Book I

The Argument
The fatall causes of this warre are showne,
Enraged Caesar passes Rubicon,
Invades Arim'num, where to him from Rome
Curio, and both the banish'd Tribunes come
With new incitements to these civill Warres.
Caesar's Oration to his Souldiers,
Bold Laelius protestation, which by all
The rest confirmed makes the Generall
Draw out from every part of France at once
His now dispers'd, and wintring Legions,
Rome's feare; great Pompey with the Senate, flyes;
Heaven, ayre, and earth are fill'd with prodigies.
The Prophets thence, and learned Augures show
The wrath of Heaven, and Romes ensuing woe.

WArres more then civill on Aemathian plaines
We sing: rage licens'd; where great Rome disdaines
In her owne bowels her victorie us swords;
Where kindred hoasts encounter, all accords
Of Empire broke: where arm'd to impious warre
The strength of all the shaken world from farre
Is met; knowne Ensignes Ensignes doe defie,
Piles against Piles, 'gainst Eagles Eagles fly.
What fury, Countreymen, what madnesse cou'd
Moove you to feast your foes with Roman blood?
And choose such warres, as could no triumphs yeeld,
Whilst yet proud Babylon vn or quer'd held
The boasting trophaes of a Roman hoast,
And vnrevenged wander'd Crassus Ghost?
Alas, what Seas, what Lands might you haue tane,
With that bloods losse, which ciuill hāds haue drawne?
Yours had been Titans rising, yours his sett,
The Kingdomes scorched in Meridian heate,
And those, where winter, which no spring can ease,
With lasting cold doth glaze the Scythian seas;
The Seres yours, the wilde Araxis too,
And those that see Niles spring, if any doe,
Then 'gainst thy selfe, if warre so wicked, Rome,
Thou loue, when all the world is overcome,
Turne backe thy hand: thou didst not want a Foe.
But now that walles of halfe fall'n houses so
Hang in Italian Townes, vast stones we see
Of ruin'd walles, whole houses empty be,
And ancient Townes are not inhabited;
That vntill'd Italy's with weedes orespread,
And the neglected Plowes want labouring hands,
Not thou fierce Pyrrhus, nor the Punicke Bands
This waste haue made; no sword could reach so farre,
Deepe pierce the wounds receiu'd in ciuill warre.
But if no other way to Neroes raigne
The •ates could finde, if gods their Crownes obtaine,
At such deare rates, and Heaven could not obey
Her Ioue, but after the sterne Giants fray;
Now we complaine not, gods, mischiefe and warre
Pleasing to vs; since so rewarded, are;
Let dire Pharsalia grone with armed Hoasts,
And glut with blood the Carthaginian Ghosts:
With these let Munda's fatall Battle goe,
Mutina's Siedge, Perusias famine too:
To these add Actiums bloody Navall fight,
And neere Sicilia Sextus slavish Fleete.
Yet much owes Rome to civill enmity
For making thee our Prince; when thou the sky
Though late, shalt clime, & chāgethine earthly reigne,
Heaven, as much grac'd, with ioy shall entertaine,
And welcome thee, whether thou wouldst put on
Ioues Crowne, or ride in Phoebus burning Throne,
(Earth will not feare the change) thēce maist thou shine
Downe on thy World; to thee all power divine
Will yeild, and Nature to thy choise will give
What god to be, or where in Heaven to liue.
But neere the Northern Bea•e oh doe not reigne,
Nor crosse the point of the Meridian,
From whence obliquely thou shouldst Rome behold,
If all thy weight one part of Heaven should hold,
The Honour'd loade would bowe heavens Axletree;
Hold thou the middle of the poysed Sky:
Let all the ayre betweene transparent be,
And no darke Cloud twixt vs, and Caesar fly.
Then let Mankinde forget all warre and strife,
And every Nation loue a peacefull life.
Let peace through all the world in this blest state
Once more shut warre like Ianus Iron gate.
Oh be my god: If thou this breast inspire,
Phoebus from Cirrhaes shades I'll not desire,
Nor Nysa's Bacchus, Caesar can infuse
Vertue enough into a Roman muse.
The cause of these great actions Ile declare,
And ope a mighty worke, what drew to warre,
Our furious People and the World beside;
Fates envious course, continuance still deny'd:
To mighty States, who greatest falls still feare,
And Rome not able her owne weight to beare.
So when the knot of Nature is dissolu'de,
And the worlds Ages in one houre inuolu'd
In their old Chaos, Seas with Skyes shall ioyne,
And Starres with Starres confounded loose their shine:
The Earth no longer shall extend her shore
To keepe the Ocean out: the Moone no more
Follow the Sunne, but scorning her old way
Crosse him, and claime the guidance of the day.
The falling worlds now iarring frame no peace,
No league shall hold; great things themselues oppresse,
The gods this bound to groning states haue set;
But to no Forraine armes would Fortune yet
Lend her owne envy ore great Rome, that awes
Both Land and Sea; shee's her owne ruines cause
Subiected ioyntly to three Lords; how ill
Prooue shared rules accords, and fatall, still?
Ambition blinded Lords, what's th' happinesse
To mixe your powers, and ioyntly th' earth possesse?
Whilest Land the Sea, and Ayre the Land shall bound,
Whilest labouring Titan runnes his glorious round,
And through twelue heavenly signes night follows day,
No faith keepe those, that kingdomes ioyntly sway;
Rule brookes no sharers; doe not this beleeue
In forraine states, Rome can examples giue.
A brothers bloud did our first walls distaine;
Nor was the spacious earth and watry maine
This mischiefes price: a refuge for theeues fled.
A little house this brothers hatred bred.
This iarring concord lasted for a space
Dissembled twixt the two: for Crassus was
The warres sole let, like that small necke of land,
That in the middst of two great Seas doos stand,
And will not let them ioyne; that tane away,
Straight the Ionian meets th' Aegaean Sea:
So when war parting Crass•• sadly slaine
With Romane bloud did Asian Charan staine,
That Parthian losse to homebred rage gaue reines;
More then you thinke you did fierce Parthians
That day: our civill war your conquest wrought,
And now Romes Empire by the sword is sought:
That State, that mistresse ore the World did reigne,
Rulde Land and Sea, yet could not two conteine.
For Iulia's de•th, whom cruell Fates before
Had slaine, the pledge of their alliance bore
Downe to her graue; if Fate had spar'de her life,
Her furious husband, and sterne fathers strife
She had compos'de, and made their armed hands
Let fall their swords, and ioyne in friendships bands:
As once the Sabin women enterposde,
Their sires and husbands bloody iarres composde,
Thy death, faire Iulia, breakes off all accords,
And giues them leaue againe to draw their swords:
On both sides powerfull aemusation beares
On their ambitious spirits; great Pompey feares
That his pi•aticke Laurell should giue place
To conquerde France, and Caesars deeds deface
His ancient triumphs; fortunes constant grace
Makes him impatient of a second place;
Nor now can Caesar a superior brooke,
Nor Pompey brooke a peere; who justlier tooke
Vp armes, great Iudges differ, heaven approoues
The conquering cause; the conquerde Cato loues
Nor were they aequall, one in yeares was growne,
And long accustomde to a peacefull gowne
Had now forgot the Souldier: Fame he bought
By bounty to the people: and much sought
For popular praise: his Theaters loud shout
Was his delight; new strength he sought not out,
Relying on his ancient fortunes fame,
And stood the shadow of a glorious name.
As an old lofty Oake, that heeretofore
Great Conquerors spoiles, and sacred Trophies bore,
Stands firme by his owne weight, his roote now dead,
And through the ayre his naked boughes does spread,
And with his trunke, not leaues, a shaddow makes:
He, though each blast of Easterne winde him shakes,
And round about well rooted Trees doe grow,
Is onely honour'd; but in Ceasar now
Remaines not onely a great Generalls name,
But restlesse valour, and in warre a shame
Not to be Conquerour; fierce, not curb'd at all,
Ready to fight, where hope, or anger call,
His forward Sword; confident of successe,
And hold the fauour of the gods to presse:
Orethrowing all that his ambition stay,
And loues that ruine should enforce his way;
As lightning by the winde forc'd from a cloude
Breakes through the wounded aire with thunder loud,
Disturbes the D•y, the people terrifyes,
And by a light oblique dazels our eyes,
Not Ioues owne Temple spares it; when no force,
No barre an hinder his prevailing course,
Great wa•e, as fo•rth it fallyes and roures,
It makes and gathers his dispersed fires.
These causes moou'd the Cheifes, and such as are
In mighty states the common seeds of warre
For since our Crests the conquer'd world hath fill'd
Too full, and vertue did to riches yeild,
Since spoiles, and warrelike rapine taught vs riot,
Excesse in Plate, in buildings reignes; he dyes
Of formertimes wee scorn; that soft attire.
That Women were asham'd of, Men desire.
Strength-breeding pouerty is fled, and nought
But wealth from all the spoiled world is sought,
The banc of States; those Lands encreas'd they hold
In th' hands of vnknowne Tenants, which of old
Caemillus plow share wounded, and the hands
Of th' ancient Curii till'd; the state now stands,
Not as of old, when men from auarice free
Could liue in peace, and wisht but liberty.
Hence quarrels grow, what pouerty esteemed
A vild offence: now's greatest honour deem'd,
By Sword our Countreys power in curbe to hold:
Might measures •ight: Lawes and decrees are sold,
Consuls and Tribunes iarres all right suppresse,
Fasces are bought, the peoples suffrages
Corruptly sought, and giuen; hence bloody iarres
Oft staine elections in the field of Ma•s:
So griping Vsury growes, so faith is l•st,
And ciuill warre, as gainefull, sought by most.
By this time Caesar the cold Alpes orepast,
In his great thoughts the future warre had cast,
And now to Rubicon's small current come,
He dreames the Image of affrighted Rome
With countenance sad through dusky night appeares•
On her towre-bearing head her hoary haires,
Hung downe all torne, her armes were nak'd when she
Thus sighing speakes; oh whither carry yee,
My Ensignes Souldiers: If you come as friends,
As Roman Citizens, your march here ends
A suddaine feare straight chilles the generall veines,
His haire's with horrour rais'd, faintnesse detaines
His steps vpon the banke; then thus he pra••s:
Thou, Ioue, whose eye these Citie walles surueyes
From thy Tarpeian hill: You Deities,
Of Troy, and Romulus hid misteries,
Thou Latian Ioue worshipt on th' Alban mount,
You Vestall fires, and Rome, whom I account
My greatest God, blesse this attempt; not thee,
Doe I inuade: Conquerour by land and sea
Thy Caesar comes, thy Souldier still: Be hee
He in the fault, that caus'd this enmity
Then brooking no delay, the streame showre-swell'd
He marches ore; so in a Libyan field
A Lion viewing his sterne foe at hand,
Till he collect his ire doth doubtfull stand:
But straight whē his Tailes swindge has made him ho•,
And rais'd his shaggy M•ne, from his wide throat
He roaves; then if a Mauritanian Speare,
Or Shaft haue pierc'd his side, voide of all feare,
Regardlesse of that wound he rushes on.
Gently along flowes ruddy Rubicon
From a small Spring, when Summer's in her pride,
And gliding through the valley dooes divide
Gallia from Italy, now Winter lent
Him strength, and Cynthia her full hornes had spent
In showres to rayse his flood, and melted snow
The moist East-wind made downe the Alpes to flow.
The Horse-men first are plac'd against the streame,
To take the waters fury: vnder them
The Foote men shelter'd, found a passage ore
More calme, the current being broke before
But now when Caesar had orecome the flood,
And Italy's forbidden ground had trod,
Here Peace, and broken Lawes I leaue, quoth he,
Farewell all Leagues: Fortune Ile follow thee
No more weele trust: Warre shall determine all:
This said, by Night the actiue Generall
Swifter then Parthian back-shot shaft, or stone
From Balearieke Slinger, marches on
T'invade Ariminum; when every star
Fled from th'approaching Sunne but Lucifer,
And that day dawn'd, that first these broiles should see,
Either the moist Southwindes, or Heavens decree
With pitchy Cloudes darkned the fatall day;
When now the Soldiers by command made stay
I•th Market place, shrill trumpets flourisht round,
And the h••rse Hornes wicked alarums sound.
With this sad noise the Peoples rest was broke,
The young men rose, and from the temples tooke
Their Armes, now such as long peace had marr'de.
And their old bucklers now of leather's bar'de:
Their blunted Piles not of a long time vs'd,
And Swords with th'eatings of blacke rust abus'd.
The Roman Colours, and knowne Eagles then,
An Caesar in the midd'st high m•uted seene,
The townesmens trembling joynts for horror faint,
And to themselues they make this sad complaint:
Oh ill built Citty too too neere the Gaule,
Oh sadly situated place; when all
The world haue peace, we are the spoyle of warre,
And first that are inuaded: happier farre
Might we haue liu'd in farthest North, or East,
Or wandring tents of Scythia, then possest
The edge of Italy. This towne of ours
First felt the furious Gaules, and Cymbrian powers,
Hither the Libyans first, and Germans come,
This is wa••es way, when Fortune threatens Rome.
Thus silently they mourne, and durst not lend
Their griefe a word, nor teares in publique spend.
As Birds by winters raging cold are still'de,
And the mid-ocean dooes no murmur yeild
But when bright day dissolu'd the dampes of night,
The Fates new firebrands bring, and stirre to fight
Caesars yet doubting minde, leaving no pause
To shame, but fortune findes him out a cause
Of armes, and labours to make just his war.
The factious Tribunes by the Senate are
Against their sacred priviledge exil'de,
And by the Graechi's factious names revil'de.
These now to Caesar came, and brought along
With them bold Curio's mercenary tongue:
That tongue, that once the Peoples, boldly stood
Gainst armed great ones for the publike good.
Hee when he saw the Generall musing, said,
While this my voice, Caesar, thy cause could aide,
Wee did prorogue, though gainst the Senate's will,
Thy gouernement, while Oratoryes skill
Could turne the wauering Peoples hearts to thee.
But since by warres rough hand Lawes silenc'd be;
Wee are exil'd, and gladly it sustaine,
To be endeniz'd by thy Sword againe,
Whilst their yet strengthlesse side is only scarr'de,
Vse no delay: delay hurts men prepar'de,
A greater price on equall danger heere
Is set; in Gallia's warre alone ten yeare,
Thou hast consum'd: but here, one field well fought,
Rome has the world to thy subiection brought,
Now thy returne from France with victory
No pompous triumph waites: no Bayes for thee,
Shall deck the Capitoll; ba•e enuy's hands
Keepe back thy due: conquest of warrelike Lands,
Is made a crime in thee, and Pompey's pride
Excludes thy rule: nor canst thou now diuide
The world; the world thou maist possesse alone.
This speech gaue fire to Caesar too too prone
Before to warre; so peoples showtes raise more
A fierce Olimpicke Steed striuing before
To force the Lists, and breake th' opposing barres,
Straight to the Standard all his Souldiers
Caesar assembling, 'middst their murmuring noise
Commands a silence with his hand and voice,
Fellowes in Armes, that haue endur'd with me,
A thousand stormes in ten yeares victory,
Haue our spent bloods in northerne Climes deseru'de
This, all our wounds, so many winters seru'de
Vnder the Alpes? not more prouision Rome
Would make for warre, if Hanniball had come
Ouer the Alpes: Cohorts they reinforce,
Forrests are fell'd for Shipping; all the force
Of Land and Sea is arm'd gainst Caesar now.
What more (had wee beene vanquisht) would they do?
If the fierce Gaules our flying backes pursu'de,
That dare now wrong vs; when our warres conclude
Successefully, and friendly Gods vs call?
Let the long peace-infeebled Generall
His gownes, and new rais'd Souldiers bring along;
Vaine names the Catoes, and Marcellus tongue.
Must he with Forreigne, and bought clients be
Glutted with still continuing soueraignty?
Can hee triumphant Charriots mount before
The Year's appointed, (•) and let goe no more
Honours vsurp't? why should I now complaine
Of the lawes breach, and famine made for gaine?
Th' affrighted forum with arm'd men beset,
Drawne swords enuironing the Iudgement seat,
When 'gainst all law, Milo for murder try'de
Pompey's proude Colours clos'd on euery side?
Now lest his age, though tir'd, a priuate state
Should end, by impious ciuill warre his hate
He seekes to glut, scorning but to excell
His Master Sylla's guilt: as Tigers fell,
Whom their fierce Damme with slaughtred Cattels blood
Was wont to nourish in th' Hyrcanian wood,
Nere loose their fury: so thou Pompey vs'd
To lick the blood that Sylla's swords effus'd
Retain'st thy former thirst; neuer againe
Grow those lawes pure, that blood did once distaine.
When wilt thou end thy too long tiranny,
Where bound thy guilt? in this at least to thee
A patterne let thy Master Sylla be
To leaue off such vsurped soueraignety.
After the Pirates, and tir'de Ponticke King,
Whose war to end scarce Poisons helpe could bring
Must Caesars fall Pompey's last triumph make,
Because commanded I did not forsake
My conquering Army? but if I be barr'd
My labours me•de, let these haue the reward
Of their long service; let these Soldiers all
Triumph, though vnder any Generall,
Where shall their bloudlesse age after the Warre
Finde rest? what lands shall my old Soldiers share?
Where shall they plow? where shall their City stand?
Are Pirates, Pompey, worthier of Land?
March on victorious colours, march away,
The strength that we haue made, we must employ.
He giues the strongest all things, that denyes
His due; nor want we ayding Deities,
Nor spoile those armes doe seeke, nor Soveraignty:
But to free Rome, though bent to slauery.
Thus spake he: the yet doubting Soldiers
Vncertaine murmurs raise: though fierce with wars
Long vse, their houshold gods their minds gan mooue,
And piety: but straight the swords dire loue
And feare of Caesar turnde them backe againe.
Lalius the first Files leading did obtaine:
For saving of a Roman Soldier
Oake-crownd, and freed from duties of the war.
If I may speake, Romes greatest Generall,
Thy Soldiers thoughts, quoth he; It grieues vs all,
That such long patience kept thee from so just
A war: or didst thou not thine army trust?
While life-bloud keepes this breathing body warme,
While brandisht Darts fly from this agile arme,
Wilt thou weake gownes, and Senates raigne endure?
In civill war is Conquest so impure?
Lead vs through Libyas gulfes, cold Seythian land,
Lead vs ore thirsty Affrickes scorched sand.
This arme the conquerde world behind to leaue
Has plowde the Brittish Oceans curled waue,
And broke the Rhines swift current; thy command
To doe, my will's as ready as my hand.
Hees not my friend, gainst whom thy trumpets sound,
By these thy colours, which ten Camps haue found
Ever victorious, Caesar, here I sweare,
And by thy triumphs, ore what foe so ere,
If thou command me spill my brothers life,
Kill my old Father, or my pregnant wife,
Ile doo't though with a most vnwilling hand▪
Fire Temples, rob the godds at thy command.
Great Iunoes Temple in our flames shall sinke:
If to encampe on Tuscan Tybers brinke,
Ile boldly pitch in Italy thy tent.
If to dismantle townes be thy entent,
These armes of mine the battering Ram shall place,
Although the city, thou wouldst quite deface,
Were Rome it selfe. The Souldiers all agree,
And promise •im their lifted hands on high
To any war. Their shout not that can passe,
Which the loud blast of Thracian Boreas
On piny Ossa makes, and bowes amaine
The ratling wood, or lets it rise againe.
Caesar perceiving that the Fates gaue way
To war, and his Men prone, fearing delay,
His troopes through France dispers'd straight calling home
With flying colours marches on to Rome.
They leaue their tents pitcht by Lemanus Lake,
And those on Vogesus high Rockes forsake,
Which aw'de the painted Lingones so strong,
Isara's Fords they leaue, that runne so long
Alone; but in a River of more fame
Falling to' the Ocean beares an other name.
The yellow Ruthens eas'de of their long feare:
Milde A tax ioyes no Roman shipps to beare:
And Varus Italyes encreased bound.
That haven Alcides consecrated ground
With Cliffes orelookes the Sea; no Northwest winde,
Nor West blow there▪ Cirtius their proper winde
Reignes there, where safe Alcides fort dooes stand.
And that still doubtfull-coast, that Sea and Land
Callenge by turnes: firme land it is when low
The Ocean ebbes, but sea at every flow.
Whither the winde strong blowing from the Pole,
And then retiring, to and fro doe rowle
The Sea: or that the Moone his course doe guide:
Or burning Titan moist foode to provide,
Attracting lift the Ocean to the sky,
Seeke you that labour for such skill: for me,
What ere thou be that cause this ebbe and flow,
Be still conceal'd; since heauen will haue it so.
They march away that Nemasus did hold,
And Adors bankes, where Tarbe does enfold
In her crookt shore the sea that gently flowes.
The Santoni reioyce now free'd from foes:
Th'Leuci and Rhemi Archers good; with these
Bituriges, and Speare-arm'd Suessones.
The dwellers neere Sequana skilfull riders.
The Belgae hooke-arm'd Chariots expert guiders.
Sprung from the Troian blood the Hedui,
That durst claime b•otherhood of Italy.
Rebellious Ne•uiars stain'd with Cotta's fate;
And they that in loose Mantles imitate
Sarmatia; fierce Batauians whom to warre
Crookt Trumpets call; those that neere Cinga are;
Where Araris with Rhodanus now met
Runnes ioyn'd into the Sea; the men whose seate
Is on Gebenna mount couer'd with snow.
The Pictones now free their fields can plow.
The fickle Turones are not restrain'd
By garrison; the Andian now disdain'd
To pine in Medna's thick fogges: but goes
For pleasure, where delightfull Liger flowes.
Faire Genabos is freed from garrison;
Treuer is glad the warre from thence is gon:
The Ligures now shorne, once like the rest.
Long haird, of all the vnshorne Gaules the best:
And where with offerings stayn'd of humane blood
Hermes and Mars their cruell Altars stood,
And Ioue that vil• as Scythian Dian's are.
Then you that valiant soules, and slaine in warre
Doe celebrate with praise that neuer dyes,
You Bards securely sung your Elegyes.
You Dr•ides now free'd from warre maintaine
Your Barbarous rites, and Sacrifice againe.
You what heauen is, and gods alone can tell,
Or else alone are ignorant; you dwell
In vast, and desert woods: you teach no spirit
Plutoes pale kingdome can by death inherit.
They in another world informe againe:
The middst twixt long liues (if you truth maintaine)
Is death. But those wilde people happy are,
In this their errour, whom feare greatest farre
Of all feares iniures not, the feare of death;
Thence are they prone to warre: nor losse of breath
Esteeme: nor spare a life that comes againe.
They that the hair'd Cayes did conteine
In their obedience, marching now to Rome,
From Rhines rude bankes, and new found countrey come
When Caesar's now collected strength had bred
More lofty hopes; through Italy he spred
His troopes, and all the neighbouring Cities seiz'd,
Then idle rumours their true feares encreas'd,
And peirc'd the peoples hearts, swift fame gan show
The warres approach, and their ensuing woe.
Then euery tongue a false alarum yeilds:
Some dare report that on the pasture fields
Of faire Meuania is the warre begunne,
And bloody Caesar's barbarous Cohorts runne
Where Vmbrian Nar does into Tyber flow:
That all his Eagles, and ioyn'd Standards now
With a vast strength make furious approach:
Nor doe they now suppose him to be such,
As once they saw him: fiercer far then so
They thinke, and savadge as his conquer'd foe:
That all th' inhabitants twixt th'Alpes and Rhine
Drawne from their countries and cold Northerne clime
Follow: and Rome (a Roman looking on)
By barbarous hands shall fall; thus every one
By feare giues strength to Fame: no author knowne,
They feare what they suppose: but not alone
The People dooes this vaine surmise deceiue:
The Senate shakes; th' affrighted Fathers leaue
Their seates: and flying to the Consuls giue
Directions for the war; Where safe to liue,
What place t'avoide they know not: whither ere
Their suddaine wits directs their steps, they be•re
Th'amazed people forth in troopes: whom nought
So long had stirr'de: a man would then haue thought
The city fir'd, orth'houses sudaine fall
By earthquake threatned, the madd people all
With hasty steppes so vnadvised runne,
As if no way at all were left to shunne
Their imminent, and feard destruction,
But to forsake their habitation:
As when rough Seaes by stormy Auster blowne
From Libia's Sands, haue broke the maire mast down,
Master and Marriners their Ship forsake
Not torne as yet, leape into th'Sea, and make
Themselues a Shipwracke: so from th' City they
Fly into warre: no Sire his sonne can stay,
No weeping wife her Husband can perswade:
No nor their houshold gods, till they haue made
Vowes for their safety; none an eye dares cast
Back on lou'd Rome, although perhaps his last.
Irrevocably doe the people flye.
You gods that easily giue prosperity,
But not maintaine it, that great city fill'd
With natiue soules, and conquer'd; that would yeeld
Mankinde a dwelling: is abandon'd now
An easie prey to Caesar; when a foe
Begirts our Souldiers in a forreine Land,
One little trench nights danger can withstand;
A soddaine worke rais'd out of earth endures
The foes assault; th' encamped's sleepe secures.
Thou Rome, a war but noysd, art left by all,
Not one nights safety trusted to thy wall.
But pardon their amaze; when Pompey flyes,
'Tis time to feare; then lest their hearts should rise
With hope of future good, sad augury bodes
A worse ensuing fate: the threatning gods
Fill heaven, and earth, and sea with prodigies.
Vnheard-of Starres by night adorne the skies:
Heaven seemes to flame, and through the Welkin fire
Obliquely flyes: state-changing comets dire
Display to vs their bloud portending haire:
Deceitfull lightnings flash in clearest ayre.
Strange formed Meteors the thicke ayre had bred
Like Iavelins long, like lampes more broadly spread▪
Lightning without one cracke of thunder brings
From the cold North his winged fires, and flings
Them 'gainst our Capitoll: small starres, that vse
Onely by night, their lustre to diffuse,
Now shine in midst of day: Cynthia bright
In her full orbe, like Phoebus, at the sight
Of earths blacke shades eclipses Titan hides,
(When mounted in the midd'st of heaven he rides)
In cloudes his burning Chariot, to enfold
The world in darknesse quite▪ day to beh•ld,
No Nation hopes: as once backe to the East
He fled at sight of sad Thyestes feast;
Fierce Vulcan opts Sicilian Aetna's throate,
But to the sky her flames she belches no•,
But on th' Italian shore obliquely flings;
Bloud from her bottome blacke Charibdis brings:
Sadlyer barke Scyllaes doggs then they were wont:
The Vestall fire goes out: on th'Alban mount
Ioues sacrificing fire it selfe divides
Into two parts, and rises on two sides,
Like the two Theban Princes funerall fires.
Earth opes her threatning jawes: th' Alpes nodding spires
Shake off their snow: Thetis does higher now
Twixt Libyan Atlas, and Spaines Calpe flow.
The natiue gods did weepe: Romes certaine thrall
The Lares sweating shew'd: the offrings fall
Downe in the Temples: and (as we haue heard)
Nights fatall Birds in midst of day appear'd:
Wilde Beasts at midnight from the deserts come,
And take bold lodging in the streets of Rome.
Beasts make with mens articulate voice their mon•;
Births monstrous both in limmes proportion,
And number; mothers their owne infants fear'd:
Sibilla's fatall lines were sung and heard
Among the people: and with bloody armes
Cybel's head-shaking Priests pronounc'd their charmes,
I th' peoples eares howling a balefull mone:
And Ghosts from out their quiet vrnes did grone.
Clashing of armour, and loude showtes they heare
In desert groues, and threatnings Ghosts appeare.
The dwellers neere without the City wall
Fled: fierce Erynnis had encompast all
The towne: her snaky haires, and burning brand
Shaking: as when she rul'd Agau•'s hand,
Or the selfe maim'd Lycurgus: such was she,
Who once, when sent by Inno's cruelty,
Great Hercules (new come from Hell) did fright:
Shrill trumpets sounded, dismall ayres of night
That horrid noise, that meeting armies yeild,
Did then present: in midst of Mars his field
Rose Sylla's ghost, and woes ensuing told:
Plowmen neere Aniens streames Marius behold
Rise from his sepulchre, and flye appall'd.
For these things were the Tuscan Prophets call'd
As custome was: the sagest of them all
Dwelt in Etrurian Luna's desert wall.
Aruns, that lightnings motion vnderstands,
Birds flight, and entrailes op'te▪ he first commands
Those monstrous birthes, that from no seede did come,
But horrid issues of a barren wombe,
To be consum'd in fire: then all the towne
To be encompast in procession:
Th' high Priests (whose charge it is) he next doth vrge
The City walles with hallowed rites to purge
Through their whole circuit: following after these
Th' inferiour Priests attir'd Gabinian wise:
The Vestall Maides with their vail'd Sister come,
That only may see Troy's Palladium:
Then those that Sibyll's secret verses keepe,
And Cybell yearely in still Almon steepe:
Septemuir• that governe sacred Feasts;
The learned Augurs, and Apolloes Priests:
The noble Flames, Salius that beares
On his glad neck the target of great Mars.
Whilst they the towne compasse in winding tracts,
Aruns the Lightnings dispers'd fire collects,
And into th' ea•tn with a sad murmure flings:
Then names the places, and to th' altar brings
A chosen Bull: then wine betwixt his hornes
He •owres, and sprinkles ore with Salt and Corne
His knife: the Bull impatient long denyes
Himselfe to so abhor'd a Sacrifice.
But by the guirded Sacrificers strength
Hanging vpon his hornes, ore come at length
Bending his knees holds forth his conquer'd necke;
Nor did pure blood come out, but poyson black
Instead of blood, from the wound open'd flyes
Aruns grew pale at this sad Sacrifice,
And the gods wrath he in the Entrailes seekes,
Whose colour scar'd him: pale they were with streakes
Of blacke th'infected blood congealed showes
(Sprinkled with different palenesse) various.
The liver putrifi'de, on th'hostile side
Were threatning veines: the lungs their fillets hide:
A narrow line divides the vitall parts:
The heart lyes still, and corrupt matter starts
Through gaping clefts: no part oth'cause is hid:
And that which never without danger did
Appeare, on th'entrailes was a double head,
One head was sicke, feeble, and languished:
The other quicke his pulses nimbly beates.
By this when he perce•u'de what woe the Fates
Prepar'de, he cri'de aloud, all that you doe
O gods, I must not to the People show:
Nor with this haplesse sacrifice can I
Great Iupiter thy anger pacifie:
The blacke infernall deities appeare
In th'entrailes: woes vnspeakable we feare,
But greater will ensue: you gods lend ayde,
And let no credit to our Art be had,
But counted Tages fiction: thus with long
Ambages darkly the old Tuscan sung.
But Figul••, whose care it was aright
To know the gods and heavens: to whom for sight
Of planets, and the motion of each starre,
Not great Aegyptian Memphis might compare,
Either no lawes direct the world, quoth he,
And all the starres doe moue vncertainely;
Or if Fates rule, a swift destruction
Threatens mankinde, and th'earth; shall Cities downe
By earthquakes swallow'de be? intemperately
Shall ayre grow hot? false earth her seedes deny?
Or shall the waters poyson'de be? what kinde
Of ruine is it, gods, what mischiefes finde
Your cruelties? many dire aspects meete,
If Saturne cold in midst of heaven should si•
Aquarius would Deucatious flood haue bred
And all the earth with waters overspred;
If Sol should mount the Nemean Lions backe,
In flames would all the worlds whole fabrick cracke,
And all the sky with Sol's burnt chariot blaze.
These aspects cease; but thou that burn'st the clawes,
And fir'st the tayle of threatning Scorpion,
What great thing breedst thou Mars? milde Ioue goes downe
Oppressed in his fall, and in the skyes
The wholesome starre of Venus dulled is;
Mercury looses his swift motion,
And fiery Mars rules in the sky alone
Why doe the starres their course forsaking, glide
Obscurely through the ayre? why does the side
Of sword-bearing Orion shine too bright?
Warres rage is threatned, the sword's power all right
Confounds by force: impiety shall beare
The name •f Vertue, and for many a yeare
This fury lasts; it bootes vs not to craue
A peace with peace a master we shall haue.
Draw out the series of thy misery,
O Rome, to longer yeares, now onely free
From civill warre. These prodigies did scarre
The multitude enough: but greater farre
Ensue; as on the top of Pindus mount
The Thracian women full of Bacchus wont
To raue; so now a matron ran possest,
By Phoebus vrging her inspired brest.
Where am I carried now? where leau'st thou me,
Paean, already rapt aboue the Sky?
Pangaea's snowy top, Philippi plaines
I see: speake, Phoebus, what this fury meanes:
What swords, what hands shal in Romes battels meet,
What warres without a foe? oh whither yet
Am I distracted? to that Easterne land,
Where Nile discolours the blew Ocean:
There, there alas I know what man it is,
That on Nile's banke a trunke deformed lyes.
Ore Syrtes sands, ore scorched Libya,
Whether the reliques of Pharsalia
Erinnis carry'd ore th' Alpes cloudy hill,
And high Pyrene am I carried still.
Then backe againe to Rome, where impious▪
And fatall warre defiles the Senate house.
The Factions rise againe; againe I goe
Ore all the world; shew me new Kingdomes now,
New Seas; Philippi I haue seene; this spoke
The furious fit her wearied breast forsooke.