His Lime-Twigs lai'd when as his Mark removes In silence strives on tallest Trees with Aim To strike with his encreasing Shaft his Game His Life and Blood gush out and as it flows The pallid Corps hangs on the bending Boughs The Romanes now the Tyrians put to Flight Closely pursue When of stupendous Height Upon a sudden a most dreadfull Moor Breaks forth his Limbs black as the Arms he wore Their lofty Mains his sooty Horses rear And all his Chariot with new Arts that Fear Might move adorn'd like to their Backs appears Like Plumes upon his Crest like Robes he wears As when of old to his Infernal Bed The dreadfull King of Night eternal fled And in his Stygian Chariot bore away From Aetna's Fields ravish'd Proserpina But Cato then a Youth and the Renown Of the high Walls of that (u) Tusculum built by Telegen Circéan Town Where fam'd Laertes Nephew did command Although he saw the Latines make a stand All troubled in the Front undaunted He Spurs on his starting Steed that sought to flee His Way affrighted at the Stygian Shade With that he quits his Back and doth invade On foot the Chariot and the flying Moor Behinde when strait his Sword that trembled o're His Neck his Whip and Reins together fall And suddenly an horrid Paleness all His Limbs through loss of Blood doth overspread When Cato with his Sword lops off his Head And bears it as a Trophy on his Lance. But now the fierce Dictatour doth advance And through a Globe with Slaughter breaking where A wofull Sight the (x) Minutius Gen'ral did appear Sinking through many Wounds and loss of Blood And poorly begging Quarter with a Flood Of Tears lamenting to behold him so Protects him with his Target from the Fo And calling to his Son My valiant Boy Said He now let thy Valour wipe away This Stain let us to Hannibal return For his great Kindness that he did not burn And wast our Fields a due and just Reward The Youth with these Encouragements he heard And 's Father's Arts rejoyc'd the Troops that round The Libyan stood constrain'd to quit their Ground With 's Conqu'ring Sword and clear'd the Field again While Hannibal was forc'd to quit the Plain As when a greedy Wolf with Hunger prest The Shepheard stept aside or taking Rest Hath seiz'd a Lamb and holds it Trembling fast Between his Jaws if then the Shepheard haste Hearing it bleat to meet him in the Way The Wolf now fearfull for himself his Prey Panting between his Teeth le ts fall again And hungry to the Woods retreats amain At length the Stygian Darkness that was spread O're all the Earth by a rude Tempest fled Their Hands were weary and they all confess They did not merit Safety with Excess Of sudden Joys their Minds distracted were Like such that by some sudden Ruins are Oppress'd when they are freed again and Night Retires then wink and fear to see the Light This done his Army number'd in the Plain To 's Camp upon the Hills with Joy again The old Dictatoâ—r makes a safe Retreat And then as rescu'd from the Hand of Fate The Youth loud Shouts raise to the Stars and all T' express their Joy with Emulation call Fabius their Safety Fabius their Renown Fabius their common Father and the Crown Of all their Hopes Then he that lately shar'd His Troops to thank them with this Speech repair'd Most Pious Father if it lawfull be That we complain to Life restor'd by Thee Oh why didst Thou permit us to divide Our Camp and Forces Why didst thou abide So patient so calm those Arms to yield To us which thou alone art fit to weild Sinking beneath that Charge with loss of Blood We near the Shades Eternal lately stood Hither your Eagles hither quickly bear Your rescu'd Ensigns Here 's our Countrey here In this one Breast the Citie 's Walls abide And thou Oh Hannibal now lay aside Thy Frauds and known Deceits the War with 〈◊〉 By Fabius alone must manag'd be This said when strait a Reverend Sight it was A thousand Altars rise of Turfs of Grass Compos'd and none or Meat or Wine essai'd To touch before Devoutly they had pray'd And on the Sacred Table to the wise Dictatour's Honour paid a Sacrifice The End of the Seventh Book SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Eighth Book THE ARGUMENT By Juno sent to ease His present Cares The Goddess Anne to Hannibal repairs By whose Advice to Cannae He removes Elected by the People Varro proves A Fatal Consul the Delaies upbraids Of Fabius A List of all the Aids That with the Romanes joyn The Army goes To Cannae Fabius Counsel's to oppose Rash Varro What sad Prodigies foreshow In Heaven and Earth the Romanes Overthrow NOW Fabius the first that made them see The flying Backs of Cadmus (a) The Carthaginians Progeny Was by the Romane Camp and Souldiers all Their common Parent stil'd by Hannibal His onely Fo. Impatient of Delay The Libyan raves For that to have a Day Of Battel the Dictatour's Death must be Expected and the Aid of Destiny Was to be Wish'd for while in Arms he stood While Fabius liv'd to hope for Trojan Blood Was vain For now the Souldiers brought again Their Eagles and united all remain Under his sole Command With him alone He must again contend and what upon His Thoughts lay heaviest was that by Delay He took the Fury of the War away And by his Art of sitting still had made The Plenty of the Tyrian Army fade And though an End by Fighting could not be Obtain'd or Battel he his
Enemy Had by his Conduct lately overcome Besides the boasting Celtae towards Home Began to look a People of a light Unconstant Minde Fierce at the first in Fight But if withstood soon quell'd They griev'd to see A War should be maintain'd from Slaughter free A thing to them unknown and while they stood In Arms their Hands were stiff and dry from Blood To add to this an inward Grief and Wound Of civil Envy did his Thoughts confound For Hanno thwarting all he did intend At Home would not permit the Senate send (b) Hannibal not able to obtain his Desire of Battel the Hopes of which had till then kept his Army together had Thoughts of returning into France saith Livy lib. 22. if the Consuls that succeeded Fabius had used the same Arts with him to avoid fighting For Hannibal strongly opposed at Home by Hanno's Faction had no Supplies thence and in Italy most of the Cities opposing him he could not finde Provisions to sustain his Men till the following Victory at Cannae gave Him all that He wanted To his Assistance any Aids at all Torn with these Cares and fearing now the Fall Of his Affairs Iuno who knew the Fate Of Cannae and with future things elate Him with fresh Hopes of Arms and War inspires And fills his Thoughts again with mad Desires For (c) The Sister of Dido Anna call'd from the Laurentine Lakes In this mild Language her Instructions takes There is a Youth in Blood ally'd to Thee Call'd Hannibal and from our Belus he His Noble Name derives make Haste away And the rude Surges of his Cares allay Shake Fabius from his Thoughts who is alone The Stop that Italie's not overthrown Fabius is now dismiss'd with Varro he Hereafter must contend the War must be With Varro wag'd Let him not wanting prove To Fate but quickly all his Ensigns move I will be present let him haste away To th' Iapygian Plains there Trebia And Thrasimonus Fates shall meet again Anna a Neighbour to the Gods that reign In those chast Woods thus answers It would be Unjust in Me should I delay said She Your great Commands but yet permit I pray The Favours to my antient Countrey may With Caution be retain'd and that the Will And Charge of my dear Sister I fulfill Though Anna be esteem'd Divine among The Latine Deities yet Time with long Ambages turning in Obscurity Hath drown'd the Reason of Antiquity Why Temples the Ausonians should ordain To Tyrian Pow'rs Or why where Trojans reign Eliza's Sister should be there ador'd But keeping close to Time I will record What antient Fame reports and briefly all The Story tell from its Original When Tyrian Dido by her Trojan Guest Forsaken was and all her Hopes supprest Within a secret Place in Haste with Cares And Love distract a Fun'ral Pyle she rears Then takes the Sword that fatal Gift that by (d) Aeneas Her Husband fled was giv'n resolv'd to dy When strait Hyarbas whom before She had Rejected as a Lover doth invade Her Kingdom and his Arms Victorious while Her Ashes yet were warm fix'd to the Pyle Who durst while thus the Nomades fierce King Prevail'd to their Distress Assistance bring Battus by Chance the Reins of Chief Command Over (e) Cyrene a City scituate between the great Syrt and Marcotis from which all that part of Libya is called Cyrenaica Cyrene with a gentle Hand Then held this Battus was by Nature Kind And Humane Chances easily inclin'd With Tears to pity and at first when Anne A Suppliant before Him came began The fickle State of Kings to apprehend And to relieve her did his Hand extend Here She two Harvests pass'd but could no more Enjoy the Aid of Battus and that Store His Bounty did afford for then a Fame Was spread Pygmalion to her Ruine came By Sea She therefore from that Kingdom flies And as if hated by the Deities And no less hatefull to her self that She Her Sister's Death did not accompany By fatal Tempests on the Sea was tost Till with torn Sails to the Laurentine Coast She driven was and sadly Ship-wrack'd there A Stranger to the People Soil and Air A fearfull Tyrian stood on Latine ground When now behold Aeneas having crown'd His Labours with a Kingdom to the Place By Chance with young Iülus came His Face She quickly knew and when he spy'd her there Her Eys fix'd on the Earth and full of Fear Faln prostrate at Iülus Feet whose Eys O'reflow'd with Pity helping her to rise To 's House he with a gentle Hand convey'd And when with kind Reception he 'd allay'd Her Fears of Danger with a pensive Care Desir'd unhappy Dido's Fate to hear Then she with Language fitted for the Time And Tears her Words protracting thus to him The Story told Thou Goddess-born alone Wert the true Cause my Sister both her Throne And Life enjoy'd her Death and Fun'ral Fire Alass that I in it did not expire Can witness this for when She could no more Behold thy Face sometimes upon the Shore She sate sometimes she stood and as her Eys Pursu'd the Winds with loud and mournfull Cries Aeneas call'd and onely begg'd that she Might in the Vessel bear thee Company Soon after troubled in her Thoughts again She to her Marriage-Chamber runs amain Where as she enters she is seiz'd with such A sudden Trembling that she dares not touch Her Nuptial Bed then mad with her Embrace The starry Image of Iâ—lus Face She hugs then Thine on which at length she dwells With fixed Eys and her sad Story tells To Thee and hopes an Answer to obtain But when Love lai'd all Hopes aside again The House she quits and flies unto the Shore Hoping the shifting Winds might Thee restore At length fallacious Levity invites Her ev'n to Magick Arts and the dire Rites Of the Massilian Nation to descend But Oh! What wicked Errours do attend Such Prophets while they Stygian Pow'rs allure From Hell and promise to her Wounds a Cure What a sad Act did I deceiv'd the while Behold She throws upon the horrid Pyle All Monuments and fatal Gifts by Thee On her bestow'd With that thus lovingly He interrupts her By this Land I swear Which in my Wishes you did often hear By mild Iâ—lus Head to Her and Thee Once held so dear I most unwillingly Oft looking back and troubled in my Mind Your Kingdom left Nor had I then declin'd My Marriage-Bed had I not threatned bin By Mercury who with his Hand Me in The Cabine plac'd and drove into the Sea With furious Winds the flying Ship away But why though all Advice is now too late Did you permit at such a Time as that That She without a Guard in Love should be So Furious In broken Murmurs she Among her many Sighs to this replies With trembling Lips I then a Sacrifice To Stygian Iove and his Infernal Queen To try if my poor Sister might have been Eas'd in her Love-sick Mind