17. e This young King Ptolomeus Dionysius sonne to Ptolomeus Auletes the last of all the race of Ptolomey's by the wicked counsell of his followers as Photinus the Eunuch Achillas Captaine of the guard and Theodorus Chius the Rhetorician had vnthankefully slaine Pompey the great flying to him in his necessitie who before had beene the greatest meanes of restoring his father Auletes to the Crowne of Aegypt Dion Plutarch Appion f Auletes Ptolomeus the ninth Ptolomey from the sonne of Lagus who after the death of Alexander the great possessed Aegypt was a man saith Strabo of most dissolute and wicked manners for which he was expelled his kingdome by the people of Alexandria who made the eldest of his three daughters Queene ouer them his two sonnes being both infants had by this meanes lost all hope of succession in their fathers Kingdome the Queene elected was married to one Cybiosactes of Syria who deriued his pedigree from the ancient Syrian Kings but the Queene within few dayes strangled her husband not able to endure his sordid and base nature and married her selfe to Archelaus who fained himselfe the sonne of Mithridates Eupator but was indeed the sonne of that Archelaus who had warred against Sylla but was afterwards hâ—noured by the Romans and grandfather to him who reigned last in our times ouer Cappadocia this Archelaus liuing then with Gabinius whom he promised to aid in a warre against the Parthians was by some of his friends vnknowne to Gabinius brought vnto the Queene and declared King at that time the banished King Ptolomeus Auletes was fled to Rome and there kindly entertained by Pompey the Great and by him commended to the Senate Pompey aduised them to restore Auletes to his Kingdome and put to death those Embassadours that were come thither to plead against their Prince of which Embassage Dio the Academian was chiefe Auletes therefore brought backe to his Kingdome by Gabinius ouercame and killed the Queene his daughter and Archelaus his sonne in law dying shâ—rtly after he left behinde him two sonnes and two daughters Strabo lib. 17. g Ptolomeus Auletes by his testament had willed according to the incestuous custome of that family that his eldest sonne Ptolomey should marry his eldest daughter Cleopatra and with her enioy the Crowne of Aegypt the procuration of this testament was by him assigned to the people of Rome which Caesar as Dictator had power to execute Dion lib. 42. Hirt. Commen de bello Alexand. FINIS THE SECOND BOOKE The Argument of the second Booke Faire Cleopatra is espous'd and led A wife in name to her young brothers bed Great Caesar's heart her tempting beauties fire Who reapes the wanton fruit of his desire The scatter'd reliques of Pharsalia Scipio vnites againe in Affrica The strength of Varus there each nations name That vnder Iuba's royall standard came Caesar from Aegypt ' gainst Pharnaces goes And vanquishes as soone as sees his foes Erects a trophee there and crossing ore More swift than thought arriues on Libya's shore THe Alexandrian Citizens releast From all their feares by Caesar's pardon feast With ioy extoll his goodnesse to the skies And to their gods deuoutly sacrifice With vsuall rites Alas you doe not know Fond Alexandrians to whom you owe Your Cities safetie not those deities That you with vaine and barbarous mysteries Adore haue wrought it nor could all your Towers Your stately Temples Tombes of Conquerours Nor Alexander's buri'd dust which more Than your religion Caesar's thoughts adore Preuaile so much in purchasing his grace As beauties charmes in Cleopatra's face It was the glance of her bewitching eyes Had power to helpe your helplesse deities Nor was it fit such people rites and lawes Should owe their safetie to a better cause Great Cleopatra mistresse of the State To giue the conquering author of her Fate High entertainment to his eye displayes Th' Aegyptian wealth in such luxurious wayes As might excuse euen Rome and make the riot Of her degenerate Senate seeme the diet Which th' ancient Curii and Camillus vs'd Not what her Asian victories infus'd The gorgeous Pallace with such lustre shone As wealthy kingdomes neere their ruine growne Vse to expresse which shew the present crimes And speake the fortune of precedent times But Caesar's eyes in all that wealthy store Which he so lately had beheld before No pleasure finde nor with delight viewes he The golden roofes nor precious imag'ry Rich Eben pillars boords of Citron wood Which on their carued Iuory tressells stood Nor curious hangings doe his eyes admire For Cleopatra's beautie and attire Did quite eclipse all obiects and outshone All other splendours on her lookes alone His eyes are fix'd which though beheld before The more he viewes doe rauish him the more All other obiects lose at second sight But womans beautie breeds the more delight The ofter seene he viewes that snowie necke Those golden tresses which no gems can decke The wealth she wore about her seem'd to hide Not to adorne her natiue beauties pride Though there bright Pearles from th' Erythraean shores From all th' Assyrian lakes the wealthy stores Of siluer Ganges and Hydaspes shone From Aegypts Easterne Iles the gold-like stone And cheerefull Emeraulds gather'd from the greene Arabian rocks were in full splendour scene Pale Onyx Iaspers of a various die And Diamonds darkned by her brighter eye The Saphires blew by her more azure veines Hung not to boast but to confesse their staines And blushing Rubies seem'd to lose their die When her more ruby lips were mouing by It seem'd so well became her what she wore She had not robb'd at all the creatures store But had beene natures selfe there to haue show'd What she on creatures could or had bestow'd But Caesar's heart enflamed long before Burnes with fresh fury and resolues no more Now to conceale but feed the pleasing flame What power quoth he controules my wish what fame What would the sowrest seeming vertue doe Arm'd with a power like me and tempted so By such a beautie as from guilt would free A Rauisher and make adulterie No crime at all but such a piece of vice As former times vnto the Deities Did oft impute had Cleopatra beene By those renowned Graecian writers seene Whose deathlesse Poems in the skies aboue Haue fix'd so many paramours of Joue Before the daughters of faire Pleione Atlanta Maia and Taygete she Had there beene grac'd her Tresses farre more faire Had shew'd in Heauen than Berenices haire Calistho's Waine had not in skies beene set Nor Ariadnes shining Coronet Till Cleopatra's Starre had found a place And chose what part of Heauen she meant to grace Let Ioue my warrant be whom powerfull loue So oft has forc'd from Heauen or let it proue The Thunderers excuse to future times That Caesar now partakes the Thunderers crimes There is no cause thou should'st misdoubt thy suit No waking Dragon keepes that golden fruit Thou mean'st to taste nor need'st thou feare to finde That beautie guarded by too
the Fates or prize My worthlesse prayers at so high a rate As to haue power to change at all the State Of Caesar's great resolues on which depend All nations Fates and all the Starres attend If by their prayers fraile Mortalitie Should hope to alter what the gods decree 'T were a proud pietie I le rather lose My suit and checke my loue than interpose It so and rather to my selfe deny The happinesse of Caesar's company Than loue it with so great presumption As for mine owne delights to hinder one Of his resolues yet pardon mighty Lord If to mine owne desires I doe afford One place in loue cannot Great Caesar thriue In these his warres if Cleopatra liue Neere to his person Can it ouerthrow His fortune to procure my safetie so There 's no retreat in all the world for me So safe as thy victorious Campe will be But I am pleas'd to stay at thy command In Aegypt still and still suppose this land Within Great Caesar's reach whose powerfull hands From siluer Ganges to the Baetick sands From Pole to Pole extend their conquering force No distances of place can long diuorce Vs two if Caesar in his loue can be As speedy as in warre and victory And march as farre to finde his friends as foes This pledge which I within my selfe inclose Assures my longing minde against delay That Caesar long will not protract his stay Then with a kisse he bad the Queene adieu And wing'd with haste into Armenia flew Swifter than lightning or the Southern wind Along through Libya's yeelding aire to finde Pharnaces out whom he past thought oretooke Neere Zela walls and vanquish'd with a looke Soone beat he left behinde him nought at all That might deserue a mention but his fall Nor can there ought of this short warre be said But Caesar g came and saw and vanquished How much did Pompey's honour suffer there When Caesar's troops beheld that nations feare And saw how easie 't was to conquer them How vndeseru'd did his great triumph seeme Ore Pontus and Armenia More was lost Than poore Pharnaces Crowne and feeble host The fame of Pompey was orethrowne that day When Caesar boasting could finde cause to say Oh Pompey happie thou that by defeat Of these base nations got'st the name of Great Whilest I subduing the fierce Ganles deseru'd No name enioy'd no triumph had'st thou seru'd Beyond the frozen Alpes or past the bound Of Rhenes swift streame the big-bon'd Germans found A difference twixt our acts thou then had'st seene Our Ciuill warres perchance had neuer beene Yet ere that he from thence to Affrick passe Though haste important vrge him in the place A stately Trophee he erects to show To future times Pharnaces ouerthrow Not farre from that proud Trophee which before Great Mithridates for his Conquest ore Triarius had erected that this story Might quite eclipse old Mithridates glory Or please his Manes that the field there wonne Tooke punishment of his vnnaturall sonne But greater warres call Caesar thence away Scipio not farre from Adrumetum lay With all the power of Rome but did not h now Since Winters fury rag'd expect a foe For Phaebus lampe to our Horizon low The shortest dayes and coldest did bestow From Capricorne cold Winter glaz'd the floods And purâ—'d with frost the fields and naked woods But Caesar's heart admitting no delay Whose speedy march no season ere could stay When he his third Dictatorship at Rome Had tane and thence to Sicily was come Lest any time should to his fame be lost Euen then the Seas from Lilybaeum crost And sailing by the Libyan shores espies Great Carthages halfe-ruin'd edifice And Clupe as fatall station passes by With griefe remembring how vnhappily Bold Curio there did with his legions land A wofull prey to Juba's barbarous band Then from this ominous place he sailes away Westward along and leauing Vriâ—a Where Cato then in Garrison did lie Cato the soule of Roman libertie Who from that Towne must shortly take a name And leaue the Towne in lieu eternall fame At Adâ—umetum lands vpon which coast Scipio encampes with all his Roman hoast Annotations to the second Booke a Dion relates it thus Caesar hauing subdued Aegypt would not subiect it as a Prouince to the people of Rome but bestowed it wholly vpon Cleopatra for whose sake he bad made the whole warre in Aegypt yet fearing lest the Aegyptians vnder the reigne of a woman would rebell againe and that he might perchance alienate the hearts of the Romans from himselfe by reason of this and the familiaritie which he was knowne to haue wâ—th Cleopatra he gaue her in marriage to her younger brother and confirmed the Kingdome to them both which was indeed but a show for Cleopatra wholly possessed the power her husband being a childe therefore vnder a pretext of marriage by which she should ioyne with her brother in the Kingdome she both reigned alone and enioâ—ed the bed of Caesar Dion lib. 42. b This Caesario both Dion and Plutarch report to be the sonne of Iulius Caesar by Cleopatra when after the Alexandrian warre and before his expedition against King Pharnaces he stayed in Aegypt according to Dion nine moneths after the victory of Augustus Caesar against Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra this Caesario being sent away for safetie into Aethiopia saith Dion was intercepted in the iourney and slaine by Caesar's command the reasons that moued Augustus to this cruelty were partly the Counsell according to Plutarch of Arius the Philosopher his Tutor who told him it was not sâ—fe to suffer too many Caesars partly the remembrance of what Antonius had done who before had commended this Caesario to the old Souldiers aduising them rather to honour the true and naturall sonne of Iulius Caesar than Octauius who was but an adopted heire c Scipio was chosen Generall of all the Roman forces in Affrica that meant to continue the warre against Caesar partly by reason of his dignitie and partly by an absurd persuasion saith Dion that no Scipio in Affrick could be vnfortunate which thing when Caesar perceiued might encourage the enemie and disharten his Souldiers he tooke along with him a certaine obscure man descended of the raâ—e of the Scipios and of that name but his surname was Salatto and with him to thwart the other superstitious feare he landed at Adrumetum before the enemie expected him it being then an vnseâ—sonable time of yeare Dio. lib. 43. d Varus so long had gouerned those Countries and was so puffed vp by the victory of â—uba saith Dion that he contended with Scipio himselfe for the chiefe command but by the authoritie of Cato it was swayed on Scipio's side Cato when all the Souldiers offered to him the chiefe command or at least to be ioyned Generall with Scipio refused both accounting it iust that he which by the lawes had attained the highest dignitie should haue now the greatest command but hee himselfe had neuer attained to so much dignitie in
Libyan Steed he flies And ore the field his routed companies Mixt with the Horsemen take disordred flight Some legions hoping to retire from fight To Juba's Campe and it to fortifie And finding that seiz'd by the enemie After the vsuall manner casting downe Their armes they tender a submission But all in vaine no safetie at the hands Of the enrag'd and fierce Caesarians Oh shame of warre could their submission get Although that Caesar did himselfe intreat Grieuing that in his power it lay not then To saue from death his wretched countrey men And by his speech and actions did declare That he was then no part of ciuill warre He cries aloud Oh spare the yeelding foe They are no longer foes but Romans now You more than lose your valour and to me Doe purchase enuy here not victory They that in conquest of so many lands Nere disobey'd his most seuere commands Nor ere refus'd what he would put them too In this alone their disobedience show Now his commands are good all ore the plaine Are Scipio's Souldiers miserably slaine That to this Tragedy compared light Were all the slaughters of the former fight And now the mourning fields with slaughter strow'd And couer'd ore with horrid ruine show'd A full and perfect conquest was obtain'd That for the sword no farther worke remain'd When Caesar master of his highest hopes From the pursuit calls backe his weary troops And recompences with the wealthy spoiles Of Kings and Nations their successefull toiles Annotations vpon the third Booke a Caesar hauing but a small force in Affrica and much troubled at the report of the great army of his enemies that all King Iuba's forces ioyned with Scipio found helpe from an occasion little expected for as Dion relates it Publius Sittius if we may attribute it to Sittius and not rather to Fortune brought vnto Caesar not onely a timely safetie but a great victory this Sittius expelled before out of Italy and ioyning to himselfe some other exiles passed ouer into Mauritania there obtaining an army from King Bocchus he resolued to aid Caesar in this warre though he had neither receiued any benefits from him nor was at all knowne to him but because he heard that Caesar was farre from him and could then giue him no great helpe for Caesar's forces in Affrick were then but small watching the time when King Iuba drew his army out of his owne Countrey hee inuaded Numidia and Getulia another part of Iuba's Kingdome wasting and spoiling both the Countries by which accident King Iuba was forced to omit his expedition and march backe againe with the greater part of his forces to the rescue of his owne Kingdome for he had sent part of his strength to Scipio before so that it is certaine if King Iuba by Fortune had not then beene diuerted from ioyning with Scipio Caesar had not beene able to haue stood against their vnited forces nor maintained himselfe then in Affrica Dion lib. 43. b The Roman army remaining in Affrica hearing that Spaine was vexed with dissentions and seditions sent thither Cneius Pompeius the eldest sonne of Pompey the Great as thinking that he for his Fathers sake would be receiued in Spaine with greatest honour aduising him that when he had setled his affaires there he should march to Rome and they themselues intended with all their forces to meet him there and make the warre in Italy this counsell was had while Caesar as yet lingred in Aegypt according to Dion lib. 42. but Hirtius in his Commentaries relates it after that time c Cneius Pompeius chid by Cato and aduised to goe into Spaine and raise forces with thirtie Ships of all sorts putting to Sea at Vtica sailed to Mauritania and entred the Kingdome of King Bogud there setting his army on shore which consisted of about two thousand slaues and Freemen part armed and part vnarmed he marched toward the Towne of Ascurum in which Towne there was then a Garrison of the Kings the Garrison suffering Pompey to passe quietly till he approached the very walls of the Towne sallying out then on the sudden ouercame them and some they killed some they forced into the Sea Pompey himselfe with a few of his men getting to their Ships sailed away after which he neuer more arriued on the shore of Affrick but went to the Balearicke Ilands and from thence to Spaine Hirt. comment de bello Affricano FINIS THE FOVRTH BOOKE The Argument of the fourth Booke To his imperiall Zamah Iuba flies And thence excluded with Petreius dies Amidst their banquets bleeding Scipio slaine By his owne hands within the watery maine Intombes himselfe The death of Cato fames Old Vtica Caesar laments and blames His wilfull Fate and from the Libyan coast Is ship'd for Rome with his victorious host BVt all the wracke that Thapsus fields had made The fields could not containe nor could so sad And great a ruine in such narrow bounds Be circumscrib'd the high Imperiall wounds Which there were giuen in other regions bled And those great names which from that battell fled As loth to mix with vulgar Funeralls Must beare the fame of their renowned falls To other lands lest this great losse should be In story told as one calamitie With winged speed by nights obscuritie From Thapsus Iuba and Petreius flie To reach strong Zamah the Imperiall seat Of Iuba's Realme a Citie faire and great In which when first the warre began he lay'd His wealth and dearest pledges had conuey'd But now the gates were shut the men deny'd Their King an entrance and with scoffes deride His threats and prayers for his changed Fate Now gaue them leaue freely to shew their hate And all too late is Iuba forc'd to see The curs'd effects of former tyranny Oh wretched State of Tyrants that nere see Vntill their sight in vaine and bootlesse be Their iust esteeme nor euer till too late Can know what men deserue their loue or hate In wretched times your friends are onely knowne But when that knowledge comes the power is gone Your State requitall or reuenge denies And Fortune but to grieue you opes your eyes The King opprest with griefe and fill'd with ire Vnto a Countrie Palace doth retire Not farre from thence with him Petreius goes And a small troope of Horse there they repose Their weary bodies and vex'd mindes vntill A great resolue their brests with comfort fill Then he commands his seruants to prepare Forthwith a stately banquet and with rare And sumptuous cates a full repast they take When thus King Juba to Petreius spake Roman thou seest how Fortunes vtmost spight Pursues our actions and has rest vs quite Of any future hopes nothing can be Safetie to vs but Caesar's clemency But thou and I in all this Ciuill warre ' Gainst Caesar's side haue beene engag'd too farre To hope for mercy which if I might haue By all our gods I should disdaine to craue For loue of Pompey I was Caesar's foe And in the great'st
extreme dare still be so Had he preuail'd a welcome friend to Rome With greatest honour Iuba might haue come Nor shall she now behold me captiue there And led as Syphax and Iugurtha were Like slaues through her proud streets to grace the power Of an insulting laurell'd Conquerour No let Rome rather heare how Iuba dy'd Disdaining Caesar's pitie or his pride I doe not want a Hand a Heart a Sword Or whatsoeuer else may death afford But doe inuite Petreius as my friend To share in this last act of fame my end Our cause our Fortunes are alike in all Then like our selues braue Roman let vs fall But vse each others helpe vnsheath thy Sword And let our friendship striue who shall afford First freedome to his friend loue shall ingage My valour against thee as much as rage Against a foe Petreius drawes his Sword And thus in short returnes braue Libyan Lord Worthy whom Rome with honour still should name To whom Petreius gladly owes his fame Nor though a Roman Generall doe I Blush to be taught by Iuba how to die It was the Roman gâ—nius prompted thee To this lest Rome should be inforc'd to see That King a captiue and in triumph brought That had for her her lawes and freedome fought That had with Scipio and the Senate stood And thy disgrace proue Caesar's conquest good Against his Countrey No great King of thee Rome still shall hold a dearer memory With Massanissa shalt thou ranked stand When our sad Annalls Caesar's deeds shall brand And marke his partie with as blacke a staine As Catiline and his rebellious traine The rest my Sword shall speake for me and proue How much thy freedome and mine owne I loue With that they both in equall fury meet And with such fierce assaults each other greet As who had seene the combat might suppose That so much valour had not fought to lose But guard by conquest a desired life At last to end this hot despairing strife Iuba a bootlesse conquest did obtaine Vnder whose force was weake Petreius slaine Keepe in quoth Iuba life a while and see A life let out to beare thine company If not before thou crosse the Stygian lake My fleeting soule thy ghost shall ouertake Farewell you fading glories that attend A kingly State too feeble to defend Your proud possessours from the stormes of Fate What rest vpon the slippery heights of State Findes man What stay on Fortunes restlesse wheele Oh treacherous Zamah may thy false necke feele Romes yoke as hard as thou to thy true Lord Disloyall prou'st then falling on his Sword From forth his strugling brest his Spirit flies And night eternall closes vp his eyes But see from Thapsus fatall ouerthrow A nobler death drawes neere Great Scipio Romes Generall that had so lately led The Senats warre ' gainst Caesar's fortune fled From that sad battell in a poore disguise And one small barke the Seas of Libya tries To finde from thence safe passage into Spaine Where Pompey's sonnes with all their strength remaine But by a storme was driuen into the Bay Of Hippo where the Ships of Sittius lay Left there in Caesar's name to guard the coast Scipio perceiues himselfe and Barke are lost The weather crosse cuts off all hope of flight The winds quoth he and Seas for Caesar fight Why did I scape the stormy maine Oh why From Thapsus fatall battell did I flie And not in height of all mine honour fall Fighting for Rome to die her Generall Oh would Pharsalia's battell had destroy'd This ill-kept life before that here imploy'd The Senats warre with ill successe I led And Affrick saw a Scipio vanquished You noble Soules of my dead ancestours That hither oft haue led the Roman powers With glorious fame as Carthages great fall As captiue Syphax vanquish'd Hannibal And saued Rome can witnesse blush not now At this your Nephews haplesse ouerthrow No Libyan forces but the strength of Rome Has Rome it selfe and Scipio ouercome By her owne strength subdu'd with her I die To wait vpon expiring libertie By this occasion Fate with kinde intent To me necessitie of death has sent Lest I my freedome might perchance out-liue Nor could the gods a fitter bountie giue Let Pompey's sonnes now trie their Fate and gaine Our Lawes and State againe or lose in Spaine As much from Rome as here in Affrick I Or their Great Father lost in Thessaly My course is runne and though this armed hand Shall testifie I could haue dy'd by land The Ocean likes me best within the maine Vnknowne for euer Scipio shall remaine Oh let my floating carcasse neuer come To land lest Affrick should bestow a Tombe And to her sonnes in after-ages show A monument of vanquish'd Scipio With that a Ponyard in his hand he tooke And with a strength and aime so certaine sâ—rooke His willing brest that thence the gushing blood Made on the Deckes a crimson pretious flood But he while yet his vitall parts retaine Some spirits leaps into the curled maine And her blew waues with purple staining dies Vnbury'd Scâ—pio's noble body lies Within the Seas deepe bosome th' Oceans frie Deuoure the flesh of that braue family In which great Rome may make her iustest boast If all her actions all her fame were lost If all those seuerall vertues pietie True fortitude admired constancy Impartiall iustice frugall temperance That through the World her honour did aduance In all names else had beene forgot and gone In this renowned family alone All might be found nor did the Roman fame Ere shine more bright than in a Scipio's name Why did thy Countrey want an vine for thee Ore which the peoples vntaught pietie Might truly mourne and pay the teares they owe Vnto the ruin'd race of Scipio By this the flying companies that were From that sad battell scap'd had euery where Fill'd Libya's Townes with terrour and dismay At Vâ—ica the noble Cato lay In Garrison who free from priuate feare Not for himselfe dismay'd at all to heare The fatall newes of Scipio ouerthrowne Exhorts his Souldiers to defend the Towne ' Gainst Caesar's entrie but perceiuing then Th' astonishment and faintnesse of his men He with the same vnshaken constancy Forgiues their feare and counsells them to flie Prouides from all the neighbouring ports a fleet Vsing his vtmost diligence to get Them safely all aboord and timely gone Carefull for euery safetie but his owne The Citizens of Vtica he cheeres With hope of Caesar's clemency and cleeres All dismall clouds of feare and iealousies That might within their fainting brests arise And such to them with cheerefull lookes although Resolu'd to die did Cato striue to show As if himselfe had not at all disdain'd To begge or take a life at Caesar's hand He whose austerer vertue nere before Had giuen him leaue to hide or colour ore His least intention whom no feare had taught How to dissemble or once swerue in ought From his profest and rigid path of right For
she view'd her virgin face Nor euer so did any Triumph grace Romes power as this had done nor yet in all Those former Bayes which deckt the Capitoll If here her selfe no part at all had beene Of the subdu'd had she more glory seene But lest these honours should not seeme to be Enough for Caesar by a new decree The Senatours before he enter Rome Make him Dictator for ten yeares to come And three yeares Censor that it might be showne How Caesar's conquering power had ouerthrowne Their liberties together with the fall Of barbarous Nations In the Capitoll He in a Charriot was aduanc'd to sit To Ioue himselfe directly opposite A Globe terrestriall not farre from thence Display'd in short the vast circumference Of all the earth on which his Statue trod With this inscription He 's a demy-god Swell'd with the Senates flattering decrees And fortune of so many victories Does Caesâ—r now in Pompe triumphant come His loftie Charriot through the streets of Rome By snow-white Horses drawne more bright by farre Than those fam'd Steeds which in the Troian warre From slaughter'd Rhesus tent Tydides tooke Before they drunke of Xanthus Chrystall brooke Or cropt the Troian pastures a vaine aid To falling Ilion the first night betray'd Declare ye sisters of the Thespian spring For you remember well and well can sing In those foure Triumphs which the people saw Ore Aegypt Pontus France and Libya How many captiu'd people sadly went In habits tongues and visage different Before Great Caesar's Charriot shewing there With different gestures their disdaine or feare How many lands and stately Cities there Display'd in his triumphall tables were Where skilfull hands had wouen to delight So many Nations seuerall kindes of fight With his proud conquests and succesfull toiles By which were borne the armes and wealthy spoiles Of vanquish'd Princes Crownes of burnish'd gold For all the wondring people to behold But if ye Muses in so high a State Disdaine to mourne for each plebeian Fate Yet passe not slightly by that princely Gaule Stout Vercingetorix for whose great fall Some hearts relented there whose stubborne thought Could not at all in nine yeares warre be taught To brooke with patience the proud yoke of Rome Who now reseru'd for death by Caesar's doome Before the Charriot a chain'd Captiue went Striuing in vaine t' orecome the discontent Of that dayes shame and though his hands were ty'd Shaking his blacke curl'd lockes he sought to hide His angry front whil'st his vndaunted looke Seem'd more to wish than feare deaths fatall stroke Another obiect though vnlike to this Yet fall'n alike from height of worldly blisse Mou'd the beholders hearts they earn'd to see The tender beauties of Arsinoë A virgin a branch of Lagus royall Stem That once had worne th' Aegyptian Diadem By Fortune throwne into so low a state Of bondage now pittying her changed fate Those snow-white armes that did a Scepter hold Oh mocke of Fortune manicled in gold Although for her a gentler doome then death Remaine and Caesar's pitie spare her breath Or else his ends in loue restore her backe Againe to Aegypt for her sisters sake How much alas had there her blood beene spilt Had Fortune tane from Cleopatra's guilt For all the fauour which t' Arsinoë Rome shew'd repriu'd her but a while to be In after-times her sisters crime and die By Cleopatra's foule impietie But that in Libya's triumph which aboue All other obiects might deserue to moue A iust compassion if true innocence In misery may iustly moue the sense Was young Prince Iuba led in chaines the sonne Of that great Juba whose dominion From Mauritania's farthest Westerne end To Thera's sands so lately did extend Whose puissant hand a prouder Scepter bore Than euer Libyan Monarch did before This poore b young Prince by Fortune seem'd to be Brought as a spectacle of misery Depriu'd so lately of so many lands And ere his yeares could act a crime in bands But Oh how blinde are mortall eyes that day Of seeming woe first made the glorious way To Iuba's future happinesse and he Was farre more blest in that captiuitie Than if his Fathers greatnesse still had stood Train'd vp at Rome he gain'd a truer good And freed from barbarisme was taught to know What Rome or learned Athens could bestow Adorning so his minde as wisest men In euery age admir'd his happy pen. So that to grace his future prosperous reigne For great Augustus hand restor'd againe This captiue Iuba to a kingly Throne A lasting name his Histories haue wonne And fame vnto his natiue Libya giue Where with himselfe those mention'd Kings shall liue When brazen Monuments are eat with rust And marble Columnes time shall bruise to dust And had the Ponticke King c Pharnaces beene In person there and by the people seene That obiect well had ballanc'd with delight The others ruth but he was scap'd by flight Whose absence one proud sentence must supply J came I saw and vanquish'd th' enemy But those sad stories which the tables show More than the liuing spectacles could doe Affect the peoples hearts for there although No vanquish'd Roman might a captiue goe The bleeding wounds of Rome it selfe are spread And each man there his owne deare losse may read For mixt with forren conquests with the falls Of barbarous Captaines Princes of the Gaules With dying Juba drowned Ptolomey Those enuious tables to the eyes display Domestike losse and in sad figures tell By Caesar's Sword what vanquish'd Romans fell Here with King Iuba old Peâ—reius dies Here slaughter'd Sylla there Afranius lies There Damasippus and Torquatus fall And here Oh wofull sight Romes Generall The Noble Scipio by his owne hand slaine Falls bleeding downe into the watery maine And sinking leaues a Noble crimson dye On Neptunes face but what true Roman eye Refrain'd from teares when he beheld the fall Of matchlesse Cato who in spight of all His friends preuention dy'd and wider tore With his owne hands the wounds he made before Yet ' mongst so many wofull stories showne One Noble name was spar'd one Fate alone Was thought too sad nor to the peoples eye Durst they present Great Pompey's tragedy For feare so great a sorrow might outweigh The pompous ioyes of that triumphant day But that conceal'd which most of all was sought Remain'd more deeply fixt in euery thought And they without a picture can supply Each part of his lamented History What tongue what pen can at the height relate Each sumptuous part of that so enuy'd State The publike feasts rare spectacles deuis'd And games by all the people exercis'd Who without number flock'd to doe him grace When all the Senate from the Iulian Place Waited him home and seem'd not then to be The Worlds high Lords but Caesar's family And as they passe to gild their pompous way Numberlesse lights the Elephants display Vpon their captiue backes and mouing through The streets like heauenly Constellations show Like those great beasts which
you the warre decree When first the Spring dissolues the mountaine snow And Westerne winds vpon the waters blow When with his golden hornes bright Taurus opes The chearefull yeare shall these victorious troops Aduance against the Parthians and there die Or fetch those Eagles home with victory Which Crassus lost till then you need not feare The insolency of the Souldier That their disorder'd licence here at home May any way disturbe the peace of Rome My care already has besides the spoiles Of forren foes rewarded all their toiles With those great summes which here so lately I Perchance much enuy'd rais'd in Italy To keepe them still and did not feare to buy With mine owne Enuy your security Then Conscript Fathers if your wisdomes shall Esteeme of Caesar as a Generall Fit to reuenge the Roman infamy ' Gainst Parthia's pride decree the warre to me I am your Souldier still nor ere has ought But Romes renowne by all my toiles beene sought You shall perceiue that Caesar's Souldiers are Not onely fortunate in Ciuill warre Caesar had ended when the Fathers all To such a warre and such a Generall Giue glad consent and with one voyce decree The Parthian warre to Caesar's auspicie But Fates deny what they so much desir'd The date of Caesar's glory was expir'd And Fortune weary'd with his Triumphs now Reuolts from him more ruine and more woe Was yet behinde for wretched Rome to tast Nor can their quiet happinesse out-last The life of Caesar whose approaching Fate More Ciuill warres and wounds must expiate No vertue bountie grace nor clemency Could long secure vsurped Soueraignty For more that power to Citizens borne free Distastfull was than benefits could be Sweet and delight some which soone hasten'd on Th' vntimely death of Caesar Nor alone To this conspiracy did hatred draw His ancient foes as Pontius Aquila Bucolianus and Cecilius Ligarius pardon'd once and Rubrius Scruilius Galba Sextus Naso too Spurius with many of the faction moe But euen ' mongst Caesar's friends dire Enuy wrought And to his slaughter bold Trebonius brought Casca and Cimber and Minutius His seeming friends nor thee Oh Cassius Could Caesar's fauour nor thy Pretorship Of Rome obtain'd from this dire murther keepe Decimus Brutus too so highly grac'd And in so neere a ranke of friendship plac'd With Caesar to whose trust and gouernance The wealthy prouince of Transalpine France Caesar had left enuying his Patrons power Among the rest is turn'd conspiratour Nor seemes the knot of this great faction yet To be of strength enough vnlesse they get Young Marcus Brutus in who then did sway The Prouince of Cisalpine Gallia Colleague with Cassius as Romes Pretors then And high in Caesar's grace this braue young man For his knowne vertues and admired parts In all the peoples discontented hearts Did seeme most thought of and mark'd out to be The vindicatour of lost libertie Nor did they hide it but in libells wrote On his Pretorian cell exprest their thought Taxing his courage as degenerate From th' ancient Brutus who first freed the State Of Rome from Monarchy as if the fame Of such an act could suit no other name And he by fatall birth condemn'd to be An Actor now in Caesar's Tragedy Now had Rhâ—m nâ—sian Nemesis possest In all her blackest formes the vengefull brest Of fierie Cassius and did wholly sway His eager thoughts impatient of delay Who by nights silence enters Brutus house Him there he findes alone and anxious Wailing his Countries Fate and sadder farre Than when the feare of this great Ciuill warre First seiz'd the peoples hearts and frighted Rome Was fill'd with fatall prodigies to whom Cassius beginnes Oh why should Brutus spend That pretious time in thought which he should lend In actiue aid to his sad Countries need That would againe by Brutus hand be freed See what the peoples longing thoughts expect That thou should'st worke for them marke the effect Of what they write on thy Praetorian Sell There may'st thou read that though contented well They look'd no farther than for vaine delights As Libyan huntings and Circensian sights From other Praetors they expect from thee A benefit no lesse than libertie Can Brutus thinke that Caesar while he liues Will ere resigne so great a power who striues To make it more his owne and not content With a Dictator's name and gouernment An office oft bestow'd while Rome was free Aimes at more certaine markes of Monarchy The Regall Crowne and Scepter thinking all The Senate giues cause they can giue it small Why were the Tribunes else for taking downe From Caesar's Statue late a golden Crowne Depos'd Or what could he by law alleage Against their persons sacred priuilege Did lewd Antonius put a Diadem On Caesar's head to be refus'd by him In publike onely and not there to trie How we would all allow his Monarchy Besides a thousand more ambitious arts He daily findes to sound the peoples hearts His death the period of his pride must be And must with speed be wrought for if till he Returne triumphant from the Parthian warre We should delay our vengeance harder farre And with more enuy must it then be done When he more honour and more loue has wonne To shake off Caesar's yoke this is the time Or make it not our owne but Fortunes crime The Noble Brutus sigh'd Oh Cassius If Heauens quoth he haue not allotted vs A longer date of freedome how can we With feeble armes controule their high decree They that in Affricke Spaine and Thessaly Condemn'd the cause of Roman liberty Will not protect it now and better farre It should be lost in faire and open warre From whence at first it sprung and grew so high Than to be sau'd by secret treachery Such as the ancient Romans scorn'd to vse ' Gainst worst of foes Noble Fabritius When conquering Pyrrhus threaten'd Rome disdain'd To free his Countrey by a traitours hand Aduenturing rather Romes sad ouerthrow By open warre nor ' gainst a forren foe Were these respects obseru'd alone by vs What greater traitour than Sertorius And foe to Rome Yet he by treason slaine On base Perpenna stucke a lasting staine What hope was there that one so deepe in blood As was that Butcher Sylla euer would Resigne his reigne to be a priuate man Yet who ' gainst Sylla's life attempted then Twixt whom and Caesar was as great an ods Almost as twixt the Furies and the Gods As much as those then liuing Romans were Too timorous too base and prone to beare A Tyrants yoke as much for this shall we Be iudg'd ingrate to Caesar's clemency And those old men will more accuse our crime That can remember Sylla's bloody time But I of all accurst that so much owe To Caesar's fauours am condemned now To be a subiect or from seruitude To free my selfe by foule ingratitude Oh what a torture my distracted brest Suffers twixt two such sad extremes opprest Oh why when dire Pharsalia's field was fought
to the Senate and bestow That one poore day if not vpon his owne Deare safetie yet vpon her feares alone And grant to her as much as to a wife Was due of int'rest in a husbands life That he those Spanish guards would entertaine Which had so lately beene dismiss'd againe That safe preuention of a danger neere Was Noble still and could be stiled feare No more than scorning the gods threats could be True fortitude or magnanimitie Caesar replies Ah deare Calphurnia Dearer to me than that life-breath I draw Would'st thou forbeare thy griefe it could not lie Within the power of any prodigie To make this day a sad one should I here Begin to learne that superstitious feare Of fatall dayes and houres what day to me Could ere hereafter from such feares be free I onely should my wretched life torment And not my destin'd time of death preuent But liue for euer with vaine feares diseas'd When ere Astrologers or Augurs pleas'd Euery beasts entrailes were a care to me And flight of euery bird a malady If Caesar's danger grow from discontent Of Rome not one dayes absence can preuent Nor scarce repriue my Fate and once to die Better than euer feare conspiracie What good can strongest guards on me conferre But make me liue perpetuall prisoner Why should I feare the peoples discontent Who now enioy vnder my gouernment More wealth more safetie and prosperitie Than by my death they could The death of me That haue already reach'd the height of all Glory and State that can to man befall And wrought my farthest ends can neuer be So much mine owne as their calamitie Who will againe with Ciuâ—ll iarres be rent And wish a safe and setled gouernment Oh doe not feare thy dreame Calphurnia Nor sad presages from such trifles draw If dreames were fatall Loue sleepe were not rest Since most our cares would be by sleepe increast But if they were presages tell me then For our two dreames to night haue different beene Which should preuaile Me thought I flew aboue The loftie Cloudes and touch'd the hand of Joue And to my selfe did seeme more great and high Than ere before what but felicitie Should this portend I dare not now suspect In calmest peace those powers that did effect My roughest warres Oh let no sad surmise With causelesse griefe distaine Calphurnia's eyes Aurora now from Tâ—thon's purple bed Arose and th' Easterne skie discoloured Gaue cheerefull notice of th' approaching Sunne When forth through Rome th' officious clients â—unne The Palace all with early visitants Was fill'd to wait when Caesar would aduance Forth to the Senate striuing to be seene Neere th' earthly Sunne and in his raies to shine Some to doe grace and grace receiue from him Some like malignant cloudes prepar'd to dim Or in eclipse eternall bury quite Before the set of Phaebus Caesar's light Among the rest did Decimus attend With fained seruice and the name of friend To Fatall ends abusing hasten'd on Perswaded Caesar to destruction Though ere they goe the Sacrifices all Threatning and blacke appear'd and did appall The fearefull Priests who from those entrailes show Portent of dire calamitie and woe Some Bulls they could not at the Altar stay Who breaking thence fled through the streets away In others which were slaine and open'd there None but th' infernall gods deign'd to appeare The hearts were perish'd and corruption flow'd Through all the vitall parts blacke was the blood The burning entrailes yeelded onely fume No flame at all but darkely did consume Mouldring away to ashes and with blacke Vnsauoury clouds through th' aire a darkenesse make But Caesar maugre what the entrailes threat Vndaunted passes on how wondrous great Is Destiny and as he goes neglects That Scroll presented to him which detects The whole conspiracy which as of small Import he pockets vp not read at all And enters Pompey's bloody Court led on By powerfull Fate to his destruction Where ominously receiu'd he mounts his high Dictator's Sell of Gold and Iuory The Lords obeisance make in humblest wise When different passions in their brests arise Euen those bold hearts that vow'd his Tragedy Almost relent the mans great Maiestie That awfull Fortune that did still attend His deeds in all extremes a constant friend Produce a feare t' encounter discontent Nor doe their fancies onely him present Inuincible in open field as when He stood enuiron'd with his armed men But such as when alone he wrought his ends Aided by none but Fortune as his friends As when he scap'd th' Aegyptian treachery When he appeas'd his Souldiers muteny Or when the stormy Seas he crossed ore By night and safely reach'd Brundusium's shore And why should not that friendly Fortune now As then thinke they preuent his ouerthrow And to their ruine quite defeat the plot But shame forbid them to relent the knot Among too many conscious brests was ty'd To let them start and on the other side Reuenge encourag'd by the multitude Of Actors enter'd and all feares subdu'd First to his Sell bold Cimber made approach And seiz'd his Purple robe at whose rude touch While Caesar's wrath together with amaze Began to rise the rest from euery place Drawne neere no longer hiding their intent The fatall Ponyards to his brest present The first wound on him Casca did bestow Whose Ponyard Caesar wresting to his foe Returnes a stabbe backe for the stabbe he gaue Striuing in vaine with one poore strength to saue A life assaulted by so many hands No succours could approach no guard nor bands Of aiding friends were nigh that courage quite Was lost that nere was lost before in fight Vntill enfeebled by a deeper wound And by inuading death enuiron'd round Hopelesse he hides his face and fixed stands T' endure the fury of reuenging hands Repressing groanes or words as loth to shame His former life or dying staine the fame Of those great deeds through all the World exprest These silent thoughts reuoluing in his brest Yet has not Fortune chang'd nor giuen the power Of Caesar's head to any Conquerour By no Superiours proud command I die But by subiected Romes conspiracy Who to the World confesses by her feares My State and strength to be too great for hers And from earths highest Throne sends me to be By after-ages made a Deitie Through many wounds his life disseized fled At last and he who neuer vanquished By open warre with blood and slaughter strew'd So many lands with his owne blood embrew'd The seat of wronged Iustice and fell downe A sacrifice t' appease th' offended gowne FINIS Plat. Phaed.