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A07324
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A continuation of Lucan's historicall poem till the death of Iulius Cæsar by TM
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May, Thomas, 1595-1650.; Lucan, 39-65. Pharsalia.; Cockson, Thomas, engraver.
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1630
(1630)
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STC 17711; ESTC S108891
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70,154
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154
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Libyan Steed he flies And ore the field his routed companies Mixt with the Horsemen take disordred flight Some legions hoping to retire from fight To Juba's Campe and it to fortifie And finding that seiz'd by the enemie After the vsuall manner casting downe Their armes they tender a submission But all in vaine no safetie at the hands Of the enrag'd and fierce Caesarians Oh shame of warre could their submission get Although that Caesar did himselfe intreat Grieuing that in his power it lay not then To saue from death his wretched countrey men And by his speech and actions did declare That he was then no part of ciuill warre He cries aloud Oh spare the yeelding foe They are no longer foes but Romans now You more than lose your valour and to me Doe purchase enuy here not victory They that in conquest of so many lands Nere disobey'd his most seuere commands Nor ere refus'd what he would put them too In this alone their disobedience show Now his commands are good all ore the plaine Are Scipio's Souldiers miserably slaine That to this Tragedy compared light Were all the slaughters of the former fight And now the mourning fields with slaughter strow'd And couer'd ore with horrid ruine show'd A full and perfect conquest was obtain'd That for the sword no farther worke remain'd When Caesar master of his highest hopes From the pursuit calls backe his weary troops And recompences with the wealthy spoiles Of Kings and Nations their successefull toiles Annotations vpon the third Booke a Caesar hauing but a small force in Affrica and much troubled at the report of the great army of his enemies that all King Iuba's forces ioyned with Scipio found helpe from an occasion little expected for as Dion relates it Publius Sittius if we may attribute it to Sittius and not rather to Fortune brought vnto Caesar not onely a timely safetie but a great victory this Sittius expelled before out of Italy and ioyning to himselfe some other exiles passed ouer into Mauritania there obtaining an army from King Bocchus he resolued to aid Caesar in this warre though he had neither receiued any benefits from him nor was at all knowne to him but because he heard that Caesar was farre from him and could then giue him no great helpe for Caesar's forces in Affrick were then but small watching the time when King Iuba drew his army out of his owne Countrey hee inuaded Numidia and Getulia another part of Iuba's Kingdome wasting and spoiling both the Countries by which accident King Iuba was forced to omit his expedition and march backe againe with the greater part of his forces to the rescue of his owne Kingdome for he had sent part of his strength to Scipio before so that it is certaine if King Iuba by Fortune had not then beene diuerted from ioyning with Scipio Caesar had not beene able to haue stood against their vnited forces nor maintained himselfe then in Affrica Dion lib. 43. b The Roman army remaining in Affrica hearing that Spaine was vexed with dissentions and seditions sent thither Cneius Pompeius the eldest sonne of Pompey the Great as thinking that he for his Fathers sake would be receiued in Spaine with greatest honour aduising him that when he had setled his affaires there he should march to Rome and they themselues intended with all their forces to meet him there and make the warre in Italy this counsell was had while Caesar as yet lingred in Aegypt according to Dion lib. 42. but Hirtius in his Commentaries relates it after that time c Cneius Pompeius chid by Cato and aduised to goe into Spaine and raise forces with thirtie Ships of all sorts putting to Sea at Vtica sailed to Mauritania and entred the Kingdome of King Bogud there setting his army on shore which consisted of about two thousand slaues and Freemen part armed and part vnarmed he marched toward the Towne of Ascurum in which Towne there was then a Garrison of the Kings the Garrison suffering Pompey to passe quietly till he approached the very walls of the Towne sallying out then on the sudden ouercame them and some they killed some they forced into the Sea Pompey himselfe with a few of his men getting to their Ships sailed away after which he neuer more arriued on the shore of Affrick but went to the Balearicke Ilands and from thence to Spaine Hirt. comment de bello Affricano FINIS THE FOVRTH BOOKE The Argument of the fourth Booke To his imperiall Zamah Iuba flies And thence excluded with Petreius dies Amidst their banquets bleeding Scipio slaine By his owne hands within the watery maine Intombes himselfe The death of Cato fames Old Vtica Caesar laments and blames His wilfull Fate and from the Libyan coast Is ship'd for Rome with his victorious host BVt all the wracke that Thapsus fields had made The fields could not containe nor could so sad And great a ruine in such narrow bounds Be circumscrib'd the high Imperiall wounds Which there were giuen in other regions bled And those great names which from that battell fled As loth to mix with vulgar Funeralls Must beare the fame of their renowned falls To other lands lest this great losse should be In story told as one calamitie With winged speed by nights obscuritie From Thapsus Iuba and Petreius flie To reach strong Zamah the Imperiall seat Of Iuba's Realme a Citie faire and great In which when first the warre began he lay'd His wealth and dearest pledges had conuey'd But now the gates were shut the men deny'd Their King an entrance and with scoffes deride His threats and prayers for his changed Fate Now gaue them leaue freely to shew their hate And all too late is Iuba forc'd to see The curs'd effects of former tyranny Oh wretched State of Tyrants that nere see Vntill their sight in vaine and bootlesse be Their iust esteeme nor euer till too late Can know what men deserue their loue or hate In wretched times your friends are onely knowne But when that knowledge comes the power is gone Your State requitall or reuenge denies And Fortune but to grieue you opes your eyes The King opprest with griefe and fill'd with ire Vnto a Countrie Palace doth retire Not farre from thence with him Petreius goes And a small troope of Horse there they repose Their weary bodies and vex'd mindes vntill A great resolue their brests with comfort fill Then he commands his seruants to prepare Forthwith a stately banquet and with rare And sumptuous cates a full repast they take When thus King Juba to Petreius spake Roman thou seest how Fortunes vtmost spight Pursues our actions and has rest vs quite Of any future hopes nothing can be Safetie to vs but Caesar's clemency But thou and I in all this Ciuill warre ' Gainst Caesar's side haue beene engag'd too farre To hope for mercy which if I might haue By all our gods I should disdaine to craue For loue of Pompey I was Caesar's foe And in the great'st
17. e This young King Ptolomeus Dionysius sonne to Ptolomeus Auletes the last of all the race of Ptolomey's by the wicked counsell of his followers as Photinus the Eunuch Achillas Captaine of the guard and Theodorus Chius the Rhetorician had vnthankefully slaine Pompey the great flying to him in his necessitie who before had beene the greatest meanes of restoring his father Auletes to the Crowne of Aegypt Dion Plutarch Appion f Auletes Ptolomeus the ninth Ptolomey from the sonne of Lagus who after the death of Alexander the great possessed Aegypt was a man saith Strabo of most dissolute and wicked manners for which he was expelled his kingdome by the people of Alexandria who made the eldest of his three daughters Queene ouer them his two sonnes being both infants had by this meanes lost all hope of succession in their fathers Kingdome the Queene elected was married to one Cybiosactes of Syria who deriued his pedigree from the ancient Syrian Kings but the Queene within few dayes strangled her husband not able to endure his sordid and base nature and married her selfe to Archelaus who fained himselfe the sonne of Mithridates Eupator but was indeed the sonne of that Archelaus who had warred against Sylla but was afterwards hâ—noured by the Romans and grandfather to him who reigned last in our times ouer Cappadocia this Archelaus liuing then with Gabinius whom he promised to aid in a warre against the Parthians was by some of his friends vnknowne to Gabinius brought vnto the Queene and declared King at that time the banished King Ptolomeus Auletes was fled to Rome and there kindly entertained by Pompey the Great and by him commended to the Senate Pompey aduised them to restore Auletes to his Kingdome and put to death those Embassadours that were come thither to plead against their Prince of which Embassage Dio the Academian was chiefe Auletes therefore brought backe to his Kingdome by Gabinius ouercame and killed the Queene his daughter and Archelaus his sonne in law dying shâ—rtly after he left behinde him two sonnes and two daughters Strabo lib. 17. g Ptolomeus Auletes by his testament had willed according to the incestuous custome of that family that his eldest sonne Ptolomey should marry his eldest daughter Cleopatra and with her enioy the Crowne of Aegypt the procuration of this testament was by him assigned to the people of Rome which Caesar as Dictator had power to execute Dion lib. 42. Hirt. Commen de bello Alexand. FINIS THE SECOND BOOKE The Argument of the second Booke Faire Cleopatra is espous'd and led A wife in name to her young brothers bed Great Caesar's heart her tempting beauties fire Who reapes the wanton fruit of his desire The scatter'd reliques of Pharsalia Scipio vnites againe in Affrica The strength of Varus there each nations name That vnder Iuba's royall standard came Caesar from Aegypt ' gainst Pharnaces goes And vanquishes as soone as sees his foes Erects a trophee there and crossing ore More swift than thought arriues on Libya's shore THe Alexandrian Citizens releast From all their feares by Caesar's pardon feast With ioy extoll his goodnesse to the skies And to their gods deuoutly sacrifice With vsuall rites Alas you doe not know Fond Alexandrians to whom you owe Your Cities safetie not those deities That you with vaine and barbarous mysteries Adore haue wrought it nor could all your Towers Your stately Temples Tombes of Conquerours Nor Alexander's buri'd dust which more Than your religion Caesar's thoughts adore Preuaile so much in purchasing his grace As beauties charmes in Cleopatra's face It was the glance of her bewitching eyes Had power to helpe your helplesse deities Nor was it fit such people rites and lawes Should owe their safetie to a better cause Great Cleopatra mistresse of the State To giue the conquering author of her Fate High entertainment to his eye displayes Th' Aegyptian wealth in such luxurious wayes As might excuse euen Rome and make the riot Of her degenerate Senate seeme the diet Which th' ancient Curii and Camillus vs'd Not what her Asian victories infus'd The gorgeous Pallace with such lustre shone As wealthy kingdomes neere their ruine growne Vse to expresse which shew the present crimes And speake the fortune of precedent times But Caesar's eyes in all that wealthy store Which he so lately had beheld before No pleasure finde nor with delight viewes he The golden roofes nor precious imag'ry Rich Eben pillars boords of Citron wood Which on their carued Iuory tressells stood Nor curious hangings doe his eyes admire For Cleopatra's beautie and attire Did quite eclipse all obiects and outshone All other splendours on her lookes alone His eyes are fix'd which though beheld before The more he viewes doe rauish him the more All other obiects lose at second sight But womans beautie breeds the more delight The ofter seene he viewes that snowie necke Those golden tresses which no gems can decke The wealth she wore about her seem'd to hide Not to adorne her natiue beauties pride Though there bright Pearles from th' Erythraean shores From all th' Assyrian lakes the wealthy stores Of siluer Ganges and Hydaspes shone From Aegypts Easterne Iles the gold-like stone And cheerefull Emeraulds gather'd from the greene Arabian rocks were in full splendour scene Pale Onyx Iaspers of a various die And Diamonds darkned by her brighter eye The Saphires blew by her more azure veines Hung not to boast but to confesse their staines And blushing Rubies seem'd to lose their die When her more ruby lips were mouing by It seem'd so well became her what she wore She had not robb'd at all the creatures store But had beene natures selfe there to haue show'd What she on creatures could or had bestow'd But Caesar's heart enflamed long before Burnes with fresh fury and resolues no more Now to conceale but feed the pleasing flame What power quoth he controules my wish what fame What would the sowrest seeming vertue doe Arm'd with a power like me and tempted so By such a beautie as from guilt would free A Rauisher and make adulterie No crime at all but such a piece of vice As former times vnto the Deities Did oft impute had Cleopatra beene By those renowned Graecian writers seene Whose deathlesse Poems in the skies aboue Haue fix'd so many paramours of Joue Before the daughters of faire Pleione Atlanta Maia and Taygete she Had there beene grac'd her Tresses farre more faire Had shew'd in Heauen than Berenices haire Calistho's Waine had not in skies beene set Nor Ariadnes shining Coronet Till Cleopatra's Starre had found a place And chose what part of Heauen she meant to grace Let Ioue my warrant be whom powerfull loue So oft has forc'd from Heauen or let it proue The Thunderers excuse to future times That Caesar now partakes the Thunderers crimes There is no cause thou should'st misdoubt thy suit No waking Dragon keepes that golden fruit Thou mean'st to taste nor need'st thou feare to finde That beautie guarded by too