Imploy those armes in battailes try'd By your owne valour dignify'd Vniustly to with-hold a right Is to giue all to armed might We want not higher powers to frend Yet do not I this Mart intend Prest on for need or greedy gaine Or else ambitiously to raine But to resist that Pride that raues To make both Rome and vs his slaues ¶ When he had said the wauering rout Did softly murmur many a doubt For though their fiery Martiall sprights In warre and rapine most delights Their houshold Gods and Countries loue To some remorce their hearts did moue But yet of Armes the high esteeme And Caesars wrath they greater deeme Then Loelius with vndaunted face Who for his valour held the place Amongst the Pyles as Ensigne chiefe And by his hardy hands reliefe A Roman rescu'd from his foes For which his Oken crowne he showes Steps forth and thus he doth declame ¶ Conductor chiefe of Roman fame If it be lawfull and but iust To shew our griefes with tongues of trust We may complaine of these delayes That with such lingring patience stayes Thy powerfull armes did our faith faile In ought that might thy course auaile Will we thinkst thou whilst life retaines The boyling blood within ous vaines Or whilst our actiue armes haue might To weild the Pile with Martiall slight Endure thus to subiect our State To Senate gownes degenerate Is it a fault by ciuill warre Their insolencies to debarre Nay leade vs through Scyths ysie fennes And through the Syrts vnhaunted dennes Through Lybia's thirsty parched sands Heere are the selfe-same forward hands That holpe through deeps to tugge the Ores When thou inuadedst Brittaines shores And with like courage ready were Through stickle Rhene the boates to steare Our hearts shall be as forward still As able to obey thy will And whom against thy Trumpets sound I wish mischance may them confound Yea though they be right Romans borne As deadly foes I will them scorne And here I doe protest and sweare By those braue Ensignes that we beare Of our victorious legions ten By all the conquests where and when So happily atchieu'd by thee If thou but giue in charge to me To stabbe my brother to the heart My fathers head and necke to part Or to rippe vp with bloudy knife The rising belly of my wife When she conceiued is with childe My hands should be therewith defil'd Though they said nay with mood more mild Yea if it were the Gods to spoyle To raze their Temples with the soyle Their ornaments and wealth to burne Vntill to ashes they did turne Or else vpon the Tyber bankes To place and file our armed rankes I would be first of all the Rout That should the Stations quarter out There to incampe our legions stout Nay do but say which are the walles That thou design'st to Ruines falles These hands of mine first hold shall lay Vpon the Ramme and giue him sway Vnto the ground the stones to teare Yea though the walles of Rome they were ¶ When Loelius thundring peale was rung The Cohorts clustring in a thrung With open voyce and hands out flung Do vow to follow Caesars Armes Through heat and cold through haps or harms And therewithall they bellow out As maine a cry with hideous shout As doe the hurling windes from Thrace When they the lofty Pines imbrace That on the mountaine Ossa growes Whose stormy gusts so fiercely blowes That toppes of Trees bow to the ground And with such force againe rebound As if they would the clouds confound ¶ Caesar that now his Souldiers minds So prone to warre and willing findes Seeing withall the Fates his friend Is loath more time in vaine to spend But least his Fortune should be staid For want of force and greater aid Forthwith in haste he sends for all His Cohorts garrison'd in Gaule Then flying Ensignes doth display And towards Rome directs his way ¶ The Troopes about Lemanus Lake To Caesars Campe themselues betake And those great forces of account That fortifide Vogesus mount And fierce Lingones held in awe To Caesars tents doe likewise draw Others that with his warres will share From Isar floud to him repare Which washing with his water falles So many goodly Citties walles His siluer streames at last he hides In Rhodonus that swifter slides And there his natiue name doth lose Before that he the Ocean knowes The gold-hair'd Ruthens left at large Their maistering garrisons discharge And silent Atax new ioy greeets Dis-burdened of the Latium Fleets The gallant Townes that bordering rankes On either side of Varus bankes Doe publique bone-fire-feasting make When Roman Troopes their soile forsake The like contentment them befell That by th' Herculean port do dwell Vpon which shores in rowling flockes The boysterous billowes sweepe the rockes Not stird with rage of Westerne flawes But by whirle-windes that thither drawes From off the Narbonensian coast Where shippes so furiously are tost As that no harbour can suffise To shelter them from those fierce skyes So ioy'd the people of that land That euermore doe doubtfull stand To be orewhelm'd with flowing seas As oft it haps to their disease Which flouds the ebbes againe appease Now whether this deluge proceedes From Northerne winds that high seas breeds During their powerfull whirling whiffes That raise the waues aboue the cliffes And being layd the stilled maine Reclaimes her mounted waues againe Or whether Cynthias influence Do with this breach of bounds dispence Or else the Sunnes attractiue beames Exhale vp vapours from those streames Thereby the watry clouds to feede Or else from whence it doth proceede I leaue it to their better reede That diues into the hidden cause Of Heauens course and Natures lawes And as for me I will submit The censure of my humble wit To that great God-head that best knowes The reason why it ebbes and flowes Now were the Nemetes releast Of all the bands vpon them ceast Where the Tarbellians bound at large A calmed sea with crooked varge Then to the Santons turne it fell To bid their Latium guests fare-well The Bituriges doe the same And the Axones that beare fame With their long bowes so fit for Mart The Rheni trayn'd to throw the dart The Sequani that rankly ride And skilfully their horses guide The Belgi that so well can steere And turne their Coach in maine careere Th' Auverni that themselues do grace For their descent from Troian race And Roman parentage embrace The Neruij that with faithlesse words In Cotta's bloud did bath their swords The Vangiones that desire To weare the Sarmatan attire The stout Battaui that delight VVhen Trumpets call them forth to fight And all those people that are bred And harbour about Cyngaes head VVhere Rhodonus so swiftly fleets VVith whom the Riuer Arar meets And Neptune with their tribute greets Or what inhabitants beside About Gebenna's mount reside All these to mirth conuert their meane That Latine Garrisons are gone And
Achoreus of the race Of Egypts breed who in that place Did sit vpon a bench of state In this sort did his mind relate O reuerend sire that for thy part To sacred rites deuoted art That with the Gods hast such esteeme As by thy aged yeares may seeme To me the first beginning shew From whence th' Egyptian race did grow The climate of this fruitfull land And how the peoples customes stand And of your Gods the forms and rites The which your old records recites And what ingrauen is in stone Vpon your Pyramides make knowne Reueale your Gods that would be showne If your fore-fathers did their art And sacred mysteries impart To Plato of a Grecian name Then may you well reueale the same To Caesars selfe for where can rest In all the world a worthier guest To whom your skill may be exprest I must confesse that Pompeys name Was some cause that did make me frame My iourney to the Pharian coast And yet when all my warres were most I euermore did giue my mind The motions of the stars to find My thoughts were to the heauens enclind So as Eudoxus Calender Shall not surpasse my framed yeare And therefore as within my brest A great and true desire doth rest Of knowlegde and of vertues lore So nothing do I couet more Then to finde out the secret course From whence this riuer takes his source And where his fountaines head appears That lies vnknowne so many yeares O I will hope at last to see Where Nylus springs for certaine be And so from ciuill warre rest free So Caesar makes an end to speake And this graue sire did silence breake ¶ Caesar I thinke that well I may These mysteries to thee bewray That our great Fathers hidden kept And in their thoughts obscured slept Reserued from the vulgar waies From age to age to these our daies Let others thinke it pietie To silence any mysterie But I do deeme the Gods aboue The worke as gratefull will approue That their great wonders should be showne And sacred rules to all made knowne When first an order was ordaind Whereby the world should be maintaind A diuers motion to the starres Was giuen to hold concordant iarres That they the orbs might onely sway And temper in their whirling way Contrarie to that rapide Pole That first of all doth mouing rolle The Sun doth still diuide and steare The times and seasons of the yeare And so the daies to nights doth change And doth restraine the stars to range About their orbs with powrefull rayes His station staies those wandring wayes The Moone her alteration breeds Vpon the seas and earthly seeds Old Saturne his empiring holds On freezing zoanes and ycie colds And Mars with wrathfull looke abashes The boisterous winds and lightning flashes Great Ioue no tempests doth procure But keepes all in milde temperature And fruitfull Venus of her grace Doth cherrish seeds in euery place Whilst Mercurie with charming vaine Doth moderate the wild vast maine ¶ Now when Cyllenius doth appeare In that part of the wheeling spheare Where Leos sparkling torchets are In enterchange with Cancers starre Where Syrius with his scorching ray Contagiously enflames the day And where the circle that doth change The yearely season iust doth range Betwixt the Tropicks equally Vnder whose couert Nyle doth lie Which when this powre I say that keepes An order in the raging deepes Doth touch with his starres influence Nylus as hauing thereof sence His channell lifts with swelling crest Scorning within his banks to rest Iust as Neptunus Empire flowes When Phoebes horned visage growes Nor doth he call his streames againe In their old harbour to remaine Vntill the Sun by his decline Do vnto the night those houres resigne That halfe the yeare he kept away To make her equall with the day The olde conceit is but a dreame Of this increase of Nylus streame That Aethiopias molten snowes Is cause of her great ouerflowes For in those mounts the Northern stowre Nor Boreas blasts haue any powre And to assure thee that is true Marke but the peoples Sun-burnt hue And those warme vapours that they find Perpetually from Austers winde Then for more proofe adde this likewise That euery riuer that doth rise By falling of the molten yse Doth then begin to be embost When summers spring first melts the frost But Nylus neuer waxeth hire Before the Dog-starre breaths his fire Nor euer doth her waues restraine To keepe within her banks againe But when as Libra with iust paise Doth equallize the nights and dayes Againe those rules do beare no sway With Nyle that other streames obay For winter giues to him no pride His fountaines then their forces hide But when the temper of the skies Most feruently with burning fries Amidst those heates then out he flies And cooles those lands that fire would wast Which vnderneath the line are plast So Nylus helps the world to swage The scorching flames of Leos rage And being cald doth giue redresse To his Syene in distresse When Cancers heates do it oppresse And from these fields draws not his streams Vntill the force of Phoebus beames In Autumns season do decline And Neroe do shade the shine Now who can hereof tell the cause But so great Nature giues her lawes That Nylus thus should range his flood And needfull t is for humane good But former times haue vainely guest This cause of winds blowne from the west Who with great force the aire doth chace With long continuance in one place And that this occidentall blast Doth driue the watrie clouds so fast A thwart the South and their in showres Downe right vpon the Nylus powres Or that the seas so often tost And beating on the Zoylan coast The very furie of the maine Repels the riuer backe againe So as restrained of his way By the vast Oceans powrefull sway Aloft beyond his bounds doth stray There are againe that do suppose That his great inundation growes Of moisture breathing from the earth Whose steaming vapors haue their birth Within the concaues of the ground And belcht out where great rifts are found And that these moistures meerely are By secret courses drawne from farre Out of the Northerne Region By the attracting middle zoane When Titans arrows shot down right On Meroe do parching light And to the burned land it brings The waters from farre rising springs Ganges and Padus send their streames In secret thorow many realmes Then Nylus powres out by one vaine All riuers that he doth retaine But many outlets makes of these When he conuaies them to the seas Another fancy many holds That the vast Ocean which enfolds The circuit of the earth about Flowing from farre at last breakes out With violence where Nyle doth range And with long tracke at length doth change The salt sea streames to waters sweete Whilst through earths bowels they do fleet Some thinke againe that these maine waues Rapt by the Sun when Cancer
tayle and boysterous breast From yawning iawes besmear'd with gore Doth bellow out a hideous rore If then the Mauritanian launce Vpon his rugged hide doe glaunce Or in his wounded bleeding side The Hunters Iauelin doe abide He carelesse then for losse of blood Assailes with ramping fiery mood The Huntsman and with out stretcht pawes By force at last himselfe withdrawes ¶ Cleare Rubicon that first is fed But from a bubling fountaines head During the time of Summers sunne With a low shallow streame doth runne His current through the valleys glides And Italy from Gaule diuides But at this time his source was more The Winters raine increast his store The Moone likewise but yong in dayes His feeding springs doth higher raise And that which made him most to swell Were molten heapes of snow that fell From downe the Alpes in torrents great Dissolued by some gentle heate The Horse-men first the worke doe wage And of the streame the shallowes gage And with thicke Troopes in close arrayes The swiftnesse of the torrent stayes The passage thus more easie made The Foote doth through the riuer wade Caesar his Army thus at last Forbidden Rubicon hath past And standing on th' Hesperian bankes Thus spake he to his filed Rankes Heere doe I now all peace abiure And lawes vniustly put in vre O Fortune I will follow thee From other bonds my selfe I free In Fate my trust I doe affye Warre as a Iudge my cause shall trye No more he said but with dispach At the approach of nights first watch His well-train'd Troopes he doth prepare Who in their march as speedy are As motions of Balarian slings That circling through the thin aire sings Or showres of shafts at Parths let flye When they retire that dimme the sky His March with such great speede hee plies As doth Ariminum surprise Phoebus by this with dawning light Obscured had the lampes of night And now the dismall day begunne Wherein his first attempt was done Vpon this Cittie that doth stand A frontier of Italian land And whether Fates did so fore-cast Or foggy-faced Austers blast Did scoule vpon this wretched fact The aire with misty clouds was pact The Towne thus suddenly possest The Market-place they doe inuest Where their braue Ensignes proudly stands Guarded with many armed bands The Trumpets with their dreadfull notes Drawn through their hoarse Meandry throat Mixt with tempestuous noyse of warres The Burgers with Alarums skarres Their state which was secure at night By dawne of day was in this fright They outh amaz'd their beds forsake And to the Temples them betake Where they doe arme them in a stownd With such munitions as they found Which in long peace hang'd on the walles Idle vn-vsd to Martiall brawles The Shields that were of ancient dates VVorme-eaten to the very plates Their Piles with heads blunted and bowd Their glaiues the cankered rust did cloud ¶ But when the Egle was displaid And Caesar in bright Armes arrayd Mounted vpon a Throne of State In midst of his sterne Legions sate The Cittizens then silent were Their senses rap't with numming feare A patient silence them possest Whilst these sad mones boyle in their brest What dismall Planets wrathfull frowne So neere the Gaules confin'd our Towne What Destiny with endlesse toyle First drew vs to this fatall soyle In peace all people liue secure But we in peace must warres endure To Out-rage we are still a pray Our seate stands so in Harmes high-way O Fortune more had we beene blest In dwelling farthest East or West Or neere the Pole to haue our homes Or else in Tents that wandring roames Then thus to keepe a Frontier gate Of Italies enuied state We first did see that great deluge Of the fierce Senons Army huge VVe first endur'd the Cymbrian brunt Er'e Marius force did them confrunt And frightfull bruted Hanniball Did at his entrance on vs fall Then sauage Troopes of Teuton swarmes Infested vs with hostile armes And thus as oft as lowring Fate Did please to scourge the Roman state By raising vp some powerfull foe This was the way that Warre did goe These sower accounts that them attaint They swallow vp without complaint And so their discontentment hide Heart-breaking sorrow is tongue-ty'd But looke what silence doth possesse The aire when Winter doth distresse The singing birds and them restraines From vtt'ring their melodious vaines Or else as calmes the billowes bindes Not being mou'd with gusts of windes Such stiffnes ceas'd their grief-bound minds This dayes worke done and ouer-past And following night growne to his last The Sunne his Chariot Eastward hies And with his beames doth cleare the skies Caesar that doubtfull yet remain'd Before this entrance he had gain'd Is now in hot bloud fully bent To follow on his bold attempt The Fates likewise his humour drawes Dreadlesse to breake all leagues and lawes And Fortune whose he was avowd His enterprise as iust allowd And motiue reasons doth prouide To trust to Armes lest worse betide The iealous Senate now fore-cast What danger former times had past By the seditious Gracchian fact That with the people were compact And thereupon against all right The Court with ouer-bearing might Those Tribunes presently expell Whose power did in the Citty swell And with the Senate so contest For Caesars right against their hest The fiered Tribunes thus disgrac't Forthwith to Caesars campe did hast But he that felt himselfe most strong Was Curio that with bribed tongue The Senate so much had vpbrayd And peoples voyce for Caesar swayd And he no sooner was arriu'd At Caesars Campe of feare depriu'd To Caesar he himselfe presents Whom many carefull thoughts torments In plotting of these warres euents ¶ Caesar quoth he whilst Iustice lawes Gaue vpright hearing to thy cause And that a truthfull tongue might speake So long my words the yce did breake And durst confront thy proudest foes Yea though the Senate did oppose For whilst I might as Tribune pleade The peoples voyce so did I lead That thou hadst their applauses all A longer time to gouerne Gaule But after this the Senates might Against all law with scornfull spight Vs as a factious party held And from our natiue Rome expeld Which out-rage and oppressiue scorne With greater patience wee haue borne In hope that thy victorious arme Their Dung-hill crowing so will charme As shall our liberties restore Free Roman Tribunes as before Now therefore whilst surprising frights Possesse thy foes and daunts their sprights Whilst they confusd twixt hope and feare Know not on suddaine how to reare Such valiant Troopes and trained Bands As now are vnder Caesars hands Slacke thou no time Fate guides thy game To men prepar'd delay is shame And doe but to remembrance call The dangers past in conquering Gaule Thy toyles that thou didst vnder-goe Before thou couldst subdue that foe And then compare it with this taske Which doth but resolution aske And
so much paine endure So with the fall of ruines heft Are bones and members crusht and cleft And so deform'd in tempests drown'd Vpon the rockes are bodies found VVhat fruit or pleasure could they take This wofull spectacle to make Of Marius vgly mangled face Forsooth they knew they should gain grace To shew it Sylla in that case ¶ Now comes in Praenestina's turne For her inhabitants to mourne VVhom she beheld all at a trice To pay the bloudy sword like price Then quailed were th' Hesperian flowers And Latium youths now death deuours Then loathsome streame from bodies slaine The pleasant fields of Rome distaine Where gallants in their owne bloud baine Not Famines rage nor wrackes of seas Not Earthquakes dreads nor Plagues t'apease The Heauens wrath nor bloudy Warres Euer gaue vs such deadly scarres For now the heapes of bodies dead The murderers sway so pestered That they lackt roome to fetch the blow When they would hewing wounds bestow And when that any one was slaine He could not fall flat on the plaine The dead did reeling them sustaine But slaughters came at last so thicke That bodies dead stifle the quicke Nothing at all these horrid facts Sylla's vnmated minde distracts But from his Turrets top doth eye Without remorse those swarmes that dye And carelesse heares their clamorous cry The Tyrrhen gulfe at last receiues Millions whom death to it bequeaues Of Syllane slaughters whose torne limmes At first vpon the Tyber swimmes But at the last t was heapt so high That bodies did on bodies lye So as the boats were stopt their course And Tybers streames were bard their sourse For heaps of limmes that thither flocke Damb'd vp the riuer like a locke But that part next vnto the seas Had liberty to take his vease And that which was the heapes behinde The clustred carkasses did binde Nathlesse the torrents of the bloud Did force a way and with his floud Aboue the Tyber strand did rise And ouer all the fields it flies So as the streames of bloud gaue vent Vnto the River that was pent The bankes could not this floud withstand Which cast the bodies on the land And thence into the Tyrrhene maine The bloud did fall with such a traine That her blew waues it did diuide Into a sanguine colour dy'd Were these the meanes to mend amisse Was Sylla Foelix nam'd for this Is this the merit he doth yeeld To haue his Tombe in Martius field ¶ These mischiefes must be borne againe This warre will follow that same vaine Of ciuill strife I feare this curse To fall at last from bad to worse For where two armed factions meets Mankinde with common bane it greets The Marian rage did onely tend His exil'd state but to amend So Rome receiues him as a frend And Sylla did no more desire But to reuenge his quenchlesse ire With bloudy ruine of all those That were of party with his foes But Fortune calles these Captaines twaine I doubt me to a higher straine These both in Armes are stout and strong And will together rush ere long The others raisd no ciuill strife And Sylla tooke a priuate life So did this graue old fire lament His mindfull woes of time fore-spent Fearing this ciuill warres euent ¶ And yet no feare a place could finde In noble Brutus valiant minde This staggering dread that mazed all His constant heart could not appall But ere the dawning of the day When Parrhasis did downeward sway The oblique Axels of her waine And did the drowsie skies refraine Vnto the little lodge he hies Where Cato his deare Vnkle lies And at his wicket lowd he rapt Whom he found not in slumbers wrapt But tossing in his carefull mood The fortunes of the common good And safety of the Cities state Which he more wey'd then his owne fate Then thus with him he did debate ¶ O matchlesse Truth and vndefil'd Which all the world hath now exil'd O Vertue whilome in request Now onely lodg'd in thy iust breast Which no worlds fortunes thence can wrest Affoord thy graue aduice to me Settle my thoughts that wauering be And with thy iudgement sound and stout Direct me now that am in doubt Some now on Caesars side will warre Others of Pompeyes party are But reuerend Cato or else none Shall Brutus Captaine be alone And whether thou resolued art In these fraile times to stay from Mart Or that thy minde be not dismaid One of these selfe-wild guides to aid And that thou deeme this ciuill strife worthy the waging of thy life I do not know but others all Respects to wicked Armes doe call Some for their filed houses cause Some that in peace feare Iustice lawes Others their staru'd estate to mend To spoyles and ciuill rapine tend And many banckrouts drownd in debts In troubled streames would cast their nets None take vp Armes with good intent But all for hope of profit bent Onely thy selfe no humor drawes To warres but for thy Countries cause What can it now tend to thy praise To haue vprightly spent thy dayes So fraught with vertue free from crimes In these our vice-corrupted times If thou at last this censure haue Thy honest minde so to depraue That others were corrupt before In these vile warres thy armes had bore But now thy selfe this strife accurst Hath made as faulty as the worst But I beseech the Gods aboue That from thy heart they so remoue The humor of this mood vnmilde That with it thou be not defil'de And that thy armes thou doe not straine To cast the Pile with might and maine In clouds amongst the common rout And so great valour spend in doubt For in these warres if any erre The blame on thee they will conferre And those whom others bring to bane Thy sword therewith they will prophane And make thee author of all harmes That in this ciuill discord swarmes Peace better with thy temper sorts Exempt from enuies false reports Like as the heauenly bodies sway With true and milde vnchanging way The aire that to the earth is next With thunders rage is most perplext Whilst windes earth plants doth ouercast And lightning flashes do them blast Olympus ' boue the clouds stands fast It is ordain'd by Ioues high hest That discord should small things infest But concord highest states hath blest How would it Caesars eares content That such a Peere as thou wert bent To yeeld thy selfe vnto the warres And be partaker of these iarres For if thou Pompey's part do take He would thereof aduantage make And please himselfe withall to thinke Cato at Ciuill warres doth winke The Senate for the greatest part And Consuls likewise range their Mart Now vnderneath a priuate head And many other Lords so lead To whom adde Cato to the rest A Souldier vnder Pompeys hest So Caesars power shall be increast For then will he sway all alone That in his Campe compeere hath none But if our Armes we needs must
can the Rostrum thee auaile Or Forum now when Fates assaile What boots it that in thee it lay The armed peoples willes to sway What profits it thy voyce did draw The Senate to infringe the law Whereby the Father and the Sonne This hatefull ciuill warre begunne Sith thou to death thy date must yeeld And shalt not see Pharsalia's field Where these great Captaines led with rage To battailes chance their states engage For crosse-bent Fate denies to thee The issue of these warres to see So you disturbers of the state Make your owne selues a prey to fate And pay the price with your owne blood For which you sold the common good O happy Rome couldst thou but finde Thy Citizens so iust and kinde As that the Gods their mindes would moue Rather to cherish and to loue The publique freedome of the state Then to reuenge their priuate hate O noble Curio 't is thy meed The rau'ning Libicke fowles to feed For to thy lot will neuer fall The honor of a funerall But yet our lines might merit blame To silence that which for thy name Deserues to be in brasse inchast That with all ages it might last I yeeld this therefore to thy spirit The due commend that it did merit Rome neuer bred a greater wit That did within the Rostrum sit Nor more did dignifie the lawes Whilst thou didst stand for iustice cause But after Pride and Luxurie With auaritious Briberie Possest the head-strong wils of youth They swamme in streames that led to ruth So with the times things changed then That age corrupt corrupted men And Curio blasted with the rest Was chiefest cause of Romes vn-rest For Caesar did his minde inthrall With golden gifts of conquered Gaule Though Sylla's power and Marius wrath And Cinna's rage bred Roman scath Though Caesars ancient noble line With glory long did sway and shine Yet for all this their swords lack't might To frame a tyranny out-right They all did still attempt with gold To purchase Rome which Curio sold Finis Libri quarti Lucans Pharsalia The fifth Booke THE ARGVMENT IN Greece the Senate doe decree That Pompey shall their leader be Then Appius doth to Delphos goe The Oracles aduice to know Now Caesar hauing maistered Spaine His mutiners supprest againe And then to Rome in haste he goth There Consull and Dictator both Thence to Brundusium he departs And to Epyrus bends his Marts He rashly venters on the Maine Then comes Antonius with his traine Pompey Cornelia doth betake To Lesbos whilst he warre doth make THESE Captaines now on either side The wrackes of Ciuill warre had try'd And Fortune partiall vnto neither Mingled good lucke and bad together Bringing them with an equall hand Into the Macedonian land Mount Aemus now was thatch't with snow That from th' Atlanticke skies did blow And then the feast dayes onward drew VVhich did their Magistrates renew And that prime season gan appeare That leads the vaunt-gard of the yeare But whilst some latter time remaines To those that yet doe rule the raines The Consuls both did then decree The Senate should assembled be VVith those great Lords both farre neare In Prouinces did office beare And then Epyrus they did chuse The place for this warres Randezvous But oh this forraigne sordid seat For Roman Peeres was farre vnmeet It needs must be a scornfull iest That their high Court should be a guest In stranger lands there to debate The Councels of the Empires state For who a Campe will deeme this place That all the Consuls axes grace The Senates reuerend order sayes They runne not after Pompeys wayes But Pompey for the publicke cause Saith he obserues the Senates lawes ¶ Now when these sad assembled Peeres VVith silence gaue attentiue eares Lord Lentulus from his high Throne In these words makes his meaning knowne If courage such your mindes doe feed As worthy of the Latium breed Or ancient blood boyle in your breast VVhat matter is 't where Romans rest Regard not how farre we reside From Rome by Caesar vilefi'd But know you now with loue and grace Your natiue Countrey peoples face First therefore reuerend Fathers heare By all your powers make it appeare That you the rightfull Senate are Whose high decrees in peace and warre Nations must reuerence neere and farre For be it so that Fortunes sway Would carry vs so farre away As where the ycie lesser Beare Doth dimly twinkle in the spheare Or else whereas the Torrid Zone Refreshing vapours casteth none But alwayes with one counterpaise Equals the length of nights and dayes Yet wheresoeuer we should roame There alwayes is the Empires home With vs we hold as proper mate The supreame care and rule of state So when with fire the furious Gaules Assail'd the high Tarpeian walles At Veia did Camillus wonne And there did Rome her fortune runne The Senatorian ordred state Is neuer chang'd by place or date Caesar the City doth retaine Whose houses empty do remaine The mourning Courts he ouer-awes Where Armes haue silenced the lawes The Roman Courts know but the face Of Senators which he did chase From out the Citty swarming than And him that Caesar did not ban Of that great Senatorian traine His fellowship we must disdaine That fury first did scatter such As did at wicked discord grutch Who with their children and their wiues In peace desir'd to lead their liues But yet for all this raging vaine Here are we now well met againe And all the Gods in recompence Of Italie though chast from thence Hath giuen vs to cheere our hearts The whole worlds force that takes our parts And now in the Ilirian maine Vulteius and his troopes are slaine And Curio that was greatest part Of Caesars Senate in his Mart Lies foyl'd with all his Martiall bands In Affrickes filthy parched sands Therefore your Ensignes now display Braue Captaines thrust on Fortunes way In Ioues high grace your hopes repose Your mindes as forward now expose Against the forces of your foes As you were ready then to run When their approches you did shun Our power no further doth extend For with the yeare the Consuls end But reuerend Lords your powerfull state Is not confin'd to any date Therefore conclude amongst you all That Pompey be your General Hereat the Senate did reioyce And then decreed with one voyce That they would lay on Pompey's fate The publique and their priuate state That done to honors they prefer'd The Kings and people that deseru'd And vnto Rhodes Apollo's seat Whose power by sea was stout and great They presents gaue and for their truth The like vnto the homely youth Of Taygety and then the Towne Of ancient Athens they renowne And to Massilians Caesars spoyle They freely gaue the Phocean soyle ¶ Then Sadalen and Cotyn strong And Deiotarus that had long Beene loyall to the Roman state To honors they did eleuate And therewithall Rhasipolin The Lord of that
with flaming blast And those that on the walles would reare He quels with Iron-pointed speare And with his blade sheares off their wrists On battlements that lay their fists Their chines he cracks breaks their bones With casting down huge weights of stones And those whose Morions are but weake Their sculs in sunder he doth breake Others againe he burnes and scalles With streaming shoures of wilde fire balles So as their cheekes their haire and eyes Rapt with the flames lowd bissing fries ¶ Now when the bodies that were slaine Did rise and mount aboue the plaine Off from the turrets top he leapes Vpon the corpes that lay in heapes And in the midst of them he stood With threatning browes and raging mood As if a Leopard should skippe Out of the Hunters toyle to slippe So he enclosd with trooping swarmes Engag'd repelles all force of Armes His looks with dread their courage charms His sword that like a razor cuts The dryed blood now blunts and gluts That it abated had the edge And turned dull like to a wedge So as when Scaeua with it stroke Where as it lights the bones it broke But drew nor blood nor gashing wounded The steele with hewing was confounded On him the burthen of the fight Did lye and many a dart did light No hand in vaine against him bent No Iauelins push vnlucky spent Fortune now sees new warres in hand The prowes of one doth all withstand The Target of this valiant Knight Did ring with blowes that on it light His hollow caske so crackt and brys'd That it his browes and temples squis'd And yet this while no mortall blow Had he receiued by his foe Onely the darts were throwne so thicke That in his bones the heads did sticke ¶ O witlesse gulles why do you spend Your shafts and darts thus to no end These many shoots that you haue driuen Not yet one deadly wound hath giuen Your mighty slings you shold haue brought And so this one mans end haue wrought Or hugie stones from off the wall Whose weight on him you might let fall Or else your battering Ramme whose force Quickly from him would life diuorce Or your Balista's you might proue If force thereof could him remoue From off the entrance of this port Where he doth so your force retort And as a mighty Bul-warke stands For Caesars side and scornes your hands And Pompey's force in idle wasts But now those Armes away he casts That should protect his breast from foes And in his shield no trust repose His left arme doth therewith dispence For hauing liu'd by his defence And naked doth expose his breast Vnto all harmes that him opprest And in his body fixt he beares A wood of darts of shafts and speares Then hee with fainting steppes seekes out Some one in all this hostile rout Whom he might crush and on him fall Like to a marine monstrous whale And as the beasts of Libicke shore And Affrickes Elephants do rore Opprest with multitudes of speares When from their bloudy backes they teares And do shake off the pointed darts Which in their rugged tough hide smarts Whose hidden wounds not dangerous are But pierce the flesh and giue a skarre Nor all those darts that hang so thicke Nor all the shafts that doe them pricke Can fix on them so deepe a wound To lay them flat dead on the ground But now behold with skilfull art Farre off Gortinus thrylles his dart And Scaeua's head therewith he smot And in his eye there stickes the shot Yet not appal'd when he did feele The blow he brake the crooked steele And from the wound the shaft did plucke Whereto the tender eye fast stucke Then on the ground he lets it fall And spurnes the dart and eye withall So doth the grisly Poland Beare When he is wounded with the speare And madded with the sticking steele Which hee with pricking smart doth feele Gnawes on the wound and like rage spends Vpon the dart that him offends But whilst he flying raues and kickes Within his flanke the lance fast stickes The rancor of this direfull shot His visage did most vgly blot For all his face was swolne and smear'd With clotted bloud no shape appear'd Herewith so lowd the foes did shout As if from heauen some storme burst out More ioy in them could not be seene If Caesars selfe had wounded beene Then they exprest which did surmount At this mans hurt of meane account But he with haughty stedfastnesse Hereof doth the offence suppresse Mildly in shew and with a grace As though in him wroth had no place Forbeare deere Countrey-men quoth he And turne your weapons off from me No more wounds now my death doth need You haue already done the deed These darts but pluck't out of my breast Of bloud I shall be dispossest O take me vp and let me lye In Pompey's Campe before I dye Doe not your Captaine so betray To hold from him what I doe say Scaeua had rather Caesar leaue Then not an honest death receaue ¶ Vnlucky Aulus credit gaue To those false words that he did raue And to his sword he did not list Which he held ready in his fist And as he came for to disarme This Captaine not suspecting harme Quite through the middle of his throte Scaeua his pointed fauchion smote Then he new courage takes againe As soone as he had Aulus slaine And said so let him be embru'd That hopes that I am yet subdu'd Let Pompey know that Scaeua's sword No other place will him affoord Vntill his Ensignes he do yeeld To Caesars will and quit the field Thinke you base men that euer I Like Pompey's Cowards meane to dye Deaths loue giues me more powerfull lawes Then Pompey's or the Senates cause These threats no sooner from him flies But that huge clouds of dust did rise VVhereby they all did then descry That Caesar with his troopes was nye ¶ And he arriued in good time For thereby he takes off the crime And foule disgrace from Pompey's part That they deserued in this Mart. Else Scaeua thou perhaps alone All Pompey's troopes hadst ouer-throwne For with the ending of this fight Thy life likewise did take his flight But whilst that any did withstand The warres gaue vigor to thy hand But lying now stretcht on the ground Thine own friends swarme about thee round And striue to whom the grace may fall To beare thee to thy funerall And him withall they did adore As if within his breast he bore Some heauenly gift or power diuine That made his vertue liuely shine Then all of them did straine and striue Out of his limbes the darts to riue VVhich to the Gods they consecrate To memorize his noble fate And with the Armes of Scaeua's breast The God of warre they did invest But yet how blest had beene thy name And thou obtain'd more glorious fame If Spaniards fierce of thee adread Had turn'd their backes and
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
that supreme humane pride That will all honour ouer-stride Then will his noble death beseeme The Fates that him so worthy deeme O let him liue and proudly raigne And then by Brutus sword be slaine ¶ Here now our Countries glory dies Here in a heape confused lies The old Patrician Roman gore Mixt with Plebeian bloudy store And yet amidst this butcherie Of Heroick Nobilitie Domitius stout that death of thine Aboue the rest most cleare did shine Whom fate did oft oppresse and tosse For Fortune still did Pompey crosse Where thou madst one and still hadst losse So often wert thou Caesars pray But now hast clos'd thy latest day With liberty preserued free Which makes those many wounds to thee Pleasing whereof thou now must dye And no more Caesars pardons try But Caesar chanc't that way to passe Where he in gore blood wallowing was And tauntingly vnto him spake Domitius thou that soughtst to take My charge from me and gouerne Gaule Pompey thou canst not serue at all Without thee this warre we shall trye No more he said Then to reply His panting breast him life affoords And thus pronounc't his dying words Caesar thou hast not yet the meed Of thy accursed wicked deed Doubtfull as yet doth stand thy fate And lesse in shew then Pompeys state I one of Pompeys traine doe goe Freely vnto the shades below And safely thither doe I wend And yet by that these warres haue end I well may hope when I am dead Wracke shall befall thy wretched head And vengeance due shall on thee light And yeeld both me and Pompey right So hauing said did life resigne And deaths darke hand clos'd vp his eyne ¶ In vaine alas what should I shed Teares here vpon the thousands dead Of those that from the worlds each part Did finde their ends in this dire Mart Or why should I but single out Some priuate fates in this huge rout Whose bowels pierc't with deadly wounds Their latest liuing dayes confounds Or who on earth dead bodies spurnes Or who their bloody swords poynts turnes Vpon their breast that gasping lye To free their soules that lingring dye Or who at one blow downe is cast Or who with hewd limbes standeth fast Or who with darts doth bodies wound Or with his launce nailes men to ground Or whose veins pierc't whence blood flies out Into the aire and doth besprout The Armour of his murdring foe Who slaies his brother at a blow And as a stranger doth him spoyle Cuts off his head and in the soyle Doth hide the same to hide his guilt Or who his fathers bloud hath spilt And mangled hath his face the while The lookers on so to beguile And doth it with such ragefull ire As t were some foe and not his sire No one mans death can claime lament To waile men now no time is lent The slaughters of Pharsalias field Is nothing such as others yeeld There priuate Fates the warres attends Here Rome and all her people ends There warre to death doth souldiers call But here at once whole Nations fall The Grecian peoples bloud here streames The Ponticke and Assirian realmes And now the bloud of Romans slaine In torrents fleets on that againe And with her ouer-flowing store Sweepes from the fields Barbarian gore More people in this battaile slaine Then our age can supply againe T is more then life and health that 's lost It hath the whole world ruine cost The sword vpon those bodies rages That should haue serued future ages What haue our children yet misdonne That they to seruile state must runne Or what fault in posterity Borne to be thralles to tyranny Haue we so cowardly borne Armes And offred vp our throats to harmes The burthen of anothers feare Vpon our shoulders must we beare O Fortune if thou needs wouldst call Our sonnes to be a tyrants thrall Thou shouldst haue giuen them warres withall ¶ Now doth vnhappy Pompey finde The Gods and Roman Fates vnkinde And ere the fight was throughly ended His cursed fortune he condemned Whilst in the field hee stood on hye Vpon a hill and thence did eye The slaughters and the troopes ramuerst Throughout Pharsalias field disperst The which the fight before did hide He multitudes sees on his side Of weapons and of bodies lost And his owne wracke at their blouds cost Yet did he not as wretches will Desire the whole with him should spill Nor in his ruine wrap them all But on the heauenly powers did call That yet the greatest part might thriue Of Latium blood and him suruiue This is his comfort in annoy O Gods quoth he doe not destroy So many Nations at a clappe The world may stand free from mishappe And Rome may many ages flourish Although that Pompey sinke and perish But if it so your likings please More woes on me to heape then these My wife and children yet subsist For Fates to do with what they list Hath not this ciuill warre cost deere If I and mine must perish heere May not such wounds be deemed wide Though all the world escape beside O Fortune why dost thou so racke And labour to bring all to wracke Nothing is mine I all things lacke So hauing said he rides about The Ensignes and the Armes in rout And in each part throughout the lands Sees how his squadrons broken stands Whom he retraits and doth restraine From running to their deaths amaine He values not himselfe so much That for his sake harme should them touch And yet his courage did not faile The swords and weapons to assaile Or put his life to hazards chance Or vnto death his breast aduance He fear'd if Pompey there should dye The Souldiers would no dangers flye But on his body heaped lye Besides he fouly did despise To lye a scorne to Caesars eyes Yet if thy father-in-father-in-law affect To cast his eyes on that prospect Thy head to him will be presented It cannot be by place preuented And thou his wife wert partly cause Why from this slaughter he with-drawes To see thy face for Fates ordaine That in thy sight he should be slaine Then he a Courser swift bestrides And posting from the battaile rides Feare makes him not to turne his backe His heart did neuer courage lacke In most distresse his minde was stout Nor plaints nor teares he powreth out But such a reuerent griefe exprest As with a Maiesty fits best For him at that time to bestow On Roman fortune brought so low And with like constancy beheld The downe-falles of Emathia's field Nor prosperous wars could make thee proud Nor ouer-throwes thy courage cloud That faithlesse Fortune flattring thee With glorious pompe in triumphes three Thou now dost scorne with lesse account And makes thy minde her force surmount Securely thou from hence dost part Freed from the cumbrous cares of Mart. And now at large thou leasure hast To ruminate thy glories past Ambitious hopes neuer suffis'd From thee are fled and now despis'd Now maist
therefore anguish shall preuent My liuing soule from my soule sent And since to death it could not flye When Pompey it thy wounds did eye With griefe and wailings shee shall dye In bitter teares she shall be drownd The sword shall not our dayes confound No strangling halter will I trye Nor head-long breake-necke from an hye For me t were base to want the might By sorrowes straine to leaue this light ¶ So hauing said her noble head With a blacke vaile she ouer-spred And then retires her to the darke In hollow cauernes of the barke And there vnto her selfe enioyes Her restlesse teares and griefes annoyes And onely in her husbands place Doth woes and wofull plaints embrace Shee scornes the raging seas and clouds And Eurus whistling in the shrowds And cries that Mariners doe make When they with dreadfull dangers quake To theirs she makes contrary vowes Resolu'd to dye she stormes allowes Her ship first seiz'd the Cyprus shores Whereas the thundring billowes rores And then to sea they put anew With Easterne winde that calmer blew And lighted on the Lybicke Land Where that time Cato's Campe did stand Then wofull Cnaeus did espy His countrey fellowes proaching nye The Affricke coast and as those mindes That dread afflicts presages findes When he his brother Sextus saw Neere to the seas strand he doth draw And head-long wades into the maine Deere brother now to me explaine Where is our Sire and in what plight Stands our affaires are we of might As yet or else abandon'd quite Hath Pompey Romes last fortune tride So said his brother thus replide ¶ O happy thou whom Fortune guided To other coasts from vs diuided Thou onely miseries shalt heare Whereof mine eyes the witnesse were When on the sword our father dide Though Caesars hand he hath not tride The Author of his funerall Deserues by mines rage to fall With that vile King that in his hands Doth hold the fruitfull Nylus lands He hop't some due respects to finde Of Hospitatious friendly kinde For many fauours of his loue That this Kings ancestors did proue But for requitall of that Realme As sacrifice his blood they streame Whilst I alas beheld with paine Our noble Father by them slaine Whereas I thought that Pharian King Durst not attempt so foule a thing But did presume that Nylus land Would loyally vnto him stand But neither me the old mans wounds Nor his shed bloud so much confounds As when we saw his head forlorne Throughout the traytors Citty borne Fixt on a lofty pole in scorne And now t is kept by fames report The wicked victors eyes to sport And so the tyrant feedes his minde For this foule fact high grace to finde But whether that the Pharian dogges The rauenous foules or filthy hogges Haue with the body fild their maw Or whether that the fire we saw To cinders did the same conuart I doe not know but for my part I say what euer fatall scorne Those worthy limbes away haue borne The blame vnto the Gods I giue But his kept head me most doth grieue When Cnaeus heard this heauy newes He did not then his griefes infuse With childish teares nor idle plaint But with iust piety attaint Inrag'd thus speakes with words not faint ¶ Yee mariners with haste lay hands To draw your ships from these dry sands And with your oares without a saile Against the aduerse windes preuaile Braue leaders now come follow me No ciuill warre can iuster be Not so great praise as to interre Their naked ghosts that wandring erre This tyrant boyes blood must suffise Great Pompeys ghost for sacrifice Shall I his Pelean Towres not drowne And all those monuments throw downe That ouer Alexander stands In Mareotis foggy sands And raze to ground the Pyramis Their monument of Amasis And make all those their buried Kings To swim in midst of Nylus springs They all shall want and naked lye Pompey thy Tombe to edifie Isis shall now bee rap't with fire Whose God-head Nations do admire And their Osyris clad in vaile Of linnen common slaues shall traile And Apis their Bull-god I 'le burne A sacrifice to Pompeys vrne Vnder his head these Gods shall lye Wherewith the funerall shall frye These wrackes that wretched land shall taste Their fruitfull fields I will lay waste None left to plow to digge or plant For Nylus to relieue their want None shall subsist nor her gifts take Depopulate I will her make Thou onely Pompey and thy graue That Kingdome to thy selfe shalt haue When all their Gods away are chac't Thus said the Nauy then in hast Prepares it selfe vnto the seas But Cato did the wrath appease Of this braue youth yet in the end His noble spirit did commend ¶ Meane while through all the cost is spred The bruit of Pompey murdered And therewithall a grieuous shout Of cries did flye the aire about No griefe did like example show For neuer any age did know The people to such plaints to fall For any great mans death at all But more for as Cornelia went Out of her ship to make discent Her visage worne and wast with teares And dangling tresse about her eares A doubled shout the people reares No sooner was she set a land Whereas the shore was next at hand But Pompeys robes she gets together His Ensignes and else whatsoeuer Of Armes or like abiliments And all such glorious ornaments Richly imbrodered all with gold As he was wont to weare of old Then three times casting vp her eyes Vnto the heauens and starry skies All this together she did cast Into a funerall fire at last These cinders she poore soule did make The which she kept for Pompeys sake Whereby the rest example take For presently throughout the shore Of sacred fires were made huge store Which they vnto those ghosts did yeeld Late slaine in the Pharsalian field Such flames doe the Apulians raise When as the frosty winter daies Their fields of greene grasse hath depriu'd And with such heate is new reuiu'd So the Gargarians vse their grounds So Vulturs vales with corne abounds And luke-warme Matyns vse like slight With boxen bushes flaming bright ¶ Nothing was done in all the host More gratefull vnto Pompeys ghost Although for him the heauens they blame And to the Gods vpbraid his name Then were the words Cato exprest Proceeding from a spotlesse brest A Citizen quoth he is queld That others heretofore exceld For skill in scanning of the lawes But in this age for Iustice cause He profited the Roman state His reuerence chased dire debate Freedome he aw'd not with his might But euermore subscrib'd to right In priuate sort he actions swayd Although the people him obay'd And though the Senate hee directed Yet to their power himselfe subiected By armed force hee nought effected What to obtaine his heart was bent To bee deny'd he was content Great wealth and honors he possest But did the state with
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