They to whom Fate the Victory did give (d) After the Battel of Cannae nothing was wanting to the Subversion of the Romane Fortune but Hannibal's Vigorous Prosecution of his Victory in besieging Rome it self which neglected gave her time to recover that memorable Defeat Were nearest to their Fall The Phrygian Powers In Triumph enter Carthaginian (e) The Romane Conquerour Scipio who first entred Carthage Towers Rome's Palaces (f) Hannibal thinking to divert Qu. Fulvius from the Siege of Capua advanced with his Army to the very walls of Rome where He was repulsed by prodigious Storms See Book 13. Sidonian Troops surround While onely in her Walls she Safety found The Cause of so great Rage and Hate with Care (g) Alluding to Dido's Execration at her Death on Aeneas's Posterity Exoriare aliquis nostris exossibus ultor Qui face Dardanios ferroque sequare Colonos Then from our Bones shall some Revenger rise To persecute the Trojan Colonies With Fire and Sword Ogilby Vieg Aen. l. 4. Bequeathing to their Nephews endless War Let me relate and their dark Counsels scan The Source of so great Stirs which thus began (h) It is not easie to reconcile Appian Eusebius and Iosephus concerning the Building of Carthage The first affirming it to be built fifty Years before the Destruction of Troy the other seventy Years after the Building of Rome and the last more then three hundred years after Troy was destroy'd But most conclude it to have been built by Dido who when her Brother Pygmalion had slain her Husband for his Wealth which she got into her Possession fled with such Friends as hated the Tyranny of Pygmalion by Sea into Lybia where the Inhabitants refusing to let her share in their Countrey She onely desired to purchase as much Land as Shee could encompass with a Bull 's Hide Which Request seeming ridiculous was easily granted and the Hide cut into small Thongs encompass'd all that Ground where the Tower called Byrsa was built which first denominated the City that afterward called Carthage contended with Rome in Greatness See Appian in his Book De Lybic Long since when Dido fled her Native Land Polluted by her Brother 's Impious Hand By Chance on Libya's fatal Coast she falls And on her purchas'd Land erects new Walls With a Bull's-Hide in Thongs divided round Encompass'd and set out the measur'd Ground Here Iuno as the Antient Story goes Neglecting Argos and Mycenae those Belov'd and pleasant Seats desir'd to build Eternal Mansions for her dear Exil'd But when She saw Rome raise her lofty Head So high and crossing Seas her Eagles spread Through all the World mov'd by a Jealous Fear She the Phoenicians fill'd with Thoughts of War But these at first repress'd and having lost Their high Attempts on the (i) Sicanian Coast. Where with a Fleet of three hundred Ships Luctatius overthrew a Navy of double the Number and thereby forced the Carthaginians to quit Sicily Sardina and other Isles in the Sea between Africk and Italy and accept a dishonourable Peace Sicanian Coast Again she Arms prepares One Captain may Suffice Her to embroil the Earth and Sea And He was Hannibal who now puts on All Her dire Fury Him She dares alone Ev'n 'gainst the Fates oppose When Joy'd to finde A Man so bloody casting in her Minde The Ills that She would bring on Italy Shall that Dardanian Fugitive said She His Troy and Houshold-Gods twice Captivate In Spight of Me to Latium translate And for the Trojans Latine Scepters found (k) Ticinus a small River in Lombardy that falls into the Po more renowned by Hannibal's first Encounter with the Consul Corn. Scipio who was worsted by him then by the City of the same Name See the Fourth Book Ticinus rather may thy Banks abound With slaughter'd Romanes and my (l) Trâ—bia a River near Placâ—ntia where in a second Conflict the Consul Sempronius was overthrown by Hannibal See the same place Trebia's Flood Swell through the Celtick Plains with Trojan Blood And Troubled (m) Thrasimen a Lake in the Plains of Perusia near which Hannibal overthrew the Romane Army and slew the Consul Caius Flaminius See Book 5. Thrasimenus backward fly Affrighted at the Streams of Purple Dy. So I may see Hesperian (n) Cannae a small Village in Apulia where the Romanes received a most signal Overthrow See Book 9. Cannae Crown'd With Bodies and in Blood the Vallies drown'd And Thee swift (o) Aufidus descending with a strong Current from the Hirpin Hills emptieth it self into the Adriatick Sea Aufidus incertain where To leave a Ford when as no Banks appear Lab'ring o're Arms and scatter'd Limbs thy Way To break into the Adriatick Sea This said the Youth who nothing else desires But Broils and War with Martial Thoughts she fires Faithless repleat with Guil Unjust was He And when once arm'd contemn'd the Deity Valiant but Cruel hating Peace and fir'd With a strange Thirst of Humane Blood desir'd Then in His pride of Youth to wipe away His Father's (p) Not onely the Dishonour of Amilâ—ar His Father's Repulse out of Sicily but the Loss of many other Victories by former Generals both by Sea and Land Stains and i' th' Sicilian Sea To drown all Leagues Iuno with Hope of Praise Inflames his Heart to which His Soul obeys Now in His Dreams He seems to break into The Capitol and o're the Alps to go Oft in His troubled Sleep rising by Night With horrid Cries His Servants Hee 'd affright Who found Him bath'd in Sweat His future War To wage and beat with Rage the empty Air. This Fury against Italy abus'd While yet a (q) Amilcar about to lead an Army into Spain and having Thoughts of a greater War against the Romanes Hannibal then nine years old flattering Him to go wtih Him it is said that He caused the Childe to lay His Hand on the Altar and to swear that so soon as He was able He would become an Enemy to the Romanes Childe his Father had infus'd (r( Belus was the Father of Dido and King of Phoenice from whom Amilcar Barca likewise descended his Ancestour her Kinsman accompanying her in her Flight Born of the Noble Barcean Race deriv'd From ancient Belus For when first depriv'd Of her Sichaeus Dido fled from Tyre The Belian Youth t' escape the Tyrian's Ire Join'd to her Train resolved to embrace Her Fate and Fortune from that Noble Race Amilcar fam'd for Valour claim'd Descent And studious former Hatred to foment Soon as his Son could speak and Words exprest Kindled the Romane War within His Breast Amidst the City circled by a Grove Of shady Yew that did all Light remove A Temple stood built to Eliza's Ghost And dreadfull held through all the Tyrian Coast. Here as 't is said the Queen with Her own Hand Her self from Grief absolv'd sad Statues stand Of Father Belus and in Order all His Off-Spring with Agenor whom they
on You for Vengeance call With that a Showr of Darts that ev'ry where Fly like a Tempest through the darkned Air O'rewhelm and hide his Body so that none Could after boast that by his Hand alone Flaminius dy'd Thus with the General The Fight soon ended for the Chief of all The Youth as angry with themselves and Heaven That to their Arms so ill Success had given And choosing rather once to dy then see The Affrican enjoy the Victory With Hands all bloody in the fatal Fight Seise on their Gen'ral's Body in their Sight So lately slain with all his Weapons and United in a Ring about him stand Till all in one great Heap of Slaughter dy'd And falling like an Hill his Body (p) It appears by this that Flaminius had lai'd aside all Ornaments of Consul or General for that his Body could not be distinguished from any of those that fell about him hid Now having spread Destruction through the Wood And Lake and left the Valleys deep in Blood To th' Heap of Bodies Hannibal withdrew And with him Mago and as them they view What Wounds What Deaths are here said he behold How ev'ry Hand still grasps a Sword though cold In Death The armed Souldiers as they ly Seem to maintain the Fight How these did dy Now let our Troops observe the Threats appear Yet in their Foreheads and their Faces bear Their living Anger and I fear that Land Which fruitfull is in Men so valiant and Of so great Courage Fates to her decree The Empire of the World and She shall be Victorious in Distress This said He yields To Night and Darkness over all the Fields Diffus'd while Sol into the Sea descends Restrains their Fury and the Slaughter ends The End of the Fifth Book Sâ—rranus clarum Nomen Tua Regule Proles Limina pulsabat â—ari Vetus isse Parentis Vileâ— et haud Surda tractarat proelia â—ama Serpens centum porrectus in Vlnâ—s Extendit â—olem atque Assultans Sydera â—ambit Hoâ—oratiss o. Domino Dâ— Edoardo Baroni de Hyndon SumaÌ„ Totius Cancellario et ê Sanctioribê° Regis Comiti Clarendon Vicâ—â—om Cornbury Anglioe nec non Accademiae Oxon Consilijs Tabula SumÌ„a aâ— observantia D.D.D. SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Sixth Book THE ARGUMENT Brutius great Valour who before he dy'd His Eagle from his Foes i' th Earth doth hide Sorranus wounded to Perusa's Plains By Night retires him Marus entertains And having dress'd his Wounds to him declares Great Regulus his Father's Death and Wars His Noble Courage in his Punishment Fabius elected General his Descent The Romanes Sadness and the People's Cries Affrighted at the Libyans Victories The Conqu'rours to Linternum go and there The Monuments that did at large declare The Victories by Sea and Land which Rome From Carthage once had gain'd with Fire consume BUT when his Steeds in the Tartessiack Main Loos'd to give way to Night Sol joyn'd again On the Eoan Shores and Serians who The first of all the World his Beams review For silken Fleeces to their Groves repair The Place of sad Destruction ev'ry where Appears and Monuments of furious War Here Men and Arms and Horses mingled are There Hands lop'd off still to their Lances stick In Wounds of Bodies slain there Targets thick Trumpets and headless Trunks ly scatter'd round Through all the Plain with Swords that as they wounâ— 'Gainst Bones were broke Some with be-nighted Eys Half dead in vain there sought th' enlightned Skies The Lake all foams of Gore and on the Waves Float Bodies that for ever want their Graves Yet midst these Miseries and loss of Blood Firm as her Fate the Romane Valour stood Brutius whose many Wounds declar'd that He Against his Foes had fought unequally Scarce from the Heaps of th' miserable Dead 'Mong whom he lay had rais'd his wounded Head Striving with mangled Limbs to creep away His Nerves now shrinking when the fatal Day Was done Him Fortune had not plac'd among The Rich nor was he honour'd for his Tongue Or his Descent but Valiant with his Sword Nor did the Volscian Nation afford Any that had of Time recover'd more Nor sought he when but yet a Boy before The Down had cloath'd his Cheeks himself to hide For Safety in the Camp Flaminius try'd His Courage when in Fight he overthrew With better Gods the Celtick Arms hence grew His present Honour in all Wars that he The Keeper of the Sacred Bird should be Hence Glory made him to preserve with Care The Cause of 's Death For when he did dispair Of Life perceiving nothing could withstand (a) This Honour which Brutius enjoyed as the Reward of his Valour was alwaies conferred on the first Centurion of the Triarii who were the Reserve of the Army he was obliged to loose his Life with this Ensign of his Charge which was honour'd by the whole Army and therefore stiled Sacred by the Poet. The Romanes adoring their Eagles which were sometimes of Silver seldome of Wood but often woven or painted on the Banner as if they were Divine Herodian lib. 4. To keep his Eagle from the Libyans Hand Since Fate gave Way and that the Romane Side Was ruin'd in the Fight he sought to hide And bury't in the Earth but overthrown With sudden Darts again and falling down Extends himself upon it and beneath His Body hides it choosing such a Death But when from Stygian Night and Sleep the Light Return'd he from the Neighb'ring Heaps upright Arose upon his Spear and Strong alone In his Attempt the Earth now overflown With Blood and softned by the standing Gore With 's Sword he digs and as he doth adore Th' unhappy Eagle's Image with his Hand Now fainting smooths again th' unequal Sand Then into thinner Air his Breath doth go And his great Soul unto the Shades below Near him was to be seen the Sacred Rage Of Valour whose Deservings do engage Our Muse to sing its Fame Levinus born On high Privernum that rich Vines adorn Dead on dead Nasamonian Tyres lay And when unequal Fortune had that Day Depriv'd him of his Arms his Spear and Sword Then naked in the Fight his Griefs afford New Weapons With his bloody Mouth he flies Upon his Fo and with his Teeth supplies His want of other Arms and thus he tears His Nostrills off bites out his Eyes his Ears Pulls from his mangled Head his Forehead too Strangely disfigures while the Blood doth flow About his Jaws yet this not satisfies Till with his Mouth all full he feeding dyes While Valour sadly to the Victour's Eye These Wonders shews the wounded Troops that fly To various Chances are expos'd Some through By-wayes of desert Woods some wandring go By Night through unfrequented Fields and there Each little Noise or Motion of the Air Or flying Birds affright them and they finde No Sleep or quiet Thoughts but still inclin'd To fear beleeve that Mago with his Spear Or Hannibal pursues them in the Rear
Enemy Had by his Conduct lately overcome Besides the boasting Celtae towards Home Began to look a People of a light Unconstant Minde Fierce at the first in Fight But if withstood soon quell'd They griev'd to see A War should be maintain'd from Slaughter free A thing to them unknown and while they stood In Arms their Hands were stiff and dry from Blood To add to this an inward Grief and Wound Of civil Envy did his Thoughts confound For Hanno thwarting all he did intend At Home would not permit the Senate send (b) Hannibal not able to obtain his Desire of Battel the Hopes of which had till then kept his Army together had Thoughts of returning into France saith Livy lib. 22. if the Consuls that succeeded Fabius had used the same Arts with him to avoid fighting For Hannibal strongly opposed at Home by Hanno's Faction had no Supplies thence and in Italy most of the Cities opposing him he could not finde Provisions to sustain his Men till the following Victory at Cannae gave Him all that He wanted To his Assistance any Aids at all Torn with these Cares and fearing now the Fall Of his Affairs Iuno who knew the Fate Of Cannae and with future things elate Him with fresh Hopes of Arms and War inspires And fills his Thoughts again with mad Desires For (c) The Sister of Dido Anna call'd from the Laurentine Lakes In this mild Language her Instructions takes There is a Youth in Blood ally'd to Thee Call'd Hannibal and from our Belus he His Noble Name derives make Haste away And the rude Surges of his Cares allay Shake Fabius from his Thoughts who is alone The Stop that Italie's not overthrown Fabius is now dismiss'd with Varro he Hereafter must contend the War must be With Varro wag'd Let him not wanting prove To Fate but quickly all his Ensigns move I will be present let him haste away To th' Iapygian Plains there Trebia And Thrasimonus Fates shall meet again Anna a Neighbour to the Gods that reign In those chast Woods thus answers It would be Unjust in Me should I delay said She Your great Commands but yet permit I pray The Favours to my antient Countrey may With Caution be retain'd and that the Will And Charge of my dear Sister I fulfill Though Anna be esteem'd Divine among The Latine Deities yet Time with long Ambages turning in Obscurity Hath drown'd the Reason of Antiquity Why Temples the Ausonians should ordain To Tyrian Pow'rs Or why where Trojans reign Eliza's Sister should be there ador'd But keeping close to Time I will record What antient Fame reports and briefly all The Story tell from its Original When Tyrian Dido by her Trojan Guest Forsaken was and all her Hopes supprest Within a secret Place in Haste with Cares And Love distract a Fun'ral Pyle she rears Then takes the Sword that fatal Gift that by (d) Aeneas Her Husband fled was giv'n resolv'd to dy When strait Hyarbas whom before She had Rejected as a Lover doth invade Her Kingdom and his Arms Victorious while Her Ashes yet were warm fix'd to the Pyle Who durst while thus the Nomades fierce King Prevail'd to their Distress Assistance bring Battus by Chance the Reins of Chief Command Over (e) Cyrene a City scituate between the great Syrt and Marcotis from which all that part of Libya is called Cyrenaica Cyrene with a gentle Hand Then held this Battus was by Nature Kind And Humane Chances easily inclin'd With Tears to pity and at first when Anne A Suppliant before Him came began The fickle State of Kings to apprehend And to relieve her did his Hand extend Here She two Harvests pass'd but could no more Enjoy the Aid of Battus and that Store His Bounty did afford for then a Fame Was spread Pygmalion to her Ruine came By Sea She therefore from that Kingdom flies And as if hated by the Deities And no less hatefull to her self that She Her Sister's Death did not accompany By fatal Tempests on the Sea was tost Till with torn Sails to the Laurentine Coast She driven was and sadly Ship-wrack'd there A Stranger to the People Soil and Air A fearfull Tyrian stood on Latine ground When now behold Aeneas having crown'd His Labours with a Kingdom to the Place By Chance with young Iülus came His Face She quickly knew and when he spy'd her there Her Eys fix'd on the Earth and full of Fear Faln prostrate at Iülus Feet whose Eys O'reflow'd with Pity helping her to rise To 's House he with a gentle Hand convey'd And when with kind Reception he 'd allay'd Her Fears of Danger with a pensive Care Desir'd unhappy Dido's Fate to hear Then she with Language fitted for the Time And Tears her Words protracting thus to him The Story told Thou Goddess-born alone Wert the true Cause my Sister both her Throne And Life enjoy'd her Death and Fun'ral Fire Alass that I in it did not expire Can witness this for when She could no more Behold thy Face sometimes upon the Shore She sate sometimes she stood and as her Eys Pursu'd the Winds with loud and mournfull Cries Aeneas call'd and onely begg'd that she Might in the Vessel bear thee Company Soon after troubled in her Thoughts again She to her Marriage-Chamber runs amain Where as she enters she is seiz'd with such A sudden Trembling that she dares not touch Her Nuptial Bed then mad with her Embrace The starry Image of Iâ—lus Face She hugs then Thine on which at length she dwells With fixed Eys and her sad Story tells To Thee and hopes an Answer to obtain But when Love lai'd all Hopes aside again The House she quits and flies unto the Shore Hoping the shifting Winds might Thee restore At length fallacious Levity invites Her ev'n to Magick Arts and the dire Rites Of the Massilian Nation to descend But Oh! What wicked Errours do attend Such Prophets while they Stygian Pow'rs allure From Hell and promise to her Wounds a Cure What a sad Act did I deceiv'd the while Behold She throws upon the horrid Pyle All Monuments and fatal Gifts by Thee On her bestow'd With that thus lovingly He interrupts her By this Land I swear Which in my Wishes you did often hear By mild Iâ—lus Head to Her and Thee Once held so dear I most unwillingly Oft looking back and troubled in my Mind Your Kingdom left Nor had I then declin'd My Marriage-Bed had I not threatned bin By Mercury who with his Hand Me in The Cabine plac'd and drove into the Sea With furious Winds the flying Ship away But why though all Advice is now too late Did you permit at such a Time as that That She without a Guard in Love should be So Furious In broken Murmurs she Among her many Sighs to this replies With trembling Lips I then a Sacrifice To Stygian Iove and his Infernal Queen To try if my poor Sister might have been Eas'd in her Love-sick Mind
took And threw it at his Face his Jaws were broke Asunder with the Weight his Face no more Its Form retains mix'd with thick Clots of Gore His Brains flow through his Nose and both his Eys Dash'd from his mangled Front he falls and dyes Then Marius fell endeav'ring to relieve Casper his Friend and fearfull to survive His Death Both Youths in Age alike both poor Alike and both Sacred Praeneste bore They joyn'd their Labours and both jointly till'd Their Neighb'ring Fields they both refus'd and will'd Still the same things their Minds alike through all Their Life A Wealthy Concord in a Small Estate They fell together and expir'd In Fight together as they both desir'd Their Arms the Trophy of Simethus were But such a Benefit of Fortune there The Libyan could not long enjoy For now The valiant Scipio with a threatning Brow Came on sore griev'd to see his Cohorts fly And Varro Cause of all their Misery With Curio yellow-hair'd and Brutus from The first great Consul sprung that rescued Rome These by their Valour had the Field regain'd Had not the Libyan General restrain'd With a fierce Charge his Troops about to fly Who when far off He Varro did espy Engag'd and near him moving to and fro The Lictour in his Scarlet Coat I know That Pomp I know the Ensigns of your State Said He such your Flaminius was of late Thus speaking by the Thunder of his Shield His Fury he Proclaims through all the Field Oh wretched Varro Thou might'st there have dy'd With Paulus had not angry Heav'n deny'd That thou by Hannibal should'st there be slain How often to the Gods mightst thou complain That thou did'st scape the Libyan Sword For there Bringing thy Safety when thou did'st dispair Of Life upon Himself brave Scipio all The Danger turn'd nor was fierce Hannibal Unwilling though by that Diversion He The Honour of Opimous Victory Had lost Thee for a greater Fo to change And by that offer'd Combat to Revenge On Him the Rescue of his Father near Ticinus Now the Champions both appear From sev'ral Quarters of the World then whom Earth never yet beheld two Greater come Within the Lists in Strength and Courage held Both equal but the Romane Prince excell'd In Piety and Faith Then from the Cloud Wherein from Mortal Eys the Gods did shroud Themselves leap'd forth to view the Fight more near For Scipio Mars and Pallas full of Fear For Hannibal The Champions both abide Undaunted but their Entrance terrifi'd The Armies Round about thick gloomy Fires Where Pallas moves her Gorgon's Mouth expires And dreadfull Serpents hiss upon her Shield Her Eys like two great Comets through the Field Disperse a Bloody Light and to the Skies From her large Crest the waving Flames arise But Mars the Air disturbing with his Spear And cov'ring with his Shield the Plain doth wear His Mail which by the Lab'ring Cyclops made Aetnean Flames through all the Field displai'd And with his radiant Cask doth rising strike The Stars The Champions on the Fight alike Intent though traversing with watchfull Eys Their Ground perceiv'd the Armed Deities Approach and glad that they Spectatours were Increas'd the Fury of their Minds And here A Jav'lin Pallas from the Libyan's Side Le ts fly with a strong Force which soon espy'd By Mars instructed to afford his Aid By that Example of the furious Maid Strait his Aetnean Sword into the Hands O' th' Youth he puts and greater things Commands At this the Maid incens'd her Visage burn'd In Flames of Rage and She so strangely turn'd Her glaring Eys that in her Dreadfull Look She Gorgon overcame as then She shook Her Aegis all her Snakes their Bodies rear'd And at her first Assault ev'n Mars appear'd A little to give Ground the Goddess still Pursu'd and Part of the adjoyning Hill Torn up with all the Stones that on it grew 'Gainst Mars with all her Force and Fury threw The Horrour of its Fall diffused o're The Plain frights Saffon with a trembling Shore But when the King of Gods this Fight 's Intent Perceiv'd involv'd in Clouds He Iris sent With Speed their too great Fury to allay And thus instructs her Goddess haste away To the Oenotrian Land and there her Rage Command thy Sister Pallas to asswage Bid her not hope to change the fix'd Decree Of Fate and likewise tell Her that if She Desist not for the Poison and the Fire Of Her fierce Minde I know and check her Ire Against the Romane She shall understand How much the dreadfull Thunder of my Hand Excells her Aegis When Tritonia knew This a long time Uncertain what to do And doubtfull in her Thoughts if She should yield T' Her Father's Arms Well We will quit the Field Said She but when W are thus expuls'd will Iove Hinder us to behold from Heav'n above Garganus Fields reeking with Blood This said Under an hollow Cloud the furious Maid To other Places of the Battel took The Libyan General and Earth forsook But Mars the Goddess gone recalls again Their Courage and dispers'd through all the Plain Encompass'd with a Cloud as black as Night With his own Hand strait recollects the Fight The Romanes now their Ensigns turn and Fear Quite lai'd aside the Slaughter ev'ry where Renew Then Aeolus who o're the Winds Is King and them within a Prison binds Who Boreas Eurus Corus Notus and The Rest ev'n Heav'n-disturbing doth Command At Iuno's Suit whose Promises were great Furious (g) A strong South-East-Winde blowing frequently in that part of the Countrey and so called by the Inhabitants which gained in this Fight by the Carthaginians did exceedingly incommodate the Romanes See Livy Book 22. Vulturous whose Imperial Seat Is in th' Aeolian Plains into the Fight Let 's loose for then the Goddess took Delight By him to vindicate her cruel Ire He having div'd in Aetna deep and Fire Conceiv'd strait raising up his flaming Head Into the Air with horrid Roaring fled From thence and through the Daunian Kingdoms blows Clouds of congested Dust and where He goes The dark'ned Air from all as if the Day Were spent their Sight Hands Voices took away Then 'gainst th' Italians Faces Globes of Sand Sad to relate he drives and his Command To fight against them doth with Rage pursue And with that Weight of Ruin overthrew The Souldiers Arms and Trumpets and reverts Upon the Rutuli their flying Darts And frustrates with his adverse Blasts their Blows But all the Weapons that the Libyan throws He seconds and their Jav'lins and their Spears As with the Loop assisting forward bears The Souldiers now chok'd with thick Dust and Breath Stopp'd 'twixt their Jaws that poor ignoble Death Lament while hiding in the troubled Air His yellow Head and strewing all his Hair With Sand Vulturnus with his roaring Wings Sometimes flies at their Backs and sometimes flings Himself against their Faces in a Storm That whistling loud whole Cohorts doth disarm Some that press'd on and