the Obedience of the Carthaginians in which Art Hannibal no less excelled as appeared not onely at his first entrance on his â—ommand which gained him the ready Obedience of that vast Army led by him into Italy but among the Gauls and Italy it self And for this he himself commends Pyrrhuâ— at that Interview with Scipio at the Court of Antiochus as an eminent Virtue in him Vide Liv. lib. 35. Arts He makes his Party now with Arms subverts Decrees of Senate now with Bribes appears The first to walk on Foot the first that bears A part if haste require a Trench to make The first that all Attempts would undertake Remiss in nothing that to Honour tends Refuseth nature Rest and watchfull spends The night in Arms. Now by his Cassock known Mix'd with the Libyssaean Foot lies down On th' Earth contending with the Steel he wore In Hardness sometimes he 'd Advance before His num'rous Troops and with a valiant Hand Perform in Person what he did Command Sometimes on his bare Head he 'd entertain The Ruins of the Heav'ns their Storms and Rain The Tyrians saw th' Asturians did admire To see when Iove did dart his forked Fire When Thunder fell in Storms and every Blast Of Wind struck forth the Flames how bold he past Through all on 's snorting Steed nor would retire Though clog'd with Dust and scorch'd with Sirius fire And when the sultry Air did frie with Heat That parch'd the Earth they seem'd Effeminate Who sought a Shade while He to exercise His Thirst where er'e he sees a Fountain flies His sole Delight 's to dress a furious Horse For War and to be famous for the Force Of 's killing Arm to swim a Stream unknown Or'e Ecchoing Rocks t' assail the Foe upon The adverse Bank The first that would ascend To scale a Wall and when he did contend In open Fight where er'e his Sword did go It carried Death and Streams of Blood did flow Being therefore now resolv'd to violate The Sacred League he urgeth on his Fate And where he can on Rome's Allies doth fall And storms in farthest Lands the Capitol His waving Ensigns first displaiâ—d for love Of greater Wars against (m) Alteia Hermandica Arbacaia and some other Provinces of Spain had before felt the Fury of the Carthaginians but Sagunthus was the first Confederate City with the Romanes that was Attaqued by them It is now called Mor-viedro Scituate upon the River Iberus or Ebro about a mile from the Sea great onely in its Fame of this memorable Siege Sagunthus move The Walls first built by Hercules not far From Sea upon a rising Hill appear Whose noble Name Zacynthus there by Fate Entomb'd upon the Top did consecrate He among others of Alcides Train Return'd to Thebes the fam'd Gerion (n) Three Brothers that Reigned in Spain with such admirable Unanimity that all seemed to be Governed by one Mind which gave Birth to this Fable They were subdued by Hercules slain Three Souls that Monster did inform three pair Of Hands his Head a triple Neck did bear Earth ne'r beheld another could survive One Death to whom the Fates three Lives did give Yet here the Conqu'rour shew'd his Spoils and as In Heat of day the Captive Heards did pass Unto the Springs a Serpent kick'd by chance Big with enflaming Poison did advance His tumid Jaws and by a deadly Wound Lay'd the Inachian dead on Spanish Ground About that time an exil'd Colonie Born in an Island of the Grecian Sea Came from the South and by Zacynthus there To Ithaca's Dominions added were The Daunian Youth wanting a dwelling then Rich in their Numbers led by Valiant men Sent from a City which we Ardea term Arrivâ—d their weak Beginnings to confirm These by Agreement with the Romane State Having their Liberties inviolate And Honour of their Ancestours forsook What they had long endur'd the Tyrian Yoak Against these therefore his incensed Bands Breaking the League fierce Hannibal commands Disturbs their Peace with Arms. Shaking his Head Himself high-mounted on his panting Steed Surveys the Walls and when he had beheld The trembling Houses Summons them to yield Their Gates and Forts tells them That Italie Their Leagueâ— and hop'd-for Aids far distant be Nor should his Mercy meet them if subdu'de By Arms That all the Senate could conclude Their Laws and Statutes nay their Gods and Faith Were now within his Power And what he saith Confirms by 's Javelin thrown against the Walls Which on Caïcus vainly threat'ning falls And through his Arms his Body pierc'd He slain And tumbling from the Rampart brings again To the insulting Conquerour his Dart Reeking in Blood and trembling in his Heart The rest th' Example of the General With Shouts pursue and streight obscure the Wall With a dark Cloud of Darts Nor was their clear Valour in Number lost each man doth bear Himself against the foremost as if he Alone would undertake the Enemie Here one the Sling with frequent Jerks doth ply Which waved thrice about his Head le ts flie A Weapon with the Winds which in the Air Is lost to sight Huge Stones another there Flings from his sinewy Arm this doth advance And from the slippery nouse expells a Lance. But Hannibal before all other rich In 's Father's Arms now flings with flaming Pitch A smoaking Lamp then hurls his Javelin now With Stakes and Stones doth press upon the Foe Or poison'd Arrows sends and doth applaud Insulting as they flie his Quiver's fraud Such Shafts the Daci on the Getique Coast Steep'd in the Poison of their Countrie boast And by the Banks of two-nam'd (o) It being also called Danubius by the Scythians by reason of an unfortunate Expedition they once made over it Eustath in Dion Ister shoot But now it is decreed and they about The Hill their horned Bulwarks raise and round The City armed Towers do abound Oh Faith by antient Times ador'd which now On Earth we onely by thy Name do know The Valiant Youth resolved stand and see All hope of Flight cut off their Walls to be Begirt with Arms yet think a noble Death Most worthy Rome And that Sagunthus Faith By them preserv'd she might more Glorious fall Then stand they now more resolutely all Their Strength collect Then from contracted Strings Stones of vast Bulk the Phocaean (p) The Balista was a kinde of Sling invented saith Pliny lib. 7. cap. 36. by the Phoenicians wherewith they cast Stones Spears Darts c. and is here called Phocaean for that the Sagunthines were descended of the Thebans in whose Territory was Phoâ—â—s Engine slings Or changing weight whole Trees with Iron bound Ejects that breaking through the Ranks confound A Shout both Armies raise and furious come To Blows as if they had besieged Rome Among so many thousands that did stand Circled in Arms like Corn on fertile Land Bold Hannibal desirous to enspire Into his Armie's minds that furious Fire Was lodg'd in his own
shew Their high-built Tow'rs that there by Night had bin Erected and the City compass'd in All Action 's lay'd aside the Souldier's sad The Siege declines that Heat stands still that had So Active been and in that Danger all Their Cares are turn'd upon the General The (x) The Sagunthines Rutuli by this the Seas had crost Beginning now to see th' Herculean Coast And Cloud-encompass'd Rocks that to the Skies From the (y) Monoecian Hills hanging over a little Port where Hercules had a Temple called Monoecian because he would allow no other God to share with him in his Temple And it was a Canon in the Augural Laws That no Chapel or Temple should be dedicated to two Gods for that if any Prodigie happened the Priests could not determine to which of the two Deities they should Sacrifice Val. Max. lib. 1. cap. 1. Monoecian Hills aspiring rise Here Thracian Boreas his Imperial Seat Maintains and always Cold sometimes doth beat Upon the Shore sometimes with roaring Wings Cleaves ev'n the Alps and when himself he flings Over the Earth from the still-Icie Bear No other Winds against him dare appear With whirling Blasts the Ocean is broke Into divided Waves that rise in Smoak And hide the Hills from sight then as he flies Heaves Rhene and Rhodanus unto the Skies When this dire Fury of fierce Boreas they Had scap'd th' alternate Dangers of the Sea And their sad War and dubious Success Of things with frequent Sighs they thus express Dear Countrey Faith's renowned Temple where Are now thy Fates do yet thy Tow'rs appear Sacred on Hills Or of so Great a Name Do Ashes the sad Reliques of a Flame Onely remain ye Gods Oh! fill our Sails With gentle Winds and give us prosp'rous Gales If that our Temples Roofs the Fire invade Not yet or Latian Ships can lend us Aid In such Complaints they Day and Night deplore Their State untill on the Italian Shore The Ship arriv'd where Father Tyber made More rich by Anyo's Waters doth invade With Yellow Waves the Sea From thence they come Unto the Walls of their own-kindred Rome The Consul calls a Solemn Council where Fathers of unstain'd (z) The Primitive Virtue of the Romanes was eminently Glorious in the incorruptible Poverty of some of their Consuls as Q. Cincinnatus Serranus M. Curius Dentatus Fabritius c. Who contemned the Tentations of their greatest Enemies contenting themselves with little Possessions and choosing rather to command over a Wealthy People then be rich Themselves See Livy's Epit. lib. 14. Poverty appear Whose worthy Names do from their Triumphs rise A Senate that in Virtue equalize The Gods such Men as valiant Acts to Fame Commend whom just Desires of Right enflame Their Beards and Hair neglected on their Brow Their Hands familiar with the crooked Plow Content with little Hearts whom no desire Of Wealth torments who often did retire To their small Lares in Triumphal Cars But at the Temple-Gates the Spoils of Wars Their Captiv'd Chariots and Weapons stain'd With Blood Opimous Spoils which they had gain'd From Generals with Axes terrible In Fight then Bars of Gates whose Cities fell Under their Fury Targets pierced through By Darts and Swords hang up and here they view Aegathes War Ships scatter'd on the Sea Whose Stems there hanging Testimonials be Of Libya's vanquish'd Fleet the Helmets here Of curled Senones are fix'd and there The Sword the Judg of their (a) The Romanes besieged in the Capitol by the Gauls Articled to give some Talents for their Ransome The Gauls brought false Scales and the Romane Tribune refusing to weigh the Gold so much to their disadvantage an Insolent Gaul cast his Sword into the heavier Scale intimating they would have on all Advantage But Camilluâ— arriving at the same Instant to their Relief this Sword was taken and the Gauls repulsed kept as a Sacred Relique in the Capitol redeeming Gold With these the honour'd Trophies of the bold (b) Camillus was a Noble Romane no less famous for the Preservation of his Countrey then Romulus for Founding it He was five times Dictatour and was chosen by the Besieged Romanes to his second Dictatour-ship while he was in Banishment At which time he gave that memorable Defeat to the Gauls The Arms which he wore in that Expedition were preserved in the Capitol See Livy lib. 5. Camillus and his Arms in Triumph borne The Gauls now all repuls'd at his Return Here were the Spoils of great (c) Pyrrhus descended from Aeâ—cus King of Spain who gave great Testimonies of his Virtue in his Expedition into Italy to Aid the Tarâ—â—tines against the Romanes With whom he 〈◊〉 several Conflicts with various Events and was forced to quitt Italy 〈◊〉 Conduct of Fabritius Aeacides And Epirotick Ensigns among these Dreadfull Ligurian Crests with the rude Shield Of Spain and Alpine (d) The Gesa were a sort of Weapons used by the Celtick Gauls and seem by Varro to have been Long and Slender like Darts For that such as had no Targets carried more then one of them in their Hands Those reserved in the Capitol were either taken by Camillus or from the Celtae who as Appian were Mercenaries to the Carthaginians in the first Punick War Gesa they beheld But when the Ruins they had born and fear'd As written in their Squallid Looks appear'd So that Sagunthus Image seem'd to stand Before their Eyes and their Last Aid demand Grave Sycoris with Tears began and saith Ye Romanes famous for your sacred Faith Whom justly all the Nations that give place Unto your Arms acknowledg Mars his Race Think not that we have measur'd o're the Sea For Dangers light Our Walls and Countrey we Besieg'd and falling saw and there whom wilde Beasts or the raging Seas brought forth beheld Fierce Hannibal Far from these Walls Oh! far Keep him ye Gods I pray and to our War Confine his dreadfull Hand What mighty Beams He hurls How Strong how Great in Arms he seems Over Pyrene's Hills he makes his Way And scorning that (e) Iberus now called Ebro runneth from its Fountain in Cantabria with a large Navigable Stream through a large Tract of Ground by many fair Cities for the space of two hundred and threescore Miles The Carthaginians were obliged by the Articles between them and the Romanes after the first War not to pass over this River Which Articles were violated by Hannibal who this way led his Armie over the Pyrenaeâ—n-Hills near which it runs in his March towards Italy Iberus Flood should stay His Speed he listeth Calpe in his Bands With those that dive in (f) A People bordering upon the greater Lybian Syrts whose manner of Living is described by the Noble Lucan Lib. 9 and thus by Mr. May Yet this dull Earth Unto a few small Hearbs affords 〈◊〉 Which are the hardy Nasamonians Fare Near the Sea-Coast they bleakly seated are Whom barbarous Syrts with the World's Loss maintain For Spoil they still upon
They to whom Fate the Victory did give (d) After the Battel of Cannae nothing was wanting to the Subversion of the Romane Fortune but Hannibal's Vigorous Prosecution of his Victory in besieging Rome it self which neglected gave her time to recover that memorable Defeat Were nearest to their Fall The Phrygian Powers In Triumph enter Carthaginian (e) The Romane Conquerour Scipio who first entred Carthage Towers Rome's Palaces (f) Hannibal thinking to divert Qu. Fulvius from the Siege of Capua advanced with his Army to the very walls of Rome where He was repulsed by prodigious Storms See Book 13. Sidonian Troops surround While onely in her Walls she Safety found The Cause of so great Rage and Hate with Care (g) Alluding to Dido's Execration at her Death on Aeneas's Posterity Exoriare aliquis nostris exossibus ultor Qui face Dardanios ferroque sequare Colonos Then from our Bones shall some Revenger rise To persecute the Trojan Colonies With Fire and Sword Ogilby Vieg Aen. l. 4. Bequeathing to their Nephews endless War Let me relate and their dark Counsels scan The Source of so great Stirs which thus began (h) It is not easie to reconcile Appian Eusebius and Iosephus concerning the Building of Carthage The first affirming it to be built fifty Years before the Destruction of Troy the other seventy Years after the Building of Rome and the last more then three hundred years after Troy was destroy'd But most conclude it to have been built by Dido who when her Brother Pygmalion had slain her Husband for his Wealth which she got into her Possession fled with such Friends as hated the Tyranny of Pygmalion by Sea into Lybia where the Inhabitants refusing to let her share in their Countrey She onely desired to purchase as much Land as Shee could encompass with a Bull 's Hide Which Request seeming ridiculous was easily granted and the Hide cut into small Thongs encompass'd all that Ground where the Tower called Byrsa was built which first denominated the City that afterward called Carthage contended with Rome in Greatness See Appian in his Book De Lybic Long since when Dido fled her Native Land Polluted by her Brother 's Impious Hand By Chance on Libya's fatal Coast she falls And on her purchas'd Land erects new Walls With a Bull's-Hide in Thongs divided round Encompass'd and set out the measur'd Ground Here Iuno as the Antient Story goes Neglecting Argos and Mycenae those Belov'd and pleasant Seats desir'd to build Eternal Mansions for her dear Exil'd But when She saw Rome raise her lofty Head So high and crossing Seas her Eagles spread Through all the World mov'd by a Jealous Fear She the Phoenicians fill'd with Thoughts of War But these at first repress'd and having lost Their high Attempts on the (i) Sicanian Coast. Where with a Fleet of three hundred Ships Luctatius overthrew a Navy of double the Number and thereby forced the Carthaginians to quit Sicily Sardina and other Isles in the Sea between Africk and Italy and accept a dishonourable Peace Sicanian Coast Again she Arms prepares One Captain may Suffice Her to embroil the Earth and Sea And He was Hannibal who now puts on All Her dire Fury Him She dares alone Ev'n 'gainst the Fates oppose When Joy'd to finde A Man so bloody casting in her Minde The Ills that She would bring on Italy Shall that Dardanian Fugitive said She His Troy and Houshold-Gods twice Captivate In Spight of Me to Latium translate And for the Trojans Latine Scepters found (k) Ticinus a small River in Lombardy that falls into the Po more renowned by Hannibal's first Encounter with the Consul Corn. Scipio who was worsted by him then by the City of the same Name See the Fourth Book Ticinus rather may thy Banks abound With slaughter'd Romanes and my (l) Trâ—bia a River near Placâ—ntia where in a second Conflict the Consul Sempronius was overthrown by Hannibal See the same place Trebia's Flood Swell through the Celtick Plains with Trojan Blood And Troubled (m) Thrasimen a Lake in the Plains of Perusia near which Hannibal overthrew the Romane Army and slew the Consul Caius Flaminius See Book 5. Thrasimenus backward fly Affrighted at the Streams of Purple Dy. So I may see Hesperian (n) Cannae a small Village in Apulia where the Romanes received a most signal Overthrow See Book 9. Cannae Crown'd With Bodies and in Blood the Vallies drown'd And Thee swift (o) Aufidus descending with a strong Current from the Hirpin Hills emptieth it self into the Adriatick Sea Aufidus incertain where To leave a Ford when as no Banks appear Lab'ring o're Arms and scatter'd Limbs thy Way To break into the Adriatick Sea This said the Youth who nothing else desires But Broils and War with Martial Thoughts she fires Faithless repleat with Guil Unjust was He And when once arm'd contemn'd the Deity Valiant but Cruel hating Peace and fir'd With a strange Thirst of Humane Blood desir'd Then in His pride of Youth to wipe away His Father's (p) Not onely the Dishonour of Amilâ—ar His Father's Repulse out of Sicily but the Loss of many other Victories by former Generals both by Sea and Land Stains and i' th' Sicilian Sea To drown all Leagues Iuno with Hope of Praise Inflames his Heart to which His Soul obeys Now in His Dreams He seems to break into The Capitol and o're the Alps to go Oft in His troubled Sleep rising by Night With horrid Cries His Servants Hee 'd affright Who found Him bath'd in Sweat His future War To wage and beat with Rage the empty Air. This Fury against Italy abus'd While yet a (q) Amilcar about to lead an Army into Spain and having Thoughts of a greater War against the Romanes Hannibal then nine years old flattering Him to go wtih Him it is said that He caused the Childe to lay His Hand on the Altar and to swear that so soon as He was able He would become an Enemy to the Romanes Childe his Father had infus'd (r( Belus was the Father of Dido and King of Phoenice from whom Amilcar Barca likewise descended his Ancestour her Kinsman accompanying her in her Flight Born of the Noble Barcean Race deriv'd From ancient Belus For when first depriv'd Of her Sichaeus Dido fled from Tyre The Belian Youth t' escape the Tyrian's Ire Join'd to her Train resolved to embrace Her Fate and Fortune from that Noble Race Amilcar fam'd for Valour claim'd Descent And studious former Hatred to foment Soon as his Son could speak and Words exprest Kindled the Romane War within His Breast Amidst the City circled by a Grove Of shady Yew that did all Light remove A Temple stood built to Eliza's Ghost And dreadfull held through all the Tyrian Coast. Here as 't is said the Queen with Her own Hand Her self from Grief absolv'd sad Statues stand Of Father Belus and in Order all His Off-Spring with Agenor whom they
Circle up with winding Streams Over whose Banks fierce Hannibal from far Calls (o) Upon Conclusion of the first Punick War the Carthaginians were obliged by Article not to pass over the River â—berus which Article was transgressed by Hannibal Africk-People to the Romane War On his broad Shoulders as he smiling tries These wealthy Presents proudly thus he cries In how much Romane Blood shall I imbrue These Arms with how great Punishments pursue That Gowned Senate that themselves do make Revengers of the War we undertake Now in the Siege the Fo grows old a Day Concludes the Citie 's Fate while weary they Their forein Aids expect but now no more They look upon the Seas or helpless Shore (p) Disparing of their long expected Aid from the Romanes the Saâ—unthines after eight months Sieg resolved to dy within their Walls What miseries they endured till the City was taken are at large discoursed in Livy Lib. 22. Perceiving Deaths approach with sad Despair For their parch'd Entrails the Contagious Air Enflames while Famine in their Bowels reigns And dries the Blood in their contracted Veins From their faln Cheeks their sinking Eyes within Their Heads retire and through the shrivled Skin The Bones and ill-knit Joints a wofull Sight With Nervs consum'd appear the Dew of Night Some gather from the Earth to quench the Fire Of thirst and some themselves do vainly tire For Liquour while they hardest Oaks do bruise Their rav'ning Hunger which doth nought refuse Compels them to strange Food From Shields they tare The Hides to feed upon and leave them bare These Ruins of his Citie from the Skie Alcides look'd on with a mournfull Eye But all in vain for him the strict command And fear of his great Father Iove withstand That he should nothing act 'gainst the Decree Of his severe (*) Iuno Step-Mother Therefore He Concealing his Design to Faith repairs Who in the farthest part of Heav'n the Cares Of Deities revolv'd thus at her Shrine He tries Her Counsels Thou great Power Divine Born before Iove himself who art the Grace And Honour both of Gods and Humane Race Consort of Justice without whom nor Seas Nor Earth can know the benefit of Peace A Goddess where thou art in every Breast Canst thou behold Sagunthus thus opprest Unmov'd That Citie which for Thee alone So many so great ills hath undergone For Thee the People dy upon Thee all Men Women Children that can speak do call By Famine overcome from Heaven relieve Their sad Estate and some Assistance give Thus He To whom the Heav'nly Maid again Replies I see all this nor is' t in vain That thus my Leagues infringed are a Day Shall come Alcides that shall sure repay With Vengance these their dire Attempts But I Was forc'd from the polluted Earth to fly To seek in Iove's blest Mansions a Place Free from the num'rous Frauds of Humane Race I left their Tyrans that their Scepters hold Fearing as they are Fear'd that Fury Gold The vile Reward of Treacheries I left And above all the Men who now bereft Of all Humanity like Beasts by Spoil And Rapine live while Honour is the Foil To Luxury and Modesty by Night And her dark Crimes opprest avoids the Light The place of Right the too imperious Sword Doth arrogate and Force alone 's Ador'd Vertue gives way to Vice for look upon The Nations of the Earth and there is none Is Innocent their frequent Fellowship In Crimes alone the Common Peace doth keep But that these Walls erected by thy Hand May in the Book of Fame for ever stand By an End worthy Thee and that they may Not give their Bodies up a Captive Prey To the Proud African which onely now The Fates and State of Future things allow The Honour of their Death will I extend Beyond the pow'r of Fate and them commend As Patterns to Posterity and go With their prais'd Souls unto the Shades below This said The constant Virgin through the Air Descends and to Sagunthus doth repair Then strugling with the Fates through ev'ry Breast She goes invades their Minds which all-possest By her great Deitie each Soul doth prove Her Altar burning by her Sacred Love Now as if Strong again for Arms they cry And in the Fight their weak Endeavours try Strength above Hope they find while the sweet Name And Honour of the Goddess doth inflame Their Hearts resolved for her Sake to dye And suffer things far worse then Death to try The Food of Savage Beasts and Crimes to add To their Repast but them chaste Faith forbad Longer with so much Guilt to view the Day Or with Man's Flesh their Hunger to allay Her when Saturnia who by chance came down Into the Libyan Camp within the Town Which she so hated saw she doth upbraid The Virgin 's Courage and the War she made Then in a Rage with troubled Steps she went To that dire Fury that doth still torment The guilty Souls and thus upon her calls With Hands extended Strike said she those Walls Thou Darling of the Night let thy fell Hands Destroy that People 't is Iuno commands My self within a Cloud will here stand by And see the Issue of thy Industry Those Weapons which sometimes immortal Iove Disturb by which thou Acheron dost move Thy Flames of Sulphure and thy hideous Snakes In Curls thy horrid Voice which silent makes Hell's Triple-headed Porter and let fall From 's Jaws his poys'nous Spume commixt with Gall What Plagues and Mischief what Impiety Soe're within thy fruitful Breast do lie Upon these hated Rutuli throw down And let Sagunthus sink to Acheron Thus let their peevish Faith rewarded be Incited by these words Tisiphone Invades the Walls then round about the Hill Trembles and roaring Waves the Shore do fill Innumerable Serpents on her Head Hissing her tumid Neck and Breast or'espread Death walking with her his wide Jaws extends On whom pale Sorrow and black Grief attends All Plagues were present that created were While Cerberus with howling rends the Air. Forthwith she counterfeits Tyburna's Face Her Voice her Speech her Gesture and her Pace Tyburna of a Noble Race deriv'd Her Blood from Daunus and by War depriv'd Of her dear Husband Murrus then bewail'd Her Widdowed Bed The Fury having vail'd Her self with her sad Countenance her Hair Dishevel'd to the Assembly doth repair And tearing there her Cheeks What end said she Of our great Faith and Citie shall we see I have my Murrus seen who every Night Doth me with his yet gaping Wounds affright And lamentably thus on me doth call Flie my Tyburna Flie this Citie 's Fall Or if the Conqu'ring Libyan deny The Earth to thee to me Tyburna flie Our Gods are faln and we poor Rutuli Are lost the Punick Sword doth all enjoy I tremble and his Ghost as yet before Mine Eyes me-thinks appears Shall I no more Thy Stately Palaces Sagunthus see Happy my Murrus was thrice happy He Who saw his Countrey
Of Warlike Sacrifice prepare For now They with clear Promises great things allow Which having seen dear Countrey-men you may Into your native City home convey The End of the Fourth Book Obiuitur telis Nimboque Ruente per Auras Contectus Nulli dextrâ jactare reliquit Flaminum cecidisse sua nec pugna perempto Vlteriorâ— Ductore fuit finem que dedere Illustriss mo Celsissimoque Principi Willelmo Frederico Principi Arausionensium Comiti Nassoviae Cattimel Viand c Marchion Vlissingiae Bredae c Faederati Belgij Terra Marique Imperatorâ— Tabula humillime Dicata SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Fifth Book THE ARGUMENT Flaminius rash Valour at the Lake Of Thrasimenus The Sidonians take The Hills for Ambush Prodigies foreshow Before the Fight the Roman's Overthrow Both Armies while an Earthquake overthrew Cities and Rivers turn'd the Fight pursue But the Sicilian Troops that basely fly The Field and climb the Trees for Safety dy Together by Sichaeus whose sad Fall Soon after by Flaminius slain by all The Libyans is bewail'd Scout Appius kill'd By Mago whom he wounds what Slaughters fill'd All Quarters how Flaminius bravely dy'd Whose Corps the Romanes slain about him hide NOW Hannibal preparing for the Fight With secret Ambush in the dead of Night The Mountains of Hetraria did invest And all the Passes of the Woods possest On the Left Hand there was a Lake that swell'd Like a vast Sea and all the Neighb'ring Field O're-flowing cover'd with tenacious Slime Here Faun-got Aunus reign'd in Antient time But now 't is known by Thrasimenus Name Whose Sire (a) Tyrrhenus was the Son of Atys King of Maeonia who fearing a Famine resolved to disburden his own Countrey by transplanting some of his People under the Conduct of one of his two Sons Lydus and Tyrrhenus the Lot which was to determine it fell upon Tyrrhenus who planted himself in that Part of Italy which is now called Tuscany He built twelve Cities and was so prudent in Establishing his Affairs that he was feigned to be gray-headed from his Youth He is said to have invented the Trumpet and his People improved so eminently in civil Government that from them the Romanes borrowed all their Triumphal and Consular Ornaments with their Rods Axes other Ensigns of Authority as likewise Musick Augury and Rites of Sacrificing See Strabo lib. 5. Tyrrhenus Lydian Tmolus Fame To the Italian Coasts that since do bear His Name Maeonian Colonies from far By Sea did bring and is by all Renown'd For having taught those Nations first to sound The Trumpet and their Silence broke in Fight Yet not content with this he doth excite His Son to greater things But fir'd with Love Of the fair Boy who with the Gods above For Beauty might compare now Chaste no more (b) Agylle a small City in Tuscany Agylle snatch'd him walking on the Shore Into the Stream This Nymph's Lascivious Minde Was still to Love of beauteous Boys inclin'd And the Italian Darts soon warm'd her Breast But him the carefull Naiades carest Within their mossy Caves while He the Place Abhors and seeks to shun their fond Embrace From hence the Lake a Dowry to his Fame Still conscious of his Rape retains his Name And now the Chariot of the Dewy Night Its Bounds approach'd although the Morn her Light Not yet from her bright Chambers did display But from the Threshold onely breath'd a Ray And Men could less affirm that Night had run Her Course then that the Day its Race begun When through by-Ways the Consul March'd before His Ensigns after Him the Horse no more In Order haste Next in Confusion go The light-arm'd Bands the Foot disorder'd too Forsake their Ranks with them though us'd in War Unfit for Fight the Sutlers mixed are And Ominous Tumults through all Places spread Advancing to the Fight as if they fled While from the Lake a Vapour black as Night Arose and quite depriving them of Sight In a dark Mantle of condensed Clouds Involves the Skies and Day desired shrouds But (c) Hannibal understanding the Temper of Flaminius as a Person rash and violent waited all the Countrey between Cortona and the Lake Thrasimenus with all the Miseries of War thereby to provoke his Enemies to fight Flaminius not enduring it as dishonourable raised his Camp before Aretium and Marched towards him But he no sooner came between the Hills and the Lake but he found himself encompass'd by Hannibal's â—orces and unable to draw his Men into Order they were totally defeated and the Consul slain Liv. Book 22 Hannibal pursues His Fraud the while And in His Ambush closely sitting still Would not permit them in their Haste to be Oppos'd while all the Shore appeareth free From Danger and neglected by the Fo Who to their Fall permits them on to go For they advancing through a narrow Way Before design'd their Safety to betray A double Ruin found The Waters here Contract their Passage there steep Rocks appear And on the Mountain's Top within the Wood T' engage them there a Libyan Party stood Ready to fall on any that should â—ly To a Retreat So when a Fisher by A Chrystal Brook an Osier Wee l doth twine The Entrance large he makes but binds within The Tonnel Close contracting by Degrees The yielding Tops into a Pyramis Through which deceitfull Hole the Fish with Ease Do enter but return not to the Seas In the mean time the furious Consul lost His Reason in this Storm of Fates in Haste He calls his Ensigns on untill from Sea The Sun 's bright Horses re-advanc'd the Day And Rosie Titan to revive the World The Clouds that o're the Face of Heav'n were hurl'd Had quite dispers'd and sensibly to Hell By his clear Rays resolv'd the Darkness fell And then a Bird which as an old (d) Our Ancestours saith Tully lib. De Divinat never enterpriz'd a War before they had first consulted their Augurs This kind of Augury for they were several was frequently us'd among them and if the Birds which were commonly Chickens kept in a Coop refused the Meat thrown before them the Augur pronounced the Enterprize not pleasing to the Gods but if greedily devoured it they encouraged it Presage The Latines us'd before they did engage In Fight he took t' explore the Gods Intent And what should be the following Fight 's Event The Bird Divining future Miseries Refus'd her Meat and from it crying flies With that a Bull a sad Presage before The Holy Altars ceased not to roar And waving with his Neck the fatal Stroak O' th' falling Ax the Sacred Place forsook Besides as they endeavour'd where they stood To pull their Ensigns up the Earth black Blood Into their Faces spouts as to foretell That Slaughter which them afterwards befell Then Iove the Sea and Land with Thunder shook And snatching Bolts from Aetna's Forges strook The Thrasâ—â—enian Lake that smoaking seems To burn and Flames to live within the Streams
yield Thus Phoebus and through Oscus Temples thrill'd A swift Revenging Dart his sudden Fall Makes the whole Army face about and all The Troops affrighted through the Champagn fled The Father hearing that his Son was dead Groaning with Rage pierc'd his own panting Breast And to the Shades below his Foot-steps prest But Hannibal in Fight thus broken and Crush'd by Marcellus wasts the Neighb'ring Land And turns His unjust Arms upon the Poor Acerrae which to Fire and Sword giv'n o're With no less Rage He on (r) Acerrae and Nuceria were both destroyed by Hannibal The first the People stealing out by Night and flying into other Cities of Campania found empty was burnt by Him The later after an hard Siege yielded on Conditions That all the People might march away every Man with two Garments but no sooner came they out of the City but He forced them into Sulphurous Pits where they were choaked with Smoak and Vapours Liv. 23. Neuceria falls And levels with the Ground her stately Walls Next (s) Casilinum now Casteluccio held out a long Siege until they had eaten all things Edible even to their Bridles and all things covered with Leather but at length having some small Relief of Nuts which the Romanes put into Barrels and sent floating down the River Vulturnâ—s which ran through the Town Hannibal who before was deaf to all Conditions was induced to give them their Lives for Ransom and upon Payment gave them safe Conduct to Cumae Liv. 23. Casilinum's Gates that long had bin Stoutly defended by their Arms within By Fraud with much ado he gain'd and sold Unto the starv'd Besieg'd their Lives for Gold And then into the Daunian Fields He falls And to what Place soe're His Malice calls Or Plunder doth invite His Fury turns Then smoaking in Her Fall (t) The Petilians whose City was built by Philocteles to whom Hercules bequeathed his Quiver of all the Brutians onely kept their Faith to the Romanes Which caused Hannibal to use them with the greater Severity burning their City to the Ground and slaying most of the Citizens eight hundred of which escaping His Fury were after His Departure from Italy with great Care and Honour replanted by the Romanes in their Countrey Appian in Hannibal Petilia burns Unhappy in her Faith the next to sad Sagunthus Fate and Proud that once She had Alcides Quiver kept To th' Libyan Side Tarentum after this her self apply'd And gave them Entrance but a Latine Band Relying on the Place's Strength remain'd A strong Reserve within the Cittadel (u) The Cittadel of Tarentum placed within one of the Havens for there were two divided by an Isâ—hmus held out sometime after Cononeus had betraied the Town to Hannibal So that to hinder their Relief by Sea He made use of this Stratagem to convey Ships over the Isthmus and so streightning them on all Sides to Extremity at last received that likewise to His subjection Here he remov'd his Navy strange to tell That ready Rigg'd within the Harbour lay For at two narrow Mouths the crouded Sea Breaks out between two Rocks and with a Large Recess a secret Ocean doth discharge Into the Plains But He the Ships that there Block'd up by th' Arcenal Commanded were By Stratagem recover'd from the Sea's Embrace another Way by Land conveys First slipp'ry Planks on ev'ry Oaken Wain Were lai'd and Hides of Oxen newly slain The nimbly-turning Wheels through Meadows drew Their Load and then o're lofty Hills and through Thick Groves the Fleet arriv'd upon the Shore And swum brought to the Sea without the Oar. But Fame the Navy by no usual Way Transported Him that terrifi'd the Sea Now fills with frequent Cares while He pursu'd The War far off and hop'd to have subdu'd Th' (x) The Tarentines Oëbalian Race that Capua was then On ev'ry Side besieg'd the Bars agen O' th' Gates forc'd open and quite overthrown And the whole War upon that Wretched Town Was turn'd Enrag'd He quits that Enterprize And Shame and Anger Wings affording flies The next Way thither with prodigious Haste And Threatning to the Fight desired past So of her Young depriv'd a Tigress flies From Covert and with Rage-inflamed Eys Explores all Caucasus and in few Hours With the like Speed o're Ganges Borders scours Till in her Course their Tract She apprehend And on her Fo surpriz'd her Fury spend Him in his March Centenius rashly prone To all Attempts and Dangers falls upon With sudden scatter'd Troops but yet with small Honour to the Sidonian General For Rich in Latine Vines the Pesants He Had round about Him rais'd and suddenly An half-Arm'd Band oppos'd against the Fo. Twice sev'n were slain and still they forward go Then twice sev'n thousand Fulvius then He No more expert but of a Family Renown'd in Arms all well Appointed led But He still over Heaps of scatter'd Dead A Conquerour goes on and cuts his Way Through all nor in his March admits Delay But the Ambitious vain Desires to raise Unto Himself the empty Name and Praise Of a Brave Gen'rous Minde upon Him call To solemnize a joyfull Funeral For while a Parley (y) Flavius Lucanus wsio entertained Gracchus in his House pretending some of the chief Lucanians would come to a certain place to treat with him prevailed that He went out to meet them and was betrayed into the Hands of Hannibal who admiring his great Valour for that when he saw himself betrai'd he resolved not to be taken alive at his Death celebrated his Funerals with great Solemnity and sent his Bones to Rome Gracchus did demand And the perfidious Promise entertain'd Of the Lucanian People Sad to tell By His Host's Treachery surpriz'd He fell And Hannibal with Greediness assum'd The wish'd-for Praise to see His Corps entomb'd But soon as it was known that with such Haste To the Campanian Walls the Libyan past Affairs no where stand still Both Consuls take The Field with Speed Nola and Arpis make What Strength they can Young Fabius among The Rest His hasty Forces brings along There Nero here Syllanus Day and Night Their Cohorts speed to the desired Fight And from all Quarters come resolving all Their Gen'rals to oppose 'gainst Hannibal Alone While nearer to Tifata He Advances where the Hill's Vicinity Press'd on the Neighb'ring Walls and looking down From that near Height survays the lower Town But when such numbers of Allies He found Which with their Arms the Gates encompass'd round That Entrance was deny'd to Him alone And that they could not sally from the Town Doubtfull of the Event sometime He thought Through all that then oppos'd Him to have fought A Passage with His Sword and then declin'd Again whate're before He had design'd And seeks those Myriads by Policy To draw from the besieged Gates and free Th' inclosed Walls Thus therefore His resolves He with Himself debates and Cares revolves Oh! whither tend My troubled Thoughts Shall I In this unequal
thus Unfortunate In Forein Wars this Stranger met his Fate Teron who kept Alcides Temple and With Incense at his Altars us'd to Stand To new Designs the Army Stimulates And in a sudden Sally from the Gates Invades the Tyrian Camp He neither Spear In 's Hand nor Helmet on his Head did bear But trusting to his Strength of Youth his Broad And Lofty Shoulders like th' (*) Hercules Oetaean God With an Huge Club destroys the trembling Files Upon his Head a Lyon's threatning Spoils With Gaping Jaws he wore An hundred Snakes Carv'd on his Shield display'd their Marble Backs 'Mong which a Monstrous double Hydra spreads In several Serpents her divided Heads Thus Arm'd he Iuba and Micipsa Fam'd For Valiant Deeds and from his Grand-sire Nam'd With aged Tapsus and Saces and Moor Driv'n from the Walls and flying to the Shore Fiercely Pursues and by one Valiant Hand The Streams of Blood the Neighb'ring Ocean stain'd For Hot with Slaughter and not satisfy'd That Idus Rothus and Iugurtha Dy'd Or that Marmarick Cotho he had kill'd Hasbyte's Chariot and her Moon-like Shield Shining with Gold he covets and t' invade With all his Force and Rage the Warlike Maid Him with his Bloody Weapon when she spy'd Come rushing on she turns her Steeds aside And in fallacious Circles wheeling round The Champain Field divides the yielding Ground And as if wing'd with Speed she makes her way With her light Chariot through the winding Sea Thus while she flies his Sight swift as the Wind The Horses raise a Cloud of Dust behind And with the ratling Wheels in pieces tear An adverse Troop She to augment their Fear From her sure Hand did frequent Darts expell By which Boâ—d Thamyris and Lycus fell With Stout (f) Eurydamas the most importunate of all Penelope's Suitours who urging her to Marry him assured her her Husband Vlysses was drowned but he arriving at the same time slew him See Hom. Odyss Lib. 15. Eurydamas whose noble Name Derived was from him who known to Fame Fondly to high Embraces once aspir'd And mad with Love Penelope desir'd But by her Chaste and Modest Arts deceiv'd And the fallacious Web so oft unweav'd Gave out Vlysses in the Sea was drown'd But what he fain'd of him he after found Real in his own Fate and he expires By Ithacus dire Hand his Nuptial Fires Turn'd into Fun'ral Flames and here of all His Race the last Eurydamas doth fall Slain by a Libyan's Hand whose Chariot makes Her way and all his Bones in pieces breaks But now perceiving Teron after all His Labours hard beset to work his Fall Into the Fight again the Furious Maid Returns with Speed and as about t' invade Her Fo she waves her Ax before her Brows Herculean Spoils to thee Diana Vows But Teron no less big with hopes of Praise Himself against her bounding Steeds doth raise Casting before their Eyes the Lyon's Skin And threatning Jaws affrighted they begin To yield to Fear and turning swiftly round Cast with its Load the Chariot to the Ground Then on Hasbyte who endeavours now To quit the Fight he leaps and on her Brow Strikes his Herculean Club by which her Brains Dash'd through her broken Skul upon the Reins And fervent Wheels dispersed ly while He Hasting that such a Trophy all might see With her own Ax cuts off the Virgins Head Nor was his Anger there determined But fixed on a Spear he strait commands To bear 't in view of all the Punick Bands And drive the Chariot to the City-Gates These Slaughters Teron ignorant of Fates And that the Favour of the Gods declin'd Commits while his own Death 's not far behinde For now Fierce Hannibal whose Face the Throne Of Rage and Death appear'd came Furious on Incens'd and griev'd to see Hasbyte dead And the yet-bleeding Trophie of her Head In Triumph borne But when the Troops beheld The bright Reflections of his Brasen Shield And as he mov'd though distant far did hear The fatal clashing of his Arms with Fear Possess'd they trembling fled unto the Walls As when to their known Beds the Ev'ning calls The winged People from the search of Food Or when on the Cecropian Hills a Cloud The Hony-lab'ring Bees on tender Flowers Disperst affrighteth with approaching Showers Like one congested Heap unto their Hive And fragrant Cells they haste and Murm'ring strive One Climbing on anothers Back to gain Their Entrance at the Port and shun the Rain Thus Fear the Sagunthines precipitates While Few discern their way unto the Gates Oh flatt'ring Light of Heav'n is Death to be Shun'd with so great a Fear which none can flee Since joined to their Birth They cry for Aid Repenting that they had this Sally made From their safe Walls and Works while still in vain Teron their Flight endeavours to restrain Sometime Dire Menaces sometimes his Hand He does imploy and cries Why flee ye Stand He is my Enemy to me the Crown Of this great Fight belongs and from our Town And Walls the Tyrians by this Hand alone Will I Repell Stand therefore and look on Or if this Pannick Terrour drive you all To seek th' inglorious Shelter of a Wall A shame the greatest that the adverse Fates Can add against Me onely shut the Gates But Hannibal while yet a sad Despair Of Safety seis'd their Hearts and horrid Fear Did reign in ev'ry Breast a while suspends The Slaughter of his Enemies and bends His course unto the batter'd Walls which he Resolves with all his Force shall Stormed be Th' Herculean Priest perceiving his intent Labours with speed this Mischief to prevent At which Fierce Hannibal more furious grown Cries out Receive fond Porter of the Town That Punishment of Fate that shortly shall Sagunthus self involve and by thy Fall Open the Gates His Rage could not afford More Words but as he waves his fatal Sword The Daunian Youth flings his contorted Oak With all his Force against his Breast the Stroak Clashing against his Arms with horrour sounds And from the hollow Brass the Club rebounds Then having lost his Weapon and his Strength Employ'd in vain unto the Walls at length He turns and with the rest forsakes the Fight Th' insulting Conquerour upbraids his Flight And follows at his Back Then with sad Cries The weeping Matrons lifting to the Skies Their trembling Hands from the high Walls proclaim Their Griefs and Fears some calling him by Name Tell him They fain would send unto his Aid And let him in but that they are afraid With him they should receive the Conqu'ring Fo. But now alass He can no farther go For Hannibal oppress'd him with his Shield And as the City from the Walls beheld Cry's Go and let Hasbyte Comfort take In thy approaching Death And as he spake Into his panting Throat which now abhor'd A longer Life thrusts his revenging Sword Then from the very Walls in Triumph leads Through all the Camp his Spoils and captiv'd Steeds Which at the thronged
And Troops from Tetricus cold Rock to th' Field Attend all arm'd with Lances and their Shield Made Globe-like round no Plumes their Helmets bear And their left Legs with (b) This kind of Armour on the left Legs was peculiar to the Sabines among the Italians and Aetolians among the Greeks Boots defended are These as they Joyfull march'd some Praises sung To Thee great (c) Sanctus was the Father of Sabus Sanctus for from Thee they sprung Some Sabus honour Thee who first of all Thy People from Thy Name didst Sabines call But Curio rough with 's scaly Coat of Mail And on his Helmet's Crest an Horses Tail Into the War so great Assistance brings That not the Raging Sea more num'rous flings Its foaming Billows up nor Bands more light And Active when She imitates a Fight Riding through num'rous Troops with Moon-like Shields (d) Amazon The Warlike Maid leads through the Scythian Fields And makes Thermodoon and the Earth resound The Noise Here those that in thy Stony Ground Numana dwell and those that near the Shore With flaming Altars (e) Iuno who had there a Temple Cupra Thee adore Were to be seen They likewise thither send Their Aids who the Truentine Tow'rs defend By the adjoyning River and the Sun From their bright Targets by Reflexion At Distance rais'd a bloody Light and there Ancon as rich in Purple did appear As are the Libyan or Sidonian Looms Then water'd by Vomanus Adria comes And near to them the Ensigns they behold Of churlish Asculum which fam'd of old Vepîcus sprung from Saturne built Him by Her Charms Phoebean Circe forc'd to fly Depriv'd of his own (f) Turned into a Wood-pecker by Circe Figure through the Air With yellow Plumes Once the Pelasgi there Inhabited and Aesis as by Fame We learn their Ruler was and left his Name Unto the River and his People all Began Asili from himself to call Nor coming from their hollow Hills with worse Supplies did Vmbrian Swains the Camp enforce These Aesis Sapis and with rapid Waves Roll'd over lofty Rocks Metaurus Laves Clitumnus too that Bulls for Sacrifice Washeth in Sacred Streams and Nar that flies Foaming to Tiber and whose Waters run Ingloriously Tinia and Rubicon With Clavis and which from the Senones Was Senna call'd but Tyber ' midst of these With Banks unshaken near th' Imperial Walls Swells high and thence into the Ocean falls Their Cities Arna and Mevania rich In spacious Meads Hispellum Narnia which Upon a steep and rocky Hill doth ly Inginum too of old infected by Moist Clouds and lying in an open Plain Fulginia wanting Walls Near these remain A warlike People Amerini nam'd And Camers near to them for Arrows fam'd With wealthy Sarfina renown'd for Store Of Milk and the Tudertes that adore The God of War These a stout Race of Men Contemning Death were led by Piso then A Youth and there in such an Habit shin'd But equalling by his sagacious Mind The Antient and in Policy his Years Excelling at the Armie's Head appears In Parthian-painted Arms and Golden Chain Whose Gems a Lustre cast through all the Plain But then a Legion of Hetrurian Bands Compleat stout Galba a great Name commands From Cretan Minos He his Pedigree Deriv'd and from Lustfull Pasiphae (g) Silius in this agrees with Virgil in his Bucolicks that the Bull fled from Pasiphae till Daedalus made a Cow of Wood where in the Qu. was enclosed and the Bull deluded So hated by the Bull and from that Line His Noble Ancestours in Order shine Then Cere chosen Bands Cortona then Proud Tarcon's Family send chosen Men With old Graviscae Alsium by thy Streams Grecian Alesus lov'd and that which seems Besieg'd by a rude Plain Fregellae nor Was Fesula the Fam'd Interpreter Of Thunder wanting with her Sacred Bands And near to them Clusinum Muster'd stands Once a great Terrour to the Walls of Rome When thou Porsenna Arm'd didst thither come And didst endeavour to restore in vain Th' expell'd Tarquinii to the Throne again Then Luna from her Snow-white Quarries prest Her lab'ring Youth Luna before the rest Fam'd for her spacious Port which can contain Ships without Number and shuts in the Main Not far from these the Vetulonian Band The Glory once of the Maeonian Land Which first ordain'd twelve Fasces to precede The Consuls and to strike a silent Dread As many Axes added it was She That first adorn'd with polish'd Ivory Triumphal Chairs Her Nobles first array'd In Tyrian Purple and that Trumpets made Courage by them in Battel to enflame Next these the Nepesinian Cohorts came And Just Falisci and Flavinia those That keep thy Fires Near whom Sabaca goes In Fens abounding and that near thy Lake Cimînus dwell with them that Sutrium take For their Abode and those that to the Rites Of Phoebus high Soracte oft invites Caps of the Skins of Beasts their Heads defend Two Darts they carry and their Spears commend Before the Lycian Bows These all in War Most expert but the Marsian People are Not onely Valiant but can likewise Charm To sleep the banefull Adder and disarm The Viper of her Teeth by Herbs and Spells Anguitia first as Fame the Story tells Oëtes Race those hurtfull Simples shew'd And with her Touch all Poison's Force subdu'd She from her Sphear could shake the Moon and Floods Stop with her Voice and calling down the Woods The Mountains naked make But full of Dread (h) Who being vanquished by Apollo in his Contention of Musick had his Skin strip'd over his Ears Marsyas when he the Phrygian Creni fled By Sea unto that People gave his Name When with a Lute Apollo overcame His shrill Mygdonian Flute The Chief of all Their Ciâ—ies they from antient Marus call Marruvium and for Corn in moister Fields More inward Alba store of Apples yields The rest were little Towns obscure in Fame But in their Numbers greater then their Name 'Mong which Pelignus and cold Sulmo sent Their Cohorts nor then these less diligent Were those of Cales born near them in Blood From Calaïs as by Fame 't is understood The Noble Founder of a City fair Whom Orithyia ravish'd through the Air For Boreas nurs'd in Getick Caves No less Active in War then these Vestini press Their Youth inur'd to Hardship by the Chase Of salvage Beasts They likewise War imbrace That in thy Tow'rs Fiscellus dwell and now They also arm that fertile Pinna mow And thy rich Meads Avella that so soon Sprout up and then in Emulation Of the Frentani the Marrucins drew Corfinium's People and Theate too All these with Rustick Weapons arm'd for Fight Could with their Slings a Bird in highest Flight Strike down the Skins of Bears about their Breast In Hunting kill'd they wear And now the rest That were for Wealth or Ancestours renown'd In all the Tract of the Campanian Ground Appear in Arms or their Assistance send The Osci in their Neighb'ring Plains attend Th'
Fear or if at all They will endure the Name of Hannibal Saw'st thou not when within the Neighb'ring Plain His Voice was heard how soon the Blood again From their Pale Faces fled and how their Arms Fell down before the Trumpets shrill Alarms Fabius as you suppose was dull and slow To Fight yet all those Souldiers that did go With those blam'd Ensigns now in Arms appear So do not those that with Flaminius were But Heav'n avert such things and if you are Resolv'd my Counsell to resist and Pray'r Yet hearken to the Gods for know of old This the Grynaean (b) Sibylla called Grynaea from an Attribute of Apollo who inspired her Prophetess foretold To all the World in former Ages Thee And this thy Headlong Rage presaging She Divulg'd and as another Prophet now I plainly to thee here thy Fate avow Unless to Morrow's Ensigns be by thee Restrain'd Thou with our Blood wilt ratifie The Sybil's Words nor shall these Fields be fam'd If thou persist from Diomed but nam'd FATAL from thee Thus Paulus in whose Eys Enflam'd with Grief the Tears began to rise And then a wicked Errour stain'd the Night For Satricus made Captive in a Fight In Libya to Xantippus was a Slave Who him for 's Valour priz'd soon after gave To th' Autololian King At Sulmo he An House possess'd and left two Sons to be There Nurtur'd by their Mother one they call Mancînus t' other Solymas to all Known for his Trojan Name for his Descent Was Dardane and his Ancestour who went After Aeneas Fortune built and Wall'd A City fair which Solymon he call'd From his own Name and 'mong Italians fam'd By them corruptly now is Sulmo nam'd This Satricus the Autololian King Among his Barbarous Troops did thither bring And on Occasion us'd him there to teach Getulians to know the Latine Speech But when he found a Possibility Pelignian Walls and 's Native Home to see To second his Attempt he takes the Night And quits by Stealth the Camp Yet in his Flight He took no Arms being fearfull to betray Himself by 's Shield and Naked went away But when the Spoils and Dead within the Field He spy'd Mancînus strip'd his Arms and Shield He strait puts on by which his former Fear Was lightned but the Body which he there Had Naked made and he whose Spoils he wore Was his own Son there slain not long before By a fierce Macian Fo Night growing on 'Bout the first Sleep behold his other Son Young Solymus appointed by his Fate Then to relieve the Watch without the Gate From the Ausonian Camp advanc'd with Speed To seek among the Heaps o' th' scatter'd Dead Mancînus Body and by Stealth Interr His dearest Brother but he had not far Advanc'd when arm'd from the Sidonian Side Coming up to him he a Man espy'd With which surpriz'd into thy Tomb he flies Aetolian (c) A Companion of Diomed's buried there Thoas and there Skulking lies But when he saw no Souldiers in the Rear And that alone i' th' Dark he wandred there Out from the Sepulchre he leaps and throws At 's Father's Naked Back as on he goes A Jav'lin not in vain His Father who Thought that some Tyrian Troop did him pursue And gave the Wound about him look'd to know The Authour of that unexpected Blow But when with Speed the Conquerour advanc'd And from the Arms well-known a Lustre glanc'd And as the Moon did then Assistance yield He plainly saw it was his Brother's Shield Enflam'd with Rage I 'me not thy Son said He Oh Satricus of Sulmo Nor should be Mancînus Brother nor deserve a Name Among those Nephews that directly came From Dardan Solymus should I now thee Permit false Libyan with Impunity To 'scape this Hand Shall I endure thee wear My Brother's Spoils before my Face or bear The Arms of a Pelignian House away While I survive or guilty see the Day No my dear Mother these I 'le bear to Thee A gratefull Present and most fit to be A Comfort to thy Griefs for thy lost Son That thou may'st them for ever fix upon His Sepulchre and as he spake that Word Aloud he rush'd upon him with his Sword But Satricus who now could hardly stand And faintly held his Weapon in his Hand Hearing his Countrey nam'd his Wife and Sons And Arms cold Horrour through his Members runs And stupifies his Sense his dying Mouth At length this Language to the Furious Youth Breaths forth O spare thy Hand I pray thee spare Not that I beg for longer Life it were A Sin in me to ask it but the Stain Of this my Blood I wish may not remain Upon thy Hand I am that Satricus Captive to Carthage sprung from Solymus Now to my Countrey by the Tyrian brought I know my Son 't was not in thee a Fault When first thou didst thy Spear against me throw I was a Libyan then but from the Fo I fled to you and hasted now to see My dear Wife's Face prevented thus by Thee This Target as I came I took away From thy dead Brother but be sure to lay This with his Arms excus'd upon his Tomb But first be carefull soon as Thou shalt come Into the Camp my last Advice to bear To Gen'ral Paulus that he have a Care Still to protract the War and Fight decline With Hannibal whose Auguries Divine Swell Him with Hopes that He shall shortly see An Immense Slaughter But let Varro be I pray restrain'd For he as Fame doth tell Is eager still your Eagles to impell 'T is a great Comfort as my Life now ends That I have giv'n this Warning to my Friends But thy last Kisses now bestow upon Thy Father lost and found at once my Son Thus as he spake his Helmet off he cast And with his trembling Arms the Neck embrac'd Of 's Son amaz'd and strove with Words his Shame To cure and to excuse the Weapon's Blame That gave the Wound Who knows said he my Son Or who can testifie what we have done Doth not the Night conceal the Errour Why Dost tremble so Thy Breast more close apply To mine Why dost thou at such Distance stand Ev'n I thy Father do absolve thy Hand And pray my Labours ending it may close Mine Eys The Youth opprest with sudden Woes Gave no return of Words to what he said But sighing deeply labour'd to have staid His Blood and strangely weeping to have bound With his torn Shirt the deep-inflicted Wound At length among his many Sighs thus he Breaks into sad Complaints Doth Fortune Thee Dear Father to thy Countrey and to Us Thus bring again Or doth She cruel thus Me to my Father Him restore to Me Happy my Brother was thrice happy He Who thought our Father was destroy'd by Fate But I by Tyrians untouch'd too late Now know him by a Wound It would have been At least some Comfort Fortune to my Sin Had it been still left doubtfull but my Woes No longer
Or Oath Ye Mortals with the cruel Sword But keep Your Faith Inviolate for This Then Thrones that shine with Purple better is For who with Fallacies delights to break A League or shall the slender Hopes forsake Of his afflicted Friend his House his Wife Perpetual Trouble shall attend his Life Shall ne're want Tears but both by Night and Day Despis'd and violated Faith by Sea And Land pursuing shall him still torment Then in a Cloud disguis'd Erinnys went To all Assemblies touch'd their Tables and Sits down and feeds and then with her own Hand Bowls froathing up with Stygian Gore prefers And largely Plagues and Death administers But Virius while yet Ruin She pretends Diving into his Soul the Pyle ascends And sticks in her Embrace commanding strait To Kindle it and so to joyn their Fate The Night her Limits touch'd and now amain The furious Conquerour came on again When the Campanian Youth upon the Walls Milo who thither his Companions calls Beheld Affrighted strait they open threw The Gates and such as wanted Courage to Avoid their Punishment by Death with low And trembling Knees now entertain the Fo. The Town her Houses by the Tyrian Guest Polluted op'ning her blinde Rage confest Women and Children in Confusion run With the sad Senate that their Woes begun And vulgar Crew by none lamented whiles The Army all stood leaning on their Piles To view those Men who nor Prosperity Nor Misery could bear sometimes to see Them sweep the Ground with Beards which Trimm'd they wear Down to their Breasts with Dust their Whiter Hair To stain and poorly Weeping to entreat Most shamefully and yielding Air to beat With their affeminate Howlings But while these Unmanly Acts the wondring Souldier sees And still Incens'd expects the Signal to O'rethrow the Walls behold Religion through Each Breast with silent Sense of Pity goes And their fierce Mindes doth by her Pow'r compose A gentler God doth sensibly inspire Their Hearts to lay aside all Thoughts of Fire And their destructive Torches not to burn And into Dust at once the Temples turn He likewise then suggests to all unseen That that proud Town 's Foundation had been By Capys lai'd of old He tells them there Fair Houses fit for Habitation were Extended far into delicious Fields Thus by Degrees their former Fury yields To milder Thoughts and quickly mollifi'd In ev'ry furious Breast all Anger dy'd The Trojan Houses willing safe to keep Iove likewise thither sent the God of Sheep Pan who still seems as he were Hanging and Scarce on the Earth imprints wheree're he stand One horned Foot his Right-Hand wanton plays (l) In the Festivals of Pan which were called Lupercalia the Priests cut the hide of the Goat that was sacrificed into thongs wherewith running naked about the Streets they struck such Women whom they met and desired to be with Childe upon the Bellieâ— out of opinion that this caused them to be fruitâ—ull Rosin Antiq. Rom. lib. 3. With a Tegaean Hide and in cross Ways Wagging his Tail desired Stroaks bestows A Pine surrounds his Hair and Shady Brows On his red Front arise two little Horns His Ears upright a squallid Beard adorns His Chin a Past'ral Staff he alwaies bears And a slick Do-Skin on his Left Side wears No ragged Rock so Steep and High doth rise On which his Body poiz'd like one that flies He will not dare through pathless Waies to tread Sometimes he laughing backward turns his Head To see the Sportings of his bushy Tail Upon his Back then lifts his Hand to vail His Forehead from the Sun 's too fervent Rays And Pastures with his shadow'd Sight survaies He when he had the God's Commands fulfill'd Their raging Hearts appeas'd and Fury still'd To the Arcadian Groves away He speeds And his lov'd Maenalus where on shrill Reeds He sweetly plays and with his Rural Song Leads from the Sacred Hill his Flocks along But Fulvius commanding that the Fire Should from the Gates be kept and leave entire The Walls th' Ausonian Legions to shew The noble Temper of their Minds withdrew Their Flames and Swords but from the Temples and The Houses that enrich'd with Gold did stand A wealthy Prey they took with that which fed Their Riot and by which they perished Effeminate Garments that their Men array'd And Tables rich from forein Lands convey'd With Goblets that provok'd to Luxury Set with Eöan Gems nor could they see An end of Silver and the carved Weight Expressly made for Feasts of golden Plate Then came the Captives in a num'rous Train With all their Coin sufficient to maintain A long-protracted War with Servants that In Multitudes did at their Banquets Wait. But when from Plunder of the Town agen The Gen'ral by the Trumpet 's sound His Men Had call'd a Noble Cherisher of Great Attempts to Milo from his lofty Seat He thus began (m) Dausqueius hath in this Judiâ—iously corrected the corrupt Copy of our Authour wherein Lavimum is put for Lanuvium where Iuno Sospita so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifiying to Preserve had her Temple for which the Lanuvini were received into the Protection of the Romans and the City freed on agreement that the Grove and Temple might be equally free to the Romans who often sacrificed there as may be observed in Livy Lanuvian Youth whom We From Iuno Sospita receive from Me This Martial Honour for thy Victory Accept and 'bout thy Tower'd Temples try This (n) This Crown or Wreath was of Gold though not so honourable as some of other Inferiour matter saith Pliny and given by the General to him who first made his way over the Walls into any Town taken by assault Aulus Gellius lib. 5. Mural Crown This done he streightway sent For all the Nobles that first Punishment Had merited and for their treach'rous Deeds Beneath his juster Ax each Guilty bleeds But that fierce Valour Taurea for to hide Ev'n in a Fo that Honour had been try'd Were base with a loud Voice exclaims Shalt Thou Thus Unreveng'd by Me deprive Me now A Soul more Great then Thine of this My Sword Or by the Lictour when thou giv'st the Word Shall this most Valiant Head dissever'd fall At such base Feet On Us this never shall Be by the Gods allow'd Then with a Look Threatning and full of Rage he sudden strook His Warlike Sword quite through his Breast and dy'd To whom the Romane General reply'd Go and the Ruin of thy Countrey thus Accompany in Death What Minds in Us Remain what is Our Valour what We are Each Man of Us shall be discern'd in War If thou dost think it Shamefull to abide Just Punishment thou mightst have fighting dy'd Thy Countrey suff'ring at the very time With Streams of Blood for her unhappy Crime But mixing Joys with Sorrows the dire Hand Of Fortune then in the Iberian Land Two Noble Scipioes had destroy'd that there Great Griefs and Honours to their Countrey were By Chance
gave But I am griev'd lest since We both are slain The Libyans should o'rerun oppressed Spain To which the Youth his Face with Tears o'respread Replies Ye Gods as She hath merited May Carthage all just Punishment endure For these foul Deeds But He who under your Command was try'd brave Martius hath restrain'd The fierce Pyrenean Troops and entertain'd Our weary Friends and with known Arms the War Maintains and it is fam'd the (d) Hasdrubal Conquerour In Battel lately was o'rethrown and all Due Piacles exacted for your Fall Much joy'd at this the Gen'rals went again To those sweet Places where the Bless'd remain The Youth adoring them with eager Eys Pursues them and now Paulus Ghost supplies Their Room scarce to be known as then he stood 'Mong many Ghosts But having drunk the Blood He thus began Thou Light of Italy Whose Martial Deeds then one Man's greater I Have seen Who now hath instigated Thee These Kingdoms where once All must dwell to see To whom again sad Scipio thus replies Great General how long with weeping Eys Did Rome thy Fate lament how near with Thee Falling to Stygian Darkness did we see Oenotrian Palaces The Tyrian Fo Did on Thee Dead a Sepulcher bestow And in thy Honour sought for Praise With Tears While Paulus thus his Hostile Burial hears Before their Eys Flaminius Gracchus and With a sad Countenance Servilius stand At Cannae slain A great Desire he had To speak to them and farther Language add But stronger Inclinations to know More antient Ghosts made him desist and now (e) Brutus the first Consul whose Sons conspiring with other yong Noble Men to restore the Tarquins were by him put to Death See Liv. lib. 2. Brutus that merited immortal Fame By 's cruel Ax Camillus then that came Near to the Gods in Praise and hating Gold (f) Marcus Curius refusing a great sum of money offered him by the Samnites in Pyrrhus his name replyed I had rather Command over the Wealthy then be Rich. He first Triumphed over the Samnites and forced Pyrrhus out of Italy Curius he sees their Names the Sibyl told And shew'd their Faces as they came That 's He That though of Sight depriv'd the Treacherie (g) Appius Claudius Coecus who would never hearken to any terms of Peace with Pyrrhus but still perswaded him not to rely upon his force and friends in Italy but to return home and then by Embassy treat of Peace with the Romans Of Peace and Pyrrhus from the Gates repell'd And that the Bridg behinde him broken held (h) Horatius Cocles who with two others defending the Gates at the Bridg over Tyber stopped Porsenna's men who then pursued the Romans till the Bridg behinde him was broken down so that the Enemy could pass no farther which done He leapt armed into the River and returned safe into the City His Station valiantly and did exclude Returning Scepters when the King pursu'd To Tyber's Banks If you desire to see The Man that in the former War said She The League with Libya made Lutatius there Behold with Naval Arms a Conquerer But if Amilcar's cruel Shade you 'd know See! That is it that stands far off his Brow Not smooth'd by Death as yet his rabid Ire Retains to talk with him if you desire Tasting the Blood with your permission He May speak which granted and when Greedily The thirsty Shade had drunk first Scipio thus With angry Looks upbraids him Such with Us Thou Sire of Fraud are then thy Leagues with Thee Captiv'd on the Sicanian Coast did We This Contract make Against all Leagues thy Son Ausonia with War doth over-run And comes upon Us breaking through the Bars O' th' Alpes All Italy with barb'rous Wars Is now inflam'd and back obstructed by Sad Slaughters to their Springs our Rivers fly To this the Shade reply'd So soon as He Was ten Years old the Latine War by Me Commanded He espous'd Nor must He now Deceive those Gods attested to the Vow Made to his Father But if now with Fire He Italy destroy and still aspire To overthrow that State deriv'd from Troy O Piety O holy Faith O Boy Indeed mine Own and would to Heav'n He might Repair that Honour We have lost in Fight Seeming to swell with Speed as this he said He vanish'd and retir'd a greater Shade Next these the Prophetess those Ghosts disclos'd That Arm'd to conquer'd Nations dispos'd Their Laws with those that first the Romanes taught (i) The Romans having changed the Government of Consuls to that of the Decemviri sent three Embassadours viz. Sp. Posthumius Sâ—r. Sulpitius and An. Manlius to Athens to take an Extract of their Laws Which they performed and those Laws digested with such of their own as the Romans esteemed wholsom into twelve Tables ten of Brass and two of Stone were ever after their Rules of Iustice. Those Sacred Laws from Pallas City brought Scipio well-pleas'd with an insatiate Ey Views all their Faces and would willingly Have talk'd with all had not the Prophetess Inform'd him that their Troops were numberless What Myriads in all the World dost Thou Believe descend to Hell since here you now All these behold A boundless Torrent there Of Shades continually run down and are In Charon's spatious Vessel wafted ore And that base Boat 's sufficient were they more Many past by the Virgin to his View Presents a Youth This is that (k) Alexander the Great Wand'rer who His Ensigns where He march'd did Conqu'ring bare By whom the Bactrii and the Dacae were Subdu'd who Ganges drunk on conquer'd Ground With a Pellaean Bridg Niphate bound Whose (l) Alexandria in Egypt Walls now stand where sacred Nile doth run To him Aenëades Thou certain Son Of Libya's horned Hammon Oh how far Doth thy indubitable Fame in War All Generals excel The like Desire Renowned Shade hath set my Brest on Fire To know which Way thou took'st thy self to raise To that proud Honour and great Height of Praise To whom the Ghost A dull Sedulity In War is base Thou by Activity And Daring may'st accomplish greatest Wars Slow Valour never yet unto the Stars Her self hath rais'd Do Thou precipitate The time of thy great Deeds Black Death doth wait Upon the Active Man Thus having said He vanish'd Strait succeeded Croesus Shade Rich when alive now levell'd with the Poor But when arising from th' Elysian Shore The Manes of a Beautious Youth he spy'd Whose Tresses with a Purple Fillet ty'd Flow'd on his radiant Neck Divinest Maid Tell me said He who is that glorious Shade Whose sacred Fore-head with a Light 's indu'd To him peculiar and a Multitude Of Souls admiring follow and about Him thronging seem to give a joyful Shout Oh what a Face did I not see him here I' th' Stygian Shade I easily should swear He were a God Nor art deceiv'd quoth She He hath deserv'd to seem a Deity Nor in so great a Breast was there a small
Near Palica now called Palicenia was a Temple dedicated to the Gods Palici in which were certain Springs called Cups not very large but extraordinary Deep the Water of a fiery Colour perpetually boiling up but never encreasing or diminishing The Religion of the Place was that when any eminent Controversie happened that could not be decided but by the Oaths of the Parties they were brought by the Priests to the Cups into which they cast Tablets on which they writ what they asserted by Oath The Tablets of such as swore Truth swum the other sunk and before the perjured got out of the Temple they were miraculously punished by Blindness Lameness or some other Judgment of Heaven upon them See Diodorus Siculus lib. 11. Palîci where the Perjur'd are Tortur'd by present Punishment and there Trojan Acesta was and m Acys who Through Aetna's Vales into the Sea doth flow His dear Nymph washing with a pleasant Stream Once in thy Flame a Rival Polypheme But while He fled thy Barb'rous Rage into Small Streams dissolv'd at once he scap'd his Fo And his victorious Waters mix'd among His Galathêa's Waves With These along Came Those that murm'ring Alabis and those That Hyspa drink and the perspicuous Flows Of clear Achates Vagedrusa too And Hypates whose Chanel runs so low Pantagya likewise easy to be past Through his small Current and which runs so fast The Yellow-Stream'd Simêthus Thermae then Of old enrich'd with Muses Arm'd her Men Where (y) Hymera rising out of the Mountain Nebrodes now called Maduvia runs North and South the Branches differing in their Nature That which runs North-ward and falls into the Libyck Sea is Salt and the other which falls into the Tyrrhen is Fresh Water Hymera descends into the Seas For it divides itself two sev'ral Ways And runs to East and West with equal Force Two-Crown'd Nebrodes keepeth this Divorce Then which no Hill with a Sicanian Shade Doth rise more Rich this lofty Enna made A sacred Fortress to the Groves of Gods Here a dark Path to Stygian Abodes A Cave that opens wide the gaping Ground Detects through which a strange new Lover found A Way to unknown Coasts Pluto this way Inflam'd with Lust durst venture up to Day And leaving doleful Acheron above On the forbidden Earth his Chariot drove Then having Ravish'd the (z) Proserpina Of which see the excellent Claudian Ennaean Maid In Haste retiring his black Steeds affrai'd To view the Face of Heav'n and flying Day Drove back to Styx and hid in Shades his Prey Petreia Romane Leaders then desir'd And Romane Leagues Callipolis requir'd And Eugion arch'd with Stone and there they see Hadranum and Hergentum Melitè Proud of her stately Webs and wealthy Store Of Wool Melactè with a Fishy Shore And Cephalaedias near the stormy Main Whose boist'rous Coast in the Coerulean Plain Feeds the vast Whales the Tauromenians too Where Ships by dire Charybdis in their view In quick-devouring Gulphs are swallow'd down And from the Bottom strait again are thrown Up to the Stars These Latine Arms approv'd And under the Laurentine Ensigns mov'd The rest of the Sicilian People there With (a) Libyan Elysaean Vows in Arms appear A thousand were the Agathyrnian Bands As many Strongylos that South-ward stands A thousand sent Fascellina the Seat Of the Thoantean (b) Diana Goddess Thrice as great A Number gave Panormos some that kill'd Wilde Beasts in Chase and some in Fishing skill'd And some that could the Birds from Heav'n allure Herbesos then nor Naulochum secure Of Danger sate nor with her Shady Plains Morgentia from this treach'rous War abstains Joyn'd with Nemaean Forces thither came Amastra thither Thisse small in Name Netum with these and Micitè combin'd With these Achetum and Sidonia joyn'd And Depane and vex'd with roaring Waves Helorus and (c) This Defection of the Slaves in Sicily came to that height that with an Army of more then twenty Thousand having wasted many Towns and Cities in that Country and among others Triochala or Tricala eminent for its Strength they made one Salvius to whom they gave the Name of Trypho their King and under his Conduct defeated Lucius Lucullus Trypho dying one Athenio succeeded and prevailed against Lucullus his Successour C. Servilius and continued thus in Arms four years till C. Acilius who was Consul with C. Marius subdued and totally suppressed them See Diod. Sic. 36. Triochala by Slaves Soon after Wasted Arabeia fierce Iëtas high and Tabas to converse With Arms most ready and Cossyra small And Mutè which not Megara at all◠Exceeds in Bigness came with joynt consent To Libya's Aid with Caulon eminent For her calm Sea when She the (d) The Bird called the King-Fisher Halcyon hears Singing and the scarce-moving Water bears The swimming Nests on Surges strangely still'd But the fam'd City Syracusa fill'd Her spacious Walls with various Arms and Men Collected from all parts The People then Facile and ready Tumults to desire Their Leaders with this boasting Language Fire That their four Tow'rs and Walls no Fo as yet Had entred That their Fathers saw how great A Cloud so inaccessible a Town Through situation of her Port had thrown Upon the (e) The Athenians after the vain Expedition of Xerxes became so powerfull that they freed all Greece from the Persian Yoak and after invaded Sicily where after several Conflicts in a Naval Fight before Syracusa under the Conduct of Nicias they were overthrown and their whole Force repulsed and beaten out of Sicily See Diodor. lib. 13. Salaminian Victories And Eastern Trophies when before their Eyes Three hundred Ships and Athens in whose Ayd The Ruins of the Persian King were made To serve in one great Wrack while they sustain No Loss at all were swallow'd in the Main Two (f) Hippocrates and Epicydes whose Grand-father was banished from Syracuse and fled to Carthage where they were born their Mother being a Carthaginian See Livy lib. 24. Brothers born in Carthage and ally'd To Carthaginians by the Mother's side Whose Father a Sicilian banished From Syracuse had them in Libya bred In whom Sicanian Levity conspir'd With Tyrian Fraud the giddy People fir'd Which when Marcellus saw and that no Cure The Wounds of their Sedition would endure The War still growing from the Fo more high He streight attests the Gods of Sicily Thy Fountains Arethusa and the Lakes And Rivers That unwillingly he takes The War in hand and that those Arms which He Ne're of himself assum'd the Enemy Forc'd him to bear With that the Wall he storms And Thunders on the City with his Arms. An equal Fury them together all Draws on on either side they Fight and Fall (g) Of this and other Engines made by Archimedes in opposition to Marcellus see Plutarch in the Life of Marcellus With many Cov'rings seeming to invade The Stars in height and by a (*) Archimedes Graecian made Ten Stories high which Shades of many a Grove
People's Favour and their Faith when crost By Fortune and his Pow'r a King hath lost (t) Hannibal fearing to trust himself among the Syrians in this Decline of his Fortune retired to Prusias King of Bithynia and served him with great Success against the Etolians This Levity the Libyan Prince revolv'd Much in his troubled Thoughts at length resolv'd No more the Dang'rous Envy of that Court To try but to Bithynia's King resort A King who wanted then so brave a Hand Against Etolians to defend his Land Prompted to this by his unhappy Fate Thither he speeds and findes alass too late The Malice of his Foes could not extend To reach his Death but by a Treach'rous Friend A Friend who to his Valour ow'd his Crown And by that Fatal Victorie's Renown Made Jealous Rome to hasten on his Fall By such an Act as all the World may call Her Infamy For he that conquer'd Foes Destroys when he may spare doth Honour lose But to the Romane Arms all Asia now Submits and all their Laws impos'd allow No King but basely yields to their Demands No City where they March their Pow'r withstandsâ— And whaâ— did most with Hannibal's sad Fate Conspire his Ruin to accelerate Was that (u) Flaminius the Son of that Flaminius whom Hannibal vanquished and slue near the Lake Thrasimenus sent Embassadour to Prusias exceeded saith Appian his Commission demanding Hannibal to be delivered to Him to which the Perfidious King fearing the Power of the Romanes assented Flaminius whose rash Sire before The Libyan Arms on Thrasimenus Shore Renown'd a Legate to Bithynia came And to his base Revenge the Senate's Name Usurp'd Their Peace and Amity to all Deny'd that should protect brave Hannibal The King consulting with his Fears forgets All Ties of Honour on his Safety sets A greater Value Those late Trophies gain'd By which the Libyan Prince his Throne sustain'd Seem to upbraid him with a Debt which He Cannot discharge buâ— by this Treachery Those Glories that too near his Crown dilate Their Lustre into Crimes degenerate They Guilty are whose Merits stand above Reward in lower Sphears Men safest move These Thoughts drew on the Noble Libyan's Fate Whose strong Suspicious made him but too late T' attempt Escape The dubious Faith of Kings Which varies with the Face of Humane Things Gave him to fear a Change and to prepare (x) Hannibal at length suspecting the Faith of Prusias had made several Passages under Ground to escape if possible the Guards appointed to beset his House but seeing no means to avoid them he took Poison which he alwaies wore about him some say in the Pommel of his Sword and died in the seventieth Year of his Age. His Body was buried near Libyssa which he from the Oracle mistook for Libya onely with this Inscription HERE LIES HANNIBAL Strange Lab'rinths under Ground to shun the Snare But all in Vain declining Fortune made Traitours of nearest Friends and he 's betrai'd In all that he designs Arm'd Troops enclose His House and stop his Way wheree're he goes But his Resolved Minde 'bove Fortune stands And still reserves his Fate in his Own Hands Though now betrai'd He is and left by all He 's still so great that none can Hannibal But Hannibal destroy And to prevent Surprize into a secret place he went Where first the Gods accus'd and Hanno's Pride That to his growing Conquests Aid deni'd The Syrians Folly and base Prusias last Perfidious Act which all the rest surpast In Infamy with Execrations blam'd The Aid of his Great Father's Spirit he claim'd And a dire Poison without farther Pause More Fierce then that which from the raging Jaws Of Cerberus upon Earth's Bosom fell When Great Alcides drag'd him chain'd from Hell He swallows down This baneful Drug before Prepar'd by a Massylian Witch he wore Lock'd on his Sword which if that chanc'd to fail Might as his surer Destiny prevail Against all Humane Force and as he found It seiz'd his Vitals by an Inward Wound He these last Words expir'd Now lay aside Thy Fears O Rome no more will I thy Pride Oppose but with this Satisfaction Dy That thus Degenerate Thy self wilt my Revenge effect Not Arms but Virtue made Thy Fathers Great which since in Thee decai'd Thy Ruin must ensue They Nobly scorn'd By Treason to destroy a Fo and warn'd (y) Fabricius advertized Pyrrhus after he had given a signal Overthrow to the Romanes of the Treachery of his Physician who for a sum of Money offered to Poison Him Plutarch in the Life of Pyrrhus The Epirote of Poison when he stood Arm'd at their Gates and Triumph'd in their Blood But Me opprest with Fortune and my Years Betrai'd a feeble Victim to thy Fears A Cons'lar Legate forceth thus to fly From Life 'gainst Laws of Hospitality And a King's Faith But this vile Stain O Rome More lasting then thy Trophies shall become And when thy Deeds in War in future Time The World shall read thy Glories this one Crime Shall blast and all account Thee from my Fall Unworthy such a Fo as Hannibal More He 'd have said but through his swelling Veins Death creeps and binds in Adamantine Chains The Spirits of Life which with this Language ends His Soul to other Heroes Ghosts descends FINIS Errata in Silius Italicus Pag. 2. In the Margent c for there sharp Wars read three sharp c. ibid. v. 19. for with a Buls-hide r. which c. p. 13. v. 1â— r. Phocaan ib. Margent p r. Phocâ—is p. 24. Margent a r. would have it on c. ib. Marg. c r. Pyrrhus King of Epire. ib. v. 15. r. begins p. 42 v. 9. r. Quit p. 44. v. 27. r. Offering with the Infernal Priestess there p. 45. v. 11 r. then in for through c. p. 85. v. 10. r. Lap. lib. 7. Argument r. Romanes p. 1â—6 v. 1â— r. He p. 191. v. 15. r. Our buisiness p. 194 v. 9 r. run p. 201. v. 19. r. with Lies ib. v. 26 r. then p. 210. v. 4 r. who ib. v. 1â— r. Him p. 238 v. 12. r. his Looks p. 280. v. 2â— r. wild p. 302 Marg. f r. sent two Armies p. 306 Marg. g r. which was the Judgment given against Horaâ—â—uâ— for killing his Sister by K. Tullus p. 323 v. 3 r. sprung p. 324 v. 29 r. who I. c. p. 330. v. 30 r. Rest p. 336. v. 1. r. thou p. 348 v. 3. r. r. the Valourâ— p. 372 Marg. r. Siedge p. 373 Marg. r. as my Bones p. 385 Marg. q r. New games p. 387. v. 30 r. Is Cesar p. 416. v. 1. r. then so by Maladies p. 419 v. 5. r. thy Idèas p. 426 v. 20 r. winding Creeks p. 445 v. 22 r. the fierce Cantab. p. 437 v. 21 r. He Gala p. 446. v. 20. r. whose lofty folds ib. v. 28 r. Fold p. 490 v. 33 r. my Flames I p. 496 v. 23 r. thy Entreaty Errata for tâ— Continuation Pag. 2. The English Verses are immediately to follow the Latin â—iz Hinc albi Clitumne greges then follows But this virtue vanishing c. p. 6. v. 14. r. Resentment p. 10. Marg. Kâ— r. â—0 and 200. p. 33. v. 3. r. Whosoe're p. 36. v. 16. â—r Flight p. 39. v. 24. r. Thenâ— p. 40. v. 19. r. Mighty p. 41. v. 9. â—r That p. 44. v. 24. r. a loss p â— v. 9. r. Gods p. 72. v. 3. r. Pamphilicaâ—