goes on Fearless as if his Valour could alone With all their Force contend When a Disdain To see him dare so much a Rage more vain Creates in a brave Rhodian who forsakes His Station and the Combate undertakes Both ply their Oars both seek to gain the Wind. While Fortune that in this alone inclin'd To favour Hannibal extends his Sails With following Gusts so that his speed prevails And bears his Gally on against his Fo With so great Violence the barbed Proe Strikes through his Side and with the furious Shock Shakes his whole Bulk as bruis'd against a Rock As from some Engine shot the Splinters fly Through all the Ship and One the Captain 's Eye So deeply wounds it sinks into his Brain And leaves upon the Deck his Body slain With him the Courage of the rest doth dy And a base Fear perswades them streight to fly While Hannibal pursues with Storms of Fire From Pitchy Lamps and Darts as they retire Black waves of Smoak the flying Vessel hide And her sad Fate invites from either side Fresh Squadrons to the Fight These to maintain Their Conquest those to take Revenge The Main Foams with their active Oars and the Sea-Gods Affrighted seek their most remote Abodes Fearing the future Horrour of the Day And bloody Seas their safety might betray Both Navies now are met Proes against Proes Sides against Sides they strike and grapling close So firmly that as Foot to Foot they stand And with their Swords deal Wounds as if on Land But where the swelling Surges interpose Or Winds so that the Gallies cannot close Darts Arrows Jav'lins flaming Lamps they throw And Death and Wounds in sev'ral Shapes bestow The Romanes now the Syrians now give Way Yet neither fly but equally the Day Are confident to gain and their Retreat Like Rams doth greater Force and Rage beget Till Scipio to whose Fortune Syria's Fate Must yield and thence her future Ruin date A Squadron of Italian Gallies brought 'Gainst Apollonius who too rashly sought So brave a Fo. Like Thunder tearing Clouds Their meeting Vessels crack th entangled Shrouds Some that would sink above the Waves retain While others to the Bottom of the Main Descend and in their Arms the Souldiers drown'd Finde a sad Fate without Revenge or Wound But some whose present Courage stood above Surprize of Danger 'gainst such Fortune strove To dy among their Foes and leaping on Their Decks there fighting fall Some backward thrown Are lost in the Assault others whose Skill In Swimming and their Rage kept floating still Attempt to Board again Eumenes late A Captain who his Tyrian Gallie's Fate A while surviv'd first seiz'd a Romane's Oar By which he nimbly climbing up before Perceiv'd the Deck had gain'd when strait one Hand Lop'd off the other still his Hold maintain'd Untill a second Wound took that away Yet this sad Loss could not his Minde betray To want of Courage but his Teeth supply'd Their Room until a Fauchion did divide His Body from his Head which still did keep Its Hold the Trunck fell back into the Deep Th' Example of his Death made some to burn With Rage some I hill with Fear their Proes to turn And fly While Hannibal their Flight in vain Upbraids and hales them to the Fight again But when they saw Pamphilius possest With so great Terrour that he first the rest Forsook no Sense of Honour could restrain Their Flight But scatter'd over all the Main The base Cilicians spread their Sails to Fear Scarce knowing to what Land or Coast they steer Hannibal's Valour But the brave Libyan who as much to fly Abhorr'd as those base Cowards fear'd to dy With three stout Tyrian Gallies makes through all The Latian Ships t'attaque their Admiral Thinking that Act alone would best become His Valour when he seem'd t' assault ev'n Rome Her Self and from his Conquest or his Fall The World might say 'T was done like Hannibal But Fortune the Success deny'd and brought A furious War upon him where he fought Where e're he turns their Numbers him surround So as besieg'd he stands No place is found Where a brave Deed a single Arm may boast All Valour in their Multitudes is lost This Face of Danger his last Fury wakes As when too close pursu'd a Tiger takes His Stand resolv'd to dy reveng'd he views His Foes all Wounds receives at length doth chose Against that Hand to spend his Stock of Rage That 'gainst his Life most forward doth engage Hannibal's Stratagem So a Pretorian Ship that 'bove the rest With Show'rs of Piles and Darts did him infest With a Prodigious Storm he laies aboard And all the Plagues that Libya could afford To which her thirsty Sands do give a Birth Upon it throws enclos'd in Pots of Earth From which when fall'n and broken on the Decks Myriads of Serpents rais'd their marble Necks The Souldiers in the Fight with Wonder are Surpriz'd as if Medusa made the War Their dreadful Hiss suppress'd all warlike Sounds And when their Stings or Teeth inflict their Wounds Strange kinds of sudden Death ensue while some Whose Nerves the deadly Poison doth benum Like Statues fixed stand Others beheld Their well-shap'd Limbs above Proportion swell'd Till their encreasing Bow'ls their Bellies burst Some seem t' have swallow'd Flames and a dire Thrist Firing their bloodless Entrails to allay Its Rage they headlong leap into the Sea This through one Wound sees all his blood to flow His Veins soon empty made That doth not know Hee 's hurt nor feels a Wound when Death strait creeps Into his Heart and he for ever sleeps But though each Serpent thus a sev'ral kinde Of Death inflicts yet to one Ship confin'd Free from their Venemous Assault the rest The Libyan with all sorts of Arms opprest Till Iuno strugling still with Fate resolv'd No Romane Hand should boast his Fall involv'd The Day in Horrour chas'd the Light away Before its Time and over all the Sea The Wings of Night extends the Pregnant Clouds Discharge their Cataracts and from the Shrouds The roaring Winds the swelling Canvase tare The Romane Ships as if in Civil War 'Gainst one another strike and now contend How from themselves they may themselves defend At length dispers'd o're all the Main they flee And by this Danger from a greater free Safe to the Lycian Shore the Libyan came Reserv'd by Fate to be Bithynia's Shame Antiochus overthrown at Land But Fortune had not thus her Aid deny'd By Sea alone unto the Syrian Side But where by Land the King his Armies led His Ensigns from the Romane Eagles fled His Thracian Kingdoms now no more his Law Obey'd but the Ausonian Fasces saw In Triumph through their Conquer'd Cities go And Him of late their Lord esteem'd their Fo. His Grecian Friends the Leagues that they had sworn Reject and now his weaker Friendship scorn Scarce would the Syrian Cities entertain Their flying King at his return So vain The
While their insulting General prepares Their Minds and to their Fury still doth give Fresh Fewel What third Consul doth survive In Rome said He What other Sicily Remaineth now in Arms against us See! All the Italian Bands and Daunian Line Are met Now let the Latine Princes joyn In League with Me now let them Laws require But thou that in the Fight unhappy Sire Ow'st to thy Son thy Life so may'st thou live May'st thou to him again that Honour give May'st thou not dy in War so old 't is I When Fate shall call that must in Battel dy This with high Rage express'd he doth advance With his Massilian Troops and with his Lance Ev'n at the Trenches doth provoke the Fo. The Latine Souldiers scorning thus to ow Their Safety to their Rampires and to hear The Gates to Eccho with an Hostile Spear Break forth and through the Breach before the Rest The valiant Consul flies The plumed Crest Of his bright Helmet waving with the Wind His Cassock stain'd with honour'd Blood behind He calls with a loud Voice the following Bands And where the Fo in strongest Bodies stands He breaks his Way and chargeth through the Plain As when a furious Torrent swell'd with Rain Falling from lofty Pindus Top doth fill The Vallies with a Noise as if the Hill By some rude Tempest were in Pieces torn The Heards and salvage Beasts and Woods are born Away the foaming Waves o're all prevail And pass with Roaring through the stony Dale Could I like the Maeonian (l) Hâ—mer Prophet sing Or would Apollo to assist me bring An hundred Voices I could not declare What Slaughter here the Consul made what there The Libyan's Fury acted Hannibal Murranus and the Romane General Phalantus old in Labours and for Skill In War all famous hand to hand did kill From Anxur's stormy Cliffs Murranus from Sea-wash'd Tritonis did Phalantus come But when by his Illustrious Habit shown The Consul was engag'd Cupentus one Depriv'd of half his Sight that with one Eye Pursu'd the War assaults him suddenly And fixeth in the Margent of his Shield His trembling Lance. The Consul him beheld With boiling Rage Now Villain lay aside Said he what ever Mischief thou dost hide Beneath thy Ugly and Deformed Brow And as he spake with Aim directly through His glaring Eye he thrusts his fatal Spear No less incens'd doth Hannibal appear By whom in silver Arms unfortunate Varrenus fell Varrenus whom of late Fertile Fulginia's wealthy Fields with Gain Enrich'd and wandring in the open Plain His curled Bulls as white as Alpine Snow Return'd from cold (k) Clitumnus a River in Tuscany wherein such Bulls as were to be Sacrificed to Iupiter were washed and became White See the Continuation of the first Book Clitumnus Stream but now The Gods were angry and those Victimes prove Nourish'd in vain which for Tarpeian Iove With so much Care by him were fed before Then light Iberians with the nimble Moor Advance Here Piles there Libyan Arrows fly So thick from either Side they hide the Sky And all the Space between the River's Shore And Champagn-Ground with Darts is cover'd o're So thick they stand the Wounded have no Room To Fall and Dy. There Allius that from Argyripa through Daunian Fields with rude Unpolish'd Shafts his flying Game pursu'd Was born into the midst of all his Foes Upon his Iapygian Steed and throws Not vainly his Apâ—lian Darts his Breast The Skins of rough Samnitick Bears invest Instead of Steel his Head an Helmet wore Fenc'd with the Tushes of an Aged Boar. But him thus Active as if he had bin Then following the Chase of Beasts within The Gargan Woods when Mago here espy'd There bold Maharbal they on either Side Charge him As Bears more fierce by Hunger made From sev'ral Rocks a trembling Bull invade Their Fury not permitting them to share Their Prey with Leisure so both here and there 'Gainst Allius discharged Weapons flew At length through both his Sides the Libyan Yew Doth singing pierce into his trembling Heart And Death remain'd ambiguous to which Dart It should give way for both together there As in their Center met Now full of Fear The Romane Troops with scatter'd Ensigns fly Whom to the Banks the Libyan furiously A Sight of Pitty wandring up and down Pursues and in the River strives to drown Then Trebia to their Ruin doth conspire And raising at Saturnia's Desire His fatal Waves begins a second War Against the weary Vanquished who are By Earth that shrank beneath them where they stood Devour'd and cover'd by the treach'rous Flood Nor could they from the thick tenacious Mire If once engag'd their weary Limbs retire But stand as bound and fix'd within the Mud Untill o'rewhelm'd by the deceitfull Flood Or Ruins of the hollow Banks some fall While others through the Slippery places crawl And seek through the inextricable Shore Their several Ways to Safety But as or'e The rotten Bogs they fly and Ruin think To shun by their own Weight oppress'd they Sink Here one swims swiftly and now near the Land Snatching the tops of Rushes in his Hand To raise himself above the Flood again Nail'd by a Jav'lin to the Bank is slain Another having lost his Weapon fast Within his Arms his strugling Fo embrac't And in one Fate both joyn'd together dy'd Death in a thousand Shapes on ev'ry Side Appears There wounded Ligus backward fell Upon the Shore and as the Flood doth swell With Heaps of Bodies and his Visage laves He sucks in with his Sighs the bloody Waves But scarce half-way did fair Hirpinus swim And beckned to the rest to follow him When carryed by the Stream's impetuous Force And gaul'd with many wounds his head-strong Horse Obeys the Torrent till with Labour tir'd Under prevailing Waves they both expir'd Yet still these Miseries encrease for as The towred Elephants attempt to pass Into the Flood with Violence they fell As when a Rock torn from its native Hill By Tempest falls into the angry Main And Trebia afraid to entertain Such Monstrous Bodies flies before their Breast Or shrinks beneath them with their Weight opprest But as Adversity man's Courage tries And fearless Valour doth to Honour rise Through Danger stout Fibrenus doth disclaim A Death ignoble or that wanted Fame And cries My Fate shall be observ'd nor shall Fortune beneath these Waters hide my Fall I 'le try if Earth doth any living bear Which the Ausonian Sword and Tyrrhen Spear Cannot subdue and kill With that he prest His Lance into the right Eye of the Beast That with blind Rage the penetrating Blow Pursu'd and tossing up his mangled Brow Besmear'd with reeking Blood with horrid Cries Turns round and from his fallen Master flies Then with their Darts and frequent Arrows all Invade him and now dare to hope his Fall His immense Shoulders and his Sides appear One Wound entire his dusky Back doth bear Innumerable Shafts that like a Wood Still waving as he
had not Anger lent Him Sâ—â—ength he could not lift now almost Spent At 's Fo stout Appius throws it 's weighty Fall Him backward fells and breaks his Bones withall When Mago saw him fall for near at hand He fought he wept beneath his Helmet and Groaning with Rage came on Th' Alliance late By them contracted and the Nephews that He thence expected fire his Thoughts the more But as with nearer View he doth explore Appius his Shield large Members and the Raies Of 's Helmet him a while that Sight delays As when a Lyoâ— from a shady Hill In haste descends his hungry Gorge to fill He stands and soon contracts his Speed if he Within the Plain a Bull approaching see Though with long Hunger press'd he views his high Thick risâ—ng Neck admires his threatning Eye Beneath a rugged Brow while he prepares For Fight and Earth to give the Signal tears First Appius spoke as he a Jav'lin threw If thou hast any Piety pursue Thy Contract and accompany thy Son In Death With that the flying Weapon run Quite through his brazen Arms untill it struck His Left Arm and in it deep wounding stuck The Libyan Return of Words forbore But with his Spear which Hannibal before Sagunthus Walls a Conquerour had ta'ne From Noble Durius there in Battel slain And to his Brother gave which with Delight He a brave Trophie bore in ev'ry Fight Charg'd him Grief lending Force the Weapoâ— through His Cask and Mouth inflicts a deadly Blow And as he strove to draw it from the Wound His Hands soon bloodless fell Upon the Ground Appius a Name through the Maâ—onian Sea Renown'd a great Part of Rome's Ruin lay And in his bloody Mouth expiring there Crush'd and with murm'ring bites the fatal Spear The Lake then trembled from his Body dead With Waves contracted Thrasimenus fled Next with no better Fates Mamercus dyes And wounded falls by all his Enemies For where the Lusitanian Cohorts fought Gain'd with much Blood and Valour as he brought A Standard whose stout Bearer he had slain And call'd his flying Countrey-men again His Foes inâ—ens'd at what they saw him do What ever in their Hands was Missile threw And likewise all that Earth then cover'd o're With Darts and Spears afforded like a Shour Of Hail upon him falls and greater Store Of Darts no single Romane felt before Thus stout Mamercus fell and at his Fall Vex'd at his Brother 's Hurt came Hannibal And raging ask'd when He the Wound espy'd Now him then his Companions If his Side The Spear had pierc'd or if within the Wound 'T were fix'd But when no fear of Death he foundâ— Nor Danger from the Field he strait was sent Cover'd with His own Coat into His Tent Within the Camp and free from Trouble there For Cure all Med'cinal Arts prepared were By Learned Synalus who did infuse Bathing the Wound throughout the healing Juice Of choicest Herbs and with a secret Charm The Weapon strait extracted from his Arm Him with a crooked Snake to Sleep compell'd All other Synalus in Skill excell'd And for it was through all the Neighb'ring Land And Cities fam'd o' th' (i) Paretonium a Town in Libya Marmarica lying upon a vast Tract of Sand abounding with Serpents Strab. lib. 17. Paretonian Sand. To Synalus his Grand-father of old Those Secrets Garamantick Hammon told And how the Bitings of wild Beasts to heal And deepest Wounds of Weapons did reveal He those Celestial Gifts while yet he liv'd Transmitted to his Son who them deriv'd To th' Honour of his Heir whom Synalus As great in Fame succeeds and Studious His Garamantick Secrets to improve As a Companion once to Horned Iove With many Images his Grand-sire's Line Deduc'd Now when he brought those Gifts Divine In Haste as Custom was his Garments round Tuck'd up with Water first he purg'd the Wound From Blood But Mago thinking on the Spoils And Death of his slain Fo his Brother's Toils And Cares with Words of Courage thus allaies And eas'd his own Mishaps with Thoughts of Praise Cease from Thy Fears dear Brother to my Wound No greater Remedy can now be found Great Appius by me compell'd is gone To th' Shades below and we enough have done Since He is dead I willingly can go To Hell it self after so brave a Fo. But when the Consul from an Hill beheld That this the Libyan Captain from the Field Had troubled turn'd that in their Trenches they As if the Clouds of War were vanish'd lay With sudden Fury for his Horse he calls And from the Hill descending fiercely falls Upon the trembling Files which now grown thin He routs and in the Valley doth begin The Fight again As when the Clouds above Surcharg'd with ratling Hail dissolve and Iove Mixing his Thunder with their Torrent shakes The Alps and high Ceraunian Rocks and makes The World thus mov'd the Earth the Sea the Air To tremble and ev'n Hell it self to fear So like a sudden Tempest from the Hill The Consul on the frighted Lybians fell The Sight of Him chill Horrour strikes into Their Bones while he through thickest Ranks doth go And with his Sword cuts out a spacious Way With that confused Cries to Heav'n convey The Fury of the Fight and strike the Stars As when the angry Seas against the Bars Of Hercules do beat and roaring Waves Throws into lofty Calpe's hollow Caves The Mountain groans and as with furious Shocks The foaming Billows break against the Rocks Tartessos though far distant thence by Land And Lixus that by no small Sea doth stand Divided thence at once the Eccho share By a swift Dart that Silent through the Air Had pass'd before the rest doth Bogus fall Bogus who at Ticinus first of all Against the Rutuli his Jav'lin flung And vainly thought that Clotho would prolong His Thread of Life and that a num'rous Line Of Nephews he should see by the false Sign Of flying Birds deceiv'd But none have power By Augury to remove the fatal Hour ' Mid'st Storms of Darts he falls and to the Skies Lifting in vain his dim and bleeding Eyes O' th' Gods misunderstood as he expires The Promises of longer Life requires Neither could Bagasus then boast in Fight That he unpunish'd in the Consul's Sight Had conquer'd Libo strip'd who vainly there The Lawrel of his Ancestours did wear But a Massilian Sword lops off his Head And on his Cheeks as Down began to spread The barb'rous Souldier by untimely Death Suppress'd his rising Years Yet his last Breath Did not in vain implore Flaminius Aid For strait by him his Fo was headless made As pleas'd that after his Example by The same sad Death the Conquerour should dy What God O Muses aptly can rehearse So many Funerals Or who in Verse Worthy such Noble Shades lament their Fall Or tell how there the Early Youth did all Contend in Death for Honour Or what then Ev'n in the Porch of Death more Aged men Perform'd What Courage
in the Knee and Prostrate while Thou dost keep down and vainly seek to spoil With cruel Force an heavy Jav'lin broke Thy Ribs thy Body by the fatal Stroke With sudden Ruin on thy prostrate Fo Doth fall and Both in Death together go Nor were the Sidicinian Cohorts then Wanting in Valour these a thousand Men Stout Viridasius arm'd whose Skill did yield To none to guid a Ship or pitch a Field None sooner could with batt'ring Rams prevail 'Gainst Walls or sooner highest Tow'rs could scale Him when the Libyan General beheld With the Successes of his Valour swell'd For he Avaricus not trusting to His Arms and by him Hurt did then pursue His Anger rising higher at that Sight He thought him worthy with Himself to fight And from Avaricus as he withdrew His wounding Spear upon him fiercely flew And piercing deep into his Breast said He Prais'd be thy Valour whosoe're thou be 'T is pitty Thou by other Hands should'st fall The Honour thus to dy by Hannibal Bear to the Shades below and were not Thou Born of Italian Blood thy Life should now Be spar'd next him he Fabius slew and bold Labicus who in feats of Arms was old And long before in (m) Sicily from the River of that Name Arethusa's Land Had with Amilcar fought and Honour gain'd And now unmindfull of his broken years With Courage fresh again in Arms appears But that He now grew cold in War his Blows More vain betray the Fire so weakly glows In dying Embers that no Strength at all The Flame retains him when fierce Hannibal Shew'd by His Father's Armour-Bearer spy'd Thy former Fight 's due Punishment He cry'd Receive by this my Hand Amilcar now Revenging draggs thee to the Shades below This said from 's Ear with Aim a Dart he throws Which as upon the Wound he turned goes Quite through his Head the fatal Shaft again Pull'd out his hoary Locks a Crimson Stain Of Blood receive and his long Labours all In Death are ended Next to him doth fall Herminius a Youth who first there took Up Arms before accustom'd with his Hook Fam'd Thrasimenus in thy Lake to prey And to his aged Father oft convey Delicious Food and with his Angle from The Neighb'ring Waters drew the Fishes Home But now the Carthaginians sad convey Upon their Arms Sichaeus Corps away Unto the Camp whom with a mournfull Cry Pressing along as Hannibal doth spy With a Presaging Grief He strikes his Breast What is this Sadness that 's by you exprest My Friends said He of what hath us the Ire Of Heaven depriv'd Thee burning with Desire Of Praise Sichaeus and too great a Love Of thy first War doth this Black day remove From Life and Us by an untimely Fall With that he groan'd to which the Tears of all That bare him do Consent who likewise tell Weeping by whose revengefull Hand he fell I see it in his Breast said He see where The Wound was made by the Ilîack (n) Romane Spear Oh worthy our dear Carthage shalt thou go And worthy Hasdrubal to Ghosts below Nor shall thy Noble Mother thee lament Degenerate from thy so high Descent Nor as unlike thy Ancestours from Thee In Stygian Shades shall our Amilcar flee But these our Tears Flaminius this Day The Cause of all by 's Death shall wipe away This Pomp thy Funeral shall sure attend And impious Rome her self shall in the End That my Sichaeus Body with her Sword She ne're had wounded any Rate afford Thus he his Fury vents and as he speaks From 's foaming Mouth like Smoak a Vapour breaks His Rage in broken Murmurs from his Breast Extrudes that Breath that should have Words expres◠So from a boiling Pot in scalding Heaps Like Waves through too much Heat the Liquour leaps Then with blind Rage into the midst of all He Runs and Rends the Air as He doth call Upon Flaminius who no sooner hears His Voice but to the Combat he appears And Mars more near approach'd while Hand to Hand To fight within the Lists both Champions stand Then strait through all the Rocks a sudden Crack Doth run the Mountains all with Horrour shake Their Tops do tremble and the Grove of Pines That crown'd them from its pleasant Height declines And broken Quarries on the Armies fall Groaning as pull'd from her Foundations all The (o) The Poet in this agrees with Livy who affirms the Fury of the Souldiers to be such that neither Side were sensible of that Earthquake which subverted a great part of many Cities in Italy turned the Course of Torrents transported the Sea into Rivers and with a terrible Noise tore Mountains asunder lib. 22. Earth doth quake and breaking strangely wide Through the vast Gulfe where Stygian Shades discry'd And fear'd the Day again The troubled Lake Rais'd to the highest Hills forc'd to forsake Its ancient Seat and Channel with a Flood Before unknown now laves the Tyrrhen Wood This Storm the People and the Towns of Kings Like a dire Plague to sad Destruction brings Besides all this the Rivers backward run And fight with Mountains and the Sea begun To change its Tydes the Faunes now quit the Hill Of Apennine and fly to Floods yet still The Souldier O the Rage of War although The reeling Earth doth toss him too and fro Fights on and as he falls deceived by Th' unconstant Ground throws at his Enemy His trembling Darts till wandring here and there The Daunian Youth distracted through their Fear Fly to the Shore and leap into the Stream The Consul who by Chance was mix'd with them That by the Earthquake fell their Fight in vain Upbraids What then I pray you doth remain To such as fly To Hannibal thus you His Way unto the Walls of Rome doth show You put both Fire and Sword into His Hand 'Gainst Iove's Tarpeian Tow'r Oh Souldiers stand And Learn by me to fight If ye deny To fight at all then Learn of me to dy Flaminius to Posterity shall give No vile Example and while I do live No Libyan or Cantabrian shall see A Consul's Back although alone I be But if so great a Thirst and Rage of Flight Your Minds invades their Weapons all shall light Upon this Breast and after this my Fall My Ghost into the Fight shall you recall While thus he vents his Grief and doth advance To meet his num'rous Foes with Countenance And Mind as Cruel forth Ducarius came Who from his Ancestours deriv'd his Name And since the Boian Armie's Overthrow Those Wounds which he receiv'd so long ago As Marks of barb'rous Courage did retain And knowing the proud Conqu'rour's Face again Art Thou the Boians greatest Terrour I Said he by this my wounding Dart will try If th' Blood of such a Body may be shed Nor be You slack more vulgar Hands that Head To Sacrifice to valiant Ghosts 't was he Who in his Chariot proud of Victory Our captiv'd Fathers to the Capitol Drove and they now
the Plains appear He should Advance and Fight Both Armies now Drew near and by the Running to and fro The confus'd Neighing of the fiery Steeds And clashing Arms a sudden Murmur spreads It self through all the troubled Troops as when Loud Conflicts 'twixt the Winds and Seas begin Their inward Rage and Storms that lave the Skies The Billows strait let loose and as they rise Their threatning Noise through all the trembling Rocks From their Foundations shaken by the Shocks Expire and Surges from the Bottom thrown With angry Foam the lab'ring Ocean Crown Nor was this cruel Storm of Fate alone The Labour of the Earth Dissension Crept into Heav'n and Gods to War incites Here Father Mars and here Apollo fights And Neptune there vext Cytherea here And Vesta and Alcides angry there For lost Sagunthus Old Cybele too And Gods of Mortals made Quirinus who First rais'd the Romane State with Faunus then Pollux that lately with his Brother-Twin Had shifted his Alternate Life but there ' Girt with a Sword Saturnia doth appear And Pallas 'mong the Libyan Waters born And Hammon too whose Temples with an Horn Are Circumflex'd and many lesser Gods Beside who coming from their bless'd Abodes To see this Fight with their Approaches shook The Earth and all their sev'ral Stations took Some on the Neighb'ring Hills while others shrow'd Themselves from Mortal Eys within a Cloud The Heav'ns were empty left while all to Wars Descend and strait to the forsaken Stars As great a Clamour rose as when within Phlegraean Plains the Giants did begin The Fight with Hercules or Iove for all His Thunder-bolts did on the Cyclops call When the bold Earth-born Army did invade His Throne and Mountains upon Mountains lai'd The Charge so fierce no Dart or Spear before The rest was thrown but an impetuous Showr Of Shafts together fell with equal Rage And as they thirsting after Blood engage The Storm a Multitude of both destroy'd But where the Sword more closely was imploy'd The greater Number dy'd on whom the rest Stood to maintain the Fight and as they prest To strike a Fo would spurn them as they groan The Sea as soon with raging Billows thrown 'Gainst Calpe might remove it from its Seat As all the Libyan Rage to a Retreat Could force the Romanes or the Romanes make The Libyan Bands their Station to forsake So close they fight no Space was left at all For Blows to miss or when they dy'd to fall Helmets 'gainst Helmets clash and ev'ry Stroke Excuss'd the hidden Flames Targets are broke 'Gainst Targets Swords by Swords are hack'd and Feet On Feet do tread so furiously they meet Breasts against Breasts are bruis'd and where they stood Earth could not be discern'd o'reflown with Blood And the thick Clouds of Arrows as they fly Take from their Eys the Day and hide the Sky Those of the second Rank as if they fought I' th' Front with their long Pikes and Lances sought To wound the Fo and those that farthest stood With missile Weapons labour'd to make good The Fight with those were foremost all the rest With Clamour their Desire to Fight exprest And with their horrid Shouts the Enemy Provoke And now all sorts of Weapons fly Some hard'ned Stakes Pines burning others fling And weighty Piles These Fatal Pellets sling Those Darts and which would shake the strongest Wall Huge Stones from the Phalarick Engines fall And through the Clouds the singing Arrows fly How can I hope ye Goddesses whom I Religiously adore this Day to show To future Times Can you such Pow'r allow Ye Learned Virgins to my Mortal Song And trust the Cannae to a single Tongue If you affect our Fame nor shall decline To give Assistance to our high Design Hither from your Parnassus hither all Your Sacred Lays and Father Phoebus call But maist thou Noble Romane still appear As Constant and thy future Triumphs bear With as great Courage as Adversity Thou then didst meet Such maist Thou ever be Nor tempt the Gods to try if those that are Deriv'd from Troy can bear so great a War And thou O Rome no more with Tears deplore Thy dubious Fate but rather now adore Those Wounds that shall Eternal Praise to Thee Produce for â—hou shalt never Greater be But sink in thy Success and by the Name Of former Miseries defend Thy Fame Now Fortune shifting Sides between them went Deluding with sad Doubts of the Event The Rage of Both and furious Mars so long As Hope between in equal Ballance hung Rag'd in their Arms alike So have I seen The standing Corn while yeâ— the Stems were green Mov'd by a gentle Wind wave to and fro The Weighty Ears which as they Nodding go To this Side then to that alternately The sev'ral Motions of the Wind obey At length Nealces with confused Shouts Brings on his Barb'rous Troops and Charging routs The adverse Wing the Ranks disorder'd through The Intervals the fierce victorious Fo Breaks on the trembling Files and strait a Flood That like a Torrent rush'd of reeking Blood Runs on the Plain None falling are by Spears Thrust on their Faces for the Romane fears (f) This hath been frequently observed of the Romanes when they have seen their Case desperate particularly in Cataline's Army where every man that dyed fell with his Face towards his Enemy See Salust Wounds on the Back and on his Breast receives His cruel Death and Life with Honour leavs Among the first affecting still to be I' th' hottest of the Fight and equally To meet all Dangers stood brave Scaevola Who scorning to survive so sad a Day Sought worthy his great Ancestour to fall And dy beneath that Name perceiving all Was lost Our Life how short soe're it be Now in despight of Fate let Us said he Extend For Valour is an empty Name Unless in Death's Approach a lasting Fame By suff'ring bravely or by Wounds we gain Surviving Honour Speaking thus amain Into the Midst where the fierce Libyan's Hand Cut out his Way through those that did withstand He like a Tempest falls and there he slew Tall Calathis and with his Sword quite through His Body pierc'd as boasting he put on The Arms of one there slain strait down upon The Ground he tumbles biting with his Teeth The Hostile Arms the Tortures of his Death By that suppressing as he groveling lay Neither could Gabar or stout Sicha stay With their joint Valour his Impetuous Rage For valiant Gabar as he did engage Lost his Right-Hand but Sicha mad with Grief And coming rashly on to his Relief Stumbling by Chance upon his Sword doth wound His Naked Foot by which upon the Ground He falls and by the Hand of 's dying Friend Lies prostrate This his Fury in the end Nealces fatal Rage upon him brought Who by so great a Name incited sought The Honour of his Fall and strait a Stone Torn from the Neighb'ring Rock and tumbled down By the swift Torrent from the Mountain
the Backs of them that fly Ev'n in their Gen'ral's View all Shafts provokes The Consul's Helmet by their furious Stroaks Bruis'd and his Arms all shatter'd Paulus throws Himself more fierce at this among his Foes But Varro having lost his Courage quite While Paulus to another Place the Fight Pursu'd strait wheels about and with his Hand Turning his Horse said Thou dost justly stand Corrected Rome that did'st to Varro give Command in War while Fabius is alive But now what civil Discord in my Minde What sad Dissension of my Fate I finde What secret Fraud of Destinies I all These Torments will determine in my Fall But Oh! some God my Sword withholds and Me Reserves Alass for greater Misery Shall I live then and to the Tribes agen The Fasces stain'd with Blood of Countrey-Men And broken thus return And as I go My Face to other angry Cities show Or then which Nought more Cruel could for Me By Hannibal be wish'd fly hence and Thee Oh Rome behold More his distracted Fear Had utter'd but the Enemy drew Near And Charging him more Close with Darts his Steed Snatch'd the loose Reins and fled the Field with Speed The End of the Ninth Book Hinc citus ad Tumulum donataâ—e Funera Paulo â—bat et Hostilis Lethi Iactabat Honorem Omnibus Exequijs Nudo jamque Annibal Unus Sat Decoris Laudator Erat. c Honoratiss o Domino Dn o. Iacobo Compton Baroni de Compton Comiti NorthamptoÌ„ Tabula sumÌ„a cum observantia D.D.D. SILIUS ITALICUS OF The Second Punick VVar. The Tenth Book THE ARGUMENT Paulus great Valour and what Slaughters he At Cannae made He is advis'd to flee But Thoughts of Flight rejects By Hannibal Christa with his six Sons together fall Servilius by Viriathus slain By Paulus Hand is soon reveng'd again And fighting ' midst his Foes at length he dies The Libyan Celebrates his Obsequies Commends his Valour and his Noble End Their Counsels who their Countrey did intend To quit by Scipio are suppress'd To Rome Without all Pomp doth Consul Varro come The Multitude incens'd against him are By Fabius appeas'd The Slaves for War Are Arm'd the Senate passeth a Decree That none that Captiv'd are shall ransom'd be WHEN Paulus saw the Adverse Fight encreas't As when with Spears encompass'd a wilde Beast Leaps on their Points and by his Wounds doth know Where to direct his Rage and choose a Fo Into the thickest of the Globes he goes And to all Dangers doth himself expose And seeks a Death from ev'ry valiant Hand Upbraiding thus his flying Men Oh! stand Stand stoutly to 't and in your Breasts receive The Sword nor wounded in your Backs thus leave The World there nothing now remains at all For Us but the sole Glory of our Fall Me to the Shades below you all shall finde Your Leader Then swift as the Northern Winde Or winged Shafts which in dissembled Flight The Parthian backward shoots into the Fight And where unmindfull of his tender Age Paetus like Mars in Courage did engage He rush'd into the mid'st of all his Foes And the Youth whom light Vascons did enclose And fierce Cantabrians did with Darts surround Freed from their cruel Arms while they gave Ground And Trembling fled As when a Goat in View Through a large Plain the Huntsmen close pursue And in the Chase the weary Beast so nigh Approach they think to catch't if suddenly Gnashing his Teeth a Lyon from his Den Before their Eys appears their Colour then And Blood flies from their Cheeks their Weapons all Inferiour to their Danger they let fall And flying think no more upon their Prey Now with his Sword on such as in his Way Oppose he press'd and such whom baser Fear Made fly with Darts he follows in the Rear Fury and Rage delight him and to Crown His Deeds with Honour by his Hand alone A multitude of Nameless People fall And if another Paulus there 'mong all The Dardan Troâ—pâ— had been Cannae its Name Had surely lost and Haâ—nibal his Fame At length his Wing declin'd and suddenly The Front gives Way and all together fly There Labiâ—nus fellâ— whom Cingulum Sent from her lofty Walls there Ocris whom With Opiter Vine-bearing Setia sent From fertile Hills Their Deaths were different Though the Sidonian join'd the Time for there Shot through the Hip fell Labienâ—â— here One through the Shoulder t' other through the Knee The Brothers wounded him accompany And there Macaenas who of antient Fame Through the Maeonian Land his Noble Name From Tyrrhen Kings deriv'd wounded quite through The Groin a Tyrian Jav'lin likewise Slew But through the thickest Paulus â—corning all Desires of Life and â—eeking Hannibal Charg'd furiously and thought his Destiny Could onely cruel be if he should dy And Hannibal survive Fearing this Rage For that if once in Fight they did engage So great a Storm and Tempest could not be Without great Mischief Iuno instantly (a) Vid. infra pag. 12. Frighted Metellus Shape assuming Why Consul said She sole Hope of Italy Dost thou Renew thy Rage in Vain while Fate Resists if Paulus live the Romane State May stand if otherwise thou draw'st with Thee All Italy Oh Paulus Can it be That thou wilt while the State thus totters go To hazard 'gainst so insolent a Fo Thy Sacred Head For now so flush'd in War Is Hannibal that with the Thunderer He dares contend and Varro I beheld When first He wheel'd about hath left the Field Himself reserving for a better Day Allow the Fates their Time and while you may From Death redeem your Soul that 's greater far Then Ours You soon may have another War To this with Sighs the General reply'd And is' t not Cause enough if Nought beside Did move Me that I now should wish to dy In Arms when to an Act so Monstrous I Metellus urging hear Thou Fool away Fly Oh! fly hence with Speed nor Heav'n I pray Thee in the Back may Hostile Weapons wound But with thy Varro mayst thou safe and sound Enter the Walls of Rome Dost Thou think Me Worthy so base a Life and not to be As worthy Coward of a Nobler End Because the Libyan who dares contend Forsooth with Iove permits it Oh thou base Degen'rate Issue of a Valiant Race When should I choose to fight With whom should I Desire to Cope but such an One that by My Hand subdu'd or I by his might give To Me a Name that after Death shall live Thus chiding 'mong his Foes himself he threw And as Acherras covertly withdrew From the throng'd Maniples and sought Retreat To the Main Body with more nimble Feet Him through the thickest Ranks with Targets fill'd And constipated Arms pursu'd and kill'd So Belgick Hounds an hidden Boar pursue And with Sagacious Noses drown'd in Dew Through devious Ways the doublings of the Beast Detect and all his Footsteps closely prest Through thickest Groves where Hunts-men cannot come To beat still follow nor desist
Swords But Valiant Galba whose still pious Love To Virtue no cross Fortune could remove Seeing an Ensign taken by the Fo Pursues with Speed and with a fatal Blow The Conqu'rour fells but striving to regain The Eagle which his dying Hands retain And would let go but slowly at the Last Pierc'd by Amorgus Sword who came in Haste To 's Friend's Relief he fell and in those great Attemps unhappy sadly met his Fate But now as if Enyo's Rage were still Unsatisfi'd Vulturnus in one Hill Of Dust rolls all the Field and the white Sand Throws up and such as Labour'd to withstand His Fury with strong Blasts that strangely Roar To th' farthest Part of all the Champagne bore And 'gainst the Hollow Banks their Bodies thrown And bruis'd within the swelling Flood did drown And here unhappy in his silent Fate The River Curio's Life doth terminate For while with inward Fury boiling He Labours to stop the Romane Troops that flee And in their Way himself opposing stood Driv'n Headlong by the Throng into the Flood I' th' troubled Waves he sunk and born away Dead in the Adrîack Sands Inglorious lay But the brave Consul whose unshaken Minde The worst of Ills could bear who ne're inclin'd To stoop to Fortune meets the Conqu'ring Fo With equal Fury and himself doth throw Amidst their thickest Arms encourag'd by A Martial Heat and Confidence to dy When Viriathus whom th' Iberian Land Obey'd pursuing with a Fatal Hand A Fo now tyr'd and weary'd in the Fight Near unto Raging Paulus and in 's Sight Cuts off Oh Grief Oh Tears (d) Servilius Galba had been Consul with Acilius and that day commanded the main Body of the Romanes where He dyed bravely fighting at the Head of his Men. Servilius there Next Paulus the best Part of all the War Fell by a barb'rous Hand and in his Fall Alone with Envy We may Cannae call Unfortunate The Consul his sad Ire No more endures and though the Winds conspire To rob him of his Arms and blind his Eys With Dust yet through a Cloud of Sand he flies And him then tuning as 't is us'd among Th' Iberi on his Shield a barb'rous Song Invades and through his left Pap driving past His Weapon to his Vitals this the last Of all his Slaughters was no more could He In Fight his Hand imploy nor Rome for Thee In future Wars must Noble Paulus stand For an huge Stone thrown from a private Hand Dash'd on his Head and deep into his Skull His batter'd Helmet beats and fills it full And all his Face with Blood retreating then Against the Neighb'ring Rock as he doth lean Now almost choak'd with Dust before his Face Besmear'd with Gore his Target he doth place Like a fierce Lyon lighter Shafts represt And scorn'd when piercing deep into his Breast At length he feels the Steel amidst the Field He trembling stands and patiently doth yield To ev'ry Weapon while about his Nose His Jaws and Main a bloody Riv'let flows And sometimes turning his weak Limbs about From his wide Mouth he foaming Goar doth spout But then fierce Hannibal spurs on his Steed Where e're the Storm or Conqu'ring Sword doth lead Where furious Troops and where those Monsters are That with their Iv'ry Teeth maintain the War Here overwhelm'd with Darts when Piso spy'd The Libyan Captain over Bodies ride Raising himself Upright upon his Spear Pierc'd through his Horse's Flank attempting there In Vain to leap upon him being down To whom the angry Libyan who soon Himself recover'd though his Plunging Steed Pitch'd him upon his Shoulder When they 're Dead Do thus the Romane Ghosts revive said He To fight In Death nor will they Quiet be This said into his Body as He strives To rise up to the Hilts his Sword he drives But his Foot wounded with a Cretan Shaft As Lentulus full Speed on Horse-back left The Field the Stones besmearing with his Blood And with a stern Aspect to th' Stygian Flood Sinking he Paulus spy'd at that sad Sight His Mind 's distracted He 's asham'd of Flight Then Rome appears to burn and Hannibal Ev'n at the Gates to stand then first of all The Field that Italy devour'd He saw What then remain'd but the next Day might draw The Tyrians to the Town At length he spake To Paulus thus Dost Thou the Helm forsake In such Distress The Gods my Witness are Unless thou guid us through this cruel War And live though 'gainst thy Will in such a Storm Paulus Grief made his Language sharp more Harm Then Varro Thou wilt do Then take I pray Of Rome's now sinking State Thou onely Stay This Horse upon my Shoulders I will take Thee up and set Thee safe upon his Back As this he spake the Consul spitting Blood From his torn Mouth replies Go on make good Thy Father's Virtues why should we despair So long as such brave Souls remaining are In Romulus his Empire Spur thy Steed Which Way thy Wounds permit thee Let with speed The City-Gates be shut for suddenly This sad Destruction to the Walls will fly And pray advise that Fabius may Command In Chief blind Rage my Counsel did withstand And what of my spent Life remaineth now But that to the rude Multitude I show That Paulus dares and knows well how to Dy For thus consum'd with Wounds to them shall I Be born What would the Libyan give that Me Turning my Back in Fight He once might see Paulus hath no such Thoughts nor will I go So poor a Soul unto the Shades below No I am one but why do I delay Thee thus with mild Complaints Haste thee away Hence quickly with thy Steed with Service spent With this grave Charge strait to the City went Sad Lentulus nor yet did Paulus dy Without Revenge but as when mortally Wounded a Tiger doth at length retreat And falls to struggle with approaching Fate He opens wide his weary Jaws to bite In vain and in Attempts beneath the Height Of his great Rage licks onely with his Tongue The Lances and the Darts against him flung And now Ilerthes who insulting near Approach'd and shook secure of Wounds his Spear He rising with his sudden Sword doth wound And then for the Sidonian Captain round About him looks desiring in his Hands To quit his strugling Soul but strait the Bands Of Nomades of Garamantians Moors With Celtians and Asturians thick Showr's Of Darts upon him powr'd on ev'ry Side Oppress the Man Thus Noble Paulus dy'd Thus that high valian◠Heart whom if the War He sole had rul'd perhaps we might compare With Fabius his brave Death a Grace became To Rome and plac'd among the (e) This is onely an Hyperbole expressing the great Merit of Paulus and the Fame of his Death for the Romanes Deified none before Iulius Caesar after that Imposture of Proculus perswading them first to make Romulus a God Stars his Name But when the Romanes Hopes were lost and all Their Courage ruin'd
Flags The Lemnian God Soon enters and their Hatches all abroad Diffus'd strait fills the Rowers full of Fear Forsake their Benches yet although they were So hard Beset the Noise of that so great And fatal Mischief did not Penetrate To those below till running fiercely down By unctuous Lamps and Torches thither thrown Victorious Flames whizz through the Hold. Yet where From Dardan Fire and Smoak as yet they were Untouch'd and Free the dire Himilco held His Gallie's Fate and them with Stones repell'd And here poor Cidnus while a flaming Brand I' th' Air He brandish'd from Lichaeus Hand Into the Ocean by a Mural Stone From the Decks slippery with Blood was thrown Then with a filthy Stink a Lamp the Air Pollutes and Hisseth on the Waves and there A missile Weapon Sabrata le ts fly From the adored Poop the Deity O' th' Libyan Ship was Hammon who survay'd With his Horn'd Brow the Sea Now Father Aid And graunt Thou Garamantick God that We May 'gainst the Romanes fling sure Darts said He. Then from the trembling Throng as this he spoke A Cornel came that through the Visage broke Of Neptune's Neighbour Telon nev'rtheless He in the Gate of Death doth forward press On those who Flying in a Crowd retir'd Into a part o' th' Ship as yet not fir'd But when th' inevitable Fire had past Like Lightning through whate're was next at last The whole Ship to victorious Flames was made A Prey but first Himilco by the Aid Of a Sea-Rope where Vulcan had not yet Rais'd to extreamest height his Stygian Heat A little scorch'd slips down into the Sea And by the Oars of Friends is born away Next wretched Batho did thy Fate deprive A Ship of a good Pilot who couldst strive With roughest Seas and Weather by thy skill The highest Storms He could prevent what chill Boreas next day or Auster did intend Nor Cynosura couldst thou though thou bend Thy Course obscurely his still-watchful Eye Deceive When he perceiv'd their Misery No Measure had Thou Hammon who dost see This our unequal Fate receive said He My Blood With that into his Breast he drives His Sword and in 's Right-Hand the Blood receives Which largely 'twixt his Sacred Horns he pours Daphnis 'mong these unhappy Fate devours An antient Name who chose to leave the Woods And chang'd his Farms for the perfidious Floods But how much more under a Shepheard's Name Did the first of that Race excel in Fame To Daphnis the (m) The Muses of Sicily Sicelides inclin'd And a Castalian Pipe to him the kind Apollo gave commanding when he lay'd Himself along upon the Grass and play'd To Daphnis the joy'd Flocks through Medows and Through Fields should haste and Rivers Silent stand When on his seven-fold Reeds he play'd the Woods He charm'd the Syrens in their briny Floods Forgot to Sing and Scylla's Dogs no more Would bark a quiet Face Charybdis bore And 'mong the Rocks the Cyclops overjoy'd Would hear his Lays But here by War destroy'd Fell the whole Progeny and that great Name So Amiable for his sacred Flame On smoaking Planks fierce Ornytos away Then swum and lingred out a Death by Sea So Ajax when her Thunder Pallas threw Did rising Waves with burning Arms subdue Marmarick Scyron wounded by a Stem's Sharp Point quite through the Belly part of 's Lâ—mbs Swim under Water part above and so Through all the Ocean on the Fatal Prow Is born away The Ships the Fight pursue Close on both sides and with a bloody Dew From lab'ring Oars the Faces dash of those That fought With such fierce strokes Marcellus goes That his stout Gally overcame the Wind Which as Libaeus seizing fast behinde With eager Hands endeavovur'd to have stop'd With a sharp Ax his Members off were lop'd And sticking to their Hold were born away By the swift Vessel In this bloody Fray Aeölides Podetus did engage In a Sicanian Ship although his Age Not yet arriv'd to Man He whether by Sinister Gods drawn thither or his high Hot spirit and desire of War not yet Full ripe for Honour painted Arms did fit To his white Shoulders proud so with his tall Chimaera to disturbe the Sea Now all Rutulian Ships now all the Libyan He Better in Oars and Darts Triumphantly Outstrip'd and Nessus had already drown'd In cruel Waves Nessus with Turrets crown'd Alass vain Glory that did then so ill Perswade a Boy to Fight which wanted skill While for Marcellus Crest which then he wore On 's dreadful Caske and Spoils he doth implore The Gods as he too rashly did advance A deadly Wound by a returned Lance He took Oh how much prais'd whither he threw The (n) Discus was a round Quoit os Lead Stone or the like which was used for Exercise much like the Sledg among our Country People Discus shining near the Stars or drew His Bow and to the Clouds his Arrows sent Or run with winged Feet and as he went Scarce touch'd the Ground or o're the measur'd Plains By leaping past taught by continual pains Enough of praise fond Youth didst thou acquire In such safe Conflicts why didst thou aspire To greater Deeds When he was beaten down And sunk through num'rous Darts against him thrown Under the Waves his shipwrack'd Corps the while Deprived of his Syracosian Pile Cyclopean Rocks bemoan with Cyane Anapus Arethusa and the Sea But Tiberinus in another place Where then the Libyan Admiral did pass Drives on his Ship and streight they Iö cry'd And cast their Grapples in on either side The Ships stand bound unto the Combat nor With Shafts and Darts at distance thrown the War Do they pursue but Fight it near at hand And with the Sword as in a Fight at Land Where the first slaughter open'd and did shew A passage the Italian Ships broke through While the vast Chains and Iron Bands his Friends Maela advis'd to break and so intends Such as had Boarded him to bear away Farther from their then equal Arms to Sea Yong Polypheme in an Aetnéan Cave Was bred and thence affected still to have The Name of antient Fierceness nurtur'd by A She-Wolf when a Childe his Stature high And terrible of Bulk a cruel Minde Rage ever in his Face his Heart inclin'd To Blood as all the Cyclops He at length The Chains got loose with all his Bodie 's Strength Had driven on the Ship and in the Sea Drowning his Oars had born her quite away Had not Laronius with a sudden Blow Of 's Lance as he his Body rais'd to row Nail'd him to 's Seat Scarce he in Death forsook What he begun for as its wonted Stroke His Hand then languishing did still pursue Upon the surface of the Sea he drew The lazy Oar struck with the adverse Prow On one side to the other from the Fo The Libyans throng'd when with their sudden Weight Oppress'd Waves leaping in on that side strait The Vessel under Water sinks and there Targets and