battaile now be scan'd No man his perils deemes aright But greater doubts doe them affright For who is hee that sees the maine With surges swallow vp the plaine The highest mountaines ouerflowne With billowes from the Ocean blowne The skies and Phoebus blazing crowne Vnto the earth come tumbling downe In such a publicke wracke each where Would of his priuate stand in feare No man had leasure now to dread The harmes that hanged ore his head Romes destiny and Pompeys fall Was it that did distract them all ¶ Vnto their swords they put no trust Except new ground and scour'd from rust Their darts are sharpned at the end With stronger strings their bowes they bend Their quiuers also stored full With choycest shafts that they could cull The rowels of the horse-mens spurre Enlarg'd to make his courser sturre If it were lawfull to compare Mans labours with the supreame care So Mars did grinde his fauchion Vpon the rough Cycilian stone When the Phlegrean Gyants fierce Did make attempt the skies to pierce So Neptune his three-forked mace With fiery temper did enchase And Paean so new steel'd againe His shafts when he had Python slaine So Pallas furbusht vp her Targe VVith Gorgons head and lockes at large And so to chastise those reuolts Vulcan then chang'd Ioues thunder-bolts ¶ Nature did not that time refraine By many signes to shew most plaine The fearefull accidents at hand The skies the armed troopes withstand Marching to the Pharsalian land The tearing clouds with thunder-claps The Souldiers on their faces raps Contrary flames and pillars bright Of scorching fire did them affright Typhons commixt with sparkling beames That did affect the water streames Brake out withall and lightning flashes Dazled their eyes with findging dashes From off their helmes it strake the crests And from the blades the hilts it wrests It also melts the headed Pile The sulfrie aire rusts murdring steele The swarming bees in clustred flights By heapes vpon their Ensignes lights So as the Ensigne-bearers might Could not from ground raise them vpright The weight thereof was growne so dead It made them bow both backe and head Their publique Standards in a swet And Roman Aegles weeping wet VVhilst forward to the field they set The Bull brought for the sacrifice VVith fury from the Altar flies And running head-long himselfe cast Into Emathias field at last So as no offring could be found To expiate that lucklesse ground ¶ But what malignant Deities And Furies of impieties O Caesar hast thou cal'd vpon What power of Stygian Region What wicked damn'd infernall sprights That range about in gloomy nights Hath stir'd thee vp and whet thy rage This odious wicked warre to wage But now this doubt againe doth rise Whether that feare abus'd their eyes Or that these monstrous visions seene Of Gods the Reuelations beene For many thought they did behold How Pindus to Olympus rold And that mount Aemus that same houre A gaping velley did deuoure And that throughout Pharsalia's ground Strange howlings did by night resound That streames of bloud by Ossa's hill Did to Boebeida's lake distill That they beheld in darke shades vail'd How men with force their foes assail'd The day pale dimnesse ouer-whelmes Darke shades likewise incloud their helmes Their parents buried ghosts did rise And fluttring doe accost their eyes But this one comfort did remaine To ease them in perplexed paine That those who with a guilty minde Did hope the wicked meanes to finde Their aged fathers throats to cut And in their brothers blood to glut Reioyced at the monstrous sights That with such horror maz'd mens sprights And hop't these suddaine furies rage Did vnto them successe presage But why should it seeme strange at all That those for whom death now did call Should changes feele as life growes slacke And trembling fits of natures wracke If to the minde of man be giuen Knowledge of future things to steeuen The guest that wonnes in Tyrian Gades The Roman that Armenia trades And those that vnder any clime Of all the world liu'd at that time Did grieue and yet wist no cause why And tooke their griefes offensiuely But little knew what they should lose At these Emathian fatall blowes ¶ If old Records we credit may Vpon Euganeo's hill they say An Augure sitting neere those streames Where Aponus breath-reeking steames Do rise and spread their springs abrode And in Timavas flood vnlode Where was Antenors first abode Now comes this Augure then did say A great and lamentable day The mightest things of humane state Are like forth-with to haue their date Pompeys and Caesars wicked Armes Will now rush on to ciuill harmes But whether that the thunders rage And Ioues dire darts did thus presage Or that the gazing on the skies The heauens discordant humor spies Or that the sad duskt firmament Did note to him this daies euent By dimnesse of th' eclipsed sunne That was with darknesse ouer-runne Nature in this dayes forme exprest Such difference from all the rest As that if men did vnderstand As did this Augure to haue scan'd And well obseru'd the nouell change Of heauenly signes how they did range Then all the world might plaine haue seene As well as hee Pharsalia's teene O worthy wights by Fate reseru'd Of all the world to be obseru'd Whose destinies to bring to end The whole heauens leasure did intend If after ages heare the same And to our Nephewes come their fame Or if to men of great estate Our labours care Time shall relate So as their mindes it recreate When as these ciuill warres they read It will provoke both hope and dread And draw such wishes from their thought As shall be lost and profite nought For reading they will be distracted As though these were not matters acted But as if they were strifes depending Whose Fates as yet had not their ending And all that while wish from their heart The best successe to Pompeys part ¶ As soone as Pompey's armed bands March't towards the Pharsalian lands The shining Sunne-beames bright aspect Against their armours did reflect So as the valleyes and the hilles All round about with light it filles They did not rashly take the field The haplesse Army order held And Lentulus had for his part The ordring of the left wings Mart And those two Legions therewithall That of the Campe was principall The first and fourth they did them call And vnto thee Domitius stout Was giuen in charge the right wings rout All-be-it with vnlucky hand Thou for thy Countries cause didst stand The middle battaile strong compact With thick rang'd troops that were extract Out of the Cilician hoast That came with Scipio from that coast Who heere held but a Souldiers place Though Affrick after did him grace As chiefe Commander in the field The mountaine Capadocians held Their Cohorts rang'd in ordred rankes On Enipheus riuers bankes And with them all alongst that flood That Pontus large-rain'd
horse-men stood In most of all the drier lands The Kings and Tetrarchs Army stands And with them all the Princely swarmes And Tyrants with their troopes of Armes That to the Romans homage ought And now in Latiums quarrell fought There likewise the Numidians meet And those Cydonians sent from Creet The Archers from Iturea prest There mingled stood amongst the rest And valiant Gaules were there to show Their mallice to their ancient foe The Spaniards with their narrow shields Did range their troopes amidst those fields O Destiny now take away These Nations from the victors pray And when great Pompey is laid low Consume all triumphes at that blow ¶ This day as it fell out by chance Caesar his Ensignes did aduance And left his station in the morne Ranging the coast to gather corne With all his troopes when suddainly He saw the armed enemy Marching alongst the Champian plaine As he would battaile entertaine The time he now sees offred faire For which he had made many a praire Whereby he might at once for all Vnto an end this quarrell call He mourn'd these long delayes to bide Rauisht with loue of Regall pride And ciuill warres began to hate As too slow drawing to their date Because he had this little time Beene held off from this bloudy crime For now he plainly did descry The hazards of them both drew nye And saw the ruine of their states Must be committed vnto Fates His fury now did ready stand His conquering Armes to take in hand He no whit faints nor makes a doubt Which way the world would turne about His daring minde told him no lesse But that he should haue good successe His Fate to dread affoords no scope Nor Pompeys nourisht any hope Feare laid aside with manly words He stirres his troopes to trust their swords ¶ Braue Souldiers that the world do tame The fortune of my rising fame Behold that long-desired sight To yeeld you meanes to come to fight For that day need you wish no more With your owne Armes your fates explore It now doth rest vpon your hands In what tearmes Caesars fortune stands This is the day I call to minde That you to me your faiths combin'd In trust whereof we Armes put on And marched ouer Rubicon In hope that by your martiall might We should obtaine our Triumphes right With-held from vs with such despight This is that day whose ended broyles Shall fully recompence your toyles And shall againe your states restore And you establish as before Free Citizens by force of Mart This day shall witnesse whether part By Fates iust doome had best pretence To take vp Armes for rights defence This battaile now will him conclude As heynous most that is subdu'd If for my sake you did desire To yeeld me right by sword and fire Now valiantly performe the same Let conquest free your Armes from blame No martiall hand can guiltlesse goe That shall be censur'd by the foe 'T is not my Priuate that I seeke But all your liberties a like And that you may dominion beare Ouer all Nations farre and neare For I affect a private life Free from tempestious cares and strife And as a Burger of Romes Towne Clad in a meane Plebeian gowne I nothing will refuse to bee So your aduancements I may see Rule all and raigne in scorne of me Much bloud you shall not need to spend For that great hope that yee attend The Grecian youths that vs oppose Out of the Fencing-schooles they chose And many from their fields of games Slow wrastlers whom no Mart enflames But such as neuer yet bore Armes Mixt barbrously with diffring swarmes Such as when troopes to fighting falles And Trumpets sounds to battaile calles Will be afraid of their owne cry Few hands this ciuill warre will trye The world will soone be rid of most Of all that rabble in their host They will but pester and encumber Our Roman foes with ill-rang'd number Pierce through these men that are vntrain'd And kingdomes that such fame retain'd And when your swords shal first them greet Throw downe their glory at your feet And by your valour make it plaine That those that in his boasting vaine Pompey before his Chariots lead As mighty Nations vanquished So gloriously through streets of Rome Do not deserue one Triumphes doome Thinke you that any friendly loue To warres did these Armenians moue As though that they tooke any care Of Romes estate or her well-fare Or any those Barbarian Kings That to these warres their forces brings Would now for Pompeys Latium good Be at the cost of too much blood Oh no they hate vs Romanes all And chiefly those that made them thrall Fortune that neuer me deceau'd To my friends hands hath me bequeau'd To those with me that witnesse are Of many fights in Gallicke warre What Souldiers sword doe I not know What trembling dart can any throw But whilst that through the aire it flew I soone could tell whose arme it threw So as since that I you behold Your Captaine that led you of old And those braue Ensignes by you borne That neuer yet receiued skorne Your manly lookes with courage fraught Your threatning eyes that terror brought The day is yours and now me seemes With bloudy gore that riuers steemes Their Kings vpon the earth are spurn'd The Senators lye tost and turn'd The leaders and the Souldiers slaine In slaughtred troopes vpon the plaine But now I do my Fates delay Your armed hands with words to stay Giue warres approch his owne full sway My heart is ouer-ioy'd with hope Neuer saw I like Fortunes scope So neere my reach neuer before The Gods to me such bounties store Did seeme to giue a little ground Doth vs from our great wishes bound This battaile fought I am the man That onely by my fauour can Freely bestow the treasur'd gold That Kings and many people hold O heauens what planets influence What starre this motion did commence That now on this Pharsalian land So great a question should be scand This day there is for me prepar'd Either great paines or great reward Thinke but on Caesars tortur'd state The chaines that shall him captiuate His head vpon the Rostrum plac't His members rack't torne and defac't And you your selues will finde like feasts In pinfolds pent slaughtred as beasts Since he with whom we warres maintaine A Captaine is of Sylla's traine Therefore regard your owne estates For me I will preuent such Fates By vertue of my dreadlesse hand That at their mercy skornes to stand For he that this day shall not see Vs victors of our foes to be Shall see this sword of mine diuorse My breathing spirit from my Corse Yee Gods that from the heauens hye Vouchsafe to bend your carefull eye Vnto this base inferior soyle To looke vpon the Roman toyle Let him the victory obtaine That shall from cruelty refraine And will not deeme it but offence Except in pitty he dispence
And of our selues to take remorce Thou Ptolomey maist if thou wilt Mend Pompeys wracke that lies now spilt When Rome it selfe dures for his guilt Dar'st thou Thessalias ashes reare And call in warres thy realme to teare Before these late Pharsalian broyles We kept our selues from martiall toyles Would Pompey new warres vndertake With our hands since all him forsake Would he prouoke the victors might Againe that hath put him to flight And pitty tels vs as you say We should helpe wretches in decay But wisedome sayes we should affect To like those Fortune doth respect What foolish trust would leagues combine With friends in pouerty that pine ¶ This wicked counsell all allowd The boyish King was likewise proud To haue the honour him decreed As lawfull to act such a deed By Sycophants that sooth his minde Whereto Achillas was design'd And to the seas side they repaire A wicked shore for this affaire O this was that same trayterous land That borders on the Cassian sand Whereas on Aegypts coasts a shelfe Neere to the Syrts doth stretch it selfe There they a little frigget mand With armed monsters in a band O heauens how could the riuer Nyle And barbarous Memphis so defile Themselues and that same tender breed That the Canopian I le doth feed Haue hearts to act so vile a deed Doth ciuill fate the whole world staine Must Roman Rulers thus be slaine Doth Aegypt slaughters new affoord Must Pharus on vs vse the sword O ciuill warres to your owne Armes Reserue our proper Countries harmes And do reuenge your own blood spilt Chase from you odious forraine guilt If noble Pompey were design'd By Caesars sword his date to finde Durst Ptolomy so traiterously Doome one of so great name to dye And thou Achillas halfe a man Thou Eunuch whom the world doth ban How durst thou so with hands prophane Whilst heauen did thunder work his bane Hee that the world by Armes hath tam'd Him that three Triumphes so had fam'd The Champion of the Senates state The victors sonne-in-law but late This might alone for reason stand To stay the Pharian Tyrants hand He was a noble Roman borne With thy sword must our breasts be torne Little knowst thou vnhappy boy Little knowst thou thine owne annoy How ficklely thy fortune stands That by no right now holdst thy lands Since him thy wicked sword hath slaine By whose grace thou didst rule and raine ¶ Now Pompey strooken had his saile And in his ship for more auaile His Marriners fell to the Ore So to convey him to the shore Thus passing on with his small fleet A little Gally did him meet That was with wicked villaines mand VVith shew to bring him to the land Then Aegypts kingdome they profest VVas to his loue and seruice prest And therewithall they offer make That he the benefite would take Of their small skiffe to come a shore From his tall ship that could not more Nor on those channels safely ride And very hardly stemme the tide By reason that the checking waue Did with contrary currents raue And to all shipping perilous That on those costs were venterous ¶ But had not destiny ordain'd And that which could not be refrain'd The doome of the aeterne decree To which his fate must needs agree That Pompey to this shore must wend There to receiue his wofull end He wanted not aduice of those That were his friends to doubt these foes For that if they good faith had meant And that the King with true intent VVould welcome him vnto that land Giuen to his sire by Pompeys hand The Tyrant then with all his fleet In state with honour would him meet But he to destiny giues way And as they wild he did obay Leauing his ship he their skiffe enters And scorning feare he death aduenters Wherewith Cornelia headlong flies Into the hostile skiffe likewise Seeing her husband so gone out Transported with the carefull doubt That they did plot some villany And therefore kept him company Rash woman stay behind he said And so to do his sonne he praid And bids them there aloofe expect Of this aduenture the effect And well obserue with what faith led They now will entertaine his head But all in vaine he charmes deafe eares For now Cornelia mad with feares Her hands lifts vp with frighted brow Cruell without me whither now Meanst thou to goe must I againe In solitary sort remaine And rest the company of thee Now from Thessalian dangers free We wretches neuer sundred are But there ensues some heauy care Why didst thou not thy sailes diuart And flye into some other part And leaue me wretch in Lesbos plac't If from all lands I must be chac't Thy company I cannot please But onely on the raging seas When she in vaine had thus complain'd In doubt her owne ship-side she strain'd With dread amaz'd her eyes she rold And did not Pompey then behold These in the shippes did doubtfull stand Of Pompeys fortune on the land Not fearing feare or treachery But doubting that too humbly He would that King for aid entreat To whom he gaue that Regall seate But as he meant a shore to passe He suddenly saluted was By one a Roman souldier That in a Pharian boate drew neere Septimius hight ô heauenly shame That he his Countrey should defame One of the guard to Ptolomey As his base weapon did display His Roman pile was set aside Fierce violent enrag'd with pride No sauage beast could him exceed For slaughter or for bloody deed A man would thinke that Fortune meant That so much blood should not bee spent Nor yet so many people wrack't Because the warre his right hand lack't And that his murdrous sword so farre Was banish't the Pharsalian warre But Fortune such thou spread'st abroad That ciuill slaughters might be stroad In euery coast to bring defame Vnto the victors cruell name And that thy stories iust complaint Should all the Gods with shame attaint So did this Roman sword obay The King and Pompey thou mayst say This Palean Princox did not dread With thine owne sword to reaue thy head And future times shall still record Septimius name to be abhord But with what tearmes to be exprest If Brutus fact the world detest Now his last houre approached on For hee with Pharian barge is gone And of himselfe the power had lost The Tyrants monsters him accost With naked swords vpon him bent And when he saw their vile intent With weapons prest to giue the stroke Vpon his face he throwes his cloke Disdaining that his bared head To fortune should be offered And therwithall he closd his eyes His spirit he supprest likewise Because hee would no moanes expresse Nor teares to make his vertues lesse ¶ But when Achillas damned wretch With murdrous glaiue he made a breach Into his side with gaping wound Nor sigh nor grone yet did he sound
thou shalt finde this of lesse paine But greater much in glorious gaine Couldst thou ten yeares on Gallia spare So poore to Rome in all compare And canst thou thinke lesse time worse spent To win the whole world to thy bent Fortune that still with thee abounds When thou dost march her Trumpet sounds Then to this worke with courage fall In conquering Rome thou conquerst all But as the case now stands with thee No Triumphes will allowed be At thy returne for seruice done Nor Laurels worne for Gallia wonne Enuy that doth at vertue spurne Will at thy triumph rather mourne And which is more to thy disgrace The honour of thy name to base Thy enuious foes haue plotted prankes To cut thy conquests short of thankes And will in lew thereof at last Some fowle aspersion on thee cast Pompey that matcht thy daughter deere Admits thee not his equall Peere The Empire must be shar'd twixt none But thou mayst haue it all alone ¶ This speech of Curio sets on fire The minde of Caesar whose desire Before to warre was fully set But with these words more sharply whet Like a proud Courser bred in Thrace Accustom'd to the running race Who when he heares the Trumpets noyse The shouts and cryes of men and boyes Though in the stable close vp-pent Yet with his hoofes doth beat and rent The planched floore the barres and chaines Vntill he haue got loose the raines ¶ Caesar forthwith his troopes doth call T' attend him at his Tribunall And euery Ensigne to be man'd And followed with his armed band So in the midst his place he takes Then head and hand he beckning shakes And therewithall deepe silence makes ¶ Fellowes in Armes and friends quoth he That haue this ten yeares space with me In warres endur'd a thousand brunts With many hazards and affronts And yet haue brought our foes at length Vnder our feet by conquering strength Is this that Curio now relates All the esteeme the Roman States Doth make of vs and our lost blood Expended for the Empires good By conquest of this Northerne soyle Is this the hire of all our toyle About the frosty Alpes endur'd That many a Worthies bane procur'd Though Rome so scorne her Martiall breed Yet is she now as hard besteed As when the Carthaginian sway Ouer the Alpes did force a way Her wasted Cohorts are supplyd With men that warre hath neuer try'd But meere Besognios prest in hast And now the woods are feld as fast To build a Nauy out of hand And Caesar as I vnderstand Must be pursu'd by sea and land But now suppose some man will say What if in one vnlucky day When we doe hope to giue a blow Our selues receiue the ouer-throw And that the Gaules to venge their wrackes With furious swarmes come on our backes Alas poore sprights what doubts are these Since Fortune swayes which way I please And alwayes prospers my designes And that the Gods their grace inclines Our glory higher to aduance When Fortune pipes shall we not dance Let Pompey whom dis-vse hath made A stranger to Bellona's trade Come on with his new swaggering host Which cannot of one Skirmish boast Let Senators in their graue gownes Brow-beat vs with their haughty frownes And Marcell that same pratling Iay With Stoicke Cato that giues way To nought but what himselfe doth say Let all this rabble shew their spight We scorne their malice and their might Shall these consorts for money bought Pompey to please set vs at nought Shall they so proudly vndertake In him a Monarchy to make Must our great Empires supreme sway Him onely serue and sole obay Must he with new insulting pride Againe in Triumphes Chariot ride When no man knowes for what or why But all due course doth it deny What must he neuer quit againe The rule that once he doth attaine Nor suffer others haue their turne Must he at all mens honours spurne Who liueth now that doth not know The famine that did ouer-flow By publicke dearth of corne and bread Whereby his auarice was fed Who knowes not that by his affront Contrary to the Roman wont The Iudges in the Market-place Assaulted were with foule disgrace And with what pride he bolstred out The out-rage of that rascall rout And how by maine oppressing might Against all law and ciuill right Milo that so condemned stood For fouly shedding Clodius blood By Pompeys rude presumptious bands Was rescu'd out of Iustice hands But now he waxing old and craz'd Yet still affecting to bee blaz'd And fearing that his date farre spent Will grow vnfit for gouernment Lothing to lead a priuate life Now makes new worke for ciuill strife Wherein he trained is so well As that he doth by farre excell His Tutor Sylla bloudy sire That mischiefe-monger ruines fire And as a Tyger wildly fed In the Hyrcanian forrest bred Who following of his rauening damme With blood of beasts his panch doth cram Can neuer afterwards allay His sauage longing after pray So Pompey nuz'led in the taste Of Syllas sword that made such waste Of his owne countries guiltlesse blood Cannot asswage his thirsting mood But that his iawes in-vr'd to gore Must bathe in bowels as before Shall his vsurped lawlesse state Nor limits haue nor any date How long shall he with hands vncleane Support his pride that holds no meane His Maister Sylla might him learne By his example to discerne That Tyranny at length should end And aged hopes to quyet bend Must Caesar needes giue vp his rest Because the Pyrats are supprest And Mithridates with long toyle At length receiued hath the foyle Although it cannot be deny'd But Pontus poysons first he try'd Shall Caesar now I say be made A prey to Pompeys rusty blade Because I scorned to forgoe My conquering Legions to my foe And disobeyd that proud decree Made against right in wrong of me But though I be deny'd my due And that no Triumphes must acrew Vnto our conquest as our hire Yet whilst I breath with liuing fire And these braue Troopes are led by me They neuer shall defrauded be Of their reward for seruice done Nor after stranger Captaines runne To seeke new Fortunes at their hands In forraigne warres and vnknowne lands For if that such a course be held When they be ouer-growne with eld And not of force as earst they were To broyle in warres and armes to beare Where shall they then their limbes repose Weakned with age with toyle and blowes What comfort should they finde at last To recompence their trauailes past What lands to them shall be alowd What fields to plant or to be plowd Where they in peace may eate their breads And rest their limbes in quiet bed Shall Pyrats so by Pompeys grace In fruitfull Colonies finde place And Roman Veterans not haue That due regard their worth doth craue O then resolue without delay Your conquering Ensignes to display
didst leaue Nuceria that their state bequeaue Vnto thy trust which so did faile Ere any force did them assaile When as that warlike Towne was man'd With many a gallant trained band Of valiant youths from Caesars armes Cal'd to relieue the Parthian harmes But first imploy'd on Pompey's cost To venge the bloud in Gallia lost And now himselfe doth warres intend For these stout troopes againe did send To be his father-in-lawes sure guards This vse of Roman bloud awards But thou Corfinium strong-fenc'd hould Commanded by Domitius bould That with huge walles inuiron'd art With Flankes and Ramparts fit for Mart Thy garrison were those new bands That Milo tooke from Iustice hands Now from the walles with watchfull eyes Domitius first neere hand espies Great clouds of dust aloft to rise And with the glittering sun-shine beames Faire armed Troopes cast flaming streames ¶ Souldiers friends quoth he make haste This bridge forthwith must be laid waste That doth vpon this riuer stand See it be razed out of hand And you huge mountaines now let flie Your fountaine heads and raise so hye The flowing Riuers with rough tides That all the boats that thereon glides Vpon the shelues may wracke their sides Stay here the limits of this warre This Towne their proud attempt shall barre And on these bankes those rauening bands With hopeles gains shal make their stands Here first shall Caesars force desist And victory yeeld to our fist He said no more but hastes withall The swaggring troopes from off the wall That headlong to the worke doe fall ¶ VVhen Caesar from his Campe perceiu'd The Riuers passage was bereau'd And that the breaking of the bridge His iournies speed would much abridge Enrag'd with wrath what now quoth he Are not strong walles esteem'd to be Sufficient sculking dennes to hide These crauen Souldiers terrifide O cowards will you ouer-flow The fields thereby my march to slow VVhen Ganges with his stickle sway Nor any other floud can stay Caesar from holding on his way Now he the Rubicon hath past Yee troopes of horse set forth with hast And bands of foot come follow on This shaken bridge goe set vpon ¶ No sooner he the word did speake But out his forward horsemen breake And doe the riuers bankes assaile Like to a stormy drift of haile To th' other side then they let flye A showre of darts that cloud the skye And Caesars selfe the passage takes VVhere none to him resistance makes Then quickly he doth force them all To make retrait within the wall And then the Rammes for battery Vnto the worke he doth apply VVith other Engines brought in place That Towers and Bul-warkes will deface ¶ But see the villany of warre The garrison the gates vnbarre Their Gouernour they doe betray And him a prisoner forth conuay Before proud Caesars feet to lay But yet his state and noble face It seem'd no terror did imbase For oft he stoutly cal'd for death The Victor knew he loathed breath As one that did despaire of life But Caesar said Our grace is rise Liue therefore though against thy will And by our gift said he liue still Let others whom I shall subdue In thee a perfect patterne view Of Caesars mercy and now chuse On whose side thou thy Armes wilt vse Or if thou wilt retired liue Thy choyce to thee I freely giue But doe not thinke this moues my minde That I thereby like grace would finde If thou hereafter conquest gaine That base respect I much disdaine Thus said forthwith he gaue in charge His hands from fetters to inlarge But better much had him bety'd If he that present houre had dy'd And Fortune more had freed from shame The honour of the Roman name He holds it now a grieuous scorne With reputation so forlorne To warre for his deere Countries sake And therein Pompey's part to take Whom all the Senates forces aides Whilst hostile pardon him vpbraides These thoughts his heart doe still infest And with himselfe doth thus contest ¶ Shall I in Rome goe make my nest And as a man degenerate Shut vp my selfe in peacefull state And not this noble warre pursue That wisht for death so lately due Nay rather into hazards runne Vntill thy lifes twist be out-spunne And Caesars gift with glory shunne ¶ Report did not as yet relate This Captaines base subdued state To Pompeys eares fraught full of cares For his designes that now prepares To strength his part with forraigne shares And order giues the following day With Trumpets sound to set in ray His troopes and then to feele their minde How they to battaile were enclinde To whom when they did silence make With reuerend voyce he thus bespake ¶ Yee vengers iust of guilty hands Yee Souldiers of right Roman bands That for defence of Iustice stands Whom now the Senates supreme hest Doth not with priuate armes inuest Dispose your forward hearts for fight Since now Hesperia in our sight Doth flame on fire in wretched state And her faire fields depopulate This clew of rage in Gallia spunne Ouer the yeie Alpes is runne And Caesar in this raging mood Pollutes his sword with Latium blood The Gods him iustly charge with blame As Author of this ciuill flame And now euen now Rome to me calles Whom she her president installes To chastise these rebellious brawles Whose armes with countries bloud defil'd Cannot as worthy warres by stil'd To ours that honoured name belongs That doe reuenge our Countries wrongs His warre is of no better kinde Then that which Cataline design'd When Rome he meant to set on fire And had with him that did conspire One of the Lentulij his mates Caethegus bare-arm'd in debates O wretched rage that so dost raigne Within this leaders wilfull braine Whom Fates would raise to no lesse fame Then those of the Camillan name Or those braue Lords Metellij hight But thou art of another spright Yhy humor followes iust the straine Of Cinna's and of Marius vaine Whose infamies doe still remains Like Lepidus that was supprest By Catull ' or as we distrest Proud Carbo that by Iustice hest Our Axes fatall edges try'd Whose bones Sycilia soyle doth hide Or as Sertorius iustly slaine For his rebellious course in Spaine Although in faith it grieues me much So to compare with any such Thee Caesar but that Romes offence Cannot with our reuenge dispence But would it had beene so ordain'd That Crassus victory had gain'd Against the Parthes and from the coast Of Scythia brought againe his hoast Whereby he might thy selfe subdue As Spartacus he ouerthrew Or if the all fore-seeing eye Will that we two our forces try My arme as well as thine shall show That it the pearcing Pile can throw And that my bloud for courage bold Disdaines by thee to be controld And that a heart to peace inclin'd Is not therefore of cowards kinde For though he tearme me spent with yeares Let
as they could no more sustaine Themselues by swimming on the maine ¶ Now in this battailes long euent Were darts and weapons almost spent But fury then prouides for Armes With Oares now one another harmes The staues that flagges and Ensignes beare They from the banners snatch and teare With benches whereon they did sit The rowers one another smit And peeces from the ship sides split Their fellowes that in heapes lye slaine Vpon the deckes they search againe That they their weapons might retaine Others to shew their dreadlesse hearts Out of their wounds doe rash the darts And with their left hands close the sore So to represse the bubling gore Which striues that way to finde a vent Whereas the lance had made a dent ¶ But all this hauocke by the seas Was not to be compar'd to these That last of all they did inuent By a contrary element For now enrag'd with greater ire They cast abrode such desperate fire Composd of brimstone pitch and oyle Wherein their darts they wrap and foyle And then such wild-fire balles doe make Whose flames no waters force can slake But on the ships quicke hold will take Where they incounter ropes and boords That tarre and rosin store affoords Stuffe that will quickly flame retaine And hard to be extinct againe The boords that from the ships sides shakes These fiers hand-fast on them takes Here some doe plunge into the seas The scorching flames so to appease Others in danger of the waues Hold by those plankes that flaming raues So whilst mongst many deaths they runne No death so much they striu'd to shunne As that which first they apprehend Did threaten them their liues to end Yet all these ship-wrackes nought auaile Their courage to abase or quaile But on the seas the darts that flow They gather vp at shippes to throw With those faint hands that them sustaine By swimming in the rowling maine And when they cannot meet with darts Another way they play their parts When one foe doth another spy They straight together struggling try Till both downe to the bottome flye ¶ Amongst the rest in this fierce fight A man there was that Phoceus hight A Souldier of a gallant spright That well could swim and well could diue And vnder water long suruiue So as for need the bottomes sands He would take vp with diuing hands Or if the Anchors hooke were bound He could vnloose it from the ground Or fixe the cable that by chance From out the Anchors ring did glance This fellow singles out a foe And in his armes doth graspe him so That to the bottome both do goe There him he strangles in the mud Then lifts himselfe aboue the floud But after this againe he tries In semblant sort to diue and rise And as his head aloft he reares Against a ship his skull he teares Wherewith he downe-right sunke amaine And neuer rose aliue againe Some now the hostile oares by might Would hold and stay their ships from flight But that which most did all offend Was vnreueng'd their liues to end Many that saw their death draw nye Would on the ship sides hazards try And so the beake-head brace and clip To beare the blow from off the ship ¶ Then Lygdanus by chance did eye Tyrrhenus mounted loftily Strowting vpon a Gallions puppe A sling and bullet he takes vp And sent it with a strength so fierce That both his temples it did pierce From whence a streame of bloud forth flies And after it starts out his eyes His sight thus rap't amaz'd did stand And thought this darknes was deaths hand But when his sprights were come againe That did true valor still retaine My mates quoth he that so well know The piercing dart a farre to throw Direct me now a right to stand That I may vse my darting hand Then to himselfe a lowd he spake Tyrrhene goe now and vndertake In warre all hazards that may chance Thy end more brauely to aduance Such noble thoughts this man halfe slaine Did in his haughty heart retaine My wel-steel'd dart Ioue grant thou light Vpon some gallant worthy wight So said his dart he forth did straine With his blinde arme yet not in vaine But did a lusty younker smite Of noble bloud he Argus hight The point his very nauell hit But pierc'd it not halfe through as yet Vntill he groueling downe did fall Which prest the head home shaft and all ¶ When this happe Argus did betide His father on the other side Did in a conquer'd Gally stand Great was his worth by sea and land For he in all the Phocians warres Gaue place to none that doing dares But now with eld was weake and spent And yet vnto this battaile went Not as a Souldier to obay But in high place to rule and sway Now when this dismall chance he spy'd Ouer the seats he straines to stride And so poore man still clambring vp Made shift to come vnto the puppe Where when he saw his Argus lye Gasping for life at point to dye No teares fell from the old mans eye Neither did he outraging cry But numnesse did his sence surprise And darknesse did benight his eyes His body sodainly grew cold His hands out-stretcht could nothing hold And in this trance and sencelesse plight He had forgot his Argus quite But he sweet youth his head did becke That faintly reeled on his necke And lifts it vp a little space When first he glimpst his fathers face His Iaw-falne mouth no voyce forth sends But silent to his father bends And beckes his head as latest blisse From his old lippes to get a kisse And with best meanes he could deuise Pointed to him to close his eyes The griping sorrow that did straine This poore old man in euery vaine Puts rage and spright in him againe Well now quoth he I 'le loose no time This wracke is chanced for my crime The direfull Fates as they ordaine Shall haue me by mine owne hand slaine Deare Argus my sweet boy dispence With thy sad fathers late offence In that I did not thee embrace Nor with last duties kisse thy face As yet thy wound doth not so draine The life-blood out of euery vaine But that thy lookes good hope do giue That thou a while maist longer liue No sooner had he said that word But straight he fell vpon his sword Which he draue to the very hilt Yet not content with his bloud spilt Into the sea he head-long flies One way to death could not suffice ¶ This fortune now drawes to an end Which way the victory shall tend No longer cause there doth remaine Hazards of battaile to maintaine Most of Massilian fleet is drownd The rest for Roman seruice bound Whose rowers when they changed were The Roman victors in them beare A few with speed away did flye For shelter in some harbours nye But now what tongue can well expresse
runne away To sloth they would themselues bequeaue And their victorious Captaine leaue Be gonne such abiect mindes I hate Leaue me to warre and to my fate These armes of mine will finde out hands VVhen I haue casht seditious bands Fortune with gallants will supply My weapons that vn-vsd shall lye Can Pompey whom I chast away Be follow'd with so great a sway Of Latium ships with him to flye And thinke you that my victory VVill not my campe with troopes supplie Yes and those troopes we must prefarre To haue the honor of this warre And they will share away the gaines Of all your former taken paines Then shall you Veterans relent To see your blood in vaine so spent And when my Triumphes come in place Your selues haue nether gifts nor grace Thinke you that I shall losse receaue Because that you my Campe doe leaue Yea all as much as it the course Of riuers threat to change their sourse And from the seas their streames detaine Were able so to slake the maine That ebs floods 't would not maintaine What do you now your selues perswade That you in ought my fortune made The Gods do not their care abase To men of your inferior place They giue no leasure to their eye To see where such men liue or dye Of great mens Fate they haue a care That of this world supporters are To Spaine and to the Northerne coast You terrors were led in my hoast But had you followed Pompey then You would haue prou'd but conquer'd men Labienus was a valiant knight Whilst he in Caesars Armes did fight But now a run-a-way most base Doth after a new Captaine trace By sea and land from place to place Your faiths to me no better are If you shall shew your selues in warre Of so debaushed minds to be As neither foes nor friends to me For he that doth my Ensignes leaue And will not vnto Pompey cleaue Of me no fauour can receaue Surely the Gods my Tents protect And will I should your fraud reiect And that I doe vnto mee call New troopes to wage this warre withall O Fortune how dost thou enlarge My weary shoulders of a charge To giue me meanes now to despise Those hands whose hopes nought can suffise No not the whole worlds spoyle and pelfe But I will warre now for my selfe Therefore from out my Campe depart And those braue Ensignes of my Mart Yee slothfull Romans lay them downe They shall be borne with more renowne And now the Authors of this rage Iustice not Caesar doth engage Prostrate your selues therefore with speed And on the blocke receiue your meed For of this mutinous deuice Your faithlesse heads must pay the price And you new Souldiers on whose hands The strength now of my Army stands Behold these paines learne lawes of Armes Know how to dye for factious harmes The common rout whilst thus he spake Vnder his threatning voyce did quake And this great bragging factious troope That might haue made one head to droop Vnto his will with awe did stoope As though the very swords conspir'd To yeeld to what his will requir'd And that the steele it selfe in spight Of hands would yeeld him duties right Yet Caesars selfe did stand in doubt That most of all the armed rout Would haue maintain'd their cause in field And not to execution yeeld But yet their patience past the scope Of their offended Captaines hope For they not onely held them still But gaue their throats vnto his will Then did he feare that their sterne hearts Inur'd before to ruthlesse parts Would now grow dull vnfit for Marts Loe thus did Iustice direfull stroke To former peace their mindes reuoke Chiefe Mutiners receiu'd their paine The rest restor'd to grace againe ¶ The Army then directed was Thence to Brundusium to passe In ten daies march and there to meet The Mariners and Caesars fleet Some of them cal'd from Hydrus bay And from old Taras where they lay Others from Leucas secret shores And those in Salapin that Moores With some that did in Sipus ride Whose streams neere to those cliffes do tide Where the Apulian Gargan hill Fruitfull to husband men that till Stretching along Ausonia's soyles By North Dalmatia entoyles And on the South Calabria bounds Thence like a Promontory rounds Into the Adriaticke sounds Meane while doth Caesar take his way To fearefull Rome taught to obay In peacefull gowne the victors minde His armed troopes he left behind And there the people by request In signe of loue would needs inuest Him with the high Dictators name And Consulship ioyn'd to the same Obseru'd with ioyfull solemne feasts And suffrages to his owne hests So generally as that before Neuer was any flattered more With Lordly phrase him to adore And for to grace with iust pretence His warre as for the states defence The swords that they before him beare With Consuls axes mingled were And where the Aegles Ensignes waue He ioynes the Faggots ribbond braue And so vsurpes with idle fame Of Empires rule Dictators name Thus markes he out that wofull time With worthy Titles free from crime And so to giue Pharsalia's fight The colour of a quarrell right That yeare the Consuls name he hends And publique good his cause pretends To solemne shewes in Martius fields A forced fained forme he yeelds The peoples voyces he obtaines For will or nill powre them constraines The Tribes he partially diuides With shew the Vrne the lots decides The heauenly signes no credit beares Thunders moues not the Augures eares They sweare the birds with good lucke flye Whilst dismall Owles are heard to crye So breach of lawes that high powre stain'd Which reuerence had so long maintein'd And that times names might full agree With his designes he doth decree A monthly Consull to install Distinguish't with times festiuall And that high powre that Latium brights Should haue his Ceremoniall rites Perform'd by Torches in the nights Though sacred honours scarce were due To Ioue that nought our wrackes did rue ¶ From Rome then Caesar hastes away Through those low meads that yeelds the hay That the Apulian people makes With handy pitchforkes and with rakes And in his speed he is more swift Then is the flash of lightnings drift Or Tyger of the female kinde Vntill the houses he doe finde Of Craetan frames Brundusium hight Where with the aires tempestuous spight He findes the hauens mouth winde-bound And trembling barkes within the sound With winters stormes like to be drownd But yet this daring Captaine thinkes That shamefully his businesse shrinkes If doubts or dreads should him delay Or him confine within a bay Whilst that he sees the tossing maine Is scour'd by Pompey's lucklesse traine And to adde courage to their sprites His mariners he thus incites The Northerne sky and winters winde We alwayes doe more certaine finde And current of the Ocean vast Continue with more constant blast When once they take then
those slight puffes Which from the chopping changing huffes Of the spring season do proceede Either for certainty or speede Besides our course needs not to feare How sore the seas do breake and teare We need not gaze for markes of lands Whereby to void the rockes and sands But with a forth-right leading winde By North we shall our harbour finde And would to God this Northerne racke Would whirle to make the mast to cracke And fill the sailes with such a gale To make the top-mast stoope withall And bring vs to the Greekish shores That Pompey's Gallies with their Oares May not in calmes our fleet surprise Whilst in the seas it hulling tries Therefore my hearts your Anchors way Doe not our happy fleet delay For all this while we loose but time Since windes and seas are in their prime ¶ Now Phoebus falles vnto his rest And brightest starres the skies invest When Cinthia shewes her siluer eye The ships out of the harbour flye With Anchors weigh'd and Cables coyl'd Amongst the waues the Sea-men toyl'd They hoise their yards a crosse the mast And then to take the friendly blast Their climing feet their hands pursue To cut their sailes and spreade their clue But for the winde they gan to doubt Their top-sailes likewise they heaue out With all their helpes they can deuise To take the least breath of the skies Yet now more slowly slides the racke And all their sailes began to slacke Wherewith came on such slender blasts That sailes did flat vnto the masts Of land no sooner they lost sight But they were all becalm'd out-right The gale that blew off from the shore At sea did follow them no more The rowling billowes of the deepe Were now growne calme and still a sleepe The waues all smooth were as but one The maine scarce felt a motion So Bosphorus doth dully stand Bound with the flawes of Schythia land When Istar cannot moue that maine Which freezing vapours doe restraine That sea becomes an ycie plaine And ships brought thither by the windes In beddes of yce fast lockt it bindes So as the men by toyle nor Art Can make a way thence to depart Whose waues condensed with the cold The hugie weight of Carts do hold With hollow sound that thereon runne And there the Besseans doe wonne Vntill Meotis feele the Sunne With such a froward still the deepes A soft and sluggish wallowing keepes As if in slumber they did rest And of their nature dispossest And like a standing poole growne sad That neither spring nor motion had But changed from his nature quite Forgotten had his wonted plight For he will neither rise nor fall Nor with his wonted roaring call He trembles not nor frothing chides Nor Phoebaes influence giues him tides This fleet meane while with much disease Lay tumbling in this dead growne seas On this side did the aduerse fleet Prepare their oares with them to meet Whilst they in this dead calme do ride And could not moue with winde or tide On th' other side they stood in dread And danger to be famished So as in this disasterous state New feares new praiers eleuate Vpon the Gods they call and cry That all the fury of the sky Would bend it selfe to boysterous rage And so the stupid waues engage As that the fury of the maine Would shew it selfe a sea againe But winde nor waues became so stout That they of ship-wracke need to doubt Yet after when the night was past The day with clouds was ouer-cast The hollow seas began to sturre And then Ceraunia windes did whurre Wherewith the fleet began to quake And so the aire the sailes did shake At length the crooke-back't waues did rise And in the sternes the ships surprise That with full sailes now forward plies So as these friendly seas and gales Them to Palestes hauens hales Where when they safely were arriu'd They Anchors cast with ioy reviu'd ¶ This was the first confronting coast Where these two Captaines hoast to hoast Incamped were in eithers view And through these fields two riuers drew Their pleasant streames on Apsus hight And Genusus more swift of flight Apsus by reason of a lake That into her his course did make With steady slye sought stealing pace Could shipping beare from place to place But swift Genusus head-long goes When as the Sunne melts heapes of snowes Or that the falles of showring raines Her swollen channels higher straines Yet neither of them with long race Within the land doth winding trace Fortune to this place gaue the fame Of two braue Captaines great in name And here the worlds vaine hope decay'd That now their furies could be stay'd Since that the stations were so nye Where now they both incamped lye That each might others face behold And heare the tale each other told And many yeares were past betweene Since thou great Pompey last had seene That loued father-in-law of thine And did so neere a league combine Of strict alianc'd blood with blood Though froward Fate the same with-stood When Caesars daughter reft of life His sonne-in-law made fit for strife And but vpon the Nylus shore He after saw thy head no more ¶ Now Caesars thoughts were much dismaid That many troopes still lingring staid Which for this place were ready prest And straightly charg'd by his owne hest With speed to meet him on that coast Doth vexe to see warres time so lost The leading of these wanting bands Was vnder fierce Antonius hands Who now belike did meditate Vpon his owne Leucadian fate Caesar on him calles with intreates And checkes his staying thus with threats O thou that in the world dost cause Such mischifes by thy tedious pause VVhy holdst thou both the Gods and Fates Suspenced from our happy dates By mine owne speede and proper care All other things dispatched are And Fortune now doth call for thee That thy right hand might aiding be The chiefest seruice to intend That must our prosperous warfare end No Lybicke Syrts nor doubtfull deepes Vs in this sort a sunder keepes VVe doe not seeke with new deuice Thy armed troopes now to entice Into an vnknowne desperate maine O no thou sluggish idle swaine Caesar bids thee to come not goe I lead the way and pierc'd the foe Throughout these stranger seas and sands And safely haue conuaid my bands My tents art thou afraid to see This timelesse hap is death to me My words are spent to waues and winde Yet do not thou their humors binde That to the seas are well inclin'd For if I bee not much deceau'd Thy Troopes so truely haue bequeau'd To Caesars Armes their might and maine That shipwracks doubt they would disdaine And dolours voyce now must I vse Thou dost thy selfe to much abuse The whole worlds hopes twixt thee and me Yet in no equall ballance be Caesar doth in Epyrus Campe And there is all the Senates stampe VVhilst onely thou so vncontrol'd Dost but
be exprest VVith wicked words sufficiently And vowes repleat with villany Or if I neuer yet did charme But that with bloud and bowels warme I first of all did breake my fast And bodies full to you haue cast And if that I the braines haue dasht That were bloud-warme then haue washt And to your Altars heads did giue Of infants that might longer liue Obserue my suit that doth not craue A body smoldred in the graue Or that in darknesse long hath beene But one that late the light hath seene And newly did his soule discharge And scarce arriued at helles varge Let him my charmes now entertaine And he shall soone returne againe Let this ghost of a Souldier late Great Pompey's destiny relate To Pompey's sonne if in your sight A ciuill warre deserue that right ¶ When she her charming spell had sed She raisd her frothy mouth and head Wistly a while she did behold The ghost of that same carkasse cold That stood in feare and great amaze Vpon those liuelesse limbes to gaze And did that lothsome pinfold hate That was her prison but of late She dreads into that breast to passe That now so hack't and mangled was And in those bowels to reside Whose veins were cut with wounds so wide Ah wretched Ghost whom deaths last stroke Could not exempt from lifes fraile yoke Eryctho maruailes much and frets That Fates should vse these lingring lets And in her wroth this dead corpes takes And scourgeth it with liuing snakes Then through the earth by that same glade She pries which she with charms had made And barking to the sprights she speakes Which noise Erebus silence breakes Tysiphone thou hatefull spright And thou Megera that setst light By my request come tell me plaine When this sad soule you did retaine With you in hell did she not beare Your torments and your scourgings there By your true names I will you call You Stygian hagges I will enthrall And captiues hold in this worlds light And follow you with all despight Through Graues through Tombes through Burials And banish you from Funerals And Hecate I l'e make thee knowne In perfect shape that is thine owne Thou shalt no more thy selfe adorne With borrowed figure so to scorne The Gods with falshood and decait When thou art cal'd on them to wait Thy vile pale forme I will display Helles lookes thou shalt not put away And I Proserpina will tell That vnder earths huge weight doth dwell What feasts and iunketing you make And what disports in loue you take And how you set your whole delight In dalliance with the King of night Which life of thine if Ceres kend Thou neuer more to her shouldst wend. To thee of wretches all most vile As iudge of this I 'le send the while Bright Tytan with his beames so fierce That through the chinks of earth shal pierce And all thy shiftings open lay By suddaine sending in of day Will you assent my will to do Or shall I him compell thereto Vpon whose name I neuer call But that the earth doth quake withall He that with face vncouered Dares looke vpon Gorgona's head And with his whippes and fell aspect Trembling Erinnis doth correct And he that can farre better tell Then your owne selues the dens of hell His mansion vnder you he takes And he may sweare by Stygian lakes ¶ Forthwith when she had vsd her charme The chill blood in this corps grew warme The black wounds now more fleshly showes And through the veins the thin blood flowes Strengthning withall each outward part The tender strings that feede the hart Vnder the cold breast gan to beate As soone as they did feele the heate The marrow that was dulled long Taking fresh force was grown more strong New life was mingled death among Then pulses all and artyres strike The sinewes streach and motion seeke But now the body neuer tries To streach his lims whereas it lies With easie strength and by degrees But suddenly rebounding flees From off the ground and stands vpright With eyes wide open to the light And yawning iawes that breathed rife Yet in his face was no great life But rather of a deadly hue Stiffe wrinckled and a pallid blew He stonisht was at this worlds wonder His tyed tong no sound could blunder His voyce and speech had but in taske To answer what the witch did aske Tell me quoth she what I require And for it great shall be thy hire If to the world we truths impart The fame of our Aemonian art Will euer after glory gaine And our free sawes as soothes remaine In such a shrine thy lims shall lie And in such wood thy corps shall frie. And will so charme thy funerall As that the spels of Magicks call Thy ghost shall neuer hire at all And to thy selfe this boone bequeaue For that thou didst new life receaue That hearbs nor charms shall be of force Thy long sleepe euer to diuorce That death receiuest at my hand None do those answers vnderstand That Oracles and Trypods tell Who Fates requires from ghosts of hell Shall euer in assurance dwell He valiantly to worke doth go That dire deaths Oracle would know I pray thee therefore do not spare To shew things names right as they are Describe the places and speake plaine That I true Fates may entertaine ¶ To this withall she addes a spell Whereby the ghost had power to tell What so of him she sought to know Whilst his sad face teares ouerflow Truly I had not time quoth he To marke the Fatall sisters three How they their spinning twists did guide I was cal'd from the riuer side So secretly and in such hast I could not know how all things past But that which I did learne was doon Amongst the soules where I did woon Fell discord and outragious strife Amongst the Roman ghost was rife So as their broyles and armed riet Th' infernall state did much disquiet Diuers great Captains were diuided About their quarrell vndecided One part doth in Elysium dwell Tother in those darke dens of hell And both sides readily inclin'd To trie what destinie design'd The blessed soules did then appeare But sad and mournfull in their cheare The Decij both I there beheld The father and his worthie child Braue spirits that did expiate The Tyranies from Roman state Camillus and the Curij There wayling stood with watrie eye And Scylla one amongst this rout Against thee Fortune doth cry out And Scipio there I saw deplore That so the hatefull Affricke shore Their noble blood should now distaine With his owne grandchild thereon slaine And Cato maior of renowne The ancient foe to Carthage towne Did here lament his Nephewes fate That dy'd in scorne of seruile state And Brutus in his Consuls gowne That Tyranny did first put downe We here beheld in ioyful moode Amongst blest soules whereas he stood There Catilyne with prowd disdaines Insults amongst his broken chaines And
But manfully the stroke did bide And onely turn'd his face aside And from his place he neuer moues But dying so himselfe approues And thus resolues within his thought Who then this villany had wrought All after times that vs succeedes And doe record the Romans deedes This wicked act will not obscure But whilst the heauen and earth endure To all parts of the world will flye This sippe and Pharian perfidie But Pompey now thy fame intend Fate long thee happy life did lend And didst thou not by dying trye The valour that in thee doth lye How should men know that as thou list Aduersity thou couldst resist Giue then no way to others shame Nor yet this actor onely blame Though others hand thy life hath wrack't Beleeue it to be Caesars fact Let them my carkasse rent at will O Gods I shall be famous still No power this happinesse can rend Though Fortune bee no more my frend I am not wretched in my end My deere Cornelia and my sonne Doe see this slaughter on me done And therefore Sorrow I thee pray Shut vp my woes and all dismay But if my wife and sonne see this With griefe their loue the greater is Such was the fortresse of his minde Thus stout in death he life resign'd ¶ But now Cornelias patience Could not so easily dispence To see this deed on Pompey done As if her selfe that hap had runne So as with wretched sighes and cries She dimmes the aire and filles the skies O my deere husband I am she That thus hath bred the wracke of thee When Lesbos Isle with fatall stay Drew thee so farre out of the way Then Caesars plots arriu'd before Thy selfe on damned Nylus shore For who else durst take liberty On thee to shew such cruelty But whosoeuer that thou bee Ordain'd thereto by heauens decree Or else by Caesars hest design'd Or from thine owne corrupted minde Vpon his head such rage to shew O cruell thou dost little know Where noble Pompeys heart doth rest Come with thy sword and pierce this breast That vnto him is vowd and bent That more then death would him torment Shew my head ere his life be spent I am not guiltlesse of this warre As other Roman matrons are For neither I vpon the maine Nor in the Campe did him refraine I stucke to him in misery VVhen Kings did shunne his company Haue I O husband this deeseru'd In thy safe ship to be preseru'd Vngratefull man thou spard'st thy wife Was I then worthy of my life When death on thee his force would trye No I in spight of Kings will dye O Marriners stay not my veaze Headlong to plunge into the seas Or with your hands prepare a twine That strangle may this throate of mine Or some one that was Pompeys frend Come with thy sword and my life end Thou shalt doe that for Pompeys sake Which Caesars fury else will take O cruell wights why should you giue Me longer life that loath to liue But husband mine thou art not dead Of my selfe yet I am not head Of these my death I cannot craue The victor must that honour haue So hauing said amidst them all Rapt with a trance shee downe did fall And thence was borne in mazed plight In her owne shippe that then tooke flight ¶ But thogh their swords from side to side Had pierc't him through with gashes wide Hee still retain'd within his face A sweete aspect and reuerent grace His browes against the Gods hee bent And when his life was gone and spent Yet in his lookes or in his cheare No change at all there did appeare As they themselues did make report That saw him murdred in that sort For cruell hee Septimius To make his act more odious His sacred face laid open bare The couering vaile hee rent and tare And whilst the head yet breathes with sweat Hee takes it vp and thwart a seat The lithy hanging necke hee puts And so the veines and sinewes cuts Then long he hackes the knotty bone To cut it cleane he Art had none But with his hewing that he makes From off the corpes the head he takes The which Achillas from him teares And in his hand it proudly beares O Roman Souldier slauish base That woulds thy selfe so much disgrace To be an vnderling to such For since thy hand had done so much Vpon that head of so great fame Thou shouldst thy selfe haue borne the same O shamefull Fates this boyish King When they to him the head did bring That he might know his manly looke The same in his right hand he tooke And by the haire he did it hold Those reuerent lockes now hoary old That had so many Kings controld And shadowed his comely brow This noble head he pitcheth now Vpon a Pharian sharpned stake Whilst yet with life the cheekes did quake And whilst with throbs the spirits beat And ere the eyes were throughly set So was this honored head abusd That neuer peace for warre refusd The Countries lawes the armed field And Rostrum did him reuerence yeeld That noble face that braue aspect The Romane fortune did affect But yet this wicked Tyrants heart Was not suffisd with this vile part For he desires his villany Might goe beyond his perfidy And when they cleansd his head and braine So as no humors should remaine To putrifie then Art they vse To keepe the face and balme enfuse ¶ Thou off-spring last degenerate Of Lagus line art neere thy date For thy incestious sisters hand Shall reaue thy scepter and thy land Must Pompeys corpes with so great scorne Lye on the sands mangled and torne And thence be cast from side to side Against the rockes with euery tide Whilst that thy Macedonian race In sacred sepulchers haue place And that their ashes quiet rest With Graues and Monuments possest And damned ghosts of wicked mood Come from the Ptolmean brood Be closd in Pyramids of fame And with Mausolas worthy frame Was it a worke of so great paine To let the corpes entire remaine That Caesar might behold it plaine Hath Fortune after all her smiles Thus Pompey foyl'd with her last guiles Are all those glories him assignd Shut vp with death of such a kinde O cruell dame must all thy threapes Fall all on him at once in heapes That neuer earst did feele mis-happe But alwayes dandled in thy lappe Pompey is hee that this can say Hee neuer yet saw lucky day Mingled with any crosse dismay His happy fate without stoppe goes None of the Gods did it oppose But when his ruine was decreed They laid on load and made quicke speed Fortune sometimes did him aduance And by the hand leades him in dance But now on sands hee lyes ore-flowne And on the rockes with billowes throwne And as a scorne in seas is drownd Where waues make gutters through each wound No forme in him is to bee found Pompey hath no marke to be
Fortune of this conquering guest Did with false Aegypts fate contest Whether that now the Lagian state The Roman Armes should captiuate Or that the Memphit murdering gleaue Should trayterously the world bereaue As well of him that conquered As of the other vanquished Thy death O Pompey did much good To Caesar and preseru'd his blood By losse of thine whereby the Nyle Should not the Romans trust beguile Hence he to Alexandria Towne Goes safely and for more renowne His Ensignes are before him borne And that dire pledge their wicked scorne But he perceiues that in their breasts A secret spleene repining refts Amongst that people that did hate And murmure so to see their state Subiected to the Roman guise With fagots borne which they despise He sees their mindes and thereby try'd T was not for his sake Pompey dy'd Yet in his lookes no dread appeares But passeth on deuoyd of feares Vnto their Temples and suruayes The Monuments that they did raise Of old vnto Macedons praise But with no pleasure sees those sights Nor in those golden shewes delights Their garnisht Gods feast not his eyes Nor their huge walles that stately rise He willingly discends to see The vault where their Kings tombed bee There he beholds the body laid Of that same Fury that dismaid The worlds Comerce whereon he praid VVith happy mart so ouer-run That Pollean Spring old Philips sonne Whose twist of life reuenging Fate Hath shortned with vntimely date And now his bones interred are Within an holy Sepulcher Whose ashes rather should be strode Throughout the aire the world abrode But Fortune so his ghost did frend That there a Tombe she did him lend Vntill this kingdomes state did end ¶ For if the world should once retaine Her ancient liberty againe His memory would be a scorne As fruitlesse to all Nations borne That possibly so many lands Should subiect be to one mans hands Macedons soyle he did forsake The seate where he his birth did take And conquer'd Athens he despisd Whose state his father had surprisd And carried on by fatall rage With bloody slaughters warre did wage And Asias people did engage His sword each where is exercisd And ouer all he tyrannisd Strange Riuers he with blood engraines The Persian Euphrates he staines And Ganges that doth India trend On earth he was a raging fiend A lightning that such flames did cast As did all lands and people blast A starre malignant vnto Realmes With fleetes he cuts the Ocean streames And then he Nauies did prepare To search the seas that vtmost are Neither the waues nor scorching gleed Nor barren Lybs where Serpents breed Nor Ammons Syrts could him withstand He pierc'd them all with powerfull hand Nay he was wending to the west Whereas the Sunne declines to rest To either Poles his heart was led And would haue drunke at Nylus head But that his latest day him met And Nature onely bounds could set To the ambitious haught desire That this fierce Prince had set on fire And with like enuie workes his bane As he vnto himselfe had tane The whole worlds Empire for his owne Leauing behinde him no heire knowne Whereby great Citties and rich soyles Abandon'd were to wrackes and spoyles In his owne Babylon he dy'd A terror to the Parthian pride O shame these Easterne nations all Macedon Pykes did more appall Then now those people stand in feare Of Roman Piles that we doe beare And though the North wee ouer-awe And Westerne clymes to tribute draw And to the South prescribe their law Yet from the East we haue disgrace Affronted by Arsaces race Crassus with all his Roman host Was haplesse on the Parthian coast Whilst Macedon that little state Securely did suppresse their hate ¶ Now was this boy the King come down From that side of Pelusium Towne Where Nylus fall doth make a Bay Then he the mutinie did stay That this vnwarlike people make And he himselfe doth vndertake To be the hostage and procure All peace and quiet to secure Caesar himselfe and all his traine Whilst in his Court they did remaine Then Cleopatra giues in charge To fit for her a gally barge Wherein she doth her selfe imbarke And findeth meanes that in the darke The chaine that doth the hauen barre The Pharus keeper should vnsparre Whom she corrupts and so she past To Caesars lodgings in great hast VVho thereof neuer thought nor knew Before her presence he did view O Egypts impudence and shame Erynnis fierce to Latium name A strumpet to the Roman state Vnchast our fuell of debate Looke how much woe and wretched toyle Fell out vpon the Grecian soyle And with what wracks and ruine wrought That Spartan face the Troians bought In no lesse fury and mishap Did Cleopatra Latium wrap She frighted if I so might say The Capitoll with Systrons bray And would our Roman spoiles haue bore Vnto Canopo's coward shore And Caesar then haue captiued And him in Pharian triumphs led For doubtfull t was at Actium fight VVhat hand shold sway the Empires right And whether that our Matron Rome Should rule the world with her sole doome These humors that night brought to passe VVhen first this Ptolomean lasse Did with incestious armes imbrace The chieftains of our Roman race ¶ O Anthonie who will disproue Thee for thy lawlesse filthy loue Since Caesars haughtie heart so fries VVith this bewitcing harlots eyes As that amidst the rage of armes Amongst these broiles and ciuill harmes And in this court where Pompeys ghost Did crie for vengeance on this coast And whilst as yet thou wert bespred With blood at thy Pharsalia shed Thou wouldst admit vnto thy bed This foule adulterous venerie And mixe thy armes with bauderie And so didst seeke to raise thy line Vpon a strumpet concubine O shame to Iulia this is scorne That though her Pompey be forlorne Thou her of brothers wouldst prouide Begotten of a Bastard side Thou dost constraine those Roman troops That vnder Pharsals ruins droops To roame about the Lybian coast Who still from place to place are tost Whilst thou thy time dost so mispend And Egypts filthie Iust entend And rather pardon'st Pharos spight Then subiect her to Roman might ¶ To Caesar Cleopatra goes And in her beautie trust repose Her lookes demure and sad withall But yet no teares she did let fall A fained sorrow in her face Which vnto her gaue greater grace Her curled lockes in carelesse wise Dangling about her shoulders flies She thus her speech begins to frame Most mightie Caesar great of fame If noble birth may purchase gace Behold one of the royall race Of Egypts blood king Lagus childe That am distrest and liue exilde From my paternall lawfull right I am withheld by maistring might And if thou wilt vouchsafe therefore With powrefull hand me to restore Vnto my former state and place I will a Queene thy feet imbrace That art a plannet sent
boyish King did call To be Lieuetenant Generall Of all his force and in his hand He puts the sword and all command Exempting nothing from his might No not himselfe by Kingly right Rest quietly on thy soft bed And with sweete sleepe be thou fat fed Yet now quoth he be well aduisd For Cleopatra hath surprisd The Palace and is there obay'd The Realme not onely is betray'd But giuen to her as proper right By Caesar and his Roman might Wilt thou forbeare thus hard bested To violate thy Mistresse bed The wicked Sisters nuptiall vowes· Establish't her her brothers spouse And now this Lord of Roman race Doth her his Concubine embrace So as betweene her husbands twaine On Aegypt she will rule and raigne And well deserueth Rome to gaine VVith charming poysons shee knew how To her to make the old man bow And if thou wretch do trust the boy VVhom if one night she doe enioy And once with her bewitching face VVithin her Armes do him embrace So that if he once draw the fires Of her incestious hot desires For euery kisse she will entice That our two heads shall pay the price And if his sister him delight Those loues will turne to our despight The King her husband will obay Adulterous Caesar she can sway So both of vs I must confesse Shall stand condemn'd remedilesse If she should bee our cruell iudge That long hath borne vs mortall grudge VVhom doth not Cleopatra hate Of vs as hainous to her state From whom hath she her loue restrain'd And held her chastity vnstaind And for thine owne sake I require And by that deed wee did conspire VVhereby our selues we did engage VVith mutuall league to Roman rage For Pompeys blood which we haue shed Plucke vp thy spirits and cast off dread Raise sudden warre and tumults broyle Breake in with force and put to spoyle Their chambring sports and nuptiall flame And murder that incestious Dame Euen in her bed where she doth rest And whosoeuer is her guest And let it not our courage bate The Fortune of this Roman mate For she hath raised his renowne And made him tread the whole world down That glory we will share alone When he by vs is ouer-throwne And we already are renown'd For Pompey whom we did confound Behold with hope the Pharian shore As witnesse of that bloody gore Consider by those waues distain'd What liberty to vs remain'd See there a slender heape of sands That for a Tombe to Pompey stands So as the same doth scarce suffise To heale his body where it lies And yet this man so scorned heere To him thou fearst was equall Peere What though no Royall blood we haue The subiects wealth we do not craue Nor after Kingdomes do we raue This onely fact our state will raise Fortune to vs these men betrayes And so then in the necke of this There is prepar'd a greater blisse The second slaughter will vs make Belou'd of Rome for freedomes sake And this aduantage we shall gaine If Caesar by our hands be slaine Those we for Pompey did offend Will loue vs for this Tyrants end Why should his name giue vs affright What need we feare his martiall might For if his troopes doe from him fall Him but a souldier wee may call This night shall end these ciuill warres And expiate Pharsalias skarres And send vnto the shades below His head which he the world doth owe. Then to this worke with courage fall And so cut Caesars throat withall Let Lagean youths performe this thing As due for safety of their King And liberty to Rome to bring In any wise vse no delay For thou shalt take them at a bay Feasting themselues with dainty meate Quaffing sweet wines in Bowles repleate And so prepar'd for Venus heate Doe thou but dare and make no doubt The Gods will bring it so about That Brutus vowes and Catos will Shall rest in thy hand to fulfill Achillas was not slowly bent To this bold fact to yeeld consent No publique Ensignes he displayes As was the vse his force to raise Neither did he his troopes draw out With Trumpets sounds or Souldiers shout But suddenly his martiall bands Do take their weapons in their hands Whose greatest part that Armes did beare The trained Latium Souldiers were Who had their duties much forgot That such corruption so should blot Their honour and their Countries fame To follow one of seruile name And as their Captaine to obay A man in mercenary pay When Aegypts King was not of worth Himselfe in warres to lead them forth ¶ No faith nor pietie remaines In those that follow camps for gaines For hired hands payes hope retaines And commonly they will accost The leader that doth giue them most The slender pay they had before To armes prouokes them now the more And not that Caesars head they sought But great rewards their aid had bought O Liberty growne too too base Such is the wofull Empires case That euery where her cankred mindes For ciuill strife ocasion findes This Army from Pharsalia led On Nylus shore new rage hath spred Like ciuill strife in Latium bred What more durst Aegypts force haue done If after Pompey they had runne For all their hands they doe combine To act what higher powers designe No rest remaines for Roman line So hath it pleasd the Gods of late To rent the limbes of Latium state Nor Pompeys nor yet Caesars cause These people now to fury drawes A Pharian Captaines larger payes This ciuill strife anew doth raise And here his force Achillas bends Who Roman liberty pretends And had not destiny ordain'd That their hands should not be distaind With Caesars blood by Fates protected Their purpose then had beene effected Photinus and Achillas both Were prest to scoure this Court of sloth That so with feasting was possest Where all sorts did so carelesse rest Treason might choose what time was best The Bowles that on the Cup-boords stood Might haue beene fild with Caesars blood And to the Table of the King His head they easily might bring But that these Captaines then did doubt The hazard of a nightly rout Lest that confusions murdrous might Shold wrong the work that they would right For if this rage to chance were left Thy life O King might so be reft So hard it is to rule the sword When fury freedome doth affoord Thus they refusd to take that time For to effect their bloody crime And do the best occasion lose To act the worke they did propose But these fresh-souldier-seruile lowts Of fitter seasons make no doubts And therefore did that houre delay By night they would not Caesar slay His date was kept to see day light And by that meanes gaue him this night Thus by Photinus onely grace Caesar did run a longer race Whilst Phoebus shew'd againe his face ¶ By this the messenger of day Bright Lucifer did then display His glittring face
by fate To render iustice to our state Why should not I a woman raigne On those chiefe Citties that pertaine To me by right in Nylus land No sexe our custome doth withstand But that it hath bene often seene This kingdome hath obeyd a queene Reade but my fathers last bequeast And that will shew he did inuest Me with his kingdome equally And me espousd to Ptolomey But let him as a boy approue Me as his sister in his loue And in his wedlocks choise rest free But his affects must ruled be According to Photinns word For in his hand he holds the sword I nothing do desire to haue But what my Father to me gaue And that our family be freed From any foule incestuous deed And that thou wouldst the powre abate Of Photyne that doth wrong our state And do appoint by thy behest The king to rule as fits him best But his base seruant is with pride So puffed vp and magnifide Because that he the plot did lay That Pompeys head hath reft away And now the like but Gods defend Against thy selfe he doth entend That haynous deed that all doth loath Hath wrong the world and Caesar both Whilst Photyne prowdly doth exact To merit glory for the fact ¶ And now lest that her words might faile With Caesars hard eares to preuaile Her gesture doth her speeches grace She supplicates with flattring face And with her chambring by night She charmes her iudge to rue her plight So as when they had peace obtaind At Caesars hand with great guifts gaind They feasted then the Roman Lord In shew of ioy for this accord Then Cleopatra shews her port With luxurie and great resort And there such sumptuous pride was showne As earst in Rome was neuer knowne The place a royall fabricate Was as a temples type in state Whose match for beauty future date Will hardly raise the fretted ruffe Composed was of richest stuffe As for the beames and timber frames Were couered thicke with golden lames The parget of the walls did shine With snow white marble polisht fine The Agat stood inlayed there Commixt with purple stones each where And euery floore they troad vpon Was paued with the Onyx stone The Mareoticke heben wood No where for outward building stood But as huge posts to a beare waight Vnder those frames that did them fraight It was not vsde the house to grace That timber they accounted base The Yuory the frounts did face Vpon the doores enlaid with art The shining shels of Indias mart Were fixt vpon the backer part The bedsteads were with gems set out Spotted with Emrald round about The implements were all bedight With yeallow Iasper glistring bright The couerlets and carpets spred Colourd like Tyrian scarlet red Whose die was long to take the staine And more then once boyld in the graine One part did shine like glittring gold Th' other a purple hue did hold As do the Pharean weauers vse That mingled changes can enfuse In wouen silkes of sundry hues Then numbers of attendant maids And pages that the seruice aides Discolourd blood distinct appeares In some and some by diffring yeares A part of them haue Lybian haire And other yeallow tresses faire So as that Caesars selfe could say In all those soyles where Rhene doth stray He had not seene amongst the flocks Of German lasses fairer locks Some of their heads were frisled blacke And from their foreheads turned backe There were withall another sort Of hopelesse youths for Venus sport Whose manly parts the knife had hent But others of a stronger bent Stood their in place yet scarce begins A signe of downe on all their chins ¶ Then did the King and Princes all Vpon their beds to feasting fall But Caesar as the chiefest guest Had highest place amongst the rest There Cleopatra sets to view Immodestly her painted hew So to enchant the gazers eyes Her scepter doth not her suffise Nor yet to be her brothers wife About her necke there hangeth rife The red seas spoiles and in her heire Those pretious iewels glistring were Her rifing brests that snow white beene Through the Sydonian lawns are seene Whilst it a vaile doth ouershade That with the Nylan neelde was made Most curiously with threds compact Yet with the combe so nycely slackt As that some places being thinne It did bewray her lilly skinne Before them all round tables stood Fram'd of the rare Atlanticke wood On tresles made of Iuorie Such as againe of Caesars eye Were neuer seene though Iubas soyle Soone afterwards fell to his spoyle O blind and mazde ambitious rage That sets thy treasures on a stage To him that ciuill warre did wage So to Prouoke with riches charmes A guest so powrefull great in armes For though he were not then in case With wicked warre to run the race That might with wracke the world constrain For riches sake and greedy gaine Yet were those captains that of old In poorer times great names did hold Subsisting now in woonted mood Fabritians and the Curian brood And that braue Consull that was tane In hast for need to saue Romes bane From plowing the Hetrurian lands Where he was toyling with his hands Those would haue gladly giuen their doome To bring such triumph spoiles to Rome ¶ Their costly cates were seru'd in gold What euer might be bought or sold That earth or aire or Ocean yeelds Or Nylus flood and fruitfull fields Or whatsoeuer could be found To make this luxurie abound Ambitious pride made it be sought That in the world was to be bought Not onely hunger to suffise But for to feast their wanton eyes With beasts and birds of sundry store Which by their sacred rites of yore Th' Egyptians did as Gods adore The water for to wash their hands In clearest cristall basons stands The bowles wherein they drinke their wine Were made of pretious stones that shine But Mareotis grape pleasd not A nobler wine then it they got That had bene kept for certaine yeares And with the age the strength appeares Falermums fragrant wine it was That froths and spurtles in the glasse Then Garlands must their heads enclose Of pleasant Nard that greene still groes And neuer sheeds his flowring rose When on their balmed haire they throw Those pretious powders that do grow In Easterne Inde that had not lost The sent and sauour of that cost Mixt with Amomum gatherd new Brought from the countries where it grew Here Caesar learnes to take the spoyles Of all the whole worlds richest soyles And now the warres hee doth detest That his poore son-inlaw opprest Wishing withall that some debate Might turne his Mart on Egypts state ¶ When now at length they all were fild With pleasant wines that they had swild And daintie meates of sundry tast With banquetting closd vp at last Caesar begins for more delight With talke to entertaine the night And with sweet words and pleasant grace To