shames constraint She rise and vtter'd this most sad complaint VVould I to hated Caesar had bin led A bride since happy to no Husbands bed Twice haue I hurt the world my bridall lights Erinnys and th' vnhappy Crassi's sprights Carry'd accursed by those ghosts I hare Th' Assyrian fortune to this civill war I was the cause that all these nations dy'd And all the gods forsooke the juster side O greatest Lord worthy of better fate Then my sad marriage had dire fortunes hate Such power on thee why did I marry thee To make thee wretched take revenge on me VVhich willingly I le pay to make the sea More passable Kings faiths more firme to thee And all the world more hospitable drowne Me by the way oh would this life had gone Before to get thee victory but now Deare Pompey expiate thine overthrow VVhere ere thou lyest ô cruell Iulia Reveng'd already in Phaâ—salia Come wreake thine anger et thy strumpets death Appease thy wrath and spare thy Pompey's breath This said and sinking in his armes her fall Againe drew teares from the spectators all Pompey's great heart relented and that eye VVept there that in Pharsalia's field was dry The Mâ—tylenaeans then thus on the shore Bespake great Pompey if for evermore It shall our honour be to haue preserv'd Thy dearest pledge if we haue so deserv'd To grace the city of thy servants daine And heere with vs though but one night remaine Make this a place honour'd for evermore A place that Roman pilgrims may adore Our towne before all townes thou should'st approue For all townes else may hope for Caesars loue VVe haue already trespast further yet This is an I le and Caesar wants a fleete Besides thy nobles know this place and heere Will meete thy fates on this knowne shore repaire Take our gods wealth our temples gold and bands Of our young men to serue by sea or land Take thou though conquer'd Lesbos forces heere Lest Caesar presse them as the Conquerer Oh cleare this faithfull land of that foule crime That thou which loud'st vs in thy prosperous time Should'st feare our faith in thy adversity Glad of these mens so wondrous piety For the worlds sake that some fidelity Was left to wretched states this land quoth he That I of all the world most deare esteem'd By this great pledge I left with you it seem'd She was the hostage that my loue was here That here my houshold gods and countrey were Heere was my Rome fled from the field before I came to you I toutch'd vpon no shore Knowing that Lesbos in preserving her Had purchas'd Caesars iâ—e I did not feare To giue you cause your pâ—rdons all to plead Let it suffice that I your guilt haue made I must through all the world my fates pursue Oh happy â—esbos ever fam'd from you People and Kings shall learne fidelity To vs or faithfull you alone shall be VVhich lands are true which false I now must try Heare ô ye gods it any gods with me Remaiâ—e my last of prayers grant vs to finde A land like Leâ—bos whose stiâ—l faithfull minde Dares giue safe landing to our conquer'd state And parting safe not fearing Caesars hate His sad companion then aboord he tooke You would haue thought all Lesbos had forsooke Their natâ—ue soile exil'd so great a cry VVas rais'd and wofull hands heav'd to the sky All ore the shore for Pompey least of all Though he deserv'd their sorrow by his fill But seeing her depart whom they had seene All this war time as their owne citizen The people wept of her the matrons dry From teares could hardly haue tane leaue though she Vnto her lord a Conquerer had gone She so had gain'd the loue of every one By vertuous courteous carriage modesty Of a chast looke proud to no company Lowly to all and such her life was seene VVhile her lord stood as he had conquer'd bin Now Titans orbe halfe drowned in the seas Gaue paâ—t to vs part to th' Antipodes When care in Pompey's restlesse bosome runs Sometimes on Romes confederate states and townes And kings vncertaine faiths sometimes vpon The South-scorch'd regions of the torrid zone Sometimes as too sad burdens he layes by His wearied cares of future destiny Asking the master of each star and where He guesses land what rules heaven giues to steere His ship at sea what stars to Syria guide Which of Bootes fires to Lybias side Directs to this the master thus replyes We follow not those stars which through the skyes Doe slide and passe away vnconstant stars In the vnfixt pole deceiue the marriners That pole that never falls nere drownes in sea Famous for Cynosure and Helice Doth guiâ—â—e our ships when ere that stars got vp Right verticall just ore the saileyards top Then to the Bosphorus we make apase And seaâ— that Synthiaes crooked shores embrace But when more low and neerer to the sea Artophilâ—x and Cynosura be Then to the Syrian poâ—ts our course we steere Canoâ—us then is elevated there VVhich feares the North and in the Southerne skyes Remaines alone VVho thence to th'left hand plyes Pharos ore past into the Syrtes falls But whither now shall we direct our sailes To whom with doubtfull thoughts Pompey replyes In all the course at sea obserue but this To keepe thy ship still far from Thessaly And to the heavens and seas leaue Italy The rest trust to the winds I now haue tane My deare left pledge Cornelia in againe I then was certaine whither to resort But now let fortune finde vs out a pâ—rt Thus Pompey spake the master straightway turnes About his sailes stretch'd out with aequall hornes And to the left hand guides the ship to plow Those waues that twixt Chios and Asia flow To the ships length he turnes his sailes about The sea perceiues the change her waves are cut By the sharpe stemme with different motion The skilfull Charrioter not halfe so soone Raines round his horse and doth with suddaine change About the goale his wheeling charriot range Sol hid the stars and land discovered When those that from Pharsalia's battell fled To Pompey came and first from Lesbos shores He met his son then Kings and Senators For Pompey yet although at that sad time Vanquish'd and fled had Kings to waite on him Proud scepter'd Kings that ore the East did reigne Attended there in banish'd Pompeys traine Then Pompey King Deiotarus commands To goe for aide to farthest Easterne lands Most loyall King since on Pharsalia's plaines This world was lost from Rome it now remaines To try the East those that by Tigris ly And by Euphrates yet from Caesar free Grieue not though to repaire my fortunes lost Thou to the Medes or farthest Scythians go'st Or quite beyond the day that this world sees Beare my salutes to great Arsacides And if our ancient league remaine which I By Latian Ioue by his owne deity He swore let the Armenian archers strong Their well-bent bowes and
quivers bring along If you O Parthians vndisquieted I ever left when I pursu'd the fled Vnquiet Alans to the Caspian strait And forc'd you not for safety to retreat To Babylon marching ore Cyrus ground And the Chaldaean kingdomes vtmost bound Appearing nearer then the Persian To the Suns rise where into th' Ocean Nysas Hydaspes and swift Ganges fall Suffer'd you only when I conquer'd all To goe vntriumph'd Parthias King alone Of all th' Easts monarchs scap'd subjection Nor once alone doe you your safety ow To me who after Crassus overthrow Appeas'd the just incensed wrath of Rome For all my merits now let Parthia come Out of her bounds appointed and passe ore Greeke Zeugma's walls and the forbidden shore Conquer for Pompey Rome will loose the day Gladly The King refus'd not to obey Though hard were his command laying aside His kingly robes and in a servants weede Attir'd he goes in a distressed time 'T is safe for Kings like poorest men to seeme Therefore how much liues he that 's truely poore Safer then Kings The King tooke leaue at shore And by the Icarion rockes great Pompey gone Leaues Ephesus and sea-calme Colophon Shaving small Samos foaming rockes he go's A gentle gale blowes from the shore of Cos Gindon and Phebus-honour'd Rhodes he leaues And sailing straight in the mid-Ocean saues Telmessums long and winding circuits First Pamphylia greetes their eyes but Pompey durst Commit his person to no towne but thee Little Phaselis thy small company And few inhabitants could not cause a feare More in the ship then in thy walls there were But sailing thence againe high Tauâ—us showes It selfe and Dipsas that from Taurus flowes Could Pompey thinke when erst he clear'd the seas Of Pirates rage it purchas'd his owne ease He now flyes safe along Cicilian shores In a small ship there many Senators Following oretake their flying generall Within the haven of Celendrae small Where in and out ships on Selinus past In full assembly of the lords at last Thus sadly Pompey spake my Lords whose sight As deare companions botâ— in war and flight I doe esteeme my country though we stand On a bare shore in poore Cicilian land Attended with no force advice to take And new provision for a war to make Yet bring couragious hearts I lost not all In Thessaly nor did my fortune fall So low but that this head againe may rise Could Marius after all his miseryes In Libya rise to a seaventh Consulship And me so lightly fall'n will fortune keepe A thousand Captaines on the Graecian sea A thousand ships I haue Pharsalia Has rather scatter'd then quite overthrowne My strength but me my actions fame alone Which all the earth haue seene my name that now The whole world loues shall guard Consider you Th' Aegyptian Libyan Parthian monarchies Bâ—th in their strength and faith and then advise Which fittest is to ayde Roms labouring state But I my Lords will to your eares relate Freely my secret'st cares and tell the truth How I encline I doe suspect the youth Of Aegypts King for true fidelity Requires strong yeares I feare the subtlety And double heart of Mauritania's King Remembring Carthage whence his race did spring He gapes for Italy and his vaine brest Is much with thought of Hanniball possest Whose blood commixt with th' old Numidiâ—ns Obliquely Iuba's pedegree distaines He swell'd to see Varus a suppliant growne And Roman fates inferiour to his owne Therefore my Lords to th' Easterne world let vs Retire Euphrates with a spacious Channell divides the world the Caspian straits On tother side yeild safe and large retreats Another pole measures th' Assyrian dayes And nights another colour beare the seas Sever'd from ours their ainâ—e is soveraignty Their bowes more strong their steeds more fierce and high Then ours no boy nor aged man wants skill Or strength to shoot deadly their arrows kill Their bowes first brooke Pellaean speares and won Th' Assyrian wall-renowned Babylon And Median Bactra Nor so fearefull are The Parthians of our piles but that they dare Come out to war against vs they haue try'd Their shafts sufficiently when Crassus dy'd Nor are their trusty shafts arm'd at the head With steele alone but deadly venomed Slight wounds are mortall and the least blood drawne Will kill Oh would on the fierce Parthian I were not forced to depend their fate Does too too much Romes fortune aemulate Too many gods ayde them He draw from home Some other nations of the East to come To war But if Barbarians leagues deceiue Our hopes or else our scorn'd alliance leaue Let fortune then our sad and shipwrack'd state Beyond the knowne and traffiqu'd world translate I will not sue to Kings whom I haue made But in my death this comfort shall be had Lying far off this body shall not be Subject to Caesar's rage nor piety But there revolving my whole life's past fate Still honour'd in those parts was Pompey's state How great has Easterne Tanais me seene How great beyond Maeotis haue I bin Into what lands did my victorious name More sound or whence in greater triumph came Favour my purpose Rome what happyer Can the go is grant thee then in civill war To vse the Parthian armes to overthrow That land and mixe their ruine with our woe When the fierce Parthians haue with Caesar fought Crassus revenge or mine must needes be wrought This said he heard their murmur to condemne His plot But Lentulus ' mongst all of them In spirit and noble griefe the forward'st man Thus worthy his late Consulship began Has the Pharsalian losse so broke thy minde Has one dayes fate the world so low declin'd Doth that one battell our whole cause decide And no cure left to helpe our wounded side Is no hope left thee Pompey but to sue At the proud Parthians feete woulâ—st thou eschew All lanâ—s and climes and thither aime thy flight Where crosse poles reigne and vnknowne starres giue light T' adore the Parthians and their deityes Chaldaean fires and Barbarous sacrifice Why in this war pretend'st thou liberty Why is the wretched world deceiv'd by thee If thou canst serue whose name they trembled at As the cheife ruler of the roman fate Whom they haue seene leade captiue Kings before From wilde Hyrcania and the Indian shore Shall they now see cast downe and broke by fate Measuring themselues by Pompey's begging state With Rome and Italy aspire t'enherit Thou canst spake nothing worth thy fate and spirit Their ignorance i th' Roman tongue requires That thou in teares shouldst vtter thy desires Would'st thou so wound our shame that not from Rome But Parthia the revenge of Rome should come She chose thee Generall of her civill war Why doest thou spread her losse and wounds so far As Scythia and teach Parthia to goe Beyond her bound Rome shall in her deepe woe This speciall comfort loose of bringing in No Kings but serving her owne citizen Canst thou delight from farthest parts to come
rugged passages which if the enemy should first enter they might with ease keepe him backe and carâ—y the warre into Celtiberia and those farre countreyes he commanded his horsemen with speede to prevent them and himselfe marching through devious and rough wayes arrived first at those places and encamped himselfe betweene Afranius and the river Iberus which Afranius was marching to the two campes were here fortified so neare to each other that the Souldiers distinctly knew each others faces and talked with their kindred and ancient acquaintance f In this appeared a strange clemency of Caesar that after hee had heard the cruelty of Petrejus towards his Souldiers how taking them from their friends company that had vpon promise secured them hee caused them to be murdered as the Poet relates plainely Caesar notwithstanding seeking out Petrejus his souldiers in his campe spared their liues all and suffered as many of them as would to depart but many Tribunes Centurions and others would not retune but stayed and served after vnder Caesar g It was a policy had often beene vsed by barbarous enemies against the pursuing armies of the Romans to poison all their river it was done by Ingurtha King of Numidia Mithradates King of Pontus and Iuba King of Mauritansa h These two Generalls Afranius and Petrejus though they were here pardoned by Caesar vpon promise to serue no more against him did notwithstaÌ„ding afterwards in the Affrican war follow Scipio against Caesar where they were againe overthrowne Afranius was taken prisoner and by Caesar's command and was slaine Petrejus despairing of pardon as is afterwards showne slew himselfe vpon King Iuba's sword i Fortune yet presumed to doe somewhat against Caesar in his absence aboue about Illyrium for Dolabella and Antonius commanded by Caesar to possesse the Strenghts of the Adriaticke sea eâ—camped one on the Illyrian the other on the Corcyraan share Pompey farre and neere was master of the seas whose Lieutenant Octavius and Libo with great strength of shipping besiedged Antonius and by famine forced him to yeild Basilus from the other shore sent ships to ayde Antonius which were caught by the Pompeyans in a strange snare casting ropes crosse the sea vnder water not to be spi'd Two of the ships escaped and got over the ropes the third which carryed the men of Opitergium was ensnared and held fast The Opitâ—rgians in that place left an example memorable to all posterity for being scarse a thousand men they endured from morning to night the assaults of a great Army round about them and at last when valour could not possible release them rather then yeild themselues into the enemyes hands by the exhortation of their captaine Vultejus all kill'd themselues k In Affrica also the side of Caesar enduring the like calamity shewed the like valour Curio sent by Caesar to winne Libyae having vanquished and put to flight Varus was enclosed on the suddaine by the vnexpected horsemen and army of Iuba King of Mauritania Curio might haue fled when he saw the day lost but much ashamed and scorning to returne to Caesar after the losse of his legions he dyed with all his men LVCANS Pharsalia The First Booke The Argument Romes flying Senate met at Epire chose Great Pompey generall faint Appius goes To Delphos Oracle to seeke advise Which his owne death obscurely signifies Caesar return'd from Spaine with victory Quiets his Souldiers dangerous mutiny Dictator then and Consull both at Rome He makes himselfe sailes from Brundusium To Greece but vex'd with Anthony's delayes In a small boate himselfe alone assayes By night the stormy sea and crosses ore His legions all met on the Graecian shore Addresse themselues for triall of the day Pompey to Lesbos sends his wife away THus fortune kept mixing her good with ill The two a war-wounded generalls aequall still For Macedonia when with Winter's snow The Pleiades did Oemus top bestrow And when the times new-naming day drew neare Old Ianus feast beginner of the yeare Then both the Consuls at the vtmost date Of their expiring honour convocate To Epire the fled fathers where a plaine And forraine seat Rome's Nobles did containe A borrowed court in forraine land heard all The secrets of the State For who can call That place a campe where all Romes Fasces were And axes borne The reverend order there Taught all the people 't was not Pompey's side But Pompey there a member did abide Silence possessing the sad Senate than From an high seat thus Lentulus began If you retaine a strength of minde as good As Roman spirits and your ancient blood Befitts then thinke not in what land you are As banisht from surprised Rome how farre But know the face of your owne company Fathers that governe all this first decree Which yet all kingdomes and all people know We are the Senate For if fortune now Should carry vs vnder the frozen waine Of Vrsa maâ—or or where daies remaine Aequall in length with nights the torrid zone Thither the Empire and dominion Would follow vs When Rome by Gaules was fir'd And that to Vey Camillus was retir'd There then was Rome this order never lost Their right by changing place Caesar can boast Only of mourning walls possession And judgement seates by sad vacation Shut vp and silenc'd empty mansions That court those fathers onely sees whom once When full it banisht of that ranke who ere Is not a banisht man is sitting here We that long peacefull free from guilt haue stood At wars first fury were dispers'd abroad Now to his place each part returnes againe And for the losse of Italy and Spaine The gods the strength of all the world bestow Th'Illyrian Sea has overwhelm'd one foe And Libyan fields does slaughtred Curio No little part of Caesars Senate strow Advance your Eagles follow fate and grant The gods your hope doe not that courage want In this good fortune which when first you fled Your cause stirr'd vp The yeere has finished Our power you fathers whose authorityes No time shall end for th'publike good advise Command great Pompey to be generall His name with joyfull cryes the Senate all Receiue imposing vpon Pompey straight His countrey's and his owne most wretched fate Then faithfull Kings and Nations had their praise Phaebus sea-powerfull Rhodes rewarded was And Spartans rough prais'de were th' Athenians b Phocis made free with her Massylians Faithfull c Deiotarus young Sadalis The valiant d Cotys and e Rhasipolis Of Macedon were prais'd Iuba to thee The Senate giues all Libya by decree And oh sad fare ignoble Ptolemy Worthy of treacherous subjects vnto thee The crime of all the gods and fortunes shame Is granted the Pellaean diadem A tirants sword over thy nation Thou tak'st proud boy would 't were ore them alone Ore f Pompey's throate it is thy sisters crowne Thou tak'st and Caesars impious action The Senate now broke vp the troopes all take Their armes the people and the captaines make For warres vncertaine preparation But g
vnknowne What name should those two Channells meet in one They 'd beaâ—e Euphrates flowing on the fields That profit there that Nile in Aegypt yeelds But Tigris swallow'd by the gaping earth Long hides his course but at his second birth Deniâ—s not to the Sea his new-borne flood Betwixt boâ—h Campes fierce Parthians neuters stood Content that they alone had causde this war VVith poyson'd arrowes wandring Scythians far Come to the Campe whom Bactros ioy flood Enâ—losâ—s and Hyrcania's desert wood The valiant Heniochian Horsemen there Sprung from the Spartan race Sarmatians neere To the fierce Moschi where cold Phasis glides And Colâ—hos richest pasture fields divides VVhere Halys fatall to the Lydian King Does flow where Tanais that drawes his spring From the Riphaean hills and doth divide Europe from Asia giving to each side The name of severall worlds and as he bends Now to this world now that encrease he lends Where slow Moeotis driven into the seas Takes from the pillars of great Hercules Their fame denying that the Gades alone Admit the sea Scythonian nations The valiant Arians Arimaspians With gold deck'd lockes and swift Gelonians The Massegets their thirst that satisfie With the same horses bloods whereon they fly Not Cyrus leading th'Easterne troopes nor when Xerxes by darts numbring his armed men Came downe nor Agamemnon bound to set His brothers ravisht wife with that fam'd fleet So many Kings brought vnder their commands So many nations drawne from severall lands Different in language and attire nor ere Did fortune bring so many men to beare Part in a mighty ruine making all Sad obsequies at Pompeys funerall Marmaricke troopes the horned Ammon prest And all scorcht Affricke from the farthest VVest To th'Easterne shore send ayde as far as ly The Syrtes gulfes lest Caesar severally And oft be troubled here all nations Pharsalia brings to be suddu'de at once Caesar now leaving fearefull Rome in hast VVith his swift troopes the cloudy Alpes orepast But though his fame all people else affright Phocian Massyllia f dares yet keepe aright Her faith and far from Greekish levity The cause the lawes not fortune followes she But first of all they labour to asswage VVith peacefull parley his vncurbed rage And stubborne minde and to their foe now nigh They send an Oliue-bearing Embassy As Latiums annals can true mention make Massilia still was ready to partake The fate of Rome in any forreine war And now if triumphs over nations far Caesar thou seeke to such a conflict take These hands and liues of ours but if you make Sad civill war then giue vs leaue to bend To neyther side and naught but teares to spend Let not our hands in wounds so sacred be If th' heavenly gods had civill enmity Or earth-borne Giants should assault the sky No ayde to Ioue durst human piety By armes or prayers lend their states aboue We know not but are bound to thinke that Ioue Has thunder still besides how many from All nations now doe voluntaryes come The slothfull world is not from vice so far That you should need forc'd sword to civill war Would every people would this cause refuse And this sad war no hands but Roman vse Some hands would falter at their fathers sight And brothers faintly would ' gainst brothers fight The war will soone haue end if forreine states You vse not t'exercise their ancient hates Our humble suite is that within our wall Thou ' ldst trust thy selfe and leaue behinde thee all Thy threaâ—ning Eagles let vs this obtaine To shut out war and Caesar entertaine Let this place free from guilt safely receiue Thy selfe and Pompey if fates please to giue Peace to vnconquer'd Rome here both may meete Vnarm'd but why when danger did invite Thy wars to Spaine turn'dst thou to vs aside We are of no availe to turne the tide Of your great wars our armes haue prooved still Vnfortunate when fortune did exile Vs from our first plantation here we sate And Phocis sackt towers hither did translaâ—e Here in a forreine coast and weake wall'd towne Safe haue we liv'd our Faith is our râ—nowne If thou intend seidge to our walles to lay Or through our gates t' enforce a speedy way In the defence we are resolv'd to dye And fury of the sword and fire to try If thou divert our waters course the ground Wee le dig and licke the puddle we haue found If foode should faile flesh of our children slaine Fearefull to touch or see our jawes should staine For liberty to suffer wee le not feare VVhat once Saguntum when besiedg'd could beare In Carthage war our babes in vaine that striue To sucke their mothers dry'd vp breasts wee le giue Freely to th' fire a wife shall sue for death At her deare husbands hand a brothers breath A brothers hand shall stop this civill war VVee le choose o'th'two so spoketh ' embassador But Caesar's troubled looke his anger speakes Before his words but this at last these Greekes Vaine hope of our departure has possest Though we were marching to the farthest VVest Yet haue we time to sacke Massilia Souldiers rejoyce fate meetes vs in the way VVith war as windes in th' empty aire doe loose Their force vnlesse some strong growne oake oppose As mighty fires for want of fuell dye So want of foes breedes our calamity Our strength were lost vnlesse some durst stand out To be subdu'd but if I come without My armes they will receiue me they desire Not to exclude but take me prisoner But they forsooth would faine that guilt eschew That followes civill war I le make them rue Their asking peace and know that nought can be Safer then war to those serue vnder me Then on he marches the towne fearelesse shut Their gates and souldiers on the rampiers put Not far off from the walles a hill there stood VVhose top was like a field levell and broade VVhich Caesar in surveying judg'd to be Safe for a campe and fit to fortifieâ— The townes nâ—eâ—'st part did an high castle raise Aequall to th'hill in midst a valley was Caesar resolues on a laborâ—ous thing To fill the valley and together bring Both hills but first to shut vp quite the towne By land from both sides his high campe brings downe A long worke to the sea a bulwarke rais'd Of turfes with rampiers on the top and plac'd In length to cut all convoyes from the towne This was a thing for ever to renowne This Greekish towne to stay the violent course Of this hot war not tâ—ne by suddaine force Or feare when Caesar all the rest orerunne The cities conquest as'kd him time alone T' was much â—o stay â—is fates fortune in hast To make him lord of all the world did wast Time at this â—eidge nâ—w round about the towne The lofty woods are fell'd large Oakes hew'n downe To fortifie with posts tâ—e bulwarkes side Lest earth too brittle of it selfe should slide Away not able the towers weight to beare A wood
Aegaean joyn'd With the Tyrrhene so with th' Ieâ—â—an The Adriatike met How oft in vaine That day the sea seem'd mountaines topps to ' ore flow And yeilding earth that deluge t' vndergoe But such high waues on no shore raised be But from the worlds far part and the maine sea They rowle the earth embracing waters bring Their monstrous waues so whâ—n the heavens high king Help'd his tir'd thunder with his â—rotheis mace To mankinds â—uine earth then added was To Neptunes kingdome when the sea confounded All lands and Tethys by no shore was bounded Contented with no limit but the skyes Then also would those â—welling seas arise Vpto the starres had not great Ioue kept downe Their waues with cloudes nor sprung that night alone From naturall causes the thiâ—ke aire was growne Infected with the dampes of Acheron And clogg'd with foggy stormes waues froÌ„ the maine Fly to the cloudes and fall like showres againe The lightnings light is lost it shines not cleare But shootes obscurely through nights stormy aire The heavens then trembled the high pole for feare Resounded when his hindges mooved were Nature then fear'd the old confusion The elementall concord seem'd vndone And night that mixt th' aetheriall deityes With the infernall â—eem'd againe to rise Their hope of safety was that in this great Wraâ—ke of the world they were not perisht yet As farre as you from Leucas top may see The quiet sea so farre could they desery From waues high tops the troubled Ocean But when the swelling billowes fall againe The maine-mast top scarce aboue water stands The topsailes touch the cloudes the keele the sands For ground is seene from whence the sâ—as arise In hills in waues the seas whole water is Feare conquers art the master does not know Which waue to breake which waue to yeeld vnto But the seas discord only aides them now The barke one billow cannot overflow Let by anothers force which still susteines The yeilding side the barke vpright mainteines Her course supported by all windes no more Low Sasons gulfes Thessalia's crooked shore Or the Ambracian dangerous ports they fear'd But ore the high Ceraunia to be rear'd â—y billowes Caesar thinkes it now to be A danger worthy of his destiny Are the gods troubled so to ruine me Whom sitting heere in a small barke quoth he They haue assaulted with a storme so lowd If on the seas not warres they haue bestow'd The glory of my death fearelesse I come Ye gods to any death that ye can doome Though this too hasty fate great actes breake off I haue already done things great enough The Northren nations I haue tam'd and quell'd My foes at home by armes Rome has beheld Great Pompey my inferiour honours stay'd From me in war the people forc'd haue pay'd All Roman honours in my titles be Let it be knowne fortune to none but thee Though full of honour to the shades below I both Romes Consull and Dictator goe I dye a private death ô gods I craue No funerall let the seas inmost waue Keepe my torne carkasse let me want a tombe And funerall pyle whilest lookt for still to come Into all lands I am and ever fear'd Thus having spoke most strange the tenth waue rear'd His barke aloft nor from the billowes top Did she fall downe kept by the water vp Till on the rocky shore she stood at last His fortune and so many kingdomes cast On shore and townes againe he did receiue Caesar's returne next morne could not deceiue His souldiers so as his stolne flight had done About their generall flock they every one Assaulting him with lamentations And not ingratefull accusations VVhither did thy rash valour carry thee Too cruell Caesar to what destiny Didst thou leaue vs poore soules venturing vpon Th' vnwilling seas and stormes thy selfe alone In thee to seeke for death was cruelty VVhen all the world esteemes thy head so high And on thy life so many liues of ours Depend did none of vs deserue t' haue power Not to surviue thee sleepe did vs detaine While thou wert tost vpon the watry maine Was this the cause thou went'st to Italy Alas it shames vs it was cruelty To venture any man on such a sea For the last act of things such hazards be VVhy doest thou tire the gods so much to goe And venture the worlds greatest Captaine so From fortune's worke and favour thus t' haue sent Thee safe a shore to vs be confident Of the warres issue This vse doest thou make Of the gods favour to escape a wracke Rather then gaine the worlds sole soveraignety Thus while they talke night past the Sunne they see And a cleare day his waues the tired maine By the windes leaue compos'd and smooth'd againe The Captaines also on th' Italian side VVhen the tâ—r'd Ocean free from waues they spy'd By the pure Northwinds rising thence convay'd Their ships which their skill'd Marriners had stay'd So long for feare while winds auspicious fail'd Like a land army their joyn'd navy sail'd On the broad Sea but the chang'd windes by night Fill'd not their sailes but broke the order quite So Cranes in VVinter Strymon's cold forsake To drâ—nke warmâ— Nile and in their first flight make As chance directs of letters various formes VVhen their spread wings are by the violent stormes Of strong South-windes assailed by and by â—n a confused globe all mingled fly The letter 's lost in their disranked wings But the next morne when rising Titan brings A stronger winde to driue the navie ore They passe the vaine attempted Lissus shore And to Nymphaeum come Southwinds that blow The haven on them the Northwindes fled bestow VVhen Caesars legions all collected were And Pompey saw the war was drawne so neere To his owne campe he thinkes best to provide For his wiuâ—â— safety and in Lesbos hide Thee faire Cornelia from the noise of warre Alas in just and noble mindes how farre Prevailes true loue true loue alone had power To make great Pompey feare wars doubâ—full houre His wife alone he wisht free from that stroke That all the world and Romes whole fortune shooke But now a ready mâ—nd wants words in him He yeilds to sweete delayes from fare steales time But when th'approching morne had banisht rest And faire Cornelia his care-wounded breast Clasping from her averted husband seekes A loving kisse wondring to feele his cheekes Moistened with teares tâ— hidâ—en cause she feares And daâ—es not finâ— great Pompey shedding teares He then thus mourning spake oh dâ—arest wife Dearer to me then life not now when life I loath but in our best prosperity That sad day's come which too too muâ—h haue we Yet not enough dâ—fferr'd Caesar's addrest For fight thou must not stay Lesbos the best And safest place will be for thee to hide Doe not enâ—treat me sweete I haue deny'd It to my selfe nor absent long shall we Remaine for swift will this wars tryall be Great things fall speedily To heare not see Thy
death and wishing stormes she lyes They first arriv'd on Cyprus foamy shore From thence a milde Eastwinde commanding bore Their shipps to Catoes Libyan campe as still A doubtfull minde doe sad presages fill Cneius from shore spying his fathers traine And brother running to the sea amaine VVhere is our father brother speake quoth he Liues the worlds head and honour or are we Vndone and Pompey to the shades below Has borne Romes fate he answeres happy thou VVhom fate into another coast disperst Thou brother this dire mischeife only hear'st Mine eyes are guilty of a fathers death Nor did he loose by Caesars armes his breath Nor of his fall a worthy author found By the false tyrant of Niles impious ground Trusting the gods of hospitality And his owne bounty to old Ptolomey In recompence of kingdomes given he dy'd I saw them wound our noble fathers side And thinking Aegypts King durst not haue done So much I thought Caesar had stood vpon The shore of Nile But not our fathers wounds Nor blood so shed so much my heart confounds As that his head which mounted on a speare Aloft we saw they through their cyties beare Which as they say is kept for Caesars eye The tyrant seekes his guilt to testify For whether dogs or fowles devouring maw Consum'd his trunke or that small fire we saw Dissolved it by stealth I doe not know What ere injurious fate to that could doe I did forgiue the gods that crime and wept For that part only which the tyrant kept When Câ—â—ius heard these words his inward woe In passionate sighs and teares he could not show But thus inflam'd with pious rage gan speake Lanch forth the fleete sailers with speed and breake Through the crosse winds a passage with the oare Braue Captaines follow me never before Knew civill war more worthy ends then these T'interre vnbury'd Manes and appease Pompey with slaughter of th'effaeminate boy Why should not I th' Aegyptians towers destroy And from the temples Alexander take To drowne his hearse in Marcotis lake In Nile Amasis and those Kings with him Digg'd vp from their Pyramides shall swimme All tombes shall rue Pompey 's no sepulcher Isis their goddesse now I le disinter Osiris linnen-cover'd shrine disperse And kill god Aâ—is over Pompey's hearse Vpon a pyle of gods I le burne his head Thus shall the land by me be punished I will not leaue a man to till those fields Nor take the profit that Niles flowing yeilds The gods and people banished and gone Thou father shalt possesse Aegypt alone This said to lanch the fleete forth he assayes But Cato stills the young mans wrath with praise Now ore the shore when Pompey's death was knowne The sky was peirc'd with lamentation A greife not seene not pararell'd at all That common people mourne a great mans fall But when Cornelia quite exhaust with teares Was seene to land with torne dishevel'd haires Their troubled lamentations sounded more Cornelia landed on a friendly shore Gathering the garments and triumphall weedes Of haplesse Pompey that exprest his deedes And ancient trophes painted robes and sheild That thrice great Ioue in triumph had beheld Into the funerall fire she threw them all Such was her lords imagin'd funerall Example from her piety all take And funerall fires all ore the shore they make T' appease the ghosts slaine in Pharsalia So when the shepheards of Apulia Make winter fires on their baâ—e-eaten ground To spring their grasse againe a glistering round The Vulturs arms and high Garganus yeilds And hot Matinus bullocke-pasture fields But not more pleasing was 't to Pompey's spirit That all the people raile at heauen and twit The gods with Pompey then what Cato spoke Few words but from a truth-fill'd breast they broke A Roman's dead not like our ancestry To know the rule of right but good quoth he In this truth scorning age one powerfull growne Not wronging liberty the people prone To serue he only private still remain'd He sway'd the Senate but the Senate reign'd Nought claim'd he by the sword but wish'd what he VVish'd most the Senates freedome to deny Great wealth he had but to the publike hoord He brought far more then he retain'd the sword He tooke but knew the time to lay it downe Arm'd he lov'd peace though armes before the gowne He still prefer'd and ever pleas'd was he Entring or leaving his authority A chast vnriotted house and never stain'd VVith her Lords fortune to all lands remain'd His name renown'd which much availed Rome True liberty long since was gone when home Sylla and Marius came but Pompey dead Even freedomes shadow is quite vanished No Senates face no colour will remaine Of power none now will be asham'd to reigne Oh happy man whom death when conquer'd caught And Aegypts guilt swords to be wisht for brought Perchance thou could'st haue liv'd in Câ—sars state To know the way to dy is mans best fate His next to be compel'd and such to me If captiv'd now fortune let Iuba be Not to be kept to shew the enemy I doe not beg so headlesse kept I be More honour from these words the noble ghost Receiv'd then if the Roman barres should boast Hit praise Now mutinous the souldiers are Since Pompey's death growne weary of the war In which broiles Tarcho Catoes side to quit Tooke vp the colours who prepar'd for flight With all his ships was chid by Cato so Never reclaim'd Cilician wouldst thou goe To thy old theft at sea is Pompey slaine And thou return'd to Pyracy againe Then round about he on each man gan looke Mongst whom one boldly thus to Cato spoke Not hiding his intent 't was not the loue Of civill war but Pompey first did mooue Our armes execuse vs Cato we adhaer'd By favour now he whom the world preferr'd Before her peace is dead our cause is gone Now le ts returne to our left mansion Our houshold gods and children deare to see For what can civill wars conclusion be If not Pharsaliaes field nor Pompeys death Our time of life is spent now let vs breath Our last in peace let our old age provide Our funerall pyles which civill war deny'd Two greatest Captaines For no barbarous Or cruell yoke will fortune lav on vs. No Scythian nor Armenian tyranny The subjects of Romes gowned state are we He that was second Pompey being aliue Is first with vs the highest place we giue His sacred name He whom wars fortunes make Shall be our lord no generall wee 'll take Vnto the war we followed thee alone We 'll follow fate Pompey now thou art gone Nor haue we cause to hope for good successe Since Caesars fortune now doth all possesse Th' Aemathian strength is by his victory Dispers'd we loose his mercy only he Has power and will to spare the conquered Our civill war 's a crime now Pompey's dead 'T was duty while he liv'd If Cato thou Wilt serue thy countrey still le ts follow now
at noone is mounted high Those trees no shadow can diffuse at all Their boughs scarse hide their trunkes No shade or small The Sunbeames make since perpendicular It is perceiv'd this is the region where The summer Tropicke hits the Zodiacke The signes obliquely rise not but direct Nor more direct the Bull then Scorpio Moist Capricornus then hot Cancer goe Nor Gemeni then Sagitarius Nor Leo then oppos'd Aquarius Virgo then Pisces Libraes motion Then Aries But whom the torrid zone Divides from vs those people ever see The shadowes Southward which here Northward be You slowly seeing Cynosure suppose Her vndrench'd carre into the Ocean goes And that no Northerne signe from seas is free You stand far distant from each axeltree Your signes in midst of heaven converted be The Easterne people standing at the doore The oracles of horned Ioue t'implore Gaue place to Cato whom his souldiers ply That of that Libyan far-fam'd deity His future fates event he would be taught Him Labienus most of all besought Chance and the fortune of our way quoth he Lâ—nd vs the mouth of that great deity And his sure counsells we may now implore His powerfull guidance through this war and ore The dangerous Syrtes For to whom should I Beleeue the gods would truly or certify Their secret wills then Catoes holy breast Whose life to heavenly lawes was still addrest And follow'd god behold we now haue heere A freedome given to talke with Iupiter Cato enquires of wicked Caesars fate And know what shall be Romes ensuing state Whether this civill war be made in vaine Or shall our lawes and liberties maintaine Let Ammon's sacred voice thy breast inspire Thou lover of strict vertue now desire To know what vertue is seeke from aboue Approovement of the trueth He full of Ioue Whom in his secret breast he carried ever These temple worthy speeches did deliver What Labienus should I seeke to know If I had rather dye in armes then bow Vnto a Lord if life be nought at all No difference betwixt long life and small If any force can hurt men vertuous If fortune loose when vertue doth oppose Her threats if good desires be happinesse And vertue grow not greater by successe Thus much we know nor deeper can the skill Of Ammon teach The gods are with vs still And though their oracles should silent be Nought can we doe without the gods decree Nor needes he voices what was fit to know The great Creator at our births did show Nor did he choose these barren sands to shew Hiding it heere his trueth but to a few Is there a seate of god saue earth and sea Aire heaven and vertue why for god should we Seeke further what ere moues what ere is seene Is Ioue For oracles let doubtfull men Fearefull of future chances troubled be Sure death not oracles ascertaine mee The coward and the valiant man must fall This is enough for Ioue to speake to all Then marching thence the temples faith he saues And to the people vntry'd Ammon leaues Himselfe afoot before his weary'd bands Marches with piâ—e in hand and not commands But shewes them how to labour never sits In coach or charriot sleepes the least a nights Last tasts the water When a fountaines found He stayes a foot till all the souldiers round And every cullion drinke If fame be due To truest goodnesse if you simply view Vertue without successe what ere we call In greatest Romans great was fortune all Who could deserue in prosperous war such fame Or by the nations blood so great a name Rather had I this vertuous triumph win In Libyaes desert sands then thrice be seene In Pompey's laurell'd charriot or to lead Iugurtha captiue Here behold indeed Rome thy true father by whose sacred name Worthy thy Temples it shall never shame People to sweare whom if thou ere art free Thou wilt hereafter make a deity Now to a torrid clime they came more hot Then which the gods for men created not Few waters heere are seene but in the sands One largely-flowing fountaine only stands But full of Serpents as it could containe There on the bankes hot killing Aspes remaine And Dipsases in midst of water dry VVhen Cato saw his men for thirst would dy Fearing those waters thus he spake to them Feare not to drinke souldiers this wholesome streame Be not affrighted with vaine shewes of death The snakes bite deadly fatall are their teeth VVhen their dire venome mixes with our blood The water 's safe Then of the doubtfull flood He drinkes himselfe there only the first draught Of all the Libyan waters Cato sought VVhy Libyaes aire should be infected so VVith mortall plagues what hurtfull secrets grow Mixt with the noxious soile by natures hand Our care nor labour cannot vnderstand But that the world in the true cause deceiv'd In stead of that a common tale receiv'd In Libyaes farthest part whose scorched ground The Ocean warm'd by setting Sol doth bound Medusas countrey lay whose barren fields No trees doe cloath whose soile no herbage yeilds Chang'd by her looke all stones and rockes they grow Heere hurtfull nature first those plagues did show First from Medusas jawes those serpents growne Hissed with forked tongues and hanging downe Like womans haire vpon her backe gaue strokes Vnto her pleased necke In stead of lockes Vpon her horrid front did serpents hisse Her combe comb'd poyson downe no part but this Safe to be seene about Medusa was For who ere fear'd the monsters mouth and face Whom that had view'd her with an eye direct Did she ere suffer sence of death t' affect She hasten'd doubting fate preventing dread Their bodyes dy'd before their soules were fled Enclosed soules with bodyes turn'd to stone The furyes haires could madnesse worke alone Cerberus hissing Orpheus musicke still'd Alcides saw that Hydra which he kill'd But this strange monster even her father who Is the seas second god her mother too Cetos and Gorgon sisters feared she Could strike a numnesse through the sea and sky And harden all the world into a stone Birds in their flight haue fall'n conjealed downe Running wilde beasts to rockes converted were And all the neighbouring Aethiopians there To marble statues not a creature brookes The sight of her t' avoide the Gorgons lookes Her snakes themselues backeward themselues invert She neere Alcides pillars could convert Titanian Altâ—s to an hill and those Giants with serpents feete that durst oppose The gods themselues those wars in Phlegra field Her face could end but shew'd in Pallas sheild Thither the sonne of showre rap'd Daâ—ae Borne on th' Arcadian wings of Mercury Inventer of the harpe and wrestling game Flying through th' aire with borrow'd Harpe came Harpe whom monsters blood before did staine When he that kept Ioves loued cow was slaine Aide to her winged brother Pallas gaue Conditioning the Gorgons head to haue She bids him fly to Libyaes Easterne bound His face averted or the Gorgons ground In his left
Quiet well temper'd aire doth Ioue possesse The seedes of all things Venus cherishes Cyllenius rules ore waters which are great He when he enters where the dog-stâ—rs heat And burning fire 's display'd there where thâ— signe Of Cancer hot doth with the Lyon joyne And where the Zodiacke holds his Capricorne And Cancer vnder which Niles head is borne Ore which when Mercuryes proud fires doe stand And in a line direct as by command Of Phaebe the obeying Ocean growes So from his open'd fountaine Nilus flowes Nor ebâ—s againe till night haue from the Sun Those howers recover'd which the summer wor. Vaine was the old opinion that Niles flow Was caus'd or help'd by Aethiopian snow For on those hills cold Boreas never blowes As there the natiues Sunburnt visage showes And moist hot Southerne windes Besides the head Of every streame that from thaw'd iâ—e is bred Swells then when first the spring dissolues the snowes But Nile before the dogâ—dayes never flowes Nor is confin'd within his bankes againe Till the Autumnal aequinoctian Thence t is he knowes no lawes of other streames Nor swells in winter when Sols scorching beames Are far remote his waters want their end But Nile comes forth in summer time to lend A cooler temper to the sweltring aire Vnder the torrid zone least fire impaire The earth vnto her succour Nilus drawes And swells against the Lyons burning jawes And when hot Cancer his Siene burnes Vnto her aide implored Nilus turnes Nor till the Sun to Autumne doe descend And that hot Meroë her shades extend Doth he restore againe the drowned field Who can the causes of this flowing yeild Even so our mother nature hath decreed That Nile should flow and so the world hath neede As vainely doth antiquity declare The West windes cause of this increases are Which keepe their seasons strictly and long stay And beare within the aire continu'd sway These from the Westerne parts all clouds exile Beyond the South and hang them over Nile Or else their blasts the rivers current meete And will not let it to the Ocean get Prevented so from falling to the maine The streame swells backe and overflowes the plaine Some through the cavernes of earths hollow won be In secret channells thinke these waters come Attracted to th' aequator from the cold North clime when Sol his Merâ—ë doth hold The scorched earth attracting water thither Ganges and Padus flow vnseene together Venting all rivers at one fountaine so VVithin one channell Nilus cannot goe From th' Ocean swelling which beguirts about All lands some thinke encreased Nile breakes out The waters loose ere they so far haue ran Their saltnesse quite Besides the Ocean Is the stars fond we thinke which Phoebius drawes VVhen he possesseth fiery Cancers claws More then the aire digests attraced so Falls backe by night and causes Nilus flow I thinke if I may judge so great a case Some waters since the world created was In after ages from some broken vaine Of earth haue growne some god did then ordaine VVhen he created all the world whose tides By certaine lawes the great Creator guides Caesar's desire to know our Nilus spring Possest th Aegyptian Persian Graecian King No age but striv'd to future time to teach This skill none yet his hidden nature reach Philipp's great son Memphis most honourd King Sent to th' earths vtmost bounds to finde Niles spring Choise Aethiops they trode the sunburnt ground Of the hot zone and there warme Nilus found The farthest VVest our great Sesostris saw VVhilest captiue Kings did his proud charriot draw Yet there your Rhodanus and Padus spy'd Before our Nâ—les hid fountaine he descry'd The mad Cambises to the Easterne lands And lonâ—-liv'd people came His famisht bands Qâ—te spent and with each others a slaughter fed Return'd thou Nile yet vndiscovered No tale dares mention thine originall Th' art sought wherever seene No land at all Can boast that Nile is hers Yet I le reveale As far as that same god that doth conceale Thy spring inspires me From th' Antarticke pole Vnder hot Cancer doe thy surges rowle Directly North winding to East and VVest Sometimes th' Arabians sometimes Libyans blest VVith fruitfullnesse thou mak'st the Seres spy Thee first and seeke thee too thy channell by The Aethiopians as a stranger flowes And the world knowes not to what land it owes Thy sacred head which nature hid from all Lest any land should see thee Nilus small She turn'd away thy spring and did desire No land should know it but all lands admire Thou in the summer Solstice art oreflowne Bringing with thee a winter of thine owne VVhen winter is not ours nature alone Suffers thy streames to both the poles to run Not there thy mouth not heere thy spring is found Thy parted channell doth encompasse round Meroë fruitfull to blacke husband-men And rich in Eben wood whose leaues though greene Can with no shade asswage the summers heat Vnder the Lion so directly set From thence thy current with no waters losse Ore the hot zone and barren deserts goes Sometimes collected in one channell going Sometimes dispers'd and yeilding bankes oreflowing His parted armes againe collected slide In one slow streame where Philas doth divide Arabia from Aegypt Ore the sand VVhere the red sea by one small necke of land From ours is kept thou Nile doest gently flow Oh who would thinke thou ere so rough couldst grow That sees thee gentle heere but when thy way Steâ—pe Catarackts and craggy rockes would stay Thy never-curbed waues with scorne despise Those petty lets and foaming Iaue the skyes Thy waters sound with noise the neighbouring hills Thy conquering streame with froath grown hoary fills Hence he with fury first assaults that I le Which our forefathers did Abatos stile And those neare rockes which they were pleas'to call The rivers veines because they first of all His swelling growth did show Hence nature did His stragling waues within high mountaines hide Which part thee Nile from Affricke betwixt those As in a vale thy pent vp water flowes At Memphis first thou runn'st in fields and plaines VVhere thy proud streame all bankes and bounds disdaines Thus they secure as if in peace a part Of night discours'd But base Photinus heart Once stain'd with sacred blood could nere be free From horrid thoughts Since Pompey's murder he Counts nought a crime great Pompey's Manes bide Within his breast and vengefull furyes guide His thoughts to monsters new hoping to staine Base hands with Caesars blood which fates ordaine Great Senators shall shed Fate to a slaue That day almost the Senates vengeance gaue The mulct of civill war Oh gods defend Let none that life in Brutus absence end Shall th' execution of Romes tirant be Base Aegypts crime and that example dy Bold man he makes attempt against fates course Nor at close murder aimes by opâ—n force A most vnconquer'd Captaine he assaults So much are mindes embolden'd by their faults He durst the death of Caesar
â—nâ—ique venis Discursusque animae diversa in membra meantis Interceptus aquis nullius vita perempti Est tanta dimissa via But others say he did not repeat these Verses but those in the ninth Booke Sanguis erant lachrymae quaecunque foramina novit Humor ab his largus manat cruor ora redundant Et patulae nares sudor rubet omnia plenis Membra fluunt venis totum est pro vulnere corpus These were his last words Hee dyed the day before the Calends of May in the seven and twentyeth yeare of his age Nerva Syllanus and Vestinius Atticus being Consuls He was buryed at Rome in his owne most faire and sumpteous Gardens To my chosen Friend The learned Translator of LVAN THOMAS MAY Esquire WHen Rome I reade thee in thy mighty paire And see both climing vp the slippery staire Of Fortunes wheele by Lucan driv'n about And the world in it I begin to doubt At every line some pin thereof should slacke At least if not the generall Engine craâ—ke But when againe I vtew the parts so peiz'd And those in number so and measure rais'd As neither Pompey's popularity Caesar's ambitions Cato's liberty Calme Brutus tenor start but all along Keepe due proportion in the ample song It makes me ravish'd with iust wonder cry What Muse or rather God of harmony Tâ—ught Lucan these true moodes replyes my sence What gods but those of arts and eloquece Phoebus and Hermes They whose tongue or pen Are still th' interpreters twixt gods and men But who hath them interpreted and brought Lucans whole frame vnto vs and so wrought As not the smallest ioynt or gentlest word In the great masse or machine there is stirr'd The selfe same Genius so the worke will say The Sunne translated or the Sonne of May. Your true friend to Iudgement and Choise BEN. IONSON Vpon this vnaequall'd worke and the Author ROme had beene still my wonder I had knowne Lucan in no expression but his owne And had as yet coniectur'd it a wrong To haue prais'd Caesar in another tongue To bring foorth One that could but vnderstand I thought a pride too great for any Land Yea for Romes selfe Who would be posde to tell How great she was when she could write so well Tell truth was neerer brought by thee till I Found Lucan Languag'd like my infancy Till Rome was met in England in that State That was at once her greatnesse and her fate So all to vs discover'd that naught 's hid Which either she could speake or Caesar did Beyond which nothing can be done by thee Though thou hadst more of Lucan then we see Reveal'd in this wherein there is so much Of myracle that I durst doubt him such As thou hast rendred him But that I know T is crosse to be thy friend and Lucans foe Whom thou hast made so much thy selfe that we May almost striue about his Pedigree Since Rome hath nothing left to prooue him hert But the foule instance of his Murtherers So neatly hast thou rob'd her of his name That she can onely reskew't with a shame Which may she doe whilst Nations reckon thee Lucan in all except Romes infancy I. VAVGHAN LVCANS Pharsalia The first Booke The Argument of the first Booke The fatall causes of this warre are showne Enraged Caesar passes Rubicon Invades Arim'num where to him from Rome Curio and both the banish'd Tribunes come With new incitements to these civill Warres Caesar's Oration to his Souldiers Bold Laelius protestation which by all The rest confirmed makes the Generall Draw out from every part of France at once His now dispers'd and wintring Legions Rome's feare great Pompey with the Senate flyes Heaven ayre and earth are fill'd with prodigies The Prophets thence and learned Augures show The wrath of Heaven and Romes ensuing woe WArres more then civill on Aemathian plaines We sing rage licens'd where great Rome disdaines In her owne bowels her victorie us swords Where kindred hoasts encounter all accords Of Empire broke where arm'd to impious warre The strength of all the shaken world from farre Is met knowne Ensignes Ensignes doe defie Piles a against Piles ' gainst Eagles Eagles fly What fury Countreymen what madnesse cou'd Moove you to feast your foâ—s with Roman blood And choose such warres as could no triumphs yeeld Whilst yet proud Babylon vn or quer'd held The boasting trophaes of a Roman hoast And vnrevenged wander'd Crassus b Ghost Alas what Seas what Lands might you haue tane With that bloods losse which ciuill haÌ„ds haue drawne Yours had been Titans rising yours his sett The Kingdomes scorched in Meridian heate And those where winter which no spring can ease With lasting cold doth glaze the Sâ—ythian seas The Seres yours the wilde Araxis too And those that see Niles spring if any doe Then ' gainst thy selfe if warre so wicked Rome Thou loue when all the world is overcome Turne backe thy hand thou didst not want a Foe But now that walles of halfe fall'n houses so Hang in Italian Townes vast stones we see Of ruin'd walles whole houses empty be And ancient Townes are not inhabited That vntill'd Italy's with weedes orespread And the neglected Plowes want labouring hands Not thou fierce Pyrrhus nor the Punicke Bands This waste haue made no sword could reach so farre Deepe pierce the wounds receiu'd in ciuill warre But if no other way to Neroes raigne The â—ates could finde if gods their Crownes obtaine At such deare rates and Heaven could not obey Her Ioue but after the sterne Giants fray Now we complaine not gods mischiefe and warre Pleasing to vs since so rewarded are Let dire Pharsalia grone with armed Hoasts And glut with blood the Carthaginian Ghosts With these let Munda's c fatall Battle goe Mutina's d Siedge Perusias e famine too To these add Actiums f bloody Navall fight And neere Sicilia g Sextus slavish Fleete Yet much owes Rome to civill â—nmity For making thee our Prince when thou the sky Though late shalt clime chaÌ„gethine earthly reigne Heaven as much grac'd with ioy shall entertaine And welcome thee whether thou wouldst put on Ioues Crowne or ride in Phoebus burning Throne Earth will not feare the change theÌ„ce maist thou shine Downe on thy World to thee all power divine Will yeild and Nature to thy choise will give What god to be or where in Heaven to liue But neere the Northern Beaâ—e oh doe not reigne Nor crosse the point of the Meridian From whence obliquely thou shouldst Rome behold If all thy weight one part of Heaven should hold The Honour'd loade would bowe heavens Axletree Hold thou the middle of the poysed Sky Let all the ayre betweene transparent be And no darke Cloud twixt vs and Caesar fly Then let Mankinde forget all warre and strife And every Nation loue a peacefull life Let peace through all the world in this blest state Once more shut warre like Ianus Iron gate Oh be my god If thou this breast inspire
Phoebus from Cirrhaes shades I 'll not desire Nor Nysa's Bacchus Caesar can infuse Vertue enough into a Roman muse The cause of these great actions I le declare And ope a mighty worke what drew to warre Our furious People and the World beside Fates envious course continuance still deny'd To mighty States who greatest falls still feare And Rome not able her owne weight to beare So when the knot of Nature is dissolu'de And the worlds Ages in one houre inuolu'd In their old Chaos Seas with Skyes shall ioyne And Starres with Starres confounded loose their shine The Earth no longer shall extend her shore To keepe the Ocean out the Moone no more Follow the Sunne but scorning her old way Crosse him and claime the guidance of the day The falling worlds now iarring frame no peace No league shall hold great things themselues oppresse The gods this bound to groning states haue set But to no Forraine armes would Fortune yet Lend her owne envy ore great Rome that awes Both Land and Sea shee 's her owne ruines cause Subiected ioyntly to three b Lords how ill Prooue shared rules accords and fatall still Ambition blinded Lords what 's th' happinesse To mixe your powers and ioyntly th' earth possesse Whilest Land the Sea and Ayre the Land shall bound Whilest labouring Titan runnes his glorious round And through twelue heavenly signes night follows day No faith keepe those that kingdomes ioyntly sway Rule brookes no sharers doe not this beleeue In forraine states Rome can examples giue A brothers bloud did our first walls distaine Nor was the spacious earth and watry maine This mischiefes price a refuge for theeues fled A little house this brothers hatred bred This iarring concord lasted for a space Dissembled twixt the two for Crassus was The warres sole let like that small necke of land That in the middst of two great Seas doos stand And will not let them ioyne that tane away Straight the Ioniâ—n meets th' Aegaean Sea So when war parting Crassâ—â— sadly slaine With Romane bloud did Asian Charan staine That Parthian losse to homebred rage gaue reines More then you thinke you did fierce Parthians That day our civill war your conquest wrought And now Romes Empire by the sword is sought That State that mistresse ore the World did reigne Rulde Land and Sea yet could not two conteine For Iulia's t deâ—th whom cruell Fates before Had slaine the pledge of their alliance bore Downe to her graue if Fate had spar'de her life Her furious husband and sterne fathers strife She had compos'de and made their armed hands Let fall their swords and ioyne in friendships bands As once the Sabin women enterposde Their sires and husbands bloody iarres composde Thy death faire Iulia breakes off all accords And giues them leaue againe to draw their swords On both sides powerfull aemusation beares On their ambitious spirits great Pompey feares That his piâ—aticke Laurell should giue place To conquerde France and Caesars deeds deface His ancient triumphs fortunes constant grace Makes him impatient of a second place Nor now can Caesar a superior brooke Nor Pompey brooke a peere who justlier tooke Vp armes great Iudges differ heaven approoues The conquering cause the conquerde Cato loues Nor were they aequall one in yeares was growne And long accustomde to a peacefull gowne Had now forgot the Souldier Fame he bought By bounty to the people and much sought For popular praise his Theaters loud shout Was his delight new strength he sought not out Relying on his ancient fortunes fame And stood the shadow of a glorious name As an old lofty Oake that heeretofore Great Conquerors spoiles and sacred Trophies bore Stands firme by his owne weight his roote now dead And through the ayre his naked boughes does spread And with his trunke not leaues a shaddow makes He though each blast of Easterne winde him shakes And round about well rooted Trees doe grow Is onely honour'd but in Ceasar now Remaines not onely a great Generalls name But restlesse valour and in waâ—re a shame Not to be Conquerâ—ur fierce not curb'd at all Ready to fight where hope or anger call His forward Sword confident of successe And hold the fauour of the gods to presse Orethrowing all that his ambition stay And loues that ruine should enforce his way As lightning by the winde fâ—rc'd from a cloude Breakes through the wounded aire with thunder loud Disturbes the Dâ—y the people terrifyes And by a light oblique dazels our eyes Not Ioues owne Temple spares it when no force No barre an hinder his prevailing course Great waâ—e as foâ—rth it fallyes and roures It makes and gathers his dispersed fires These causes mâ—ou'd the Cheâ—fes and such as are In mightâ— stâ—tes the common seeds of warre For since our Câ—ests the conquer'd world hath fill'd Too full and vertue did to riches yeild Since spoiles and warrelike rapine taught vs riot Excesse in Plate in buildings reignes he dyeâ— Of formertimes wee scoâ—n that soft attire That Women were asham'd of Men desire Strength-breeding pouerty is fled and nought But wealth from all the spoiled world is sought The banc of States those Lands encreas'd they hold In th' hands of vnknowne Tenants which of old Caemillus plow share wounded and the hands Of th' ancient Curii till'd the state now stands Not as of old when men from auarice free Could liue in peace and wisht but liberty Hence quarrels grow what pouerty esteemed A vild offence now 's greatest honour deem'd By Sword our Countreys power in curbe to hold Might measures â—ight Lawes and decrees are sold Consuls and Tribunes iarres all right suppresse Fasces are bought the peoples suffrages Corruptly sought and giuen hence bloody iarres Oft staine elections in the field of Maâ—s So griping Vsury growes so faith is lâ—st And ciuill warre as gainefull sought by most By this time Caesar the cold Alpes orepast In his great thoughts the future warre had cast And now to Rubicon's small current come He dreames the Image of affrighted Rome With countenance sad through dusky night appearesâ— On her towre-bearing head her hoary haires Hung downe all torne her armes were nak'd when she Tâ—us sighing speakes oh whither carry yee My Ensignes Souldiers If you come as friends As Roman Citizens your march here ends k A suddaine feare straight chilles the generall veines His haire 's with horrour rais'd faintnesse detaines His steps vpon the banke then thus he praâ—â—s Thou Ioue whose eye these Citie walles surueyes From thy Tarpeian hill You Deiâ—ies Of Troy and Romulus hid misteries Thou Latian Ioue worshipt on th' Alban mount You Vestall fires and Rome whom I account My greatest God blesse this attempt not thee Doe I inuade Conquerour by land and sea Thy Caesar comes thy Souldier still Be hee He in the fault that caus'd this enmity Then brooking no delay the streame showre-swell'd He marches ore so in a â—ibyan field A Lion viewing his sterne foe at hand Till he collect his