more invest Though to his sword they gaue renowne Yet knew hee when to lay it downe Hee Armes beyond the Gowne approu'd Yet na'thlesse Armed peace hee lou'd Hee Armies willingly receaues And all as willingly them leaues A ciuill house from ryot free No fortunes gain'd by briberie With forraine Nations hee had fame Who reu'renced his noble name And in like grace at home hee stood For seruice to his Countries good The constant course of liberty Was subiect to seruility When they receiu'd in Rome againe The Marian and the Syllan traine So seeing Pompey is bereft No shew of freedome now is left Men doe not blush at tyranny No colour now of Empery None weigh the Senates Maiesty O happy Pompey to be dead As soone as thou wert conquered And that the Pharian guilt thee brought That sword which else thou must haue sought If not thou mightst haue liu'd perchance Vnder proud Caesars gouernance To dare to dye is high grace gain'd And next to that to be constrain'd But if that Fortune so betide We must be thralles to tyrants pride Then Fortune grant that Iuba bee Another Ptolomey to mee What need I feare my foe to serue When death can me from that preserue ¶ These words did greater glory raise In all mens eares to Pompeys praise Then if the Theaters had sounded With plaudits ecchos that rebounded Whereby the honor of his end Did to his gentle soule ascend But now the people mutter rumors And fall into discordant humors For warres and Armes they doe detest Since Pompey in his graue did rest And Tarchon then did vndertake Catos new Ensignes to forsake He with the shipping suddenly That vtmost rode away did flye Whom Cato thus did vilefie O greedy Cilix most vntrue Wilt thou the seas go scoure anew Now Pompey is by fortune slaine Must thou turne Pirate once againe Then of them all he takes a view That mutin'd in this rogish crew Mongst whom one lad did courage take And to the chiefetaine boldly spake Cato quoth he discharge vs now Our faith to Pompey we did vow For his sake we did take vp Armes And not for loue of ciuill harmes In his behalfe we did our parts But he is dead that held our hearts He whom the world lou'd more then peace With whom our cause of warre doth cease Permit vs now to leaue to roame To see our houshold Gods at home That we so long time haue forborne And our sweet children thus forlorne For what date shall this warre vs yeeld If that Pharsalias bloody field Nor Pompes death can giue it end Our liues in endlesse toyle we spend Let vs goe quiet to our graue Let age his fitting funerall haue For ciuill warres can scarce affoord A Sepulcher to any Lord. We conquerd men are not to fight Against the great Barbarian might Fortune doth not our state prouoke With Scithian or Armenian yoke I serue a gowned Citizen Vnder his law free Denizen Who Pompey liuing seconded To me is first now Pompeys dead To Pompeys sacred worthy spright I will performe all reuerend right But to his soueraigne power I yeeld That conquerd at Pharsalias field Thou Pompey my sole Captaine wert I followed onely thee in Mart. Now will I follow Destinie And yet to finde prosperity I neither may nor will I hope Since Caesars fortune swayes the scope His conquest quaild Aemathian swords Who to vs captiues helpe affoords He onely in the world subsists That will and may euen as he lists Rue on poore vanquisht men in griefe And vnto wretches yeeld reliefe All hope in ciuiil warre is vaine Since Aegypts sword hath Pompey slaine Who liuing carried vs with loue But if the publique cause do moue Thee Cato and thy Countries stay Let vs these ensignes then obay That Roman Consull doth display So said his ship he doth ascend And swarmes of youths do him attend Thus Romes affaires did seeme to end For all that loued seruile bands Did mutine there vpon the sands When Cato from his sacred breast In these words his free minde exprest ¶ It seemes you then indiffrent were On whether side you Armes did beare You were at first for Pompeys part For Rome you did not wage your mart And so you doe desire it still To haue one Lord to rule at will You did not tyranny oppose You car'd not your free state to lose The Senate you refuse to serue Neither recke you well to deserue Of any side to end this strife But would in Idle spend your life Now safer t is our cause to gaine You basely would the warres refraine And now devoyd of true respect Your owne free neckes to yokes subiect And cannot liue without a King Not now when as a worthier thing Calles men to hazard of the warre Your swords and persons you debar For Roman freedome to be vsd Which Pompey mought perchance refusd And for himselfe your bloods abusd Fortune almost hath tyrants reft Of three Lords now but one is left The Parthian bow and Nylus shore For our free lawes haue done the more Goe you degenerate exceed The Ptolemeian guift and deed Who else will thinke that euer you In these warres did your hands embrue But rather prone to turne your backes And first that fled Emathias wrackes Go safe for you doe well deserue That Caesar should your liues preserue Hee needs must take of you remorse Subdued nor by siege nor force O sercile race vnworthy most Now that you haue one Tirant lost His successor you will accost You should no greater grace aspire Then life and pardon for your hire And Pompeys wofull wife conuay Into your ships beare her away Metellus child a noble pray And liuing sonnes of Pompey breed Striue Egypts present to exceed Then take my head with you likewise So odious to the tyrants eyes He shall no meane reward receaue That Catos head will so bequeaue And know you all t is worth your paine To follow me my head to gaine Proceed you therefore and be bold To purchase grace let blood be sold Barely to run away were base So said his words then tooke such place That all the Pirats in such sort Brought backe the ships into the port From out the Seas as Bees do vse When they the waxen hiue refuse Where they haue made their honny combes And ranging leaue their little homes Not mind full now in swarmes to flie But each one his owne way doth hie Not setled yet to sucke and smell The bitter Thyme they loue so well When suddenly the tingling sounds Of Phrygian kettles them confounds With maze they stop their sudden flight And backe returning all do light Vpon their hiues where with their skill Their flowring labours they distill And combes with blessed honny fill At whose returne the clownish royle Is glad to see them in his soyle And on Hyblean grasse to swarme The treasure of his little farme Euen so did Catos powerfull words
take For Lawes defence and Countries sake Brutus to neither part will goe As Pompeys friend or Caesars foe But which of them shall victor stand Him Brutus meanes to take in hand So ends his speech To whom againe Cato replies with sober vaine And from the secrets of his breast Like Oracles these words exprest ¶ O Brutus needs we must confesse Most heynously they doe trangresse That wilfully raise ciuill warre Which thought be euer from vs farre But whither fates doe men constraine Thither may Vertue safely traine Let heauen for me beare all the blame If I amisse my course doe frame For who can view with dreadlesse eye The falling of the starry sky Or else containe his helping hands If he in doubt and danger stands To be ore-whelmed with the fall Of earths grosse weight and this vaste all Or that the aire on flaming fire Our present ruine did conspire Shall vnknowne Nations parties take With factions that the Romans make Shall Kings from Clymes remote so farre Assisting be vnto our warre And shall I hold an idle place Farre from me be a minde so base These bloudy broyles like to ensue Might moue the Dakes and Getes to view Our hard mishaps and yet shall I Carelesse let Rome her fortune try Or rather as the parent showes His tender loue that mourning goes Accompaned with many frends His childs sad funerals intends When Nature doth his heart enforce Vnto the graue to guide the corse And then with sorrow takes in hand To fire the stack with blazing brand No otherwise can I remoue From thee O Rome my loyall loue Whilst that my limbes with life do moue And liberty thy name embrace Or thy vaine shadow in thy place But let the world goe how it will And let the wrathfull Gods vp fill The full amends for Romes offence In this Warre with our blouds expence No drop thereof will we defraud But if my wish yee would applaud O powers of heauen and hell vouchsafe To cast the burthen of this scath Alone vpon my wretched head No hostile harmes the Decij fled To free their Countrey hard bestead Let both the Armies me inclose Let all the barbarous ruthlesse foes Of Rhene on me bestow their blowes Yea let my body beare the scarres Of all the wounds giuen in these warres My limbes thereto I would bequeaue And willingly them all receaue And happy would my death esteeme The peoples wracke so to redeeme Could sacrifice of my bloud spilt Propitiate the Roman guilt Why doe the people fondly throng To Tyrants that our State would wrong And willingly the thraldome trust Of kingly raignes proud and vniust O let me witting onely feele The fury of the murthering steele Let me that still haue beene afraid To violate what Iustice said And thus in vaine haue lawes obaid O let this throat be caru'd in twaine If peace by it we may obtaine And giue an end vnto those broyles Which now th' Hesperian nation toyles For if with me these warres had end No man would Monarchy intend But as it is warres we must make And Pompey for our leader take And all our force and courage bend The publicke standard to defend For I assuredly doe know If Pompey giue the ouerthrow He is of minde too iust and meeke Supreme command alone to seeke But doth such tyranny dislike To make him victor I l'e be one He shall not claime the baies alone Thus Cato spake whose feeling words Like pricking neelds or points of swords Stir'd vp stout Brutus martiall ire And his yong bloud doth set on fire Too much on Ciuill warres desire ¶ By this time Phoebus shining bright With beames had chast the chilly night When all the house did ringing sound With blowes that from the gate rebound Giuen by modest Martia's hand Who mournfully without did stand But newly thither come withall From her Hortensius funerall That whilome in her virgins state Was spoused to a better mate And now againe she was inlarg'd From nuptiall bonds and vowes discharg'd Which for a time she did fulfill So to obey her Cato's will And fruitfully her children boare Wherewith two houses she did store And then with child she was conceiu'd When first Hortensius her receiu'd But after she with funerall fire Had paid his bones their latest hire And ashes in the Vrna plac'd With mournfull cheere and looke defac'd Her haires about her shoulders spread Sprinkled with cinders of the dead Beating her breast with mournfull cry No presence to delight the eye Thus she her heauie tale began ¶ Whilst youths pure bloud through my veines ran And I repleat with fruitfull seed Obayd the hest by thee decreed Yeelding my selfe to husbands twaine Posterity to both did gaine But now with paines maternall worne And weake with many children borne With thee I seeke my dayes to spend Fit else for none to wedlockes end Restore me to thy loue againe That neuer did thy bed distaine And to content my wretched life Affoord me but the name of Wife That my sad Tombe this stile may beare Cato's true Martia resteth here So that the wrong of future time Slander me not with blamelesse crime And deeme I had defil'd thy bed Because I did Hortensius wed When well thou knowst in thy iust minde I was thereto by thee design'd Yet seeke I not to be thy mate Thereby to liue in better state Or to enioy a life of ease To share thy cares me best will please Part in thy trauels I desire To campe with thee shall be my hire Should I in peace and safety shrowd Whilst that Cornelia so hath vowd To follow Pompeys ciuill warre Doe not my loue such grace debarre ¶ These faithfull words so won the man That though the time vnfit were than Whilst strife and tumults were in date To enter into wedlockes state Yet they agreed the knot was ty'd But solemne pompe was laid aside The Matrimoniall bond alone Suffisd to make the nuptials knowne All Ceremonies they forbeare Onely the Gods their witnesse weare The Porch with Garlands was not dight The Pillars want silke-ribbone white No Tapers lent a flaming light No stately steps of Ivory Ioyn'd to the bed where they should lye The Curtens and the Couerlets No gold embrodery besets No matron there with crowne of state To guard the bride till it were late From companing her spoused mate No vaile of lawne did hide or grace Her modest lookes and bashfull face Her mantle that did loosely flye No faire imbossed belt did tye Rich Carkanets her necke had none Set out with pearle and pretious stone But from her shoulders there did traile Downe to her waste a simple vaile These dolefull weeds her state did waile But as she did her children beare In sorrow and in doubtfull feare Such now her spousall pleasures were And ouer all her purple gowne A mourning mantle trailed downe No melody nor musickes voyce Did with these nuptials reioyce Nor suiting with
haunt and trade Chac'd from those faire Elisian fields To blessed soules that solace yeelds Constraind I follow ciuill warre Where I beheld the Furies iarre Sparkling abroad their blazing brands Amongst thy troopes of armed bands And Charon Ferry-man of Hell More skiffes prepares then tongue can tell And Dis new torments doth deuise For soules that posting to him flies And now the Fatall Sisters try With all their speed their worke to ply Yet their three hands can scarce suffise Their webbes so fast in sunder flies O Pompey whil'st I was thy wife In Triumphes thou didst lead thy life Thy Fortune since it seemes it fled Cleane chang'd with thy new nuptiall bed Which is ordain'd by wrathfull Fates To bring her Pheeres to dolefull dates Cornelia that same strumpet vile That did her spousall bed defile Before the funerall fires were spent Wherein her husbands bones were brent She still thy Ensignes doth accost By land or sea where so thou gost Whilst me in memory to keepe Thou wilt not breake one houres sleep No vacant time there doth remaine Your mutuall loue-sports to restraine But Caesar shall thee chase by day And I by night will thee dismay Laethe from me cannot remoue The memory of thy deere loue The powers infernall licence me Throughout the earth to follow thee Amidst the fierce batalions rage I dreadlesse will my selfe ingage For by my ghost I doe protest Within thy power it shall not rest O Pompey that stile to prophane Of Sonne-in-law which thou hast tane Thou seekst in vaine with thy swords edge To cut the knot of that vowd pledge Doe what thou canst these Ciuill harmes At last shall cast thee in mine armes Thus hauing said the wandring shade From the embracements softly fade Of her old spouse herewith adrade Yet though the Gods his ruine threats And ghosts would moue him to regreats The fiercer he to armes doth flye Resolu'd his fatall chance to try ¶ What now quoth he shall slumbring sights Of visions vaine appall our sprights Either the bodies laid in graue Of mortals here no feeling haue Or nothing 'tis when death doth raue By this time Tytan dipt his head Downe into Thetis azur'd bed And onely so much light he lends Vnto the Earth as Phoebe sends From her pale face with hornes new clos'd Or when her orbe hath beene compos'd Now this desired stranger coast Affoords him leaue to land his hoast And to that end they did prepare Their Anchors and their Cables yare And as they doe approch the shoares They strike their sailes and ply their oares ¶ When Caesar saw that from the bay The windes had borne the fleet away Which now the seas hid from his sight Although his onely power and might Commanded all Hesperia soyle No glory yet in him did boyle So to put Pompey to that foyle But did his minde much more displease That so his foes had scap't by seas Fortune by no meanes could content The height whereto his minde was bent He weyes not so much conquests gaine As still in raging warres to raigne And yet now seemes that he doth meane From care of warres his thoughts to weane And to intend the publicke peace Hoping by that meanes to encrease The peoples vaine vnconstant loue And discontentments to remoue Which to effect the grateful'st way Was how the common dearth to stay For now the Cities and the rest Famine most grieuously opprest Then Awe and Loue are surest bread When by the rich the poore are fed The starued vulgar nothing dread ¶ Curio therefore to this intent Into Sycilia Ile is sent Whereas the seas with furious waues Either the mouldring shores still shaues Or else the clyffes so beates and shakes As in the land great indraughts makes And still their fury so maintaine As keepes the parted confines twaine That they can neuer ioyne againe Now rage of warre but new begunne Doth ouer all Sardinia runne Both of which Ilands still abound With fertill croppes vpon the ground So as no coast on all that maine Hesperia serues with so much graine The Roman barnes no land so feeds Scarcely the stalkes the eares exceeds Not Affricke doth affoord like store When as the clouds with Boreas rore Breeds fruitful years and moists the shore Thus Caesar did with care prouide How these defects might be suply'd Then marcheth on with stately port But not in any warlicke sort His countenance seem'd to peace design'd And so to Rome his course enclin'd ¶ O had he come vnto that Towne Only adorn'd with the renowne And Trophies of the Gallicke spoyles And glory of his Northerne broyles How great a traine what worthy showes Might he haue made of conquered foes Of all his Rhene and Ocean thralles His conquest of the noble Gaules And with them all his captiue flockes Of Brittons with their yellow lockes O what a triumph did he leefe In winning more then all of these ¶ The Cities now as he remoues Did not in troopes to shew their loues Meet him with shouts and friendly cries But silent and with fearfull eyes No flockes of people in the fields To see him there applauses yeelds Yet his contentment stands in this That he to them a terror is For he did euer more approue The peoples feare then their vaine loue ¶ Now he the steepy Towres had past Of strong Anxuris and at last The fennie way withall he takes That lies between Pontinas lakes Neere which the groue aloft is seene Of Diane Scythians heauenly Queene And not farre thence high Albas way Where Latium rites make Holiday From whence vpon a rocke on hye A loofe the Citty he did eye Which since his Gallicke warre began He neuer yet had seene till than And now admiring that prospect To Rome this speech he did direct ¶ O seate of Gods could this men so Forsake thee ere they saw a foe If thou canst not what Citty can Deserue to be fought for by man Well haue the higher powers represt The humors of the armed East From ioyning with the Hungars stout And all that fierce outragious rout Of Dakes of Getes and Sarmatans From bringing downe their bloudy bands To thee poore Rome by Fortune spar'd Whom fearefull Pompey durst not guard So weakely mand more blest art farre With Ciuill then with Forraigne warre ¶ Thus said forthwith he did invest The Citty then with feares possest For sure they thought that in his ire All should haue beene consum'd with fire And Temples should to ruine runne As soone as hee the walles had wonne Such was the measure of their fright His will they constru'd by his might And in such sudden mazements weare That they their sacred rites forbeare The common sort to sportings bent Their merry tunes turn'd to lament No spleen they had their sprights were spent The Roman Fathers reuerend troope In Phoebus Pallace sitting droope Not thither called at an houre By order of the Senates powre No Consuls with
more he said but did preuent His foes ere they the hilles had hent Then there a sunder they did pitch Their Tents fenc't with a little ditch From whence each other did descry VVith ease how they incamped lye Then they began to know each other Father the sonne brother the brother Their ciuill mallice waxed cold Yet for a while from speech they hold Onely with swords they beckning make And so their first acquaintance take At last vnto such tearmes they fall That loue suppresseth raging brawle For then the Souldiers vndertooke Into each others campe to looke And with free hearts and dreadlesse face VVith friendly armes their guests embrace This man his host calles by his name Others to kinsfolkes doe the same Another he espies his mate That was his schoole-fellow but late No Roman was on either side But he some old acquaintance spy'd Their Armes were all with teares besprent Their kisses do in soâ—â—…es lament And though no bloud were drawne at all Yet did they feare what might befall Alas why vexe you so your breast What need you waile this mad vnrest These needlesse teares were banisht quite If you consider but a right That you your selues nurse this despight Do you so much the mischiefe feare That your owne humors bred and reare Why let the Trumpet sound his fill Regard it not but keepe you still And though the Ensignes flye at large From ciuill brawles your Armes discharge So shall you end Erinnys date And Caesar then in priuate state Shall cease his son-in-law to hate ¶ O Concord with eternall grace That sweetly do'st all things embrace Within this mixed massie spheare Worlds sacred loue be present heere For now in danger stands our age To be distrest with future rage Warres mischiefes secretly deuisd Is now discouer'd and despisd The mis-led people see with shame What is the cause of all their blame Each friend doth know his friend by name But ah dire Fates that do aduance With a sinister ordinance The bloudy strife that shall encrease For this small time of pleasing peace Truce now in both the Campes did swarme With visitations free from harme Vpon the greene turfe is their seat Where they together friendly eate And Bacchus liquor doth abound Huge fires they kindle on the ground Together they do Cabbins make But all the night no sleepe doe take The tales they tell keepe them awake One telles how he the trench defends Another how his pile he bends With strength that from his arme he sends And whilst that some thus brags and boasts What they haue done in sundry coasts Others againe will giue a glance And say that this fell out by chance Yet they poore soules doe finde content That with such faith the time is spent But ah this new contracted loue Must greater future mallice proue For when Petreius heard report How both the Campes in friendly sort With mutuall loue each other greets And in such kindnesse daily meets He then imployes some trusty bands Who with their armed wicked hands Do fall on the vnarmed foe And ore the trenches them do throw Then their embracements and kinde words They separate with bloody swords So in a sauadge brainsick mood He washt away this peace with blood ¶ Then he enrag'd with words of ire New fewell addes vnto old fire O Souldiers that with base neglect Do thus your Countries cause reiect And with a loose forgetfull minde To your owne Ensignes are vnkinde By this meanes you can neuer showe The faith that you the Senate owe. Can this league that you haue renewd Witnesse that Caesar is subdu'd By you and can it be maintain'd Your countries freedome thus is gain'd Beleeue me now you rather goe The way your selues to ouer-throw Will you become proud Caesars slaue Whilst in your hands you weapons haue And whil'st the Victors happy state Depends vpon a doubtfull fate And whilst your sturdy limbes and vaines Not soak't with wounds fresh blood retains Will you as men that ill deserue Vnder condemned Ensignes serue Must Caesar without more adoe Now needs be su'd and sought vnto That he would you vouchsafe the grace To serue in some inferior place And must we that command in chiefe Of Caesar seeke our liues reliefe Oh no that scorne we much disdaine Treason shall not our safety gaine No wicked price can vs retaine This ciuill warre we doe not wage To saue our liues from furies rage Our liberties and Countries cause Vs willingly to dangers drawes What need we deepe mines vndertake For Steele and Iron Armes to make Or why should we our Citties wall And raise huge Ramparts therewithall What need such troopes of Coursers braue As in our Campes we daily haue Or to what vse should we maintaine Such towring Gallions on the maine If we be willing to release Our liberties to gaine a peace A wicked oath our foes doth binde To sue these warres with constant minde And can you with your faiths dispence That is engag'd with iust pretence Need you from guilt to be acquite Because you for your Countrey fight O shamefull and vnmanly act That would such heynous leagues contract Pompey that art estrang'd by Fate From knowledge of the Cities state And Armies dost prepare for warre With aids from Kings remote so farre Perhaps thou buildst vpon our trust Ready to aid thy quarrell iust Thus said againe he sets on fire Their mindes with wicked warres desire ¶ Like as the cruell sauadge beast That long from forrest prey hath ceast Shut vp within a closed cage More mildly bred dis-vsd from rage At length his nature being tam'd To humane bent is brought and fram'd If he againe but taste the smacke Of blood that he so long did lacke And therewith warme his rauening Iawes Will then with furious ramping pawes Thirsty of bloud expose his power His fearefull keeper to deuoure So to all villany they goe And monstrous treachery they show The which vile fact they cloake with night Blinde Fortunes deed and Fates despight For now behold 'twixt bed and boord They brutishly doe bathe the sword VVithin their breasts whom they before VVith deere embracements did deplore And though at first they moaning yearne So to employ their weapons sterne The thirsty sword that peace withstands Offers it selfe into their hands Yet whilst they kill they loath the fact Their faint blowes shew their minds distract But now the Campe is raging hot All faith is brutishly forgot Their rauening hands with blood they glut The sonnes their fathers throats do cut Yet that the Souldiers may be freed As guiltlesse of this heynous deed Before their two great Captaines eyes They did shew forth this bloody prize VVhich sight did them with ioy surprize ¶ But Caesar though thy gallant bands Be thus despoil'd with treacherous hands Yet thou the Gods dost still regard And didst not such reuenge award Vpon thy foes when thou didst stand Triumphant in Pharsalia land
The ship ten times together lifts And that which wondrous is to say She on the waues top still did stay And did not downe decline againe But with a sweeping billowes straine The barke was cast vpon the sands Whereas their last forsaken lands Doth make a narrow hollow bay And there a shore doe safely stay Here at one cast againe possest With all his Fortune so much blest And with so many stately Townes Such Cities and such Regall Crownes But Caesar thus return'd againe And Phoebus rising from the maine He could not so himselfe conceale As when he from his Campe did steale And all his Army did deceaue For now about him clustring cleaue His loyall troopes to see his face But teares a while all ioy did chase And then their Chieftaine they reproue With such complaints as grow from loue Stout Caesar whither now quoth they Did thy rash valour thee convey And to what Fate when thou wert fled VVere we poore soules abandoned VVhy didst thou to vnwilling waues Thy body giue where danger raues VVhen thou well knowst how many frends VVhat peoples safeties liues and ends Onely vpon thy Fate depends And that the world with loue and dread Hath chosen thee her soueraigne head T is inhumanity I say Liâ—e wilfully to cast away VVas none of vs of that desart VVith thee in this to share a part Of all thy friends that yet remaine In this wouldst thou no one retaine Dead sleepe alas did vs deceaue VVhilst that the seas did thee bereaue And thereof we are much asham'd But must this cause therefore be blam'd That thou didst seeke Hesperia land A desperate deed thou took'st in hand In such fierce cruell stormes as these To trust thy selfe with raging seas In most extreames and last of all When doubtfull wrackes we would fore-stall Then men are wont to cut off strife Stoutly to end a loathsome life But thou with all this worlds good blest The seas must be therewith possest Why weariest thou the Gods aboue Fortune hath shewd her care and loue Sufficient if she do no more But thy safe landing on the shore And this may serue thee to debarre From hoped fortune in thy warre No better vse can Caesar make Of that great care the Gods do take For his affaires the earth that swaies And to whose heast all men obayes Then that such grace they him behight To be a happy ship-wrack't wight But whilst they thus expostulate The sunne his beames doth eleuate And so breakes off this dire complaint The swelling seas now growing faint With huge turmoyle her waues deprest When as the windes were laid to rest ¶ And then the leaders of those bands That lay so long in Latium lands Seeing the maine now spent with rage And cleansing Boreas did asswage The lowring gusts of seas and sky They loosd their ships the waues to trye Which long and oft had tryall made Twixt sailers skilfull in their trade And the resisting stubborne windes Which so each other equall bindes That they the broad seas could not scoure And come to Caesar with their power But now aboord the Souldiers get The ships in order they are set When as the night with froward gale Kept Mariners they could not hale Their tackes aboord nor ply their sailes Amongst the ships all order failes So do the Cranes in strained rankes When they forsake Strimonian bankes Shunning the rage of winters frost Go seeke their drinke on Nylus coast And when they first beginne their flight Their rankes so orderly they dight That diuers figures they retaine Whilst they throughout the aire doe straine Vntill at length some Southerne blast Amongst their wings his puffes do cast Wherewith they are inforc'd to flye A higher pitch in windy skye And then confusdly do begin To breake their order filed thin In clusters soaring round together Framing their flight to serue the wether And puts the letter out of square Whose forme in flying first they bare ¶ But with the dauning of the day The winde began to beare a sway Stir'd with the sight of Phoebus face And now it hath this fleete in chase Which as it saild did striue in vaine The shores of Lissus to attaine But yet that land they could not lay Till North-winde gaue the South-winde way And to Nymphaeus port did guide The fleet which Boreas blast deny'd In keeping backe the checking tide Now Pompey sees prouision made From sundry coasts him to inuade And Caesars force at point to Arme From euery place about him swarme So as his Campe must now withstand The daily garboyles neere at hand He doth resolue to place a part His nuptiall care secure from Mart. And vnto Lesbos meanes to send His faire Cornelia there to spend This bloody time remote a farre From clattring Armes and noyse of warre Good God how iust loue rules and bindes Those men that are of worthy mindes Loue so in Pompey breedes remorce That dread and doubt doe warres diuorce For now Cornelia is the cause That he himselfe a while with-drawes From hazarding the doubtful scarre Of Fortune in this ciuill warre When all the world and Roman state Was now exposd to martiall Fate He now wants words to shew his minde And to delayes is whole enclin'd Whereby he may protract euent And trifle Fate in loue-time spent Now when the night was almost past And sleepy rest had lent his last To slumbring eyes Cornelia than Sweetly embracing her good man Seeking withall his lippes to smacke Whose breast deep cares did strain rack To her the whiles he turnes his back When wounded she with blinded feares Seeing his eyes besprent with teares Durst not desire the cause to learne Nor seeme she did his teares discerne Then sighing thus he said Deare wife To me more pleasing then my life Whilst I in happy state did liue But now dost cause of sorrow giue Since that the heauy day I see That our sweet ioyes must parted bee Too short a date for our delight Though all to long to stay from fight For Caesar now is ready prest And warre is onely in request During which time Lesbos shall be A safe retiring place for thee Forbeare requests to me to make I haue resolu'd this course to take And haue denyd mine owne desire Thou shalt not long from me retire But things are now in desperate chaunce And when as ruine doth aduance The greatest states must lead the daunce It may suffise thee still to heare When perils are to Pompey neare But sure thy loue deceiues me farre If thou affect to see this warre How fouly I might be asham'd That now for Mart haue all things fram'd To sleepe securely with my wife Sequestred from this ciuill strife And when the sounding Trumpets shall The wretched world to battaile call That Pompey then with drowsie eyes Should from thy tender bosome rise To wofull Pompey 't were a skorne That he no preiudice hath borne
qualefie Or any hidden lawfull meanes But he the hatefull secrets gleanes Of Magicks spels and them doth proue So odious to the Gods aboue And wofull murdrous altars dights To Dis and the infernall sprights Whom he beleeues and as deiected The heauenly powres he nought suspected And now this place where he resides His wicked humour more misguides For many sorcerers and witches Dwell there where now his tents he pitches Whose foule illusions fraught with lies Doth modest pietie despise And of their art this point is chiefe To vndertake things past beliefe ¶ For Thessaly on her rocks breeds Many inchanting balefull weeds And sensibly her very stones Those damned spels did seale with grones And many charmes it eleuates The heauenly powres it violates And fell Medea from those fields Fetcht herbs that Colchos neuer yeelds Their wicked charmes were of such force That they could wrest vnto remorse The Gods deafe eares that hardned weare Gainst those that more deuotion beare And nations that their hests did feare Their damned voyce and hellish cries Could force a way to pearce the skyes And with their powrefull words incite The higher powres in heauens dispight For that same supreme care diuine How heauenly orbes and spheares encline Is cast aside when they haue sent Their charmes vnto the firmament For though the Babylonian clime And Memphis do retaine the prime Of all such sages as can tell What deepe and hidden skill doth dwell Within the ancient magicks spell Yet th' Thessalian witch can bend Those powres their altars to entend ¶ Their charming words are of such might That those hard hearts that nought delight In sports of loue nor naturally Retaine thereof the quallity By their inchantments set on fier Shall flame in feruent loues desier Yea crabbed sires forespent with age They will infect with lusting rage Nor onely noysome potions vse Nor onely do that lumpe enfuse Which on a young colts forhead breeds That slimie humours swelling feeds Before the louing damme do share It with her teeth and make it bare But with the charmes that they do chatter Not vsing any poysnous matter They will the strongest minds infest And at their pleasure force and wrest And those whom discord hath misled To leaue and loath their nuptiall bed They haue reclaim'd and that great force Of beautie wanting kinde remorse By meanes of Magicks twisted twine To gentle loue they made encline And things from natures course estrang'd The daies to lengthned nights they chang'd The firmament kept not his course The spheares forbeare their rapted source Their motions dully languishing When as their charming spels they sing And Iupiter himselfe did woonder Wat made the Poles so slowly blunder And why they did not turne more swift Being vrged with their woonted drift All things are ouerlaide with showrs When Phoebus shines the dark clouds lowrs Vnknowne to Ioue they make it thunder As though the skies would rent in sunder With one selfe voyce they cloudes disperse And then againe to raine reuerse When no wind blowes the seas shall rage And in huge stormes their wrath asswage And most contrary vnto kinde The ships shall saile against the winde The torrent from the mountains top Amidst his course shall stay and stop The riuer shall run countermount And turne his course vnto his fount The Sommer shall not Nylus raise Meander straight his crooked wayes The Rhodanus shall become slow And Arar him shall ouergo The mountains whelme their steepy head And as a plaine be ouerspread Olympus vnderlooke the clouds Scythia from whom the Sun still shrowds In midst of winters frostie flaw Her snowes shall then dissolue and thaw And with their charmes they will restraine The setled flowing of the maine And force him with those bonds dispense Design'd by Cynthias influence They will so strike that fixed waight The Axe that bears the worlds whole fraight That turning in the Orbes mid wheele It beckning somewhat seemes to reele And with one word this heaped masse And pondrous loade so crazed was That it would prospects thorow teare To see the other Hemispheare ¶ All animals of deadly natures That Lethall beene to humane creatures In feare of these inchanters liue Or to their art assistance giue The Tygre with his bloodie iawes The Lyon that all ouer-awes On them will fawne with milde aspect The water Snakes with like respect Their chilly circles will vnfould And streatch themselues on dewy mould If these vile hagges do them behold The vipers wombe when it is torne By that damn'd broode that she hath borne They will make whole and humane breath Shall giue the Serpent present death How are the Gods perplext with paine To yeeld vnto this sorcerous vaine And held in awe them to disdaine What contract haue they made withall That they can hold them so in thrall Are they opprest by Witches might Or in their charmes take they delight Are they deare to the Deities For any secret pieties Do they preuaile this by entreates Or do they vse some secret threates With all the Gods haue they that hand Or do those powerfull charmes command Some one peculiar Deitie That can with such facilitie Constraine this world to yeeld and tend To that which is so forc't to bend These witches first did headlong teare The starres downe from the loftie spheare And modest Cynthias siluer hue Vnto a pallid colour grew Infected with their venom'd phrase And with swarth earthly face did blaze As if the earth had bene betweene To barre her of her brothers sheene And that his orbe with duskie shade Those heauenly beames kept from her glade And with these charmes is so opprest That she can neuer be at rest Vntill the slimie matter fall That they do oint their hearbs withall ¶ These wicked rites and charming spels Practisde whereas those vile hags dwels Erycktho fierce seem'd to disdaine Pretending her more pious vaine And into new formes would conuart The errors of this loathsome art She would not lodge her damned head In towne or house or any shed But still amongst the graues would rest And tombes of corses dispossest Gratefull to hellish Deities Conuersing silent companies Life vnto her no hinderance was Into the Stygian shades to passe And there the secret will to know Of Dis that woonneth still below Her bleasme and megre lookes detect A loathsome hellish swarth aspect That bright dayes light will neuer see The Stygian shades her prospects bee She hath withall a gastly face And feltred lockes about it trace When showres or duskie clouds by night Obscure the starres from humane sight Out of the silent graues she hasts And catcheth at the lightning blasts Then through the fields she pacing spurnes And full-ear'd corne she blasting burnes And with the very breath she sends The healthy aire taints and offends Vnto the Gods she neuer prayes Nor powers of heauen to guide her wayes She takes no keepe of Augures skill How sacrifice bodes good
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
thou ken thy fortunes scope Fly warres and in the Gods haue hope None now that Armes doe vndertake Will spend their liues for Pompeys sake Whether it be of Affricke soyle The lamentable bloody broyle Or Munda's battaile stain'd with gore Or slaughters on Aegyptian shore Yet after thee there will remaine A great part of Thessalian traine And Pompey will not haue his name So popular with worldly fame As for thy sake like warres to wage But from hence forth in euery age The faction of the warre will be Twixt Caesars state and libertie And though that thou the warres dost flee The Senate to the death will fight To hold their owne and freedomes right ¶ Canst thou in this finde no reliefe That thus repulst thou shunst the griefe To see the slaughtred heapes that lye Looke backe againe and cast thine eye Vpon the riuers crimson staine Clotted with gore of bodies slaine Be-pitty then proud Caesars vaine Thinke what remorse will straine his breast When he shall enter Rome opprest With griefe for her deare people lost Gain'd to Pharsalia at her cost When thou therefore thy selfe shalt see Banisht in forraigne Realmes to bee What euer fortunes thou shalt finde Endure it with a manly minde And whatsoeuer misery Vnder the Pharian tyranny Shall thee befall with patience dure And in the Gods thy hopes assure And as the Fates affoord their grace Beare with the changes of times space The conquest would haue harm'd the more Do not therefore thy hap deplore Forbid the people to lament All teares and lamentations stent The world will Pompey as much good In his low ebbe as in his flood O doe not now with lookes deiected Behold those Kings thou hast subiected Suruey the Citties wonne by thee And kingdomes that thou gau'st in fee. Aegypt and Lybia thou maist trye Chuse out the land where thou wouldst dye ¶ Larissas Citty was the place That first beheld thy noble face After this foyle by Fortunes scorne Yet saw thee not as one forlorne Her Citizens and chiefe estates With all their force passe through their gates To meet thee as thy loyall frends And wayling many presents sends Their houses and their Temples vast They did set open as he past And wish't that they had partners beene With him in all his bloody teene So as a great deale yet remain'd Of that great name he earst retain'd Though lesse now then thy selfe alone Thy power may once againe be showne And Nations with thee led from farre So to restore thy state by warre But oh quoth he what should a man Whom Fates from victory do ban The aid of men or Townes receaue Vnto the Conquerour bequeaue Your faiths and to his fauours cleaue ¶ But Caesar thou dost ouer-stride And march as yet on euery side Vpon the bowels and the breasts As they in heaped slaughters rests Of thine owne Countries wofull fall Thy son-in-law now quits thee all Away the Courser Pompey beares Follow'd with many sighes and teares And on the cruell Destinies The people powre out cursed cries Now Pompey dost thou truly finde The faith that thy deserts did binde For now the fruits thereof they show Prosperity no loue can know ¶ When Caesar saw of Latium gore The fields did flote with ample store He bids them now forbeare their swords And to poore soules he grace affoords For all was subiect to their hands T was vaine to kill those hope-lost bands That for their liues at mercy stands But lest the standing Campe might be A safe retrait to those that flee And to enioy the quiet night VVithout alarmes or new affright He meant to vndertake the venter On Pompeys Campe and it to enter VVhilst fortune now was hot in blood And all in maze and terror stood Not doubting but his men were prest Herein to yeeld vnto his hest Although that they were all growne faint VVith long fight and with heate attaint But souldiers small perswasions need To lead them to receiue their meed Or to prepare them to a pray Yet Caesar thus to them did say Souldiers quoth he your valiant proes Hath wonne full conquest on your foes And for the blood drawne from your vains Rewards and Honors now remaines VVhich to performe I hold my part Yet that which due is to desart I will not tearme a gift to bee Each one shall giue himselfe his fee. Behold the Tents before your eyes Where gold and siluer heaped lies Here is lockt vp in many a Chest The treasure taken from the west The pretious Easterne Implements Doth stuffe and cloy their glorious Tents The Fortunes that are gotten hither Of Pompey and of Kings together Doe but attend to be a pray Vnto the victor haste your way To come before them to the place Whom now you following haue in chase He said no more but their desire Whom greedy gaine had set on fire Did head-long driue them without feare Thorow the swords their way to teare And on their fathers bones to tread Spurning the Captaines that lay dead What Ditch or Rampart could suffise To hold them out whom such a prize And booty of the warre inuites They now wold know to ease their sprights The gaines of all their bloody fights ¶ And here lay lodg'd to maintain mart Many great treasures set a part Heap't vp together in a whoord Spoyles that the whole world did affoord Yet for all this they could not finde Sufficient to content their minde What gold is found in Ibers sands Or Tagus casts vpon her strands Or all those heapes of pretious graines Dig'd out of Arimaspus vaines Is made their spoyle and yet they thought It not enough but deerely bought For now their conquering hopes deuoures The spoyle of the Tarpeian Towers And promise to themselues a day That Rome and all shall be their pray But yet therein they are deceiu'd The Tents are to their spoyle bequeau'd The wicked souldiers and base Slowches Do sleepe on the Patrician Couches The Kings pauillions and their beds Are roomes for slaues to lay their heads Their brothers Cabins some invested Some where their fathers lately rested Their slaughtring bloody members nested And those whom rauing slumbers haunts And frightfull dreames in sleeping daunts Doe tosse in their afflicted sprights The cruell late Pharsalian fights Their bloody facts possesse their eyes The rage of Armes their mindes agrise And without swords about them goes Their hands as they were dealing blowes ¶ A man would thinke the very fields And balefull lands those visions yeelds And that some apparitions strange Of ghosts that putred aire did range And that by night the fearfull shapes Of Stygian sprights their sences rapes This victory with heauy straines Requites the victors worthlesse paines Hissing of Serpents in their dreames And firie flames cast forth huge streames Slaine Citizens to them appeare And each one hath his priuate feare One sees in sleepe an old mans face And other lusty youths in place One doth his brothers
Set all the scornes of fate at nought Me though subdude loue as before Thy glory shall be so much more Now that my honors all are fled And that I am abandoned Of all the Senates sacred troope And of great kings that late did stoope Vnto my hest Now be thou knowne Pompeys deare constant frend alone Too much thou greeuest with Pallid face Since that thy husband is in place Thy sorrow now is at that height As greater cannot vexe thy spright But to bewayle thy Pompey so Should be the last loue thou shouldst show Vnto him dead as yet no harmes Accrewes to thee by ciuil armes Pompey in health doth liue as yet Though fortunes fauours from him flit To that therefore thy loue was bent For which thou mak'st so great lament ¶ VVhen these words in her ears did sound Her faint lims scarse she lifts from ground VVhen as her voyce at last she strains And in this sort her state complains VVould God I had bene destined To Caesars wracke in mariage bed Then had not both my nuptiall ioyes Twice wrongd the world with these annoies Erynnis first in wedlocke state To Crassus did me consecrate And so deuoted to his hands I brought the wracks of Parthian lands Amongst the Roman martiall bands Now ciuill harmes do follow me And thy iust cause the Gods do flee By my default O worthy Pheere My haplesse match thou boughtst too deare Had Fortune power to shew such spight Vpon so great and braue a knight Accursed wretch why did I match My selfe to thee these harmes to hatch Now let me thereof bide the paine VVhich I will take without disdaine And that the seas may be more milde And faith of kings rest vndefilde And all the world to thee stand fast Into these deepes my body cast For would my head were damn'd to die So thou mightst conquest gaine thereby Now Pompey make thy losses knowne And Iulia let thy spight be showne Where so in ciuill camps thou haunt And on my bed thy vengeance vaunt Be present here me to torment Let thy wroth on me wretch be spent Thy Pompey spare so hauing said Her grieued head againe she laid Vpon her husbands wofull brest And in his armes awhile did rest These words causd many a waterie eye Amongst the troops of standers by And Pompeys heart euen duld with cares For second sorrow now prepares Thus Lesbos from his eyes did straine Teares that Pharsalia could not gaine ¶ By this from Mitilen great store Of people came that fill'd the shore And said to Pompey in this wise Great honour must to vs arise For euermore and to our state So to be trusted with the Mate Of noble Pompey as whose thrals We now deuote our eitty wals With sacred vowes and do thee pray That thou one night with vs wouldst stay And vs vouchsafe thy hosts to be Our houshold Gods shall welcome thee O Pompey by this grace of thine Make vs to future ages shine That Roman guests that seeke this shore May for thy sake loue vs the more No cittie in this conquered state Now better sorteth with thy fate All places now in hope may stand For fauour at the victors hand Already we haue run the race That vs hath brought in his disgrace What though our Isle lye in the maine Can Caesars Nauy vs constraine Of Senators the greatest part Some certaine place will hold for Mart. Thou maist againe repaire thy fame In some one coast of noted name The treasures of our Temples hold Our Gods to thee shall giue their gold Our men and ships as thou shalt please Shall be imploy'd by land or seas And Lesbos worth what it can make Vse as thy owne and freely take And lest that Caesar it possesse Take it to thee in thy distresse And this suspect take from our land That haue desir'd it at thy hand That as when thy estate was hye Thou in our faith didst trust affye So now in thy aduersity Seeme not to doubt our loyalty This deere deuotion of their part Did greatly comfort Pompeys heart And vnto him no little ioy To finde such faith in most annoy No land that 's vnder heau'n quoth he Hath deerer been then yours to me And such my trust I did approue With this great pledge of my hearts-hearts-loue For I to Lesbos trusty state Committed my deere spoused mate Here was my sacred mansion And Gods of my deuotion Another Rome to me this was And when my ship to seas did passe To this place first I tooke my flight And on no other shore would light Now since I know that Caesar hath Against this state conceiued wrath Because that during this our strife You safely guarded Pompeys wife Thinke you that I would now refraine To put my trust in you againe As though that now you stood in awe Caesars dislikes on you to draw When as I know that for our sakes Already he as foes you takes No now about the world must I New forces seeke and fortunes try ¶ Alas how happy Lesbos name Will through all Ages flye with fame Whether by thy example led I shall by Kings be succoured Or else that Lesbos hath alone To Pompey so great kindnesse showne For now I haue resolu'd my minde To trye where I may comfort finde And who to me will be vnkinde And if that any Gods there be That the protection takes of me To them my last petitions are That they the peoples hearts prepare As faithfully to me to stand As doe the people of this land That though I now be put to flight Yet for all that in Caesars spight Their gates may be reserued still For me to come and go at will So hauing said euen with that word His wofull wife he takes aboord The Mitelens such mone then make That one would thinke they did forsake Their natiue soyles for on the strands They cry and waile and wring their hands But Pompeys fortune lesse they mournd Then hers that with them had soiourn'd So long in all this ciuill broyle So as the people of this soyle Lamented as if they had lost A Citizen they loued most The Matrons all held her so deere That had she gone vnto her Pheere In happy state with conquest gain'd Yet had they not from teares refrain'd So had she with her kinde respects Oblig'd to her their deere affects Her vertue and her modest grace Her milde aspect and louely face In all their hearts had tane such place For she was of such humble cheere Though wife to such a mighty Peere That she to them gaue no dislike But liued as a guest full meeke As though that she for succour came And not as noble Pompeys Dame Left there when he his fortunes ioy'd But as the wife of one destroy'd ¶ Tytan began now to decline So as one halfe of his bright shine Was hid from vs within the seas The other halfe
and in such lands As to our state malignant stands And stars that vs no good lucke bods Wilt thou adore Chaldean Gods And with Barbarian rites polluted Be now the Parthians thrall reputed Why did we first to armes discend Our libertie but to defend O wretch thou didst the world delude If thou canst liue in seruitude Shall Parth that thee beheld with hate A ruler in the Roman state That saw thee from Hyrcania leade Great kings thy captiues and with dread Beheld the Indians conquered See thee deiected and cast downe And basely yeeld to fortunes frowne Whilst they puft vp in mind with pride Do but the Latium name deride And value Rome lesse then their state To see thee so degenerate O Pompey in thy speech we finde Nought suting with thy worth or mind The Parth that doth not vnderstand The language of the Latium land When thou of him dost aide request By teares thy mind must be exprest Shall we this wounding scorne endure That Parths shall our reuenge procure Rather then Rome with her owne armes Shall remedy Hesperias harmes Did she for this thee chieftaine make That thou no more regard shouldst take But spread abroad with such disgrace Her maymes vnto the Scythian race And secret scarres her to deface What wilt thou teach the Parthian swarmes The way to vexe vs with their armes Hath Rome the hoped comfort lost Of such a warre and such an host Because no kings she would obey But that her Citizens should sway And wilt thou now the wide world range To bring whole nations fierce and strange To ransacke Rome that will display Those ensignes that they wonne away From Crassus when they vanquished And must from Euphrates be led And here to our disgrace be spred That king that vs his aide denide When as our Fortune was vntride And came not to Emathia field To vs will he now comfort yeeld And so prouoke the victors spight Whom he doth heare to be of might And now will Pompeys fortunes runne Such trust with them did neuer wonne The nations of the Northerne climes Where fals the dewes and foggie rimes Are stout in warre and feare not death But those that in the East take breath And leade their liues in warmer soyles Luld in sweet aire hate martiall broyles You see what loose attires and vailes Their men do weare that flit like sailes The Parth vpon the Median fields And Sarmates downes that large scope yeelds And on those plains by Tygris bankes VVhen they in length may streach their ranks And at their pleasure come and goe Cannot be vanquisht by a foe But where the soyle is full of hills These horsmen come not by their wills Their roaming bow can make no fight In bushie straights or in the night When need requires they neuer guides Their horse to swim from sides to sides Nor with their armes stem streaming tides Nor yet will they their fight make good When as their bodies bathe in blood Nor yet endure the parching heate Nor in the dust to toyle and sweate They haue no engins for the warre For rams they know not what they are They want the art a trench to fill And he the Parth repulseth still And as a wall doth him oppose That can keep out weake arrowes blows His battell weake his warre is flight His troops still ranging and but slight A souldier fit to quit a place But not to put his foe to chace His armes defilde with poysons art He dares not come to handy Mart A farre off he his shafts doth dart VVith euery blast of wind they flit And as it blowes they misse or hit ¶ The sword is of more great import And best with valiant men doth sort The Fauchion sharpe but the first fight Disarmes the Parths of all their might For when their quiuers emptied are They do retire and end their warre They neuer trust vnto their hands In poysned shafts their furie stands O Pompey in the chance of warre Thinkst thou it doth nor make nor marre VVhether the souldier do prouide A trusty sword girt to his side And doth thy case thee so constraine That thou wouldst worthlesse aid retaine And nations so remote wouldst trie And out of thine owne countrey die Is some Barbarian land design'd The place where thou thy graue must find There some base shrine thy lims shall haue Since they would not vouchsafe a graue To Crassus that his fate complaines But better hap for thee remains For our last paine with death is fled Which manly hearts do neuer dread For death Cornelia needs not care That wicked King her life will spare We well do know the barbarous rites That they do vse in loues delights And how like to the brutish beasts All humane laws their lusts detests With wiues they neuer contracts hold But like to swine they do vnfold The secrets of the nuptiall bed And that same Tyrants court is sped With thousands for his concubines After his feasts and change of wines One man prouoketh his delight With sundry women euery night The brothers with the sisters weds The sonnes defile their mothers beds That wicked rumour that doth run Of Oedepus that Theban sonne How doth the world condemne and loth Although vnwitting to them both How often hath Arsaces race That holds in Parth the regall place By this incestious sauage moode Commixed bene with slauish blood So as great Scipios noble child Shall not all onely be defilde But with a thousand more be wed As wiues to this Barbarians bed Although his kingly lust and flame Stird vp with beauty of the dame And glory of her husbands name Will make him more to her incline Then any other Concubine For how much more the Parth delights In humane wrackes and foule despights He wil know her for Crassus mate As destin'd to the Parthian fate And deeme that she her selfe must owe A captiue for that ouer-throw O let that miserable foyle Of Easterne wounds in thy breast boyle And bee not onely thou asham'd That to a base King thou hast fram'd Petitions for to lend thee aid Bu◠be thou all as much dismaid That first thou ciuill armes displaid For no fault more the people loth Acted by thee and Caesar both Then that you two by ciuill warre Reuenge for Crassus doe debarre Our Captaines all should then haue tryde Their force against their Parthian pride And rather then haue Armies wanted The Northern climes should haue displanted And from the Dakes and from the Rhene The Roman Legions withdrawen cleane And so strong forces to prouide Haue bar'd the Empire on that side Vntill perfidious Susis towne And Babylon they had throwne downe To serue the Crassi for their tombe As monuments to honour Rome To fortune we our prayers send That with the Parths our peace may end And if Thessalias battell past Hath giuen this ciuill warre his last Let him that conquest doth enioy Against the
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
Search all the world records that are They all come short of this by farre Thy debt is more if this be blame That for thy sake did act the same From thee we taken haue the shame So said the head he did display And from it takes the vaile away But deaths pale hue his lookes estranged The features of his face were changed ¶ Caesar at first did not despise This gift but turn'd aside his eyes And musing staid the truth to sound Of this foule fact which when he found T was fit he thought that they all saw He was a pious Father-in-law Wherewith he fained teares did shed And sighes for that his comfort bred Hoping this way to be the best To cloke those ioyes that in him rest And did the Tyrants fault detest And would the Treason rather blame Then seeme indebted for the same He that before with scorne did tread Vpon the Senators laid dead And that with dryed eyes beheld The slaughter of Pharsalias field Now dares not Pompey thee deny A deepe-fetcht sigh and weeping eye O cursed lot of dismall fate Hast thou pursu'd this dire debate O Caesar and in that preuail'd That now deserues to be bewail'd The contracts of thy son-in-law To no compassion doth thee draw Nor yet thy daughter makes this mood Nor little Nephewes of their blood But thou dost hope thy teares will moue The people that did Pompey loue Thy Armes the rather to approue Or else perchance thou dost enuy This traytor tyrants destiny That any hand such power hath showne On Pompeys bowels but thine owne And grieu'st such meanes to others left VVhereby reuenge from thee is reft And that the end of Pompeys bane From the proud victors sword is tane But whatsoeuer humor t were That made thee sigh or shed a teare It did no pious meaning beare Didst thou with such an eager vaine Expose thy force by land and maine And didst not meane withall that hee In any place should ruin'd be O well did death this act fulfill That left it not vnto thy will VVhat shame and blame hath heauy fate Remoued from the Roman state That would not suffer Pompey liue That thou wretch sholdst him pardon giue And yet thou darst with outward showes To blinde the world in that it knowes And fained sorrowes face dost frame To gaine to thee a loyall name ¶ Souldier that vnto me do'st bring This direfull present from thy King Depart my sight beare it away For thou dost Caesar more betray And worse of him it merited Then of great Pompey murthered For this proud fact doth vs bebarre The greatest glory of our warre Which is that mercy might be showne By vs vnto our vanquish't fone And did not this vile tyrant hate His sister partner of his state I quickly could thy King requite VVith equall scorne and like despight And Cleopatra send thy head Vnto thy brother for blood-shed VVhat mou'd him thus with secret might So to entrude his swords despight In actions longing to our right Haue we to this end conquest sought At the Pharsalian battaile fought That we should lawlesse power affoord In this kinde vnto Aegypts sword Must we our state and safety gaine By fauours that your kingdomes daine Shall I that would not brooke for Mate Great Pompey in the Roman state Endure thee Ptolemey my Peere Then what are we a whit the neere So many Nations to haue led Vnder our Roman Ensignes spred If in this world there should be knowne Any but Caesars power alone Or if the earth could parted bee Twixt any other man and mee VVe should now turne our Latium Ores Aloofe from these Aegyptian shores But that our honours are denayd For then perhaps it would be said That we for feare did Pharus shunne And not as loathing this deed done But do not you perswade your minde That you the victors eyes can blinde But that he knowes had heauens hest So driuen him to be your guest He should haue tasted the like feast And that my head is not so vsd Pharsalia's fortune hath excusd I see that we haue waged warre More perilous to vs by farre Then euer yet our minde did feare To banishment we subiect were Then Pompey vs pursu'd with hate And threatnings from the Roman state So as if we had been distrest Then Ptolemey had vs opprest But with his youth we do dispence And pardon him for his offence But to the Pharian King make knowne A greater grace cannot be showne See therefore you entombe the head Of such a worthy Captaine dead But fashion not his funerall As though his acts were criminall Deseruing to be hid from sight But Incense giue him flaming bright Of his wrong'd ghost appease the mones And gather vp his burned bones That on your shores lye all defac't And in an vrne let them be plac't So let him thereby vnderstand His father-in-law came to this land And let his soule heare therewithall My feeling sorrow for his fall Although before our vowed loue He did all other things approue And rather chose his Pharian ward Then our due grace his life to guard Whereby the people reaued beene That happy day they might haue seene And that same concord was supprest That had restor'd the world to rest But so the heauens did now ordaine That my desires should be but vaine Who meaning heare to lay aside Those conquering Armes that I haue try'd VVith friendly hands and enterview VVe might our ancient leagues renew And free from grudge and ciuill strife In those true tearmes haue wisht thy life Thinking my paines at full rewarded To be thy equall peere regarded Then had I with this loyall peace Brought it to passe that thou shouldst cease To blame the Gods for warres disgrace And thou haue made Rome me embrace But all these words no passion bred Amongst his mates nor one teare shed Neither did they at all beleeue That he spake as his minde did giue All sighes and sorrowes they supprest Their faces shewd ioy in their breast O pretious liberty the while That they with merry lookes durst smile VVhen Caesars selfe did waile and rue That bloody spectacle to view Finis libri noni Lucans Pharsalia The tenth Booke THE ARGVMENT CAesar arriues at Pharos Bay And doth with dreadlesse face suruay Their Temples and their Monuments The King with him in league assents There Cleopatra pleades her right And fauour findes in Caesars sight Then feasts and banquetings ensue And Aegypts treasure set to view Whilst Achoreus doth discourse Of Nylus springs and flowing sourse Photinus doth with force employ Achillas Caesar to destroy Against the Court their Armes they bend Which Caesar brauely doth defend And in the secret of the night By ship to Pharos takes his flight Where being straighted by his foes From thence by swimming safely goes AS soone as Caesar being led By him that offred Pompeys head Had brought his Nauy to the land And trode on Pharos wretched sand The