flies Alone to charge th' amazed enemies Who till their wonder was expell'd by hopes Awhile made stand at last from all the troops ' Gainst Caesar's head whole stormes of Iauelins come Some in his shield he does receiue and some Auoids declining of his body downe Till shame not courage brought his Souldiers on To saue their Generall and ' gainst the foe They doe begin a fight so a furious now As if with this new rage they would appeare To recompence their ignominious b feare Th'auxiliary troops on either side Gaue backe and left the battell to be try'd By none but Roman hands who man to man And foot to foot a constant fight began With so great horrour as who had beheld Pharsalia's fight or Thapsus bloody field Would haue esteem'd those furies light and thought He nere saw warre till Munda's field was fought Both Generalls alike twixt hope and feare With needlesse speeches their fierce Souldiers cheare Till weary'd with the toile they both retire And from two little hills behold the dire Encounter of their men when Caesar's eyes That drie had view'd whole Nations tragedies Began to melt and whilest bright victory Ore both the armies houer'd doubtfully Caesar and Pompey had forgot their hopes And onely pity'd their engaged troops Fearing both armies in the place would die And leaue no conquest but one tragedie A balefull silence on the sudden then Possest the field no showts of fighting men Were heard as if they labour'd to keepe in Their sp'rits for action hands alone were seene To moue and write in bloody Characters Their deepe resolues young Pompey's Souldiers Beyond this day disdaine to hope at all And Caesar's men promise in Pompey's fall To all their toiles a rich and quiet close And that the World no more can finde them foes At last the battells fortune seem'd to leane To Pompey's side and Caesar's fainting men Gaue backe apace nor scarce with all their might Could the Centurions stay their open flight When Caesar arm'd with high despaire preparing The fatall Ponyard which he wore and baring His manly brest thus speakes Oh Fortune now I see thou wants not power to ouerthrow What ere thou build'st but I accuse not thee Enough already hast thou done for me Enough haue thy transcendent fauours grac'd My liues whole course should'st thou not change at last Perhaps the erring World might censure me More than a man and thee no Deitie I that so long haue thy high fauours knowne Can thus securely entertaine thy frowne There had he dy'd but as kinde mothers doe Oft let their children neere to dangers goe That then when they perceiue them most afraid They may the more endeare their timely aid So Fortune findes an vnexpected way To saue his Fate whilest yet his men made stay And kept the field King Bogud that without The battell stood wheeles suddenly about To seize young Pompey's Campe which to preuent Leauing his station Labienus went And with him drew fiue cohorts from the fight Which action chang'd the battells fortune quite Whilest haplesse errour through both armies flew And Pompey's battell suddenly orethrew For misconceit that Labienus fled Had quite disheartened his owne side and bred In Caesar's Souldiers most assured hopes Nor could young Pompey stay his flying troops Too late alas it was to make them know What haplesse errour caus'd their ouerthrow For routed once ore all the field they flie A prey to the pursuing enemie Vnhappie Attius Varus where he stood Enuiron'd round with carcasses and blood Varus that twice before a warre had led ' Gainst Caesar's fortune and twice vanquished When he had labour'd long in vaine to stay His flying men loth to out-liue the day Or longer keepe that often conquer'd breath Now rushes boldly on to finde a death Amid'st the thickest of his enemies And gladly there on all their weapons dies But when alas sad Labienus view'd How great and swift a ruine had ensu'd Vpon his haplesse action cursing Fate And his owne dire misfortue too too late Seeking to ralley his disorder'd troops He cryes 't is I that haue vndone the hopes Of wretched Rome 't is I haue lost the day Through this dire brest take your reuenging way And expiate this fatall ouerthrow Or Caesar's swords shall take reuenge for you Then like a Libyan Lion round beset Arm'd with a high despaire and rage as great Carelesse of wounds or weapons forth he goes To sell a loathed life deere to his foes Till by a thousand swords at last he dies And to the shades his angry spirit flies Pompey perceiues his army ouerthrowne And now the losse irreparable growne And though he see no cause that should inuite Him to out-liue the fury of the fight His owne fresh youth perswades him t' entertaine A future hope to raise his State againe High mounted on a Spanish Steed he flies Leauing in field his routed Companies With speed Carteia's harbour to attaine And saile from thence but to disastrous Spaine Sterne Fates the death of this young man decree And he ere long the selfe same destiny Forc'd to endure on Spaines vnhappie ground That his great Father in false Aegypt found His brother c Sextus scap'd from that sad day Fortune long hides in Celtiberia To raise his State againe againe to breathe Fresh warre and ruine after Caesar's death And once againe with faction rend the State In that sad time of Romes Triumuirate The fight was done and nothing now ensu'd But impious rage and murder the pursu'd To Pompey's Campe and Munda's walls alas For refuge fled but vaine that refuge was So horrid now was the Caesarians rage That neither pitie could their heat asswage Nor strength defend their wretched enemies From their dire force on euery side the cries And groanes of dying men are heard alone Neuer so sauage crueltie was showne Against the worst of forren foes as then The vanquish'd felt from their owne Countrymen Which most appear'd when to surprise the Towne A thing among'st Barbarians neuer knowne The workes they rais'd against it to maintaine The siege were carcasses of Romans slaine Caesar that nere before did truly see How hard it was to gaine a victory Since Fortune still his wish with ease had wrought And he for glory not for life had fought Till Munda's field recounts what he had lost Grieuing to finde what this sad conquest cost He sometimes wail'd his owne slaine Souldiers then Sometimes the slaughter'd foes as Countrimen And wishes some to whom he now might show His mercy had suruiu'd the ouerthrow And almost taxes Fortune who that day Had wrought his ends by such an enuy'd way Neuer till now did Caesar's pensiue brest Truly reuolue how tragicall the best Successe will be that Ciuill warre affords And how deepe wounds his sadly conquering swords Had made in th' entrailes of afflicted Rome Now Thapsus battell now Pharsalia come Into his sad remembrance and almost He wishes all his Triumphs had beene lost Rather than with such
A CONTINVATION of Lucan's Historicall Poem till the death of IVLIVS CAESAR By T M London Printed for James Boler at the Signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1630 TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH CHARLES BY THE GRACE of God King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland c. SIR I SHOVLD haue taught my humble labors a lower presumption than to haue approached your sacred hand if I had onely weighed mine owne weaknesse and disabilitie but the dignitie of this subiect did somewhat encourage mee being a remainder of that great Historie whose former part was so richly dressed in the happie conceits and high raptures of that Noble LVCAN of whose abilitie in writing I was not so ambitious in emulation as officious in desire to continue so stately an argument for your Princely eare with what successe I haue performed it your MAIESTIES acceptation onely can determine to whom if it present but the least delight my end is accomplished for which I haue runne so great a hazard as perchance to be censured a foile onely to Lucan's lustre and chose rather to fall vnder the weight of a great argument than to present a meane one to so high a hand your Maiesties renowned worth and Heroicall vertues the perfection of minde meeting in you with the height of Fortune may make you securely delighted in the reading of great actions to whom I humbly present this weake Worke beseeching Almighty GOD long to establish your MAIESTIES Throne vpon earth enriching it with blessings of the right hand and the left and after to Crowne you with incorruptible Glorie So prayeth Your Maiesties most humble subiect THO. MAY. IOHANNIS SVLPITII Verulani querela de interitu Lucani opere nondum perfecto HAEC cecinit vates scripturus plura sed illum In medio cursu iussit mors dira silere Accidit vt cigno qui fixus arundine carmen Mille modis querulum quod caeperat interrumpit Nec Phaenix aliter cum sese imponit in altum Quem struit ipse rogum cantus dulcedine mira Nondum perfectos plaudenti morte relinquit Nec secus Ismariis vates oppressus in oris A Ciconum nuribus Superûm dum cantat amores Brutaque cum syluis saxa sequentia ducit Haud potuit moriens medios absoluere cantus Proh scelera Oh superi cruciat quae poena NeroneÌ„ Num rota num saxum num stagna fugacia vexant An vultur pendensue silex an feruet in vnda Illum comburat Phlegeton lacerentque Cerastae Hydra voret raptentque canes semperque flagellis Torua Megaera secet nec sit requiesque modusque Quanto fraudata est tua gloria plena nitore Corduba quamque minus te Mantua docta veretur Mantua cui primae fulget nunc gloria palmae Sed contenta tribus longè lacteris alumnis Tu verò O nostrum vates diuine laborem Quem pro te subij non auersate probabis THE COMPLAINT OF CALLIOPE AGAINST THE DESTINIES TOO cruell Sisters why againe am I Enforc'd to weepe and tax your tyranny Was not my Orpheus death though long agoe Enough for me to beare for you to doe Orpheus so much by all the graces lou'd Whose charming skill and matchlesse Musiâ—ke mou'd The sauage beasts the stones and senselesse trees Yet could not moue the harder Destinies J saw his limbes alas scattered abroad On Hebrus bankes while downe the siluer flood His learned head was rowl'd and all along Heard the sad murmurs of his dying tongue No other Tragedy but Lucan slaine By your vntimely stroke could thus againe Reuiue my griefe Oh could you not prolong That thread awhile vntill the stately song Of his Pharsalia had beene finish'd quite What sauage bird of prey what murdring Kite Could in the mid'st of that melodious lay Rauish the charming Nightingall away Thou sung'st no lusts no riots nor mad'st knowne Corrupting others manners with thine owne New crimes nor with lasciuious wantoning Did'st thou defile the sacred Thespian spring Thy verses teach no foule adulteries Nor rapes committed by the Deities Which may from guilt absolue the worst of men But actions great and true thy happie pen Adorning History with raptures high With quicke conceits and sound moralitie Condemn'd the strong iniustice of that age And reines too much let lose to ciuill rage When Rome the strength which she had made did feare No longer able her owne weight to beare Taxing bad greatnesse and in deathlesse verse Bestowing fame on Noble Sepulchers And had'st enobled moe but woe is me Th' vntimely stroke of death did silence thee Of which the griefe not onely vs inuades But diues into the blest Elysian shades Sadding the worthies there that so did long To fill a roome in thine eternall song There Cato thinkes and grieues it was deny'd If thou had'st liu'd how great he should haue dy'd The Roman Scipio did disdaine a Tombe On Libya's shore in hope to finde a roome Within thy stately Poem well content Saue there to haue no other Monument Those stately Temples where Great Caesar's name Shall be by Rome ador'd wanting the fame Which thy high lines might giue in time to come Shall enuy Pompey's small Aegyptian Tombe Had Iuba's Tragicke fall beene sung by thee 'T had eas'd the losse of his great Monarchy But that to them and vs did Fate deny That we the more might waile thy Tragedy A CONTINVATION of the Subiect OF LVCAN'S HISTORICALL POEM till the death of Iulius Caesar The first Booke The Argument of the first Booke Th'Aegyptians sue to Caesar for a peace Excuse their crime and craue their King's release The King restor'd by Caesar to his state Reuolts againe Euphranor's noble fate Ptolomey's vision from Serapis sent Foreshews the change of Aegypts gouernment The warre in Delta Caesars victory The ouerthrow and death of Ptolomey THe threatning Ocean now had spent in vaine His swelling spite and from the watery maine From Aegypts feeble Treason and the band Of Pharian slaues is Caesar safe at land Fill'd with reuenge and scorne arm'd with a rage Greater than Aegypts ruine can asswage His warre is now made iust but that great minde Too much disdaines so iust a cause to finde From such a State grieu'd that they durst afford Wrongs proud enough to call on Caesar's sword Or prouocation to his fury lend Whom Rome it selfe had trembled to offend And ru'd his anger at no cheaper rate Than Pompey's fall and ruine of the State How well could Rome excuse the gods aboue For Caesar's late-wrought safetie and approue Their fauour in it if no other State Had felt the force of his reuiued fate But Aegypts guilty land in that warre nought But iust reuenge for Pompey had beene wrought The willing Senate had with ioy decreed Honours for such a conquest for that deed From euery Towne th' Italian youth in throngs Had met his Charriot with triumphall songs Nor had great Pompey's spirit from the skie Repin'd at sight of that solemnitie That
chast a minde Yet wanton loue and Cupids childish fires Which warme Plebeian hearts and moue desires In rurall Girles and lowly Shepherds swaines Aid not thy suit Oh Caesar She disdaines That common cause should make her beautie yeeld To thy embraces her proud brest was fill'd With higher thoughts desire of Soueraigntie Aspiring hopes of State and Maiestie In Cleopatra's brest had now controll'd All other passions had her blood beene cold Yet when ambition pleaded on thy side Her chastitie had yeelded to her pride That reason Caesar that did first subdue Thy loyaltie to Rome made thee embrue Thy parricidall hands in her sad wounds And die with blood Thessalia's guiltie grounds Proues now the selfe same cause that conquered This Queene and drew her to thy wanton bed Let not the guiltie greatnesse of thy minde Be by vaine men extoll'd since here we finde A womans brest the same impressions moue Ambitious pride and Soueraignties dire loue Alike in thee and Cleopatra plac'd Made thee disloyall proue and her vnchast Caesar lest Rome should iudge he first did moue This warre alone for Cleopatra's loue To winne for her not for his Countries sake For conquer'd Aegypt he intends to make No a Roman prouince and on th' other side Too much suspecting that th' Aegyptians pride His bountious fauour would farre lesse esteeme If that a woman wore their Diadem Whilest yet a male childe liu'd of Lagus blood Thus cleares both doubts to make the action good One colour serues young Ptolomey whom he Before had married to Arsinoë A childe of eight yeares old must now supply The roome of his dead brother Ptolomey And weare two shadowes both of loue and State Of Aegypts King and Cleopatra's mate What more than names poore boy dost thou obtaine As vaine thy marriage is as is thy reigne And but in title nothing is thine owne Caesar thy bed possesses she thy Crowne Nor canst thou yet so much as riuall proue In Cleopatra's reigne or Caesar's loue Yet happie art thou that thy tender age Cannot enioy th' incestuous marriage For if the match for thee had beene more fit Thou had'st contracted greater guilt from it And with fowle Incest stain'd a brothers name But whilest thou want'st the fruit thou want'st the blame Now without care thou dost a Crowne obtaine And an Incestuous marriage without staine Now nights blacke mantle had the earth ore-spread And all the host of Starres in Phaebus stead Though with lesse light adorn'd the spangled skie When Caesar fir'd with loue and raised high With Mâ—roës sparkling wine pursues his suit And soone obtaines the wish'd and wanton fruit Of his late warres and toiles his fame and glory His power and gifts the strongest oratory Had woo'd and wonne the Queene to his delight Within whose armes he spends the wanton night Nor Cleopatra was 't a crime in thee Th' incestuous custome of thy family Where sisters wiues on brothers are bestow'd And mixture of the nearest names allow'd Makes this a vertuous loue thou had'st beene led With greater guilt to such a Nuptiall bed And 't is thy fate thy beautie cannot be Better enioy'd than by adulterie Yet from the burden of her fruitfull wombe Both hers and Caesar's punishment come For young b Caesario whom their loues short ioy With aduerse Fates begets vnhappy boy Vntimely slaine shall be in future time Augustus Caesar's parricidall crime And Caesar's house with Caesar's blood shall blot Thy guilt Augustus is that night begot Which shall hereafter those rich triumphs staine Which thou from Aegypts conquest shalt obtaine Vnlesse that flattery be taught for thee To wrest all natures lawes and policie Of State together with the peace of Rome Alleag'd to iustifie thy bloody doome Whilest Caesar thus a wanton Conquerour In Aegypt stayes the Senats scatter'd power And flying legions from Pharsalia Scipio againe vnites in Affrica ' Great Pompey's father in law who now ore all Is by consent elected Generall Stout Labienus most engag'd of all In hate to Caesar though against the Gaule He vnder Caesar's colours oft had fought Serues vnder him and matchlesse Cato brought By no engagement of a priuate cause But for his Countries libertie and lawes d Petreius falsely there takes armes againe ' Gainst Caesar's side by Caesar once in Spaine Pardon'd before there Attius e Varus stands Who all the Roman Prouinces commands In Affrick once proud Carthage feodars Who brings his Punick forces to the warres Subtle in warlike slights with Targets light Short swords and brests vnarm'd they vse to fight And still in battell weare their Cassocks red To hide the colour of the blood they shed Drie Barces scorch'd and euer-thirsting sands Send men to Varus there the warlike bands Of hot Cyrene stand the progeny Of Pelops stain'd and tragick family That from Mycena came there th' Aaeans stood Mixed of Libyan and Sicilian blood And those of Tabraca th' old Tyrians brood The men of Leptis and at Hippo bred Where the Phaenicians first inhabited When they to Affrick came Hippo whose site Made it the ancient Libyan Kings delight And there in armes the men of Thapsus be That from the Latines draw their pedigree Juba to these his mighty army brings Juba the greatest of all Affricks Kings Who had already giuen a fatall blow In Curio's sad and mortall ouerthrow To Caesar's side No Libyan King alone Commands so large and vast a region Th' extent of his dominion lies as farre As Thera's plaines and horned Ammon are From Mauritania's farthest Westerne lands Where neare the Gades heauen-propping Atlas stands With whom to warre so many nations went Of manners rites and habits different Fierce Mauritanians which deriue their race From th' ancient Medes who peopled first the place The Nasamonians euer bare and poore Till wrackes at Sea enrich their fatall shore With mankindes ruine the scorch'd swarthy bands Of Garamantians on whose barren sands No shady trees ere spred no flockes doe feed Nor ought but serpents and dire monsters breed With these Marmarians march whom nature makes As antidotes against those mortall Snakes Then march the vagrant bold Numidians On well-rein'd Steeds and light Massylians Who euermore their Horses bitlesse ride And them alone with slender wands can guide The strong Getulians that no dwellings know But with their heards doe wander too and fro That in no sports but dangerous delight And singly dare with raging Lions fight The light Autololes whose winged speed In running farre out-strips the swiftest Steed Equalls the winds themselues and as they passe Scarce bend the standing corne or slender grasse The cole-blacke Mibian next vpon whose brow And curled-lockes the scorching Sunne doth show His lasting Tyranny who to the warre Does lightly goe his brest and body bare And neuer iron nor brasse armour weares Great linnen Turbants on his head he beares In stead of helmes his arrowes mortall points With venom'd iuyce he treacherously annoints Shaggie Cyniphians too were armed there Who Goats rough skinnes vpon their
the Fates or prize My worthlesse prayers at so high a rate As to haue power to change at all the State Of Caesar's great resolues on which depend All nations Fates and all the Starres attend If by their prayers fraile Mortalitie Should hope to alter what the gods decree 'T were a proud pietie I le rather lose My suit and checke my loue than interpose It so and rather to my selfe deny The happinesse of Caesar's company Than loue it with so great presumption As for mine owne delights to hinder one Of his resolues yet pardon mighty Lord If to mine owne desires I doe afford One place in loue cannot Great Caesar thriue In these his warres if Cleopatra liue Neere to his person Can it ouerthrow His fortune to procure my safetie so There 's no retreat in all the world for me So safe as thy victorious Campe will be But I am pleas'd to stay at thy command In Aegypt still and still suppose this land Within Great Caesar's reach whose powerfull hands From siluer Ganges to the Baetick sands From Pole to Pole extend their conquering force No distances of place can long diuorce Vs two if Caesar in his loue can be As speedy as in warre and victory And march as farre to finde his friends as foes This pledge which I within my selfe inclose Assures my longing minde against delay That Caesar long will not protract his stay Then with a kisse he bad the Queene adieu And wing'd with haste into Armenia flew Swifter than lightning or the Southern wind Along through Libya's yeelding aire to finde Pharnaces out whom he past thought oretooke Neere Zela walls and vanquish'd with a looke Soone beat he left behinde him nought at all That might deserue a mention but his fall Nor can there ought of this short warre be said But Caesar g came and saw and vanquished How much did Pompey's honour suffer there When Caesar's troops beheld that nations feare And saw how easie 't was to conquer them How vndeseru'd did his great triumph seeme Ore Pontus and Armenia More was lost Than poore Pharnaces Crowne and feeble host The fame of Pompey was orethrowne that day When Caesar boasting could finde cause to say Oh Pompey happie thou that by defeat Of these base nations got'st the name of Great Whilest I subduing the fierce Ganles deseru'd No name enioy'd no triumph had'st thou seru'd Beyond the frozen Alpes or past the bound Of Rhenes swift streame the big-bon'd Germans found A difference twixt our acts thou then had'st seene Our Ciuill warres perchance had neuer beene Yet ere that he from thence to Affrick passe Though haste important vrge him in the place A stately Trophee he erects to show To future times Pharnaces ouerthrow Not farre from that proud Trophee which before Great Mithridates for his Conquest ore Triarius had erected that this story Might quite eclipse old Mithridates glory Or please his Manes that the field there wonne Tooke punishment of his vnnaturall sonne But greater warres call Caesar thence away Scipio not farre from Adrumetum lay With all the power of Rome but did not h now Since Winters fury rag'd expect a foe For Phaebus lampe to our Horizon low The shortest dayes and coldest did bestow From Capricorne cold Winter glaz'd the floods And purâ—'d with frost the fields and naked woods But Caesar's heart admitting no delay Whose speedy march no season ere could stay When he his third Dictatorship at Rome Had tane and thence to Sicily was come Lest any time should to his fame be lost Euen then the Seas from Lilybaeum crost And sailing by the Libyan shores espies Great Carthages halfe-ruin'd edifice And Clupe as fatall station passes by With griefe remembring how vnhappily Bold Curio there did with his legions land A wofull prey to Juba's barbarous band Then from this ominous place he sailes away Westward along and leauing Vriâ—a Where Cato then in Garrison did lie Cato the soule of Roman libertie Who from that Towne must shortly take a name And leaue the Towne in lieu eternall fame At Adâ—umetum lands vpon which coast Scipio encampes with all his Roman hoast Annotations to the second Booke a Dion relates it thus Caesar hauing subdued Aegypt would not subiect it as a Prouince to the people of Rome but bestowed it wholly vpon Cleopatra for whose sake he bad made the whole warre in Aegypt yet fearing lest the Aegyptians vnder the reigne of a woman would rebell againe and that he might perchance alienate the hearts of the Romans from himselfe by reason of this and the familiaritie which he was knowne to haue wâ—th Cleopatra he gaue her in marriage to her younger brother and confirmed the Kingdome to them both which was indeed but a show for Cleopatra wholly possessed the power her husband being a childe therefore vnder a pretext of marriage by which she should ioyne with her brother in the Kingdome she both reigned alone and enioâ—ed the bed of Caesar Dion lib. 42. b This Caesario both Dion and Plutarch report to be the sonne of Iulius Caesar by Cleopatra when after the Alexandrian warre and before his expedition against King Pharnaces he stayed in Aegypt according to Dion nine moneths after the victory of Augustus Caesar against Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra this Caesario being sent away for safetie into Aethiopia saith Dion was intercepted in the iourney and slaine by Caesar's command the reasons that moued Augustus to this cruelty were partly the Counsell according to Plutarch of Arius the Philosopher his Tutor who told him it was not sâ—fe to suffer too many Caesars partly the remembrance of what Antonius had done who before had commended this Caesario to the old Souldiers aduising them rather to honour the true and naturall sonne of Iulius Caesar than Octauius who was but an adopted heire c Scipio was chosen Generall of all the Roman forces in Affrica that meant to continue the warre against Caesar partly by reason of his dignitie and partly by an absurd persuasion saith Dion that no Scipio in Affrick could be vnfortunate which thing when Caesar perceiued might encourage the enemie and disharten his Souldiers he tooke along with him a certaine obscure man descended of the raâ—e of the Scipios and of that name but his surname was Salatto and with him to thwart the other superstitious feare he landed at Adrumetum before the enemie expected him it being then an vnseâ—sonable time of yeare Dio. lib. 43. d Varus so long had gouerned those Countries and was so puffed vp by the victory of â—uba saith Dion that he contended with Scipio himselfe for the chiefe command but by the authoritie of Cato it was swayed on Scipio's side Cato when all the Souldiers offered to him the chiefe command or at least to be ioyned Generall with Scipio refused both accounting it iust that he which by the lawes had attained the highest dignitie should haue now the greatest command but hee himselfe had neuer attained to so much dignitie in
Germany Treacherous Pharnaces and false Ptolomey All these has Fortune but deferr'd till now To ioyne with them proud Iuba's ouerthrow Great as the greatest and this held when done Confirmes or loses all that we haue wonne But 't were a crime to doubt it since I see Those lookes that neuer fail'd of victory Let you torne remnant of Pharsalia know Their Conquerours More would he say when loe From the right-wing not staying his command The Trumpets sound a charge and from their stand Although the Tribunes and Centurions striue To keepe them backe the Souldiers rush to giue The on-set straight nor them in vaine to stay Does Caesar striue but giues their courage way As when two Charriots are prepar'd to run And one too hasty from the list is gone In vaine the Charrioter their course would stay Th' vngouern'd Horses hurry him away Then with a rage as great as if two Seas Some god remouing for the Sailers ease The long Malaea should each other meet Both hosts incounter and begin the fight With horrid showts that all the Mountaines nigh Resound aloud and backe from Sicily High Lilybaeum to the Libyan shore Returnes againe their eccho'd clamours ore As much afray'd to harbour but the sound Of such a warre within that quiet ground Their noise not that of Thracian Boreas Among the Pines of Ossa can surpasse Nor that which Nilus falling water makes Precipitated downe the Cataracts When with his foame he seemes to laue the skie And strikes a deafenesse through the dwellers nigh Mischiefe and fury rage reuenge doth one Excite the other indignation That after Pompey's death the warre at all Should laste and finde another Generall Blood all th' adioyning fenne discolours ore And makes a flood where ne're was flood before And from the moisture of so many wounds Combines the mould of Affricks thirsty grounds Through both the hosts Enyo's blazing light Like fatall lightning flashing flies t' excite Their thoughts to fury the Tartarian god Set ope the vaults where Libyan ghosts abode And from th' infernall cauernes set them free To view a while this fatall Tragedy And glut their dire reuenge with Roman blood Vpon the Mountaines gloomy tops they stood Blasting the day and round about the hosts Making a balefull ring the cruell ghosts Of Iugurth Syphax and Great Hannibal Who for their owne and Carthages sad fall Did then excuse the gods when they beheld The Roman fury in that mortall field Yet in Romes ruine Libya suffers too More wracke alas shall this sad battell doe Than after-ages can repaire with ease More desolation now more wildernesse The wasted face of Affrick shall orespread And beasts possesse the seats of Nations dead Where feared Monarches once gaue Lawes to men Shall Lions reigne and Tygers make their dens The slimy Serpents all alone shall crawle And wanting men shall be no plague at all Caesar foreseeing th'Elephants that were In front of Iuba's battell would strike feare Into his troops doth such a cure prouide As quite conuerts vpon the other side The Fate that threatned his to the right wing His choicest bowes and missile armes he brings And sets them at faire distance opposite To th' Elephants who there begin the fight With such successe as makes those beasts to be The onely cause of Caesar's victory For gaull'd with shafts confusedly they run In spight of their distracted guides vpon Their owne vnhappie troops to sudden rout Putting all Iuba's quarter round about And bearing downe all that before them lay To Caesar's conquest make a speedy way Their mighty strength since now vngouerned Is by the hand of Fortune onely led And brings aduantage to that side alone Which she is pleased to bestow it on The Mauritanian and Numidian Horse Which there were plac'd by th' Elephants rude force Orethrowne were crush'd to death or headlong downe Into the trenches with their riders throwne Some few escaping by disorder'd flight The light-arm'd Souldiers mixt with these to fight Reft of their shelter now by heapes are slaine And to the foes a prey no warre remaine And tire as standing not to fight but die With their bare throats the murdring enemie Nought there alas can weake Bamurians doe With their fire-harden'd Darts nought can the Bow And poison'd Shafts the coale-blacke Mibian weares Auaile their Master vaine those brittle Speares Are in the hands of light Autololes And crooked Swords of th' Adyrmachides The weake Cyniphians finde that skinnes of Goats Are too light armour to protect their throats When Brasse and Iron no defence affords Against the force of the Caesarian Swords The purple field so great a slaughter strowes Blood from so many different people flowes That while King Juba takes a sad suruey In how great breadth his Empires ruine lay No priuate deaths distinguishing at all He scarce can count how many Nations fall Nor does he thinke his Campe after so great An ouerthrow can be a safe retreat But leauing that to greedy enemies A wealthy spoile he with Petreius flies King Juba's Campe by the pursuing foe Is soone possest and the Caesarians know Before their victory be fully done How great a prize their bloody toiles haue wonne But Fortune where th' Italian legions fought And Scipio stood had not so quickly wrought Her Caesar's ends there strength by strength repell'd And fury ioyn'd with equall fury held The ballance straight whilst doubting victory Seem'd not a while resolued whose to be Or else deferr'd it onely to declare That highest fury reignes in ciuill warre That countrey men in fight are cruell'st foes Or greatest courage from worst causes growes On equall hopes they both engaged were And in no quarter of the warre but here Did it at all into a question come What should be Romes estate or Caesar's doome Nor was the question here determined Till with his Libyan cohorts Varus fled And Labienus too when he beheld His slaughter'd Gaules and Germans strow the field Reseru'd a while by Destinies to see Another ruine great as this to be A bleeding part of Romes third mortall wound And lie enterr'd in Munda's fatall ground As long meant Fortune to prolong their fall As Rome with Caesar could contend at all Scipio perceiues his army ouerthrowne And now the losse irreparable growne Horror distracts his thoughts what should he doe Suruiue this battell and not rather goe Vpon the Swords and there in height of all His honour die as Romes chiefe Generall And by the ruine of so great a name Enoble Caesar's conquest Or giue fame To Thapsus fatall field For what has Fate Power to bestow on such a wretched State That can at all his minde to liue inuite With this resolue in fury of the fight Had Scipio dy'd but flattring hope withheld Euen such as from Pharsalia's mortall field Made Pompey flie to meet a sadder Fate His eager soule that the afflicted State Though seeming dead after this fatall hower Might once more struggle against Caesar's power Then mounted on a
so high But passing thence ore Salsus streame does lay With more successe siege to Ategua And winnes the Towne maugre the feeble aid Munatius brought but there while Caesar stay'd A faire ostent the gods were pleas'd to shew A towring Eagle long ore Caesar flew Till seeming weary with a faire descent It gently pearch'd on young Octauius tent Who follow'd then his Father to the warre A good presage the augurs all declare And not alone to shew the warres successe But young Octauius future happinesse But not so soone alas could they foresee The full effect of this faire augury How many ciuill wounds did yet remaine Ere Rome with patience brooke a Caesar's reigne And for her safetie be inforc'd to flie To Great Augustus happy Monarchy For thee great Prince and thy insuing State Was Rome opprest and Iulius fortunate For thee were Marius crimes and Sylla's wrought For thee was Thapsus and Pharsalia fought That Rome in those dire Tragedies might see What horrid dangers follow'd libertie And thou at last a welcome conqueror Might'st those high titles without enuy weare Which mighty Iulius with a toile so great With so much blood and enuy striu'd to get Thou then anew that powerfull State shalt mould And long the Worlds high Scepter safely hold Aboue all Riualls plac'd thy god like State No force shall shake when shutting Janus gate Thou shalt set ope the sacred Thespian spring And there securely heare the Muses sing Whose stately layes still keepe thy deathlesse fame And make immortall Great Augustus name Nor euer did the Arts so truly reigne Nor sung the Muses in so pure a straine As then they did to grace thy glorious time As if the Muse before lack'd power to clime Or else disdain'd her highest notes to raise Till such a Monarch liu'd to giue the Bayes Grieu'd for Ategua's losse and fearing now That other Townes would following Fortune goe To Caesar's partie and his cause forsake Pompey resolues with all his strength to make A speedy triall of a warre so great And on one hazard his whole Fortune set To Munda's fatall fields was Caesar gone Thither young Pompey's army marches on The Towne was his and neere the Towne arose An high and spatious hill where Pompey chose T'incampe his men from whence he might suruay The plaines below where Caesar's army lay No prodigies forespake the blacke euent Of that dayes wondrous battell no ostent At all was show'd from seas earth aire or skies No entrailes spake no birds gaue auguries Those sad protents that vs'd to strike a feare At other times in men were spared there Yet were their feares farre greater they suspect The silence of the gods loth to detect So great a ruine as did then ensue Horrour inuades their brests although they knew No cause from whence those strange amazements grow No outward signes appear'd their threatnings now Were inward all they make by sad surmise Within themselues a thousand prodigies In Pompey's campe th' amazed Souldiers Sad silence kept distraught twixt desp'rate feares And tragicke hopes pale horrour to their eyes Seemes to present the future Tragedies And the deare ghosts of slaughter'd friends appeare Yet know not they whether themselues should feare Or hope their hands should make th' ensuing Fate On one side Caesar's Fortune does abate Their confidence too much on tother they Resolue orecome not to out-liue the day But Oh strange Fate the bold Caesarians Grow faint and heartlesse and those actiue hands That had so often drawne their Countries blood And ' gainst all Lawes for Caesar's fortune stood That had before to their successefull toiles Promis'd the Worlds sole sway and wealthy spoiles Of euery nation quake and faulter here Nor from each other can conceale their feare How deare this field would cost what 't was to goe Against the fury of a desperate foe Their trembling thoughts reuolue nor to their friends Shame they to vtter it those dauntlesse mindes That met with ioy Pharsalia's dreadfull day Those that at Thapsus battell could not stay The Generalls command preuenting there The signall now both fight and signall feare But that the feare which did his Campe inuade Might not seeme strange Caesar himselfe was sad Before the battell and that cheerefull looke That vsuall vigour whence his Souldiers tooke Happie presages still was changed there Nor did his wonted confidence appeare Perhaps reuoluing the vncertaine Fate Of things and frailtie of man 's highest state And how vncessant stormes doe beat vpon The loftie Cedars learnes to feare his owne By other mighty falls so lately wrought Or Fortune else presenting to his thought Her many fauours and his long successe He weigh'd the time of Pompey's happinesse Who in her fauour claim'd as great a share As he could now before Pharâ—alia's warre That he arriued now as high in State As Pompey was might feare Great Pompey's Fate Whose fall though wrought for him had let him see Fortunes great power and strange vnconstancy But lest his sadnesse should too much dismay The Souldiers hearts before so great a day He recollects himselfe and with fain'd cheare And forced lookes taught to dissemble feare Thus to his army speakes Victorious troops On whose knowne valour more than Caesar's hopes His certaine State depends see here in Spaine This fainting Hydra yet shoots forth againe His last weake heads let that Herculean might That lopt the first and strongest off in fight Make perfect your great labour which requires The last hand here of all your large desires You are free masters when this field is fought Though all the World for fresh supplies were sought In Fortunes power it lies not to expose Your quiet State againe or finde you foes But what are these that once againe should dare Molest our peace with vnexpected warre What can these barbarous halfe-arm'd Nations doe Or what vnfain'd affection can they owe To Pompey's side or doe they feare his name And haue not heard enough of Caesar's fame Haue not the warres by old llerda taught Our strength to Spaine what Roman powers are brought Thither but young raw Souldiers and vnskill'd In Military arts that nere beheld A foe before and those poore few that know The warre are such as haue beene beat by you And bring more feare than helpe vnto their side Will Varus troops your well-knowne strength abide Or that so often vanquish'd runnagate False Labienus long mainteine the Fate Of his young Generall Braue Souldiers on Perfect that worke that is so neerely done His speech no shouts no acclamation findes Nor could it raise their sad deiected mindes And though the signall giuen all Trumpets sound And Pompey's army from the vpper ground Make downe to charge the cold Caesarians Dare not approach nor follow the commands Of their great Generall when Caesar fill'd With griefe and rage seizing a Speare and Shield This day quoth he no more my Souldiers Shall end the life of Caesar and your warres Remember whom you leaue then forth he
you the warre decree When first the Spring dissolues the mountaine snow And Westerne winds vpon the waters blow When with his golden hornes bright Taurus opes The chearefull yeare shall these victorious troops Aduance against the Parthians and there die Or fetch those Eagles home with victory Which Crassus lost till then you need not feare The insolency of the Souldier That their disorder'd licence here at home May any way disturbe the peace of Rome My care already has besides the spoiles Of forren foes rewarded all their toiles With those great summes which here so lately I Perchance much enuy'd rais'd in Italy To keepe them still and did not feare to buy With mine owne Enuy your security Then Conscript Fathers if your wisdomes shall Esteeme of Caesar as a Generall Fit to reuenge the Roman infamy ' Gainst Parthia's pride decree the warre to me I am your Souldier still nor ere has ought But Romes renowne by all my toiles beene sought You shall perceiue that Caesar's Souldiers are Not onely fortunate in Ciuill warre Caesar had ended when the Fathers all To such a warre and such a Generall Giue glad consent and with one voyce decree The Parthian warre to Caesar's auspicie But Fates deny what they so much desir'd The date of Caesar's glory was expir'd And Fortune weary'd with his Triumphs now Reuolts from him more ruine and more woe Was yet behinde for wretched Rome to tast Nor can their quiet happinesse out-last The life of Caesar whose approaching Fate More Ciuill warres and wounds must expiate No vertue bountie grace nor clemency Could long secure vsurped Soueraignty For more that power to Citizens borne free Distastfull was than benefits could be Sweet and delight some which soone hasten'd on Th' vntimely death of Caesar Nor alone To this conspiracy did hatred draw His ancient foes as Pontius Aquila Bucolianus and Cecilius Ligarius pardon'd once and Rubrius Scruilius Galba Sextus Naso too Spurius with many of the faction moe But euen ' mongst Caesar's friends dire Enuy wrought And to his slaughter bold Trebonius brought Casca and Cimber and Minutius His seeming friends nor thee Oh Cassius Could Caesar's fauour nor thy Pretorship Of Rome obtain'd from this dire murther keepe Decimus Brutus too so highly grac'd And in so neere a ranke of friendship plac'd With Caesar to whose trust and gouernance The wealthy prouince of Transalpine France Caesar had left enuying his Patrons power Among the rest is turn'd conspiratour Nor seemes the knot of this great faction yet To be of strength enough vnlesse they get Young Marcus Brutus in who then did sway The Prouince of Cisalpine Gallia Colleague with Cassius as Romes Pretors then And high in Caesar's grace this braue young man For his knowne vertues and admired parts In all the peoples discontented hearts Did seeme most thought of and mark'd out to be The vindicatour of lost libertie Nor did they hide it but in libells wrote On his Pretorian cell exprest their thought Taxing his courage as degenerate From th' ancient Brutus who first freed the State Of Rome from Monarchy as if the fame Of such an act could suit no other name And he by fatall birth condemn'd to be An Actor now in Caesar's Tragedy Now had Rhâ—m nâ—sian Nemesis possest In all her blackest formes the vengefull brest Of fierie Cassius and did wholly sway His eager thoughts impatient of delay Who by nights silence enters Brutus house Him there he findes alone and anxious Wailing his Countries Fate and sadder farre Than when the feare of this great Ciuill warre First seiz'd the peoples hearts and frighted Rome Was fill'd with fatall prodigies to whom Cassius beginnes Oh why should Brutus spend That pretious time in thought which he should lend In actiue aid to his sad Countries need That would againe by Brutus hand be freed See what the peoples longing thoughts expect That thou should'st worke for them marke the effect Of what they write on thy Praetorian Sell There may'st thou read that though contented well They look'd no farther than for vaine delights As Libyan huntings and Circensian sights From other Praetors they expect from thee A benefit no lesse than libertie Can Brutus thinke that Caesar while he liues Will ere resigne so great a power who striues To make it more his owne and not content With a Dictator's name and gouernment An office oft bestow'd while Rome was free Aimes at more certaine markes of Monarchy The Regall Crowne and Scepter thinking all The Senate giues cause they can giue it small Why were the Tribunes else for taking downe From Caesar's Statue late a golden Crowne Depos'd Or what could he by law alleage Against their persons sacred priuilege Did lewd Antonius put a Diadem On Caesar's head to be refus'd by him In publike onely and not there to trie How we would all allow his Monarchy Besides a thousand more ambitious arts He daily findes to sound the peoples hearts His death the period of his pride must be And must with speed be wrought for if till he Returne triumphant from the Parthian warre We should delay our vengeance harder farre And with more enuy must it then be done When he more honour and more loue has wonne To shake off Caesar's yoke this is the time Or make it not our owne but Fortunes crime The Noble Brutus sigh'd Oh Cassius If Heauens quoth he haue not allotted vs A longer date of freedome how can we With feeble armes controule their high decree They that in Affricke Spaine and Thessaly Condemn'd the cause of Roman liberty Will not protect it now and better farre It should be lost in faire and open warre From whence at first it sprung and grew so high Than to be sau'd by secret treachery Such as the ancient Romans scorn'd to vse ' Gainst worst of foes Noble Fabritius When conquering Pyrrhus threaten'd Rome disdain'd To free his Countrey by a traitours hand Aduenturing rather Romes sad ouerthrow By open warre nor ' gainst a forren foe Were these respects obseru'd alone by vs What greater traitour than Sertorius And foe to Rome Yet he by treason slaine On base Perpenna stucke a lasting staine What hope was there that one so deepe in blood As was that Butcher Sylla euer would Resigne his reigne to be a priuate man Yet who ' gainst Sylla's life attempted then Twixt whom and Caesar was as great an ods Almost as twixt the Furies and the Gods As much as those then liuing Romans were Too timorous too base and prone to beare A Tyrants yoke as much for this shall we Be iudg'd ingrate to Caesar's clemency And those old men will more accuse our crime That can remember Sylla's bloody time But I of all accurst that so much owe To Caesar's fauours am condemned now To be a subiect or from seruitude To free my selfe by foule ingratitude Oh what a torture my distracted brest Suffers twixt two such sad extremes opprest Oh why when dire Pharsalia's field was fought