first the rage of warre to cease They offer them to treate of peace And onely this contract would haue To yeeld themselues their liues to saue Except they more desired death Then to preserue a Captiue breath But these braue yonkers did disdaine Parlie for life to entertaine They were resolu'd that their owne Armes Should free them from all scornfull harmes Their mindes prepar'd for vtmost woes Could not be mou'd with clamorous foes Few hands of theirs sustain'd the brunt Of multitudes that them affrunt By land and seas on euery side Constant to death they firme abide And when they saw of hostile gore That they had shed sufficient store They turn'd their fury from the foe And with themselues in hand they goe The noble Captaine led the way Vulteius braue that doth display His naked breast and thus did say That hand amongst you most of worth My blood with glory to let forth Let him giue proofe by wounding me That he likewise himselfe dares free From captiue fate No more he spake But therewithall short worke to make More swords then one became so fierce That all at once his bowels pierce Yet he that on him first did light Him with like kindnesse to requite His dying hand did then bestow On him againe a fatall blow Then all the Troope hand ouer head With mortall wounds each other sped In such sort rag'd the Dircaean breed That did spring vp of Cadmus seed Which did presage the dismall fate Of Theban brethrens dire debate Whose earth-bred race their linnage drawes From that same waking Dragons iawes Whose teeth sowne in the Phasian fields Such cankred bloody natures yeelds As that the furrowes flowing stood With fowle inrag'd allied blood Contriu'd by wrathfull Magickes mood And vile Medea that these harmes Did bring to passe with sorcerous charmes Fear'd what thereof might more betide Because those spelles she had not try'd In this sort dy'd those gallant laddes Whose mutuall fate each other glads Death to great vertue did expose To quell such valiant men as those Yet they together dye and fall No one mans hand did faile at all To giue a wound but it did bring With dying hand deaths deadly sting Neither did they to strong blowes trust But through their breasts the swords did thrust And for it should be throughly donne Vp to the hilts they did them runne In this blood-thirsty slaughtring fray The brother doth the brother slay Sonnes fathers send the selfe-same way And yet their hands were not affright ' Gainst natures lawes to shew their might But this was deem'd a pious deed With one blow and no more to speed Now did the bowels all bestrow The hatches and the bloud did flow Ouer the sides into the seas To see the light did them displease But that with proud disdainfull grace They might looke in the victors face And scornfully their deaths embrace The Raffe was heap't and ouer-spred With these braue youths that there lye dead To whom the Conquerors impart Due funerals as their desart And all the Captaines wondring stood At this braue Captaines dauntlesse mood And now the fame of this deed donne As matchlesse through the world did run But yet this patterne cannot make Many base mindes like heart to take Dread will not let them vnderstand That Vertue with her valiant hand May easily their woes release If slauish Fate do them oppresse But Tyrants swords do them appall Their freedome vnder force doth fall Because they do not vnderstand Why swords were fitted to the hand O Death therefore doe not affright The poore dismaied coward wight But shew thy tyrant murdrous dart Vnto the dauntlesse noble heart Like courage he in Mart exprest That doth the Lybian fields inuest For noble Curio leaues the rode Of Lilybey where his abode With all his fleet a while he made Which now the Ocean do inuade When as a friendly Northerne gale His ships vnto the port did hale Whereas the waues the ruines beat Of great Carthagoes famous seat And then vnto the harbour came Clupea hight of noted name There first he maketh his discents And farre in land did pitch his tents Hard by the stow Bagrada's sides That furrowes vp the sands with tides Then to the hilles his Army goes And to those hollow rockes that showes Where great Antaeus raigned king As old bards do not vainly sing Here Curio seriously desires To heare report of ancient sires And what the peasants of the land Did by tradition vnderstand From what occasion that tale rose That through the world this rumor blowes ¶ Long after that same monstrous brood Of Earth-borne Gyants Ioue with-stood Our Libian Countrey did not reare Such ore-growne creatures as they were Neither was Typhons worth so much Nor Tityos nor Briareus such As in the world they glory bare But sure the earth the heauens did spare That then Antaeus was not borne Nor did in Thessaly soiorne A man so deere vnto the earth From whom he tooke his liuing birth As that he neuer touch't the ground But his maine force did more abound And when his huge limbes fainting grew Fresh strength in them it did renue This caue the house where he did dwell And vnder this high rocke the cell Where he did lodge and for his meate The flesh of Lyons he did eate On wilde beasts skinnes he would not lye Nor on the broad leaues soft and drye But on the bare mould he would rest Wherewith his vigor still encreast The people ouer all the lands Were mangled with his murdrous hands Of strangers that the coast did trade A slaughter and a spoyle he made But for a time proud of his force He did the helpe of earth diuorce And though he were of so great might That none durst him withstand in fight Yet when the fame abroad was spread Of this foule monster so a-dread And what great mischiefe he had donne It mou'd Alcides noble sonne To passe to Affricke on the maine To buckle with this surly swaine ¶ But ere his taske he did beginne From him he casts his Lyons skinne That in Cleoneae he had slaine Antaeus likewise did refraine To weare his Lybicke Lyons spoyle Then Hercules the soueraigne oyle Vpon his brawny limbes infusd That in Olympian games he vsd But now Antaeus earst so stout His proper force began to doubt And therefore stretcht himselfe at length Vpon the sands that gaue him strength Now with their hands they hand-fast take And fiercely doe their straind armes shake Then did they long but all in vaine Each other by the collars straine And brow they doe confront to brow Which neither of them both would bow But each of them did muse to see One that his equall match could bee Alcides yet forbare to show His vtmost vigor on his foe But vrg'd him so with cunning slight That out of breath he puts him quight Which by oft
and hides amongst the brakes When by the winde the sent he takes Of bow or shaft or human breath Which he doth shun vnto the death Thus while the hunt with-holds the sounds Of his fleet-hunting wel-mouth'd hounds And therewithall in cooples clogges His Spartane and his Cretan dogges And suffers none the Chase to sue But some old hound that can hunt true· On dry-foots sent with nusling snowt That will not put the beast in rowt With spending of his open iawes But when the tapise neere he drawes Will shake his taile and quiet stand To fit all for the hunters hand Now these huge Raffes with speed they load And then conuey them from the road VVhen as the last of dayes twy-light VVithstood the first approch of night Then Cilix that same Pirate old That did on Pompeys party hold A slight deuisd them to betray VVhen on the seas they were mid-way A long huge chaine there he did sinke And to a rocke the end did linke Of the Ilyrian cliffie shore But lets the first ship passe it ore And so the second in likewise And then the third he did surprise VVith his hook't chaine the which he drew Vnto the shore with her arm'd crew This land doth sheluing hollow lye Ouer the seas strange to the eye VVhereon a tuffe of huge trees growes That on the waues great shadowes strowes Hither from ships by North-windes torne Many dead carkasses are borne And in the creekes a while lye closd But after are againe exposd For when the Cauernes of this bay VVith ebbe returnes his circling sway These whirle-pooles spue vp from their maw More then Charybdis gulfie iaw Here now this Raffe inclosed is Deepe laden with the Colonies Of Opiterge and then the fleet Of enemies about them meet And all about the neighbour strands In Clusters gazing on them stands Vulteius now discerned plaine That he was taken in a traine For of this Raffe he was the chiefe And seeing no meanes of reliefe Nor that this cumbrous tangling chaine By any force would breake in twaine He takes his Armes with doubtfull hope VVhether by flight to compasse scope Or with the sword a passage ope Yet in this hard distressed plight Valour affoords her manly might For being closed in a pownd With thousands that this raffe did rownd Which scarcely had aboord it than One Cohort full the same to man Although not long they maintain'd fight Vntill at last they wanting light The fray was parted by darke night ¶ Then did Vulteius stoutly braue With dreadlesse speech himselfe behaue And cheereth vp his staggering band Amazed with the fate at hand Braue youths quoth he weigh in your breasts This little time of night that rests And do resolue in this short date How you will seeke your latest fate Scarce haue we so long time of breath With leasure to fore-thinke our death More glory we shall giue our end To meet our Fate then it attend Those mindes do merit no lesse praise That dare cut off their doubtfull dayes Then those that shorten doe the scope Of longer yeares that they doe hope For he that doth with his owne fist In sunder breake his life-spun twist A conquest to himselfe hath gain'd Willing to dye comes not constrain'd To scape no meanes vs hope affoords We are empal'd with Romans swords Out-face proud death lay dread aside Freely affect that must betide But let vs not take heed withall Like slaughtred beasts in clusters fall With hostile hands hew'd downe and hack't Be in a cloud obscurely wrack't Or else be slaine whilst night doth last With showres of darts from our foes cast For they that so confusedly Fighting doe intermingled dye True valour shades from sight of eye The Gods on vs this stage bestowes In open view of friends and foes The rowling seas and mountaines hye Shall see our courage death defie This Island witnesse shall the same And to her rockes record our fame The coasts on both sides shall behold Valour vn-vanquisht vn-controld O Fortune we vnwitting are What endlesse fame thou doest prepare Wherewith to glorifie our Fates For all records of future dates That endlesse ages can retaine Our memory shall still maintaine And for our sakes repeat with ruth To constant Mart our spotlesse truth Eternizing our famous youth And Caesar for thy sake we know In this too little we bestow With our owne swords our selues to gore But thus beset we can no more This constant death that we will proue We dedicate vnto thy loue But enuious Fate our praise did grutch And from it hath detracted much In that our Parents and our sonnes With vs none of this fortune runnes Then should they know had we some aid What dauntlesse spirits they way-layd And doubtlesse we should make them feare To mell with vs that such minds beare But they may hold them well-a-paid That no more of our ships they staid For then must they some means haue found For our enlargement to compound And sought with some vaine offers base Our liuing honour to deface O would that now to giue our death One glory more ere our last breath They would but vs some offer make Whereby we might our pardon take That we with scorne might it forsake That thereby they might plainely know How dreadlesse we to death do goe And not as men in hopelesse mood With our own swords coole our own blood Let vs such vertue now expresse That Caesar may with right confesse That he in vs hath vndergone A bloody losse worthy of mone Although we few are but a mite Mongst thousands that for him do fight Though fate would set vs free againe That offer yet would I disdaine Deere mates this life to me is scorne Deaths motiues do my thoughts suborne Fury diuine hath rap't rap't my minde The Gods in fauour haue design'd That we to death should giue our minde To others they such grace deny To thinke it happinesse to dye Because here in this world of strife They should protract a wretched life Now are these noble youths on fire To haste their fates with true desire Who did before gaze on the skies With heauy hearts and watry eyes Expecting death when sunne did rise And did behold with grieuing feare The stooping of the greater Beare Before that they this speech did heare But then they wisht to see dayes light So free they were from deaths affright For now their Captaines glorious words Prouok't their hearts like points of swords The Sphere with all her lampes of night Haste in the seas to plunge their light The Sunne his parting then begins From out the armes of Laeda's twins And now this lofty starre him drawes To lodge more neere to Cancers clawes And for a farewell night imparts With vs her two Thessalian darts ¶ The day spring doth descry abroad How Istrian troopes the Cliffes do load And how the stout Liburnian fleet With Greekish ships in consort meet But
Had Perseus borne vnto this place That tooke from Danae his race When Ioue trans-form'd to golden showre Into her lap himselfe did powre He tooke vnto him speedily The trenchant glaine of Mercurie That glaine embrued with the staine Of hundred-eyed Argus slaine The watch-man of that haifer white That did Ioues fancy so delight Then Pallas that same martiall maide Did giue her winged brother aid Whereby this Gorgons head to gaine And charged him his flight to straine Toward Lybissas vtmost land But that his looke should Eastward stand And flying hold a westward race When he through Gorgons realme did trace Then on his left arme she did binde Her brazen Targe that brightly shin'd And bids him so the same direct That vpon it there might reflect Medusas stone-creating eyes Which heauy sleepe should so surprise And rap't her sences chiefest strength To bring dire death on her at length But yet part of her snakie tresse This slumber could not so oppresse But that some serpents stood an end And did her dulled head defend Whilst some her face did ouer-spred And vail'd her eyes in darknesse bed Then Pallas lent her powerfull charme To fearfull Perseus trembling arme And did his fauchion Harpe guide That ready was to turne aside Wherewith he straight in sunder smoat Her spatious snake-bearing throat What face had Gorgon then I wonder When that her necke was cut a sunder With that same crooked wounding blade What poyson did her gorge vnlade How many deaths from her eyes streames Pallas could not endure those gleames Nor Perseus though he turn'd aside Had scap't from being stonifi'd If Pallas had not with her Targe Her feltred lockes disperst at large And so be-clouded all her face With Snakes that ouer it did trace ¶ The winged Perseus being sped With this fell Gorgons vgly head Did minde to heauen to make repaire And cuts the region of the aire But lest through Europes Clyme he might With dammage to those coasts take flight Pallas enioyn'd him with her hest That fruitfull soyle not to infest Nor yet that people to molest For who would not admire the skies When through them such a wonder flies From Zephyrus he turnes his wings And ouer Lybia's coasts he flings Where was nor graine nor tillage vsd But all with Phoebus flames enfusd For there the Heauens and Tytans steedes Burnt all so that no greene it breedes And no land in the earth doth rise With mighty shade more neere the skies Nor Cinthia's light doth more surprise If that forgetfull of her way From the right signes she trend astray For that high land casts neuer shade Vnto the South or Northerne glade And yet it is a barren ground Wherein no goodnesse can be found But now it was with poysons fed That drop't downe from Medusa's head And those vilde dewes corrupt the fields That her invenom'd sanguine yeelds The which the heates more noysome makes When in the putred sands it bakes ¶ The first corruption that arose And in the dust his head out-showes The Aspicke was that brings dead sleepe And with a swelling necke doth creepe With Gorgons blood he was repleate The clottred poysons in him fret No serpent is more poysonous Nor in extreame more frigidous Who wanting warmth doth alwayes shun The Clymes remoter from the Sunne And all alongst the bankes of Nyle Those sands he likewise doth defile But how great shame to vs acrues Whom couetise doth so abuse That we from Affricke do not spare To marchandize that noysome ware Here also doth that hugie beast Haemorrhois raise vp his crest And whom he stings from out the vaines All the life-feeding blood hee draines Then the Chersydros double kinde That in the sholes of Syrts are shrin'd And the Chelydri in their dennes Amongst the muddy steaming fennes And Cenchris alwayes when he slides Not wriggling straight his passage guides Whose speckled body full of staines More diuers colours still retaines Then are the Theban marble vaines And the Ammodites whose hue From parched sands men hardly knew And the Ceraste roming wide Whose winding backe each way can glide And Scytale that winter-worme That in cold dewes doth make his furme And in that season casts his coate Then Dipsas that is all as hot Amphisibena harmfull fiend That hath a head at either end The Water-snake that felly stings And Darting Serpents that haue wings And Pharias that doth not traile But euer goes vpon his taile And greedy Praester that all rapes Whose frothy Iawes such widenesse gapes VVith Seps that in contagion swelts And very bones with bodies melts Then that same Basiliske whose hisse Vnto all Serpents fearfull is So as from him they flye or hide And come not where he doth reside Hee lethall is before he sting His hissing deadly harme doth bring Sole in the sands he raignes as King And torrid Affricke likewise breedes Those plaguie Dragons that exceedes For mischiefe in most cruell kinde VVhich other nations neuer finde VVhose scalie backes doe shine like gold And when aloft their flight they hold Amidst the aire with stretched wings The heards of cattell clustring thrings For mighty Bulles become their pray That in their tailes they sweepe away Huge Elephants scape not their pawes All things to death their fury drawes So as no poysnous humor needes To act the mischiefe of their deeds ¶ Cato with his stout martiall bands Doth march alongst these parched sands That do such mortall poysons yeeld And there with griefe he oft beheld The vncoth deaths that so abounds Amongst his troops of little wounds The Serpent Dipsas turnes his head On Aulus that on him did tread And bites this youth of Tyrrhen race That held an Ensigne-bearers place He scarcely any whit was paind Nor any signe of bite remaind Within his lookes no death appeard Nor threatning danger to be feard But yet the secret poyson workes The fire within the marrow lurkes And suddenly the venome heates Whilst burning gripes his bowels freats This pestilence dispersed sinks And all the vitall humours drinks His pallat and his iaws grow drie His tongue with scorching drought did frie His wearie lims with labouring heate Did not as earst yeeld moistie sweate No teares at all fall from his eyes All moisture from the poyson flies No reu'rence of the Empires awe Nor Stoicke Catos martiall law Could this incensed man affray But he his Ensignes would display And all about the fields did raue Seeking where he might water haue The which his thirsty heart did craue Had he beene into Tanais cast Or Rhodanus that runs so fast Or into Poe that spreads so vast Or into Nylus that doth range Alongst so many countries strange And of all these had soakt his fill Yet would his lights haue burned still The fury of the parched ground Did make his deadly drought abound And adde more deaths to Lybias blame But doth detract from Dipsas fame As not from her that all this came He now at
and bonds peruerteth quite With monstrous tumults and garboyle Which wretchedly doth humanes toyle Great guider of Olimpus hill Why hath it pleasd thy sacred will That carefull mortals take such count Of what their skill can not surmount As that they should presaging know Those wrackes they needs must vndergoe Whether the All-Creator high When first he gan to rectifie This formlesse masse of Chaos rude And did the fire a part seclude With an eternall fixt decree Ordain'd that all should certaine be And to that law himselfe confin'd Wherewith all ages he did binde And fram'd the world that course to runne That Fates vnchanging hests had spunne Or else of humane haps the heft Were vn-fore-doom'd at randome left So that in lifes vncertaine dance Things to and fro should slide and glance And all subiected vnto chance But howsoeuer 't is ordain'd O let mans minde be so restrain'd From knowing chances future scope As that his feares may liue in hope ¶ When all at length had full conceiu'd In what sort higher powers bequeath'd The Citty to resistlesse harmes Then lawes and iustice silence charmes And reuerent Honour lackt his meed Attir'd in base Plebeian weed No Axes now in bundles bore Makes way the Magistrates before Amazement so doth griefe forestall That Sorrow hath no voyce at all Such stupid silence doth inuest Whole families with griefe possest Where husbands lye in gasping strife Before they doe resigne their life The good-wife wrapt in sorrowes bands With flaring lockes wringing her hands Amidst her wofull houshold stands Vntill the liuing breath be fled From out the corpes that streacht out dead Doth in the pale disfigured face And closed eyne Deaths portraict place Sorrow doth not at full complaine But then begins her howling vaine Whose mazement now with rage surprisd Doth change her robes to weeds disguisd And with her wofull sad consorts Vnto the Temples then resorts So did our women in their feares Sprinkle the Temple-gods with teares Beating their breasts against the stones Powre out their plaints and ruthful moanes And stupify'd twixt griefe and dread Did rent their haires from off their head And sacred porches therewith spread And such as wont in humble wise To pray and cast to heauen their eyes With outrage now the Gods would bend Whose eares with clamours they offend Neither to Iupiter alone Doe they expose their vowes and mone But to all Temples else besides Where any of their Gods resides The which are fild and all too scant No Altar doth deuotion want So do the Matrons with out-cries Inuoke the Gods and teare the skies And one of them amongst the rest With blubbered cheeks beating her breast Her braided lockes in peeces cuts And then her armes she spreads and shuts Whilst w th these plaints her voice she gluts ¶ O wretched Mothers now she said To beat your breasts be not affraid Nor yet your tressed lockes to teare Langor no longer now forbeare Like happes did neuer vs assaile For which we had such cause to waile Whilst that the fortunes are vntry'd Of these two Chiefetaines swelling pride But were once one of them subdu'd Then should our comforts be renew'd And so their plaints they aggrauate That sorrowes selfe grew passionate ¶ Their men likewise resolu'd for warre Now clustred into campes a farre Against the wrathfull Gods on high In this sort doe exclaiming cry O haplesse Captiue-youths forlorne Why were we not in those dayes borne When Punicke warres did vs ingage With Canna's and Trebeia's rage Yee heauens wee doe not peace desire But on vs turne some forraigne ire Let all the world our bane conspire Stirre Cities vp with sword and fire Let Parths and Persians bend their armes Let Scythians rampe on vs in swarmes And from the Northerne extreme parts Let red-haird Sweaths powre showrs of darts And with them all that people bred About the raging Rhenus head Yea make vs to all Nations foes So you diuert our Ciuill blowes Then let the wrathfull Danes and Getes Assaile vs in their hostile heats Let the Iberians make discent With ensignes and with weapons bent Vnto the Archers of the East Let Rome from no strife be releast Nay if high powers decree the same To raze out the Hesperian name From heauen to earth let flames descend That so the Latium race may end And then O direfull Fates withall Grant that some hatefull wracke befall Both Factions and the leaders both For yet they haue not shewd their wroth Why should they such dominion seeke As neuer yet was heard the like That all mens thoughts it must dismay Whether of them the world should sway Not both their worth can counterpaise The ciuill strife that so they raise ¶ Thus Pieties declining state Her lamentations did relate And parents wofully besides Like pressing care and cumbers grides In whose repining words appeares The wretched fate of their old yeares To be preseru'd in lifes disdaine To see a ciuill warre againe And one of them thus wail'd with teares Th' example of great former feares ¶ No otherwise quoth he did fate Stirre vp commotion in our state When Marius after victory Obtain'd against the Teuton fry And after he in Triumphes Carre Had rid for the Numidian warre A banisht man he hid his head In dikes where flaggie rushes bred So did the greedy marrish fennes And quagmire bogges shut in their dennes O Fortune they reseru'd a ward But yet anon he was not spar'd From fettring gyues nor loathsome Iayle VVhich long the old mans life did baile But blest had beene if hee had dy'd VVhen Consull he the State did guide Before he felt the scourging doome For his mischieuous deedes at Rome But Death it selfe did from him flye VVhen 't was decreed that he should dye And that the foe was ready prest To rid the life out of his breast When he should giue the fatall wound Numnesse his sences so confound And mortify'd his arme withall That from his hand the sword did fall Wherewith the darksome prison shone Like Phoebus beames at height of noone He heard withall a fearefull spell As from the gastly sprights of hell That Marius power must come againe Lawfull 't is not thy steele to baine Within his bloud therefore refraine For he shall many doome to death Ere he yeeld vp his latest breath Let thy vaine rage his sword vp-sheath But if the Cymbrian youth desires Auengement for their slaughtered sires Let them wish him a longer race Who was not by the heauens high grace Preseru'd for good but by their wrath Dessign'd to worke Romes greater scath A murtherous man and if Fates will Able much Roman bloud to spill This wretched wight the raging waue Into a hostile Countrey draue Where faine he was for his reliefe Sculking in corners like a Thiefe To lodge in dennes where none did wonne Of Iugurths Countrey ouer-runne And sometimes in the ruines lay Of Punicke walles the Romans pray Where
abundance that the froth Of clotted gore made Neptune wroth And whilst with force their arms they straine To linke themselues with grappling chaine The bodies slaine in heapes so rides They cannot ioyne their sides to sides Some halfe dead sprawling down-right sink Some their own bloud with salt-waues drink Others halfe drownd resisting death Struggling for life with latest breath VVith timbers from crack't ships that slid Out of their paines are quickly rid And many darts that ouer slips The fight into the Ocean dips Missing the markes their force to stay Embrue their steele another way Lighting on those that swimming fleet VVho in the waues new wounds do meet ¶ The Romans now are throughly try'd Encompast round on euery side And then the fury of the fight Straines on the left hand and the right VVhere whilst that Tagus deales his blowes From his high puppe on Greekish foes Two dismall darts light on his breast And steepe their steele deepe in his cheast So as the bloud did stand in doubt At whether wound it should gush out Vntill at length the boyling blood Draue both the darts out with their flood So life departed with the gore The wounds did open death a dore ¶ Massilian Telo wretched wight The Gally guided to this fight A better Mariner was none That had more Art and practise showne Of any ship to finde the trimme In wrought seas how she best might swimme Nor better knew his markes a farre Nor how to take the Sunne and Starre Nor better gest which way the winde VVas likeliest to be enclin'd This maister with his brasse-beake head Out of a Roman ship had shred A mighty planke but loe the while His breast was pierc'd through with a pile And as this worthy Pilot dy'd Out of his hand the helme did slide ¶ Then whilst Gayareus Gallicke Greeke Another shippe doth bordering streeke And straines to enter her by fight A Iauelin pierc'd his bowels quite And to the ship side nailes him fast VVhere he must hang if steele-head last ¶ Two brothers did this fight adorne Twins hard to know at one birth borne These glorious testimonies were Of that rich wombe that did them beare But sundry fates did them pursue Though from one self-same root they grew For one of them in this sterne fight VVith fatall stroke was rest the light And him the parents better knew That did suruiue wanting the view Of him late slaine of semblant hue A chance that much lamenting breedes His halfe-selfe lost his dolour feeds This brother that as yet suruiues Against a Roman Gally striues VVho though the oares his breast withstand Yet on her side he graspt his hand Till one dire stroke the hand did reaue VVhich to his hold still fast did cleaue Not vtterly depriu'd of sence Whose ioints wold not be losd from thence Now valor with mishap increast The noble stumpe more wrath expreast Stirring vp then his left hands might To take reuenge of this despight But as hee stoop't for to recouer The first lost hand he lost the other And both into the sea did fall Slasht from the body arme and all Thus of his limbes dispoild and wrack't His Target both and sword he lack't Yet for all this aloft he bides And vnder hatches neuer hides But his bare trunke he did display On his slaine brother where he lay Whil'st many wounds he did assay And then as one that life disdaines Other mens harmes he entertaines Vntill at last with wounds opprest Finding that life would leaue his breast That little strength that yet remaines He doth collect into his vaines And with that small store of life-blood He armes his legges and with fierce mood Into the ship did leaping rush That with his weight he might her crush This ship opprest with slaughtered limbes The bloud about the hatches swimmes And being crack't with many a crush That oft a-thwart her ribbes did brush Her knees were loosd her ioynts did ope The leakes in her did giue free scope The waues so fast to sucke and gull That all her deckes at last were full Then to the bottome downe she sinkes Making a gulfe with circling crinkes The hollow where the ship did ride That did before the waues diuide Is now againe with seas supply'd This day in midst of Thetis lappe Many strange accidents did happe ¶ Then whilst into another ship The Harping-irons they did slip Which in her sides their hooks should fixe In Lycida one of them stickes Which would haue hald him ouer-boord But that his mates their helpe affoord And by the legges still held him fast Till he in peeces flew at last Whereby his bloud dropt not so slow As that which from a wound doth flow But out at euery broken vaine A streame of crimson gusht amaine And that which wont was to impart Life to the limbes from out the heart With that same element was mixt That earth and aier lies betwixt Neuer did any dying wight So many wayes breathe out his spright The lower parts of that torne trunke Depriu'd of spirits fainting shrunke But where the lungs and liuer lies And noblest parts that heat supplies That did a while his breath prolong And still for life did struggle strong But he with stretching grew so lither That limbe with limbe scarce held together ¶ Now whilst the fight is fiercely try'd The Souldiers all runne to that side Whereas the foes doe thickest stand And left the other side vnmand With which vnequall poise ore-way'd One ship is topsie-turuy sway'd And dooth into the Ocean reele And ouer head turnes vp her keele Which so oppressed all the swarme That none could stretch a legge or arme Whereby to swim and saue their liues And so the sea their breath depriues ¶ Thus death amongst them al doth raue For whilst one youth did striue to saue His life by swimming on the waue Two hostile ships together ran Which 'twixt them bare this haplesse man And with such force their powers did rush That flesh and bones together crush The body was not of such proofe To keepe those ships so farre aloofe But they so close together fall That their brasse beakes did ring withall Herewith his belly being ript Into the panch the water slipt And at his mouth he powred out His bloud and bowels like a spout But now the Oares doe backward steere So as their beake-heads were set cleere And so this carkasse rent and slit Vpon the waues did weltring flit ¶ There were beside a hugie rout That suffering shipwracke swamme about To saue their liues and to that end Sought for some ship that was a frend But by mischance they light vpon A Greekish Gally of their fone Hanging vpon her sides and helme So thick that might her ouer-whelme Wherewith the souldiers then aboord Hewd off their armes with edge of sword And left the hands claspt on the sides From whence their maimed bodies slides So
paine they cannot raise This raging violent disease So forcibly doth still encrease As that they do not life maintaine In languishing and dye with paine But all as soone as sicknesse takes Without delay an end it makes And in such troopes so fast they dye That whilst the dead vnburied lye With noysome stench amongst the life This foule contagion growes more rife For these poore soules haue not at all Any dig'd graues or funerall But as they doe yeeld vp their last Out of the Campe their corpes are cast Yet that which somwhat calm'd these wrackes The open sea was at their backes And now and then from Northerne winde They some refreshing blasts did finde And so the forraigne stranger shores Their Campe with victuals plenty stores ¶ Meane while this dull infectious aire Did nothing Caesars campe impaire For they enioyed at their willes The large faire fields and lofty hilles Nor yet their waters noysome were But streaming sweetly fresh and cleere Although another crosse they finde For famine plagues them in her kinde Wherewith they were as much distrest As if a siege did them inuest The bladed corne the earth did beare Was not yet growne vnto an eare So as the Souldiers for their feasts Were faine to share their food with beasts Gnabbing vpon the bryar buddes And gathering greene leaues in the woods And therewithall such hearbes finde out Whose qualities they well might doubt For that vpon such roots they grew As neuer earst they saw nor knew And some of these vpon the fire They boyle and fry with sharpe desire And some they chew and swallow raw Wherewith to fill the hungry maw And many other things they eate Vnknowne before to be mans meate Yet these staru'd soules besieg'd and dar'd Their foes that with full dishes far'd ¶ But when that Pompey did desire To force a way with blood and fire Through this huge trench wherby his bands Might range at large in all the lands He would not take the darke of night To cloke a base vnmanly fight For whilst they both from Armes refrain'd To steale on Caesar he disdain'd But breaches large he meanes to make And thorough them his way to take The Rampart he would lay full low And her high Towers ouer-throw The sword and slaughter must hew out The way to bring this worke about The part that did most fitly stand For Pompey now to take in hand And of this trench the neerest side Was one high turret dignifide With Scaeuas name obscur'd from view With trees that thicke about it grew Thither did he addresse his Mart And sets vpon this vast rampart With sudden charge but raisd no dust Whereby to giue the foe mistrust Forthwith such noise of Trumpets sounds Throughout the fields and aire rebounds Such store of Ensign'd Aegles blazde To hold the enemy amazde Whereby the sword should not alone Claime all the honor as his owne And now to show their courage braue That valour would due glory haue What place soeuer any tooke He neuer afterwards forsooke But did that ground with force maintaine Or clouds it with his body slaine This fight so many liues confounds That bodies wanted to take wounds And darts that flie like showres of raine Were spent and cast away in vaine Then wildfire streames and flaming pitch Flyes on the Rampar and the ditch So as the turrets shake withall And totter as they meant to fall The rams the engines and the slings Their battry now with fury dings Whose often shockes did make such wrack That tower and rampart gins to crack Then Pompeys men withouten stop Do mount vpon the trenches top And there their Aegles do display Who hoping they had wonne the day Thinke now the world shall them obey ¶ That which so many thousand hands Nor yet all Caesars armed bands Could not from vtter conquest hold One man of courage vncontrold Did change the fortune of this day And reft the victor of his pray His foes still brauing in the face With his owne armes made good the place And still not vanquished nor slaine Great Pompey's conquest doth restraine And Scaeua was this worthies name Who formerly had purchast fame In Caesars Campe a priuate man Where he this height of honour wanne For valour all those to exceed That Rhene and Rhodanus did breed There was he made for bloody hand Centurion of a Latium band And of that order ware the weed Prone to each doughty daring deede But yet he skillesse was to chuse Iust times his courage stout to vse For valour shewne in ciuill warres Is vertue maim'd with vices skarres When he at last beholds in sight His mates retiring from the fight Seeking out corners to recoile In safety from this furious broyle With manly voyce he gan to cry VVhither base cowards do you flye In Caesars Armes you were not train'd VVith fearfull scornes to be distain'd O wretched beasts whom terror driues VVithout fight will you loose your liues VVhat shame is this that you so droope To shift your selues from all the troope And not to couet to be found Amongst the dead with honors wound Ought not your furies to bee such Although no dutie did you tutch Because the foe this choise hath made To pierce through vs with his proud blade This day shall not be faintly tride Without bloud shed on Pompeys side How much more happy should I die Were I but grac't with Caesars eye But though that Fortune so detracts His testimony of my acts Yet will I so shut vp my dayes That Pompeys selfe shall giue me praise Come shew the signes of noble hearts On your foes bosomes breake your darts And that they may your vigor feele Vpon their throats retort your steele The clouds of dust so high are flowne And this noyse through the aire so blowne As that the verie dinne and rage Doth Caesar silent eares engage Deare mates we yet vnuanquisht stand Caesar will come with speedy hand Whose powre this place will soone releeue Before our foes vs death can giue This onely word so stird their sprites As trumpets sounds at first incites And cals men vnto Martiall fights The dauntlesse valour of this man They all admir'd and then they ran With eger minds him to behold The youths likewise with spirits bold Stood fast to know if possibly A man in such extremitie Enuiron'd with so many foes When as the place did him enclose By vertue could his life retaine And hold it safe in Deaths disdaine He stand fasts at the Towers defence Those that assaile he driues from thence Then carkasses in heapes that lie He trowles from off the turret hie And bruiseth them with bodies fals That seeke to scale or mine the walles Then he the ruin'd stones convarts To martiall vse in stead of darts Huge timbers he ore-turnes and frames Wherewith the foe he killes and lames And threats on them himselfe to cast Then pitchy brands