Hesprus wiih his dauning day Had banisht the nights lamps away When in the Tents through all the rout A secret murmuring burst out Where fate had drawne the world together The wretched people trooping thither To Pompeys tent with furie driuen Would haue the signe of battell giuen The most not like to see next euen And with huge cries the houres they hast Of their neare deaths that drew on fast Such direfull sudden rage them bends Headlong to runne vnto their ends Pompey is slow and coward cal'd And vnto Caesar too much thral'd And that he kingdome did affect And would the world to him subiect Who seeing now that he could draw So many nations to his law Would still his glorious powre maintaine And therefore did all peace disdaine The Kings and Nations of the East Complain'd the warre was turn'd to ieast And so protracted to their wrong Who from their homes were held so long O heauenly powres such is your wills When you designe ought to our ills And all with vs shall go awry The blame on our owne faults must lie To mischiefe headlong run they all For dismall fight they cry and call In Pompeys campe Pharsalias fate Is vow'd to trie this dire debate Then Tullius that patron great Of Roman eloquence must treate In all their names he that of yore In his long robe did Rome restore To setled peace and to the law Brought dreadfull Catiline in awe But then did he the warres detest Onely with him was in request The Forum and the Rostrum seate Long silenced with martiall heate His eloquence no grace doth adde Vnto a cause in it selfe badde ¶ O Pompey for her fauours great At thy hands Fortune doth intreate That thou to her thy trust commend The nobles that thy Campe attend And all these kings thy constant friends That to thy aide their forces lends Do now beseech thee to agree That Caesar may subdued be Shall he so long haue meanes to finde A bloody warre with all mankinde The nations that thy selfe hath wonne And didst so quickly ouerrun VVill Pompeys glory disauow That is so slow in conquest now VVhither is thy braue courage fled Vngratefull dost thou stand in dread That heauen hath thee abandoned Or with the Gods dar'st thou not trust The Senate and thy cause so iust Thy Hoast their ensignes will display And giue the foe a bloudy day Vnto thy glory 't were a taint That thou shouldst vanquish by constraint Since thou by vs appointed art The Chiefetaine and for vs dost Mart. Let it bee lawfull for our Host To warre when we affect it most Why dost thou so by force hold backe The whole worlds Armes frō Caesars wrack The darts do brandle in their hands And all the troopes impatient stands Whilst Ensignes do draw out the bands Hast therefore now thy Armes to take Lest thine owne Trumpets thee forsake The Senate craues to know of thee Whether that they thy Souldiers bee Or whether they do in this Mart As thy compeeres retaine their part Sighing the Cheifetaine sorrow showes Hee found the Gods became his foes And Fate did his entents oppose ¶ If such quoth hee bee your desires And that this time rather requires Huge troopes and many an armed band Then such a leader as will stand Vpon aduantage when hee may I neuer will your fates delay Let all to ruin head-long goe By Fortunes hand at one dire blow And let this day the last light bee That most of vs shall euer see But Rome I thee to witnesse call That Pompey cannot do with all The time to him appointed was Wherein all should to mischiefe passe This war might well haue ben made good Without a blow or losse of bloud Caesar might haue beene captiued Without a battell hazarded And wonted peace recouered What wicked rage ô yee most blinde Makes you to be of this strange minde That since you ciuill armes do beare Is victory to you a feare Except you rauing wound and teare Our foes haue now but little scope And are bereft all marine hope We haue compel'd the hungry bands To eate the greene corne of the lands And they haue often wisht withall That they vpon our swords might fall Rather then this to starue and wither So we and they might fall together That warre is neare brought to his last And al' the difficulty past When to auoyde a greater fright New souldiers shall desire to fight And with the spurre of valours showes And kindled furie couet blowes For feare of future worser harmes The minds of many so much charmes That to preuent what they suspect All present hazards they neglect But truly valiant is that man That with a setled patience can Approaching perils so resist As to defer them at his list Must I leaue such securitie To Fortunes mutabilitie The whole worlds hap must we afford Vnto the hazard of the sword You rather I should hazard fight Then conquer foes by martiall slight Fortune committed to my cares The gouernment of Romes affaires And I deliuer to her charge The same againe with powre more large Let her as well now play her part And guard them safe in blinded Mart. For in this course all praise or blame Pompey for his part doth disclaime O Caesar with the powers diuine Thy prayers more preuaile then mine Fight when you please and fall to Armes But yet how many wicked harmes How great and many peoples wrackes Will this next day bring on our backes How many Kings will shed their blood And how will Enipheus flood Her Chrystall streames pollute and staine With purple gore of Romans slaine But first I wish the hostile lance Of bloudy warre with deaths mischance Might pierce this wretched head of mine If that my fate might bring to fine These ruines and with it divart All mischiefes from my Countries part The conquest if we do obtaine Cannot to Pompey's fame adde gaine If victory for vs do stand By slaughter and by bloudy hand The peoples hearts it will agrise And odiously my name misprise Or if that Pompey loose the game Pompey will be a wretched name All miseries the conquer'd finde But blame and mallice stil's assign'd Vnto the victor as his share That acts the warres last wofull chare So hauing said he did giue way To Armes and Souldiers raging sway As doth a Pilot sore distrest VVith a strong tempest blowne by west Leauing the helme and leauing Art Doth to the storme all rule impart VVhereby the ship doth heaue and set Drawne with the fury of the fret Now in confusion doth this Campe VVith fearefull tumults raue and rampe Their minds with horrid thoughts opprest Vnconstant moods boyle in their breast Many with pallid lookes bewray Of deaths approch the dismall day And in their faces doe relate A count'nance suiting to their fate And that the houre drew on with speed When humane chance should be decreed And in what tearms Romes state should stand Must in this
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-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
As Marius did in former dayes Or if not so yet are we sure The Romane Empire will endure For her foundation doth not stand By Caesars or by Pompeys hand Her Peeres her people and her powre One battell cannot so deuoure That we should thinke we may disdaine Her Empire that doth still remaine The bloody field at Cannas fought More slaughter then Pharsalia wrought And though that the Trebeian fight And Tracimene did giue them flight Yet Romes estate subsisted still And did reuenge her selfe at will For Hannibal was vanquished And Carthage Empire ruined Though thou no aide to Pompey giue Yet like a king his wants releiue And giue him safetie in thy lands That custome with all Nations stands For Caesars selfe hath tride like grace When he did flie from Syllas face And for the safetie of his head Vnto king Nichomedes fled And therefore doth by practise know That kings in honour ought to show Remorse on him that comes a guest For kings themselues may be distrest And Ptolomie thy father late Oppressed by his fathers hate Was aided by the Roman state Though Caesar for a time may raigne Yet Rome doth Monarchie disdaine And her braue spirits that still liu'd free To vassallage will not agree Meane while defile not thou thy youth Vngratefully vnto that truth That heretofore hath shewde such grace To thee and to thy kingly race Thy dying father did commend The care of thee as to a frend To Pompeys trust which in iust sort He did discharge and thee support If this may not oblige thy mind Who right of thee can hope to find Be well aduisd and stand in awe The worlds defame on thee to draw In thy yong yeares for such a staine Will all thy life on thee remaine The vessell alwayes holdeth fast The sent wherof it first did tast But if thou wilt nor Pompey lend Thy aides that Caesar may offend Nor in thy kingdome let him rest For safegard of his life distrest Nor with thy bountie him relieue That to thy sire this Crowne did giue Yet him dismisse in courteous sort When he sets saile to leaue this port Harme not his life he was thy frend For that would men and Gods offend All those that such vile acts haue done Into the like mishaps haue runne Busyris that with bloody vaine All strangers so did entertaine Was vsde at last with like despight Reueng'd by the Herculean might He that with blood vpholds his state The most do feare and all do hate And he that hated is of all Is sure into mischance to fall That Counsellor that would thee good Will thee dehort from Roman blood For though the Romans now do iarre And entertaine a ciuill warre Long will they not be so beguilde That mallice will be reconcilde Meane while this warre vnto them showes Both fained friends and secret foes And mischiefe then will sure betide To those that plaid on either side For when this ciuill strife is dated And forraine wrongs shall be debated O then will they reuengement haue Of all that in their blood did raue Therefore it thee concernes ô king To looke what future change may bring And not alone to meditate The present ordring of thy state The skilfull Pilot will not trust The glaring Sun but doubts a gust And doth accordingly prepare To haue his sailes and tackling yare O Ptolomey then gouerne so To giue no vantage to the foe Nor yet to serue thy present ends Too carelesse bee of tried frends ¶ To this Photinus prone to ill Who better knew with flattring skill To draw a Prince to tyrannize In hate of Pompey thus replies Rightfull respects ô Ptolomey Brings many Princes to decay Obserued faith so much commended Hath with repentance often ended When men will striue to eleuate That Fortune meanes to ruinate The Fates and Gods obserue aright Thy wretches damn'd by their despight Combine thou with the happy wight As farre as is this earthly scope Distant from high heauens vaulted cope And fire and waues repugnant are So truth and profite euer iarre The power of Scepters then decayes When truthes regards their actions swayes T is truly said that foolish pittie Hath oft confounded many a Cittie Sly pollicie with searching ends Envied Kingdomes states defends Except the sword thou often draw Thou canst not make thy will a law Do that and hold them all in awe O let him from a court depart That hath a pious tender heart Milde modesty and mighty power Cannot reside in one selfe bower Feare still accosts Regality That is ashamd of cruelty Not without ill intention borne Pompey thy yong yeares so doth scorne To thinke that thy vnconquer'd might From these shores cannot him affright Such guests may not depriue thy throne Heires thou hast neerer of thine owne If Aegypts Scepter thou abhorre Thy banisht sister then restorre We will defend the kingdomes right Against the proud Italian might What Pompey heretofore had not Shall neuer be the victors lot But now that Pompey is forlorne Of all the world and Fortunes scorne And no where intrest hath at all He seekes with what land he may fall His sence these ciuill broiles doe stall Caesar alone doth not him fright But he doth shun the Senates sight Of whom the greatest part and powre Thessalian vultures now deuoure And all those Nations he doth dread Whose bloods together for him shed He basely hath abandoned And shames of those Kings to be knowne Whose Fortunes he hath ouer-throwne Thessaly hath him guilty tride Not knowing where his head to hide He now accosteth Aegypts soyle Which yet he hath not brought to spoyle And giues vs by this vile pretence Iust cause against him of offence For why should he engage vs so That now rest free from warre or foe And seeke to bring our land and state So deeply into Caesars hate Is ours the Realme on which in spleene Thou faine wouldst lay Pharsalias teene That with thy wrackes we ruin'd beene Iust cause doth vs good leaue affoord To free this perill by the sword But where 't is vrg'd at thy request The Senate did our King inuest With this Crowne we for that againe With aids thy quarrell did maintaine But now this sword worne by my side Which fate now bids me to prouide O Pompey must not thee offend But through the bowels shall transcend Of him that conquer'd was of late I wish it rather Caesars fate We driuen are to go that way That Fortune goes who all doth sway Doubtst thou O Pompey if it be A course most needfull now for me To violate thy wretched life When lawfull t is to free all strife With what hope didst thou haples wight Desire vpon our coast to light When we are not prepar'd for warre Our people scarcely able are With spades to delue those clayie lands That Nylus softens to our hands T is fit to measure our owne force
raues Into the middle regions height VVhich cannot well retaine their weight The nights do them againe distill On Nylus flood and his banks fill But I ô Caesar do beleeue If I may be so bold to giue My censure in so great a doubt VVhen many ages were run out After the worlds first fabricate Some wattery waues but new create VVithin the earth by fatall stroake Brake out which God did not prouoke And some againe there being had When this great All at first was made Which the Creator high doth hoâ—â—d Vnder a constant law controld ¶ But that desire that leades thee so Great Roman Lord the cause to know Why Nylus doth thus strangely flow The Pharian Tyrants heretofore And Greekes and Persians did explore And euery age desir'd the praise Of leauing vnto future dayes The knowledge of this mystery But Nature still with secresie Conceales it from discouery That great Macedon King of Kings Whose high renowne our Memphis rings Did Aethiopian men select To search the cause of this effect In scorne of Nylus those hee sends To suruey Affrickes vtmost ends But loe the Torrid Zone with heates Held them from doing of those feates To see what springs warme Nyle repleates Then to the Westerne furthest land Sesostris goes and takes in hand This busie taske and with great pride To draw his Charrets Kings he tide But Rhodonus and fertile Poe Your Riuers he might sooner know Then euer he could come to drinke At Nyles concealed fountaines brinke Then fierce Cambyses Easterne throng Comes where the people liue so long But his huge traine was staru'd for meate So as at last themselues they eate And then return'd with nothing gain'd Nyles springs to him vnknowne remain'd No fables euer yet did dare The head of thy springs to declare But whosoeuer thee hath seene Yet are to seeke where thy heads beene No nation hath attain'd the fame To know from whence thy rising came But yet ô Nyle I will relate So much of thy discouered state As that great God shall giue me leaue From whom thou dost thy course receaue Thou risest from the Southerne Pole And with thy swelling streames dost role Against hot Cancers fiery face And forth-right North dost run thy race Amidst Boötes wheeling chase Somtimes thy streams doth westward trend And sometimes to the East doth bend Sometimes thou seest Arabia's lands And sometimes shar'st with Lybias sands The Seres first of all thee see Yet whence thou art vncertaine be Through Aethyopia thou dost stray But from what fount they cannot say No land that to the world is knowne Can claime thy birth to be her owne Nature hath not discouered To any wight thy secret head Nor euer in a slender streame Wert thou seene run through any Realme For Nature that thy fountaine hides Within her bosomes so prouides Men rather should admire thy course Then know from whence thou tak'st thy source Thy waues permitted are to clime The Solstice being in his prime A winter strange makes thy increase Then thou beginst when others cease Onely to thee is granted grace From Pole to Pole to run thy race Towards the South thy head doth rise And in the North thy current dyes Neroë that blacke people breedes Thy riuer there diuided feedes And doth that Isle inuiron round VVhere pleasant Heben doth abound VVhich trees altough still full of greene Yet shelters not with shade the sheene For on it with a downe-right line The Lyon bands his fiery eyne Thou shewst thy face to Phoebus rage And yet thy streames doe not asswage The barren sands thou meetst in length Sometimes collecting all thy strength And branches into one selfe streame And then againe through Aegypts Realme Thou dost disperse them all abrode Thy bankes with ease are ouerflowd Then thy slow chanell calles amaine His ranging riuelets backe againe Where Phile that doth frontring stand On borders of Aegyptian land Doth from Arabia diuide That kingdome through which thou dost glide Then through those desarts thou dost cut That all that great comerce doth shut Betwixt that sea of scarlet staine And the earth middle cutting maine Running but with a gentle traine But who O Nylus now would wot That thou which here dost mildly flote Shouldst suddenly enraged fret With such a violent out-let For when the rugged broken wayes Thy falling water-courses stayes And steepy Cataracts from hye A gentle passage doth deny Thy waues that no resistance finde Scorning that rocks their race should bind Do spit their foame into the winde And with the brushing that they make The very aire and shores doe quake With murmuring rut the mountains sound And this streames froth doth so abound As that with strain'd resistlesse might His boisterous billowes all turne white Here is that I le of Abatos As reuerent ancients did suppose A mighty land and whereas first Those thundring roarings out doe burst And where the rockes as they haue said With springing vaine this streame doth aid For proofe whereof this signe is plaine That here he swels anew againe Here Nature doth with hilles enclose These stickle streames that wandring goes Which doth thee Nyle from Lybia hold And thy huge heaped waues enfold Within a spacious valley deepe Through which thy swelling chanels sweep Then Memphis to thee freedome yeelds By lending thee her open fields And doth forbid within her land That any bound should thee withstand ¶ Thus they the time securely spent Till mid-night vail'd the Element And as in peace tooke their delight But yet Photinus trayterous spright Since he that sacred blood had spilt Prepared was for any guilt And thought that no fact was vn-milde Now Pompeys death had him defilde Whose ghost did broyle within his breast And him with murdrous mood possest The Gods likewise with vengeance due Stird vp in him presumptions new For he his abiect hands reputed Worthy with blood to bee poluted Of Caesars selfe that was the man By Fortunes hest designed than The powerfull Roman reuerent state To ouer-awe and captiuate The scourge that ciuill warre should haue And vengeance that the Senate craue Was almost left vnto a slaue But O the ruling Fates we pray To turne from vs that fault away That Caesar may not haue his meed If Brutus hand doe not the deed For else the Roman Tyrants blame Shall chastisd be vnto our shame By Aegypts sword and thereby shall Iustice example quaile withall But still this viper Fates prouoke To giue this tyrants necke the stroke And yet he doth not now prepare With secret plots his life to snare But openly meanes to assaile The Captaine whom no Mart could quaile Such hope his wickednesse hath bred To triumph ouer Caesars head And will O Pompey do his best That Caesars fate with thine may rest And by a secret seruant sends These lines to shew what he entends And to Achillas them commends That was his partner in the deed VVhen Pompeys murther was decreed This man the
Pharsalia A strange marke to be knowne by Codrus Pompeys seruant entends a funerall sire for his masters body whē he had found it Codius complaint against Fortune Codrus makes hard shift for fuell and fire to bury Pompeys body Codrus speech to Pompeys ghost whilest the body was burning Codrus hauing performed his last office to his maister hides himselfe again Codrus buryes the cinders layes a stone with an inscription on it Hercules and Bacchus tomb A breefe recitall of Pōpeys noble acts The basenes of Pompeys Tombe Sybilla Cumana her prophetes A curse against Egypt Isis the wife of Osiris one of the Egyptian Gods Meaning Caesar whom they accompted a tyrant for taking such power to him ouer the Empire The Authors loue to Pompeys merit Pōpeys graue stands in the high way of those that trade frō many nations Romes liberty buried with Pompey The authour meanes here that if Pompy had no tōbe at all the place of his sepulcher forgottē that then future ages wold by considering his acts thinke he were deified The Aegyptiās will obscure this vile treachery from their successors report so of Pompey as the Cretans did of Iupiter Pompeys soule receiued into the lower spheres Pompeys soule contemplates the earthly passages Cato disliked Pompey Cato takes on him the protection of his comely Cato assembles all the scattred Romans of Pharsalia Catoes Nauie and his nauigation Palinurus Aeneas Pilot. Cornelia desires to stay on the Aegyptian coast To bee buried in that treacherous land was a dishonor to Pompey The land where Pompey is interred deerer to Cornelia then any other land Cornelia perswades Sextus to Armes Cornelia deliuers Pompeys words and charge to his sonnes Here he speaks according to the opinion of Seneca with whom hee was brought vp Cornelias solitary griefes Cornelias fleete arriues on Lybia where Cato was incamped Cnaeus Pompeius words to his brother Sextus Sextus answere to his brother Cnaeus reply speeches of reuenge for his father so murdred Cato appeaseth the wrath of yong Cnaeus The great lamentations of the people for Pompey Cornelias great piety towards Pompey The custome of some countries in burning their lands to make them fruitful Catos Oration in the praise of Pompey Catos words to Tarchon a Seaman The oration of one of the sea-men to Cato Meaning Caesar Caesar was then Consull Catos answere to the mutinous mariners Meaning that Pompey beeing dead if they were victors there remained none to tyranize Meaning Crassus Pompey and Caesar A disdainfull manner of speech that Cato vsed to the reuolting Seamen An apt comparison of Bees A digression from the matter to the nature of the Syrtes The description of a cruell tempest on the Seas A Riuer in Affricke Tryton Neptunes Trumperer The riuer Laethe The fable of Hercules that tooke away the golden Apples from the gardē Hesperides Catos oration to his souldiers before hee takes his iourney into the desarts of Lybia Cato enters the deserts of Lybia Mauritania the manner of that nation The Nasmons that liue vpon sea wracks The furious effects of the Lybian winds The perils of the Lybian sands Men trauel on land by the helpe of the stars as on the Seas A souldier brings Cato water in his helmet Catos continencie So did Alexander Berennicis and Leptis two Cities A relation how the signes and poles doe lye to those parts of Lybia Labienus speech to Cato Catos diuine conceits Catos temperance Two sortes of venemous serpents Cato drinkes first of suspected water Meaning the fable that followes The fable of Medusa These twelue translated verses are so ambigious in the Latine as that it rests to the best and most probable construction that can bee made thereof They were two other Gorgons her sisters Atlas metamorphosed by Medusa Mercury the founder of the Arcadian harp and of wrastling Perseus borne of Danae and the golden showre Pallas Target Perseus with harpe the fauchion of Mercury cuts off Medusas head The diuers kindes of serpēts that were ingendred in Lybia by the drops of blood that fell from the necke of Medusa according to fabulous antiquity Therfore called Basiliscus of the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The poyson of Dipsaes The poyson of the Seps The poyson of the Prester The poyson of the Hemorrhois The nature of the Aspicks poyson The nature of the serpent called a Iaculum The nature of the Basilisks poyson Salpuga a kind of poysnous Ants. The murmuring and repining of the soldiers against their miserable iourney The Serpents of Lybia This part of Lybia not ordained for man to liue in In this part of the world both the Poles do seeme to be as low as the horyson There opiniō then of the Antipodes Catos prsise The nature of a people in Lybia called the Psilli that cure the bites of Serpents How the Psilli try their wiues chastitie Medicines against the serpents poyson Leptis a good citie on the frontiers of Lybia He now returns to speak of Caesar Here was Achilles his Tombe Hesione Laomedons daughter Ganimed Paris The words of a Peasant to Caesar The praise of of Poësie Homer Caesars sacrifice at Troy and his vowes Caesar doth challenge his descent from the Troians Caesar sailes towards Affricke Pompeys head brought to Caesar with an Oration Caesars behauiour at the sight of Pompys head Caesars words to him that presented Pompeys head Caesar reproues Ptolemey Caesar giues cōmandement for Pompeys funerall Caesar pretends a meaning to haue been reconciled to Pompey The Cōmentators do vary in opinion vpon the construction of these 4. verses wherein I doe follow the exposition of Hortensius as most probable Meaning Pompeys head Caesar visits the Aegyptian monuments Meaning Alexander the Great He enuies bitterly against Alexander the Great Death preuēts Alexanders designes The Parths alwayes infestious to the Romans Ptolemy comes to see Caesar Cleopatra comes to Caesar by stealth The Systron was an instrument of warre vsed by the Egyptians in stead of a Trumpet Meaning the battell betwin Augustus and Anthonie Anthony loued Cleopatta and forsooke Octauia Caesar had issue by Cleopatra and a sonne called Caesareon Cleopatras manner and speech to Caesar The crown of Egypt as capable of a Quene as a King Cleopatra affects not to mary her brother as her father appointed She inueies against Photinus The sumptuous entertainment the Egyptians gaue vnto Caesar Some of the Egyptians haue faire colourd haire Cleopatras attires The Egiptians folly so to discouer their abundant treasures to Caesar The excesse of a feast Alluding to the Idolatrous Egyptians that worshipped beasts bird◠Mareotis a little Prouince in Egypt that yeelds the best wines A place where the pleasant Muscadine grapes do grow The Egyptian Ladies did vse to pouder their haires as now a daies is vsed Caesars word to Achoreus The Egyptian priest Caesar reduced the yeare to a iuster account then Eudoxus did Caesars desire to find out the springs of Nylus head Achoreus answer to Caesars demands He refels their opinions that do thinke the fals of the molten snow to be the cause of Nylus increase Syene a cittie vpon Nylus Diuers opinions for the flowing of Nylus How many great Kings searched to know the secretes of Nylus and his fountaines What these Seres are all the Commentators are doubtfull and doe think the word to be mistakē But such there are towards the North-pole Neroë the greatest Island that is in Nylus Phile a Citty neere Nylus The Cataracts of Nylus Abatos an Iland by Memphis not to be approched for quick-sands as some write Photinus conceiues a practise of treason vpon Caesar Achillas the Generall of Ptolemeys forces Photinus letter to Achillas Cleopatras hate to Photinus Achillas In scorne hee tearms Pompey Caesars equall Photinus hopes to gratifie the Roman state by murdering Caesar as he hop't to please Caesar by killing Pompey Achillas prepares forces to surprise Caesar No trust in mercenary Souldiers The Romans apt to ciuill dissention Caesar his carelesnesse whilst he was in Cleopatras company It is ill trusting to the moderation of the sword in the fury of fight Opportunity in martiall affaires once lost is hardly recouered Their foolish discipline in seeking to surprise Caesar Caesar dangerously engaged Apt comparisons Small things do oftentimes more annoy men then greater Caesar holds Ptolemey with him for his security Luxury and pleasure dangerous to great men Caesars valor The ships fired in the hauen The citie of Alexandria fired at which time the famous library was burnt Caesar for safety takes Pharos Photinus put to death Here it seems that in the former parts some thing is wāting for no relation is euer made how Photinus came within Caesars power Arsinoe the sister of Cleopatra Achillas slaine Reuenge obserued for Pōpeys murder Caesar in great danger The force of braue examples in extremitie In the Lattin copie these verses to the end were supplied by Sulpitius and so translated Caesar saues himselfe by swimming
then plies both saile and oare Till he th' Icarian cliffe had past From Ephesus he bends his mast And Colophonas pleasant waues And Samos rockes that foaming raues And then a gentle puffing gale His sailes from Coōs coasts did hale Gnydon he leaues and Rhodes doth shunne That voue their Altars to the Sunne Then that great bay Telmesydos Aloofe he flies and ouer-goes And from the middle of the maine Pamphilias coast appeared plaine But yet he would not make aduenter Within a walled towne to enter Little Phaselis was the coast That Pompey first did make his oast The slender habitation there Made him the lesse the place to feare The empty houses people needed His ship their troope by farre exceeded From hence againe his course he bends And sees how Taurus mountaine trends Whence Dypsas to the seas discends ¶ Would Pompey euer this suspected When he the Pyrates force subiected Or euer in his minde haue thought That to this stresse he should be brought For safety so to range the maine In one poore ship with so small traine But now the Senates greatest part Escaped from Pharsalias Mart Together met though put in rout And at the length found Pompey out At anchor in the little port Calendrys hight where great resort Of shipping passeth to and froe As Selyns streame doth ebbe or flow Pompey at length with heauy cheere Desired them these words to heare Companions deere in warre and flight The modell of our Countries right Although that now to this bare coast By wretched Fortune we be tost Consulting on Cylicias strands Not guarded with our armed bands Yet now we must begin againe New proiects warres to entertaine To your braue mindes good comfort yeeld All fell not in Pharsalias field Nor am I so with fate opprest But that I can raise vp my crest And scorne the blow that vs distrest Could Marius in the Lybicke soyle Repaire againe his bitter foyle And win to him a Consuls state And fixe his fame in Roman date And thinke you I through Fortunes spight Will be supprest with lesser might In Grecian seas for my auaile I doe retaine a thousand saile And haue as many Captaines more That will attend me on the shore Our force this battaile rather parted Then any way the same subverted My fame that is of such account Can easily this losse surmount The whole worlds force I soone will moue My onely name so much they loue Do you consider and aduise What Realmes or States most fittest lies To serue vs now for our availe Whose force and faith will not vs faile Whether that Lybia be the place Or Aegypt now as stands the case Or Parthians friendship we embrace Which of all these you estimate Worthiest to aid the Roman state For me my Lords I will disclose In my conceit what I suppose And all my reasons lay downe flat That leads my minde to this or that The Nylus King is but a youth And that makes me to doubt his truth For constant faith more sure doth rest Within a graue and manly breast The Moore I do no whit applaud We all do know them full of fraud And how that wicked Carthage race Hath alwayes practis'd Romes disgrace We right well know and that there rests More Hanniballes yet in their breasts And as for the Numidian Kings That now from bastards races springs Whose murdrous hands the blood distaines Of their true lawfull soueraignes And did of late with so great pride Varus that led our force deride Who sought his aid and with disgrace Alotted Rome a second place This makes me thinke t is best we proue Our friends by East and trust their loue Great Euphrates with his vaste streames Diuides and boundeth many Realmes The Caspian sea hath limits large And harbours safe within his varge In other sort the heauens aspects Th' Assirian dayes and nights directs That sea is of another staine And flat secluded from our maine Their people conquering humors beare And for the warres large Coursers reare VVith stronger bowes they battaile wage The yong and old and euery age Affects his vigrous draught to show Each arrow giues a deadly blow The Parthes were first that brake the rankes Of Alexanders piked slanks And Bactra that same Citty great VVonne from the Medes their Regal seate And Babylon with walles so hye That doth Assiria dignifie Our Piles the Parthians holds slight And in the field with vs dare fight And with what force Scythes arrowes flye Crassus defeat too well did try They haue not onely heads of steele VVhose piercing force their foes do feele But poyson on those heads they fixe So as if any place it prickes The smallest wound death with it brings And all the blood with venomemings ¶ VVould God no cause did me encline To trust to proud Arsaces line These Parthes with their subsisting fate Our Empire still did emulate And all the heauenly powers with grace Haue lookt vpon the Parthian race But I would also send for bands And valiant troopes from other lands The furthest East I would incite To send to vs their Martiall might But if the Easterne faith refuse So as their aid we cannot vse And the Barbarian leagues doe faile Let Fortune strike my ship-wracke saile And me conuay to vnknowne coasts Neuer subdu'd by Roman hoasts I neuer basely meane to pray Their aid that earst did me obay T will comfort me when as I dye That in strange climes my limbes shall lye Whereby proud Caesar shall not haue The power to grace or wrong my graue And I will onely meditate The glory past of my liues fate Which that worlds part did celebrate What was beyond Meotis lake And what scope Tannais did take With her streames trending in the East So farre hath my renowne encreast To what lands hath my name more runne For famous conquests by me wonne Or else from whence hath my desarts More triumphs gaind then from those parts ¶ O Rome my enterprise now guide VVhat greater boone can heauens betide To thee then in this ciuill Mart To see the Parthians beare a part So to consume them with our Armes And mix their wrackes amongst our harmes For when that Caesars forces stands Encountring with the Parthian bands Fortune must me the victor make Or else for Crassus vengeance take Thus said he saw the Senates minde Stood not to his aduice enclin'd But Lentulus amonst the rest VVhom vertues courage forwards prest And noble griefe for Roman fate He holding then the Consuls state His worthy voyce did eleuate ¶ Hath so this late Thessalian blow Thy minde deiected and brought low Hath one dayes fate the world opprest Must we amongst our selues contest Now after this Aemathian wound Doth that all hope of helpe confound Hath Fortune Pompey all bereft That he in Parthians hands is left Why shouldst thou as a runnagate So range the world to mend thy fate In forraine climes
Parths his force employ That nation of the world alone I could be glad were ouerthrowne By Caesars armes and that for it He might in triumphs charret sit Thinke that ere thou with sucst an host Couldst passe Araxes frozen cost Old Crassus shade with heauy cheare Stitcht full of darts would first appeare Before thy face and thus would speake O thou that shouldst due vengeance wreake For this huge slaughter on vs made Thou whom we did our hopes perswade Wouldst giue our naked bones a graue That now in mould no rest can haue Camst thou a league and peace to craue Then will those slaughters memories Present themselues before thine eyes When on the walls with stakes yborne Those heads thou seest set vp in scorne And Euphrates that did confound So many Lords in her streames drownd And Tygris that our bodies slaine Did vnder earth a time retaine And then disgorged them againe If with thy mind thou canst dispense To passe by these without offence As well maist thou ô Pompey yeeld Thy selfe vnto Pharsalias field Where Caesar sitting Conquerour Thou mercy maist of him emplore But better weigh our Roman cause If thou dost feare those Tyrants paws That in the South haue residence And Iubas faithlesse insolence Let Pharus King of vs be prayd And Lagus Realme to yeeld vs ayd The Lybicke Syrts do safely bound Vpon this side Aegyptian ground And Nylus from all forreine foes With his seuen heads doth it inclose On tother side and t is a land That of it selfe can liue and stand Contentedly and needs not craue Her neighbors helpe nor showres to haue Nylus doth so her pastures laue Whose scepter Ptolemie a boy And regall crowne doth now enioy Besides to Pompey he doth rest Oblig'd and by his sires bequest Thy pupill is then who would feare A name that doth bâ—â— shadow beares His age as yet from guile is free Such faith you could not looke to see Such lawes or such integrities Nor seruice to the Deities In that kings court that raigned last Long rule all right doth ouercast Vnder a king that newly raignes All things are milde noe force constraines No more he sayd this swaid their mind What libertie last hopes do finde To Pompeys censure none enclinde ¶ Then they Cilician coasts forsake And saile for Cyprus Isle doe make Where Venus mindfull of that place In Paphos for the Ilands grace Her Altars keepes whence spring her race If we may thinke that on the earth The heauenly powers may take their birth Or that the Gods as some do raue Like humane wights beginnings haue When Pompey from this harbour wends About the Cyprian cliffes he trends And Southward doth his way direct But with contrary tides was checkt That do alongst those channels sweepe Neither doth he a straight course keepe Towards mount Cassium by the light That Pharus tower sets out at night But fell with Aegypts lowest shore Scarce stemming tides with sayle and oare And hardly thither got withall Where Nylus parted greatest fall With her seuenth streame and mighty sway Doth fall into Pelusium bay It was the season and the time When Libra being in her prime Indifferently the ballance swayes With equall lengths of nights and daies And Autums solstice now requits By lengthning her ensuing nights The houres that were tane away By springs solstice increasing day Now when that Pompey had descride That Egypts king did then reside Neare Cassius mount he tacks about Seeking a way to find him out For yet did neither daylight faile Nor had the ship yet stroken saile ¶ Forthwith the horse scouts that did stand For Centinels alongst the land Alarums gaue to all the shores And sild the court with great vprores The sudden comming of this man For Counsell small time gaue them than Yet all the vipers of that Court To consultation did resort Amongst the rest of all which Peeres One Achoreus full of yeeres A reuerent sire whom schooling age More modest made and free from rage He was a natiue of that soyle That flowing Nylus doth entoyle In Memphis he receiu'd his lore That doth vaine Rites so much adore VVhere hee had long time exercis'd As Priest the lawes they had deuis'd In honour of that horned beast VVhich they with deity inuest To whom for name they Apis giue Many of which hee did out-liue This Achoreus counsell gaue That faith and merite ought to haue A great respect vnto it borne And that they ought not hold in scorne The plighted league and vowes of loue That this Kings father did approue And vnto Pompey still profest By whom his kingdome he possest For what quoth he can mortals bind To friendship in a higher kind If kings and states no faith maintaine How shall the vulgar truth retaine When they by higher powers are taught All loyall trust to set at naught Why do all kings their subiects sweare Fidelitie to them to beare If that the kings owne actions teach Of vowes and leagues to make a breach When due respects failes in the head How will the members be misled We see that all the world is bent To seeke the way that Princes went All kings by Ceremonies stand By lawes they rule with powerfull hand But if those lawes they vioalate They weaken then their owne estate For where we setled order swayes Who there can rule or who obayes Where Iustice force doth strike no stroke It there dissolues subiections yoake When kings themselues lawlesse grow They hazard then to ouerthrow Their owne estate and teach that mind That is ambitiously enclind How to aspire by fraud or might To reaue away their soueraignes right He that no good deserts obserues The like at others hands deserues Thy father did by Pompeys grace Of Soueraigntie obtaine this place And so thy selfe enioyes this land VVhich he receiu'd at Pompeys hand For it he dy'd in Pompeys debt VVhich fauour thou maist not forget For thereby shall the Romane state Esteeme thee but a Prince ingrate And Caesars selfe condemne thy mind As most disloyall and vnkind And thinke how much thou wouldst him scorne If he in like state were forlorne And forc'd thy royall aid to craue Of whom a friend no helpe could haue In his braue mind he will thee deeme A Prince of worth and more esteeme For fauouring Pompey in distresse That at thy hands deserues no lesse Then now to vse him with disdaine In hope thereby Caesar to gaine A foe that man will dignifie That helps his friend in miserie Though treasons act secure his state Yet Caesar will the traytor hate And thinke that thou to none dost beare Good will but such as grows by feare And therefore will the Roman state Deeme that thou didst both parties hate But do not enuy'd courses proue Thy greatnes rather ground on loue With kings the noble Lyons port Then Foxes wiles doth better sort Pompey againe his head may raise
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
Vnto iust warre draw on their swords And their loose minds whom pleasure feeds He then recals to martiall deeds And patiently warres brunt to beare With industrie and free from feare ¶ And first of all vpon the sands He traines and drawes them out in bands Then next to that they do inuest Cyrenas wals and it possest And though that towne had him refusde Yet he on them no rigor vsd For Cato no reuenge would take To conquer did his anger slake Thence he his speedie march designes To Iubas kingdome whose confines Confront the Mauritanian lands But that the Syrts his course withstands Amidst his way although he thought All difficulties might be brought To passe by vertues dantlesse prowes When nature did at first dispose These Syrts and shapt their figure out She left it to the world in doubt Whether it should be land or seas For vtterly it doth not please To sinke it selfe beneath the maine Nor yet the land can so restraine The waues but they will haue a share And such a dangerous place prepare That there to trauell none shall dare For here the Sea doth channels straine And there the lands do rise againe Here is a long stretcht tracke of shore And there the swallowing whirlepooles rore So nature wretchedly designde This portion of her proper kinde Vnto no vse or else of old Those Syrts more waues in them did hold And with the Seas were ouer rowld But that atractiue Titans beames Feeding vpon the ocean streames That to the torrid zone were nie Some of the weltring waues did drie And yet the Ocean in despight Resisteth Phoebus parching might But yet his beames as they draw neare And wearing time those seas will cleare And make the Syrts firme land appeare For scarcely now a little boate Can on the superficies flote Of those drown'd sands where water stayes And more and more that sea decayes ¶ As soone as by the helpe of oares The fleet was gotten from the shores Into the deepes with all their fraight The blacke Southwind blowing a haight Out of his region stormy gales Farre from her course the nauie hales And with huge tempests that he sends Those seas attempted now defends Farre from the Syrts the waues he beates Against the cliffes the billow freates And all the ships that sailes did beare The tempest from the yards did teare In vaine the tackling and the shrouds Their sailes deny'd to those fierce clouds But ouer boord away are borne Fluttering at large their ships they scorne And if that any sayler stout Vnto the yards do goe about To fixe the sailes with cordage fast He 's borne away with whirlwind blast And from the naked yard is cast But all those ships found better chance That in the lofty billows dance And still aloofe their course did keepe Amidst the channels in the deepe And by the boord did cut their masts Lesse subiect thereby to the blasts So as the tides had power on them And in despight with force did stemme The puffing windes full in the mouth And bare those vessels to the South The other ships the water sailes Their Keeles vpon those hye sands trayles That lifts it selfe aboue the flood So as in doubtfull state they stood The shelfe the one part doth detaine The other part hangs in the maine And as the billowes comes more thicke The faster in the sholes they sticke For though the forcing Southerne racke Rowles one waue on anothers backe Yet all those waues could not suffise To drench the shelfe where it did rise This hugy heape of cluttered sand Vncouered now lay farre from land And higher vnto sight was rear'd Then Neptunes rugged backe appear'd The wretched Saylers there are grounded The ships vpon the shelfe confounded So farre that they no shore can spye And in the seas thus beating lye Yet of this fleet the greater part With bitter stirrage got the start Of these and safely scap't away Taking their best course as it lay With skilfull Pilots that did know The coasts and where the channels goe And so at length by chance they light On that slow streame that 's Tryton hight ¶ That God as old reports do tell Which with his ringing Trumpe of shell Makes all the maine his sound to heare With windy notes so shrill and cleare Of riuers all loues this most deare And Pallas like esteeme did make That of Ioues braine her birth did take For that same Lybian Region Was first land that she trode vpon And is vnto the heauens most neare As by his heates it doth appeare In whose smooth waters christall shine She then did see her face diuine And there her plants she did dispose And to her selfe the name she chose Of Trytonesse where this streame flowes Neare which as fame reports likewise The silent Laethe doth arise That with infernall veines is fed By which forgetfulnesse is bred Here also was conioyn'd to these The garden of Hesperides Despoiled of her leaues so bright Kept by the waking Dragons might That man is spitefull of condition That will detract from old tradition Or call the Poets to accompt For ought which may the truth surmount This golden groue of treasures store Whose boughs such shining apples bore A troope of virgins guarded still Whose glistring streames the aire did fill And that soule Serpents charge to keepe Whose eyes are aye debard of sleepe And with his taile the trunks infold That stoope with ouerwaight of gold But great Alcydes tooke away From these rich trees the pretious pray And did those shining apples bring To Euristaeus Argiues king The nauie so cast on this caost And from the Syrts so clearely tost Past not as yet beyond the shore Of Gaeramants where as they more But Sextus with his troops staid there Where Affricks climes more pleasant were Though Catos valor brooks no stay But with his cohorts takes his way Through coasts vnknown where dangers lay His confidence in armes did stand And circuits all the Syrts by land And this the winters wroth perswades That then did barre those seas of trades Besides the fires of Phoebus rayes The falling showres then much allayes So as his iourney he might hold Neither opprest with heate nor cold For where the flaming heate did rage The dewy season doth asswage So through the barren sands he venters And vsd this speech before he enters ¶ O ye that with one common will Dauntlesse to hold your fre edome still Do follow me with such content Let now your minds be wholy bent To vndergoe this valours taske That toyle and constancy doth aske We goe into the barren fields Of clymats scorcht that nothing yeelds Where Tytan parcheth all the ground And fountaines rarely to be found Whereas the lands in plenty brings Forth serpents with their poysnous stings A iourney that with horror rings Let therefore those whom deare loue drawes To freedome and his Countries cause March on through Lybia with mee And search
Praise-worthy deeds to enterprise And whether that it be successe Makes honest actions more or lesse This we already know as well As Ammon can the same vs tell Vpon the Gods we all depend And though this Temple had an end Yet otherwise nought can succeed But by Gods ordinance decreed His mighty power no voyce doth need The Author of all mortall kinde Hath once for all declar'd his minde Our knowledge is by him confin'd These barren sands are not his choyce Where he will vtter forth his voyce Nor in this dust doth hee conceale Those truthes that he meanes to reueale The sacred seates of God are these The Heauens the Aire the Earth the Seas And vertues selfe why should wee proue To search beyond the Gods aboue What so thou seest where so thou art Of Iupiter himselfe is part Let faithlesse minds these witch-crafts need And such as dread what shall succeed No Oracles can me secure But death it selfe that is most sure The Coward and the valiant Knight Must fall at last and leaue this light And now for all may vs suffice That Ioue himselfe speakes in this wise So hauing said with faiths repose The Temples Altars he forgoes And Ammons counsell doth disdaine Leauing it to those people vaine ¶ Then in his hand he takes his pile And march't a foot himselfe the while Before his troopes that panting went He shewes them how to be content To suffer toyle without constraint Since labour could not make him faint He is not on their shoulders borne A Charret he did hold in scorne Small rest and sleepe he vsd to take And last of all his thirst would slake For when by chance a spring they met The thirsty Souldier dry with heat Constrained was to drinke then he The last of all the troope would be That tooke his share and did forbeare Vntill the Scullions serued were If great renowne be deemed due To goodnesse that is meerely true Or if that naked vertues praise That wants successe men rightly waighes What euer was so much renown'd That in our ancestors was found Were fortunes gifts that did abound For which of them for happy Mart Could challenge that as their desart Or who could claime as his owne good The fame they wanne with others blood But this mans triumph I would more Desire to follow on this shore Whereas the Syrts doe dangers threat And thorough Lybias parching heate Then thrice in Pompeys Carre to wend And to the Capitoll ascend Or gIuurths warre to bring to end Behold him that true father is Vnto his Countries cause and blisse When Rome may thinke fit to aspire Vnto her Altars sacred fire To honor whom she needs not shame To sweare and vow by his deere name And whom if euer Rome should see Her state restor'd from dangers free Hereafter him to glorifie His name she well may deifie Now march they through a wretched soyle That feruent heates doe parch and broyle A clymate neere the torrid zone Which heauens wold haue to men vnknown Here water rare was to be found And yet amidst this dusty ground One fountaine large the Souldiers spide Where many Serpents did reside So thicke that they the waters hide Vpon the brinkes the Aspickes sit And in the midst the Dipsa's flit ¶ When Cato saw his men opprest VVith heates and thirst this fount detest He said O Souldier whom vaine feare Of death makes thee this spring forbeare Thou needst not doubt thy thirst to slake These waters safely thou maist take The Serpents pest no dangers brings Except when as with blood it mings His sting from it doth poyson send And with his bite doth life offend The fountaine holsome is and pure So said he drinkes them to assure The water that they poysnous thinke But still before he vsd to drinke The last of all during the time That they had spent in Lybias clime Our care and labour cannot finde The cause why Lybia is enclin'd To aire of such contagious kinde Where many plagues abounding swarmes Fruitfull in nought but deadly harmes Nor yet what secret nature did When in that soyle such faults she hid Except it be that fabling lye That ouer all the world doth flye The which doth euery age deceiue When for a truth they it receiue ¶ In the extreames of Lybias soyle Wheras the ground with heat doth broyle And where the Ocean it confines Warm'd with the Sunne when he declines Those fields and Countries all abrode With foule Medusas filth was strode No greene-leau'd woods did yeeld a shade Nor Coulters there had furrowes made But with their Mistresse balesull eyes There onely stones and rockes did rise Hence hurtfull nature first drew seedes That mortall plagues in bodies breedes About her eares there dangling hung The hissing snakes with stinging tongue Which like a tresse her backe behinde Did spred as haire of women kinde And whilst about her necke they crawle The fell Medusa ioy'd withall Then all their heads vp-right in ranke Her brow did like a frontlet pranke But when she comb'd her crawling crowne The viprous venome trailed downe Cursed Medusa taxlesse pries On whom she list with fatall eyes For who can feare this monsters face VVhen to dread death they haue no space For where her ghastly looke she bends They are trans-form'd before their ends And rap't away from doubtfull fate Preuenting feare before their date The bodies metamorphosed Retaine the spirits captiued And buried so within the bones Turne stupid like to sencelesse stones The Furies with their gastly haires Did onely stirre vp franticke feares And Cerberus that hellish hound Orphaeus calm'd with musicke sound And Hydra Hercules beheld When he that vgly Serpent queld But this vile monster did affright Phorcus her father with her sight Phorcus that next doth rule and raigne To Neptune on the raging maine Ceto her mother with her looke She scarres her sisters cannot brooke Her vgly sight the seas and skies She can make stone with her sterne eyes She vttterly can raze from earth The worlds whole race of humane birth Amidst the aire from lofty flight The winged fowles do fall downe-right The wilde beasts and the horned Harts She into craggie rockes conuarts And all the people in the scope That bounds next vnto Aethiope She hath transform'd from flesh and bones Into hard rugged Marble stones No creatures can her sight abide Her hairy snakes behinde her hide And will not of her eyes be spy'd The mighty Atlas Tytans sonne That by Hesperian straights did wonne She turn'd into a hugie rocke The Gyants of Phlaegraean flocke That with their Serpents feet sometime Did striue into the heauens to clime She lofty mountaines of them fram'd Whereby that Gyants warre was tam'd When Pallas in her shield did place This grisly Gorgons hideous face Now after that Mercurius wings The first concorder of those strings That on th' Arcadian harpe doe sound And first likewise that wrestling found