Book III

The Argument
Faire Iulia's Ghost a dreame to Pompey shewes.
Curio for corne into Sicilia goes.
To Rome comes Caesar with vnarmed Bands,
Where though Metelius all in vaine withstands,
He robs the Treasury Each Nations name
That to the Warre in ayd of Pompey came.
Caesar thence hasts to Spaine, and by the way
Layes cruell siege to true Massilia,
But stayes not there himselfe: Brutus maintaynes
The siege, and Caesars first Sea-conquest gaines.

THe wind-stuff'd sailes had sorth the Navy sent
Into the main, the Sailers lookes were bent
Vpon th'•onian wants: but Pompey's eye
Was nere turn'd backe from his deare Italy,
His natiue coast, and that beloved shore,
Which fate ordaines he nere shall visite more,
Till the high cliffes no more for cloudes he se•s,
And the hilles lessening vanish from his eyes:
Sweete sleepe did then his weary limbes compose,
When Iulia's ghost through the cleft ground arose
In wofull wise, and with a funerall brand
Seem'd fury-like before his face to stand.
From the blest soules abode, th'Elizian field,
To Stygian darknesse, and damn'd Ghosts exil'd
Since this sad war, I saw the furies fire
Their brands (quoth she) to moue your wicked ire.
Charon prepares more boates for soules to come,
And hell's enlarged for tormenting roome.
Three sisters speedy hands cannot suffice,
For breaking threads has tyr'd the Destinies,
Pompey, whilest mine, a life triumphant led:
Thy fortunes changed with thy marriage bed:
Strumpet Cornelia, damn'd by destiny
To ruine her great Lords, could marry thee,
My funerall fire scarse out. Let her in flight
Attend thee now, and through this civill fight
Follow thy Standard, whilst I still haue power
To breal•e your rest at every sleepy hower.
No how regiues freedome to your loues delight;
The day holds Caesar, Iulia holds the night.
Lethe's dull waters made not me forget
Thee husband, and hell princes did permit
That I should follow thee; through both the hosts
Ile rush, while thou art fighting: Iuliaes ghost
Shall tell thee still whose Sonne in law thou art;
Thinke not that war shall this alliance part;
Th•s war shall make vs meete againe. This sed
She through her fearefull lords embraces fled,
He, though the gods by ghosts doe threaten, still
Madder of war, with sure presage of ill,
Why are we scarr'd (quoth he) with fancies vaine?
Either no sense doth after death remaine,
Or death is nothing Now the setting Sunne
To drowne as much of his bright Orbe begun,
As the Moone wants, when after full she waines,
Or growes neere full. Dyrrachium entertaines
His navy now; the Saylers make to shore,
Pull downe the sailes, and labour at the oare.
Caesar perceiving all the Ships were gone
Past sight with prosperous windes, and he alone
Left Lord in Italy, no joy receiv'de
In th' honour of great Pompey's flight, but griev'd
His foes fled safe along the Ocean;
No fortune could suffice this eager man,
Differring of the war to him seem'd more
Then this small conquest; but he now giues ore
Warres care awhile, entent on peace againe,
And knowing how the peoples loues to gaine,
That corne most stirres their hate, most drawes their loues,
That onely famine to rebellion moues
Cities, and feare is bought, where great men feede
The sloathfull Commons; nought starude people dread.
Curio is sent to the S•ilian Townes,
Where once the violent Sea did either drowne,
Or cut the land, and made it selfe a shore
In the mid-land, the waters ever roare,
And strugle there, lest the two hills should close.
Part of the war into Sardinia goes:
Both famous Ilands for rich fruitfull fields,
No land to Italy more harvest yeelds,
Nor with more Corne the Roman Garners fills:
Not Libia these, as Granaries excells,
When Boreas blasts (the Southwindes ceasing) teare
The showring clowdes, and make a fruitfull yeare.
These things provided thus, with peacefull showes,
And Troopes vnarm'd to Rome the Conquerour goes.
Oh had he but come home with victory
Onely of Brittaine, France and Germany,
What long triumphant pompe, what honour than,
What stories had he brought? How th' Ocean,
And the Rhine both his Conquests brideled,
The noble Gaules, and yellow Brittaines led
Behind his lofty Chariot; winning more
He lost those triumphs were deserv'd before.
No flockes of people now his comming greet
With ioy; all feare his lookes; none stand to meet
His troopes; yet proud is he such feare to mooue,
And would not change it for the peoples loue.
Now Anxurs steepest hills he had orepast,
Where a moist path ore Pomine fennes is plac'd;
Where the high wood does Scythian Dian' show:
Where to long Alban feasts the Consuls goe.
From an high reeke he viewes the towne afar
Not seene before in all his Northren war.
Then thus (admiring his Romes wall) he spake,
Could men not for•'d by any fight forsake
Thee the gods seate: What City will they dare
To fight for? •ere the gods their loues declare,
That not the furious Easterne nations,
Pannonians, or swift Sarmatians,
Daci, or Getes invade thee: fortune spares
Thee Rome in this to send thee civill warres,
Having so saint a cheife. Then fearefull Rome
He enters with his Troopes; they thinke him come
To fire and sacke the city, not to spare
The gods themselues; This measure had their feare.
They thinke hee'le doe what ere he can; no songs,
No shoutes they counterfet in ioyfull throngs;
They scarse haue time to hate; the fathers meet
In Phoebus temple by no lawfull right
Of convocation, from their houses set,
And lurking holes: the Consuls sacred seate
Was not suppli'de; next them no Praetor fills
His roome, but empty stand those honor'd Sells.
Caesar was all the Senate fit to beare
Witnesse of private power, and grant what ere
He please to aske; Crowne•, Temples, their owne bloud
Or banishment; fortune in this was good
He blusht more to command, then Rome t'obey,
But liberty in this durst make assay
By one, if law could overmaster force;
Metellus seeing the vast massy doores
Of Saturn's temple ready to flye ope;
Running enrag'd breaking through Caesars troope,
Before the yet vnopen'd doore he stay'd.
(Only the loue of gold is not afraide
Of death and threatning swords; the lawes are gone
And broke without one conflict: wealth alone
The worst of things had power this iarre to make)
Staying the rapine thus the Tribune spake
Aloud to Caesar; thought this breast of mine
The temple opes; n••r asure shalt thou finde,
Robber, but what thou buyest with sacred blood;
This office wrong'd will finde a vengefull God.
A Tribunes curse pursuing Crassus, made
A fatall Parthian war; but draw thy blade:
Let not the peoples eyes scarre thee from this
Thy wickednesse; the towne forsaken is:
No wicked souldier from our treasuryes
Shall pay himselfe, finde other enemies
To spoile, and conquer, other townes to giue.
No neede can thee to this foule rapine driue;
In me alone, Caesar, thou find'st a war:
These words incens'• the angry conquerer;
In vaine, Metellus, h•p'st thou to obtaine
A noble death (quoth he) we scorne to staine
Our hand in such a throat; no dignity
Makes thee worth Caesars […]; must liberty
Be sau'd by thee; the fates confound not so
All this, but that the lawes, rather then owe
To thee their preservat•on, would be broke,
And tane away by Caesar; thus he spoke;
But when the temple doores the Tribune stout
Left not, more angry growne, he lookes about
On his keene swords, to play the gowne man now
He had forgot; when Cotta gan to woo
Metellus to giue ore his enterprise;
The freedome of men subjugated dyes,
By freedomes selfe (quoth he) whose shadow thou
Shalt keepe, if all his proud commands thou doo.
So many vnjust things haue conquer'd we
Already suffred, and this now must be
Th'excuse t'our shame, and most degenerate feare,
That naught can be deny'd; now let him beare
Away from hence these seeds of wicked war.
Losse hurts those people that in freedome are.
Worst to the Lord is serving poverty.
Metellus is remoov'd, and open'd be
The temple doores; all the Tarpejan hill
With horrid noyse the broken hinges fill,
And from the bottome of the temple there
The Roman peoples wealth, which many a yeere
Had not been toucht, which Carthage warres to vs,
And the two Kings, Philip, and Perseus
Both conquer'd brought, is ransackt; gold they reaue
Which flying Pyrrhus to thee, Rome, did leaue,
For which Fabritius would no traytour be.
What ere the vertuous frugality
Of our forefathers had yet kept vnspent,
And Asias wealthy tributaries sent.
What ere Metellus brought from conquer'd Crete,
And ore the seas from Cyprus Cato •et.
The spoyles of all the East, and treasures proud
Of captiue Kings, which Pompey's triumphs show'd.
This temples impious robbing brought to passe
That Rome then first then Caesar poorer was.
Now had great Pompey's fortune drawne from all
The world strong nations with himselfe to fall.
Aid to the war so neere first Graecia lends,
And Cyrrha on the Rocke; Amphissia sends
Her Phocian bands; Parnassus learned hill
From both her tops sends men, Baeotians fill
The campe, neere whom th' oraculous waters flow
Of swift Cephissus; men from Pisa too,
And Theban Dirce, and where vnder sea
Alphaeus sends his streames to Sicily.
Th'Arcadians leaue their Maenalus, and from
Herculian Octa the Trachinians come.
The Thesprots came, and their now silent oake
Th'Epirots neere Chaonia forsooke.
Athens, though wasted now with musters quite,
Yet levies men, and to this civill fight
Three Saliminian ships sends from her fleet
To Phaebus dedicated: Ioue-lou'd Crete
From Gnossus, and Gortina sends to'th field
Archers, that need not to the Parthians yeeld:
Souldiers from out Dardanian Oricum,
From Athamas, and from Encheleae come,
Fam'd for transformed Cadmus funeralls:
From Colchos, where Absyrtus foaming falls
Into the Adrian: those where Peneus flowes:
He that Iolchos in Thessalia plowes:
Thence was the sea first try'd, when Argo bore
Those that first sailed to a forreine shore,
And first of all committed fraile mankinde
To mercy of the raging sea and winde:
That ship taught men a way vnknowne to die▪
From Thracian Aemus, and from Pholoe
Beely'd with Centaures, and from Strymon too,
From whence the birds to Nile in winter goe:
From barbarous Cone, where into the seas
Sixe headed Ister dooes one channell ease
At Peuce, souldiers come: the Mysian,
And cold Caicus-washt Idalian,
Barren Arisbe helpes, and Pitane:
Celenae by Apolloes victory
Condemn'd, that curst Minervaes fatall gift;
Where into crook'd Maeander Marsyas swift
Falling, there mingled backe againe dooes flow;
The land, that from gold mines letts Hermus goe,
And rich Pactolus; those of Ilium
With Ilium's fate to falling Pompey come;
The tale of Troy, and Caesar: pedegree
Drawne from Iulius could no hindrance be.
The Syrian people from Orontes goe,
Windy Damascus, happy Minos too;
Gaza, and Idumaea rich in Palmes;
Instable Tyre, Sidon, whom purple fames:
These ships bound to the war, the Cynosure
Guides straight along the sea, to none more sure;
Phaenicians, that (if fame we dare beleeue)
To humane speech first characters did giue.
The rivers yet had not with paper serv'd
Aegypt; but carv'd beasts, birds, and stones preserv'd
Their magicke language. Taurus lofty wood
Forsaken is; Tarsus, where Perseus flood,
From Coricus, digg'd from an hallow rocke,
Mallos, and Aegae the Cilicians flocke
No Pirates now, but to a just war prest.
Fame of this war had stirr'd the farthest East
Where Ganges is, that only crosse dooes run
Of all earth's rivers to the rising Sunne,
And roules his waues against the Easterne winde.
Philips great Sonne, there stay'd, was taught to finde
The world more large, then his ambitious mind
Conceiu'd it: and where double channell'd Inde
Feeles not Hydaspes mixture: Indians,
That sucke sweete liquor from their sugar canes:
And those, whose haire with saffron is bedy'd,
Whose garments loose with colour'd gemmes are ty'd;
Those that aliue their funerall piles erect,
And leape into the flames helping t'effect
Fates worke; what glory 'tis, content to liue
No more the remnant to the gods to giue;
Fierce Cappadocians, th' hardy Nations
Neare to Ammannus, the Armenians
Neare strong Niphates; the Coastrae from
Their lofty woods, and the Arabians come
Into an vnknowne world, wondring to see
Shaddowes of woods on the right hand to be.
Farthest Olostrians come to Romane war;
Carmanian Captaines too; who Southward far
See not the set of the whole Northerne Beare;
By night but little shines Bootes there.
The Aethiopian land not seene at all
By any of the signes Septentrionall
But crooked Taurus hoofe; those people too
Whence great Euphrates, and swift Tygris flow,
From one sp•ing Persis sends them; 'tis vnknowne
What name, should those two Channells meet in one,
They'd bea•e Euphrates flowing on the fields,
That profit there, that Nile in Aegypt, yeelds.
But Tigris swallow'd by the gaping earth
Long hides his course: but at his second birth
Denies not to the Sea his new-borne flood.
Betwixt both Campes fierce Parthians neuters stood,
Content that they alone had causde this war.
With poyson'd arrowes wandring Scythians far
Come to the Campe, whom Bactros ioy flood
En•los•s, and Hyrcania's desert wood.
The valiant Heniochian Horsemen there
Sprung from the Spartan race: Sarmatians neere
To the fierce Moschi, where cold Phasis glides,
And Colchos richest pasture fields divides.
Where Halys fatall to the Lydian King
Does flow; where Tanais, that drawes his spring
From the Riphaean hills, and doth divide
Europe from Asia, giving to each side
The name of severall worlds, and (as he bends)
Now to this world, now that encrease he lends.
Where slow Moeotis driven into the seas,
Takes from the pillars of great Hercules
Their fame; denying that the Gades alone
Admit the sea. Scythonian nations,
The valiant Arians, Arimaspians
With gold deck'd lockes, and swift Gelonians.
The Massegets, their thirst that satisfie
With the same horses bloods, whereon they fly.
Not Cyrus leading th'Easterne troopes, nor when
Xerxes by darts numbring his armed men
Came downe; nor Agamemnon bound to set
His brothers ravisht wife with that fam'd fleet,
So many Kings brought vnder their commands,
So many nations drawne from severall lands,
Different in language, and attire; nor ere
Did fortune bring so many men to beare
Part in a mighty ruine, making all
Sad obsequies at Pompeys funerall.
Marmaricke troopes the horned Ammon prest,
And all scorcht Affricke from the farthest West
To th'Easterne shore, send ayde, as far as ly
The Syrtes gulfes; lest Caesar severally,
And oft be troubled, here all nations
Pharsalia brings to be suddu'de at once.
Caesar now leaving fearefull Rome in hast
With his swift troopes the cloudy Alpes orepast:
But though his fame all people else affright,
Phocian Massyllia dares yet keepe aright
Her faith, and far from Greekish levity
The cause, the lawes, not fortune followes she:
But first of all they labour to asswage
With peacefull parley his vncurbed rage,
And stubborne minde: and to their foe now nigh
They send an Oliue-bearing Embassy.
As Latiums annals can true mention make,
Massilia still was ready to partake
The fate of Rome in any forreine war:
And now if triumphs over nations far
Caesar, thou seeke, to such a conflict take
These hands, and liues of ours; but if you make
Sad civill war, then giue vs leaue to bend
To neyther side, and naught but teares to spend.
Let not our hands in wounds so sacred be:
If th'heavenly gods had civill enmity,
Or earth-borne Giants should assault the sky,
No ayde to Ioue durst human piety
By armes or prayers lend; their states aboue
We know not, but are bound to thinke that Ioue
Has thunder still; besides how many from
All nations now doe voluntaryes come?
The slothfull world is not from vice so far
That you should need forc'd sword to civill war.
Would every people would this cause refuse,
And this sad war no hands, but Roman vse.
Some hands would falter at their fathers sight,
And brothers faintly would 'gainst brothers fight.
The war will soone haue end, if forreine states
You vse not t'exercise their ancient hates.
Our humble suite is, that within our wall
Thou 'ldst trust thy selfe, and leaue behinde thee all
Thy threatning Eagles; let vs this obtaine
To shut out war, and Caesar entertaine.
Let this place free from guilt safely receiue
Thy selfe and Pompey, if fates please to giue
Peace to vnconquer'd Rome; here both may meete
Vnarm'd; but why, when danger did invite
Thy wars to Spaine, turn'dst thou to vs aside?
We are of no availe to turne the tide
Of your great wars; our armes haue prooved still
Vnfortunate; when fortune did exile
Vs from our first plantation, here we sate,
And Phocis sackt towers hither did translate:
Here in a forreine coast, and weake wall'd towne
Safe haue we liv'd; our Faith is our renowne.
If thou intend seidge to our walles to lay,
Or through our gates t' enforce a speedy way;
In the defence we are resolv'd to dye,
And fury of the sword, and fire to try.
If thou divert our waters course, the ground
Weele dig, and licke the puddle we haue found:
If foode should faile, flesh of our children slaine
(Fearefull to touch or see) our jawes should staine:
For liberty to suffer weele not feare
What once Saguntum, when besiedg'd, could beare
In Carthage war: our babes in vaine that striue
To sucke their mothers dry'd vp breasts, weele giue
Freely to th'fire: a wife shall sue for death
At her deare husbands hand: a brothers breath
A brothers hand shall stop; this civill war
Weele choose o'th'two; so spoketh' embassador.
But Caesar's troubled looke his anger speakes
Before his words; but this at last; these Greekes
Vaine hope of our departure has possest;
Though we were marching to the farthest West,
Yet haue we time to sacke Massilia,
Souldiers rejoyce, fate meetes vs in the way
With war; as windes in th'empty aire doe loose
Their force, vnlesse some strong growne oake oppose:
As mighty fires for want of fuell dye,
So want of foes, breedes our calamity.
Our strength were lost vnlesse some durst stand out
To be subdu'd; but if I come without
My armes, they will receiue me; they desire
Not to exclude, but take me prisoner.
But they (forsooth) would faine that guilt eschew
That followes civill war; Ile make them rue
Their asking peace, and know that nought can be
Safer then war to those serue vnder me.
Then on he marches; the towne fearelesse shut
Their gates, and souldiers on the rampiers put.
Not far off from the walles a hill there stood,
Whose top was like a field levell and broade;
Which Caesar in surveying judg'd to be
Safe for a campe, and fit to fortifies
The townes n•e•'st part did an high castle raise
Aequall to th'hill; in midst a valley was.
Caesar resolues on a laborious thing,
To fill the valley, and together bring
Both hills; but first to shut vp quite the towne
By land, from both sides his high campe brings downe
A long worke to the sea, a bulwarke rais'd
Of turfes, with rampiers on the top, and plac'd
In length, to cut all convoyes from the towne.
This was a thing for ever to renowne
This Greekish towne, to stay the violent course
Of this hot war, not t•ne by suddaine force,
Or feare; when Caesar all the rest orerunne,
The cities conquest as'kd him time alone:
T'was much •o stay •is fates: fortune in hast
To make him lord of all the world did wast
Time at this seidge: n•w round about the towne
The lofty woods are fell'd, large Oakes hew'n downe,
To fortifie with posts t•e bulwarkes side,
Lest earth too brittle of it selfe should slide
Away, not able the towers weight to beare.
A wood vntoucht of old was growing there,
Of thicke set trees, whose boughs spreading and faire,
Meeting obscured the enclosed aire,
And made darke shades exiling Phoebus rayes,
There no rude Fawne, nor wanton Silvan playes;
No Nimph disports, but cruell Deityes
Claime barbarous •ites, and bloody sacrifice:
Each tree's defil'd with humane blood: if we
Beleeue traditions of antiquitie,
No bird dates light vpon those hallowed bowes:
No beasts make there their dens: no wind there blowes,
No lightning falls: a sad religious awe
The quiet trees vnstirr'd by winde doe draw.
Blacke water currents from darke fountaines flow:
The gods vnpolisht images doe know
No arte, but plaine and formelesse trunks they are.
Their mosse, and mouldinesse procures a feare:
The common figures of knowne Deities
Are not so fear'd: not knowing what God tis
Makes him more awfull: by relation
The shaken earths darke cavernes oft did grone:
Fall'n Yew trees often of themselues would rise:
With seeming fire oft flam'd th'vnburned trees:
And winding dragons the cold oakes embrace:
None giue neere worship to that balefull place;
The people leaue it to the gods alone.
When black night reignes, or Phoebus guilds the noone,
The Priest himselfe trembles afraid to spie
O• find this woods tutelar Deity.
This wood he bids them fell: not standing far
From off their worke: vntoucht in former war,
Among the other bared hills it stands
Of a thicke growth; the souldiers valiant hands
Trembled to strike, moov'd with the majestie,
And thinke the axe from off the sacred tree
Rebounding backe would their owne bodies wound▪
Tn' amzement of his men when Caesar found,
In his bold hand himselfe an hatchet tooke,
And first of all assaults a lofty oake,
And having wounded the religious tree,
Let no man feare to fell this wood (quoth he)
The guilt of this offence let Caesar beare.
The souldiers all obey, not voide of feare,
But ballancing the gods, and Caesars frowne.
The knotty Holmes, the tall wild Ashes downe,
Ioues sacred Oake, ship-building Alder falles,
And Cypresse worne at great m•ns funeralls,
Then first cut downe, admit the sight of day;
The falling trees so thicke each other stay.
The Gaules lament to see the wood destroy'd:
But the besieged townesmen all orejoy'd,
Hope that the wronged gods will vengeance take;
But gods oft spare the guiltiest men, and make
Poore wretches onely feele their vengefull hand.
When wood enough was fell'd, waines they command
From every part, plowmen their seasons lose,
Whilst in this worke souldiers their teames dispose.
But weary in this lingring war to stay,
Before the walles Caesar goes far away
To meet his troopes in Spaine; his army stayes
Before the towne: there lofty forts they raise,
And bulwarkes equalling the height o'th towne,
Which had in earth no fixt foundation,
But rowled to and fro, the cause vnknone:
The townesmen viewing this strange motion,
Thought it some earthquake, where the strugling wind
From the earths cavernes could no passage find:
But much they wonder their owne walls stand fast:
From thence against the towne their Piles they cast;
But the Greeks missill weapons did more harme
To Caesars men, sent from no feeble arme,
But mighty engines with a whirlewinds might;
These not content one breast alone to split,
Through many bodies, bones, and armours cleaue,
Not loosing in one wound their strength, and leaue
Behind them many deaths; but when they throw
Great massie stones, the mortall force is so
As from a mountaines top a falling rocke,
Which the winds force, and ruining time has broke;
Not only killes what man so ere it dash,
But every limme dooes into pieces pash.
But when with fence of shields conjoyned all
The sheltred souldiers could approach the wall,
Their heads all cover'd like a fishes shell,
Those darts and stones flue over them, which fell
With danger on their heads before; but now
The Greekes at such small distance could not throw,
Nor th'engine change, content with weight alone
On their foes heads they roule downe heavy stone:
But while the fence did last, hurtlesse did all
Their stones, and darts, like haile on houses fall;
Vntill the townesmens teased valour broke
(When Caesar's m•n were tir'd with often strokes)
The fence, and did their ioyned shields divide:
Then did a thin earth cover'd worke proceede;
Vnder whose covert those that lay did fall
To worke in vndermining of the wall.
Sometimes the back forc'd ramme did strongly driue
Forward, the well compacted wall to riue.
But from aboue with fires, with often stroakes
Of broken bars, stakes, and fire harden'd oakes
They force the fence; the worke broke downe & vaine,
The souldiers tir'd fly to their campe againe.
The Greekes then sally forth, not satisfi'd
That their walles safely stand, and fire workes hide
Vnder their armes no mortall bow nor speare
Armes the bold youth, but flaming fire they beare,
Which with swift wings into the Romane trench
The strong windes carry: nought has power to quench
Or slacken it, the wood though greene dissolues,
And in blacke clouds of smoke the aire involues,
But fire all pieces of the buildings take,
Not onely wood, but stones, and rockes doe cracke,
And moulder into ashes: greater now
The failing bulwarkes in their ruines show.
The conquer'd now loosing all hope by land
Resolue the hazard of sea-fight to stand:
Their ships f•re-decke no gilded names adorne;
But timber plaine, such as the woods had borne
Growing, make stations firme for Navall fight,
Now downe the streame of Rodanus the fleet
From Staechas comes to sea, and there attends
Brutus Praetorian ship: Massilia sends
Her vtmost strength to triall of the war;
Old men, and beardlesse boyes all armed are.
The fleet then ready on the Ocean
Was rigg'd, and old wo•ne ships repair'd againe.
Now when the sky is cleare, and his bright rayes
On the calme sea the rising Sunne displayes:
The North and Southerne windes their fury spare,
And leaue the calmed Ocean fit for war:
Both nations rowing from their stations meete,
Here the Caesarian, there the Graecian fleete.
With oft and lusty strokes of Rowers from
The havens trembling the great Gallies come.
The ho•es of Caesar's fleete Gallies that bore
Three Oares aside, and some that went with foure
Or more did ma•e, themselues opposing so
In front, behinde them smaller vessels goe,
Liburnian Gallies with two Oares content.
Con•oyn'd in fo•me of a• halfe Moone they went.
Brutus Praetorian galley swert the sea
Like a vaste house, then th'rest more high was she,
And row'd with sixe strong Oares on a side.
But when […] little sea-roome did divide
Both fleetes, as that one stroak would make them meet,
Numberlesse voyces the vaste ayre did greet,
Plowing the Seas. Souldiers loud shouts quite drown'd
The noise of rowing, and shrill trumpets sound.
Then sweepe they the blew waues: the rowers seat
Thēselues, & 'gainst their breasts strong stroaks they f•t
Ships against ships, beakes meeting beakes resound,
And run Esterne; the ayre is darkned round
With flying darts, which fa•ling th'Ocean hide.
Then turning their forecastles far more wide,
They make their hornest' engirt the adverse fleet.
As when strong windes with tydes repugnant meet,
One way the Sea, the waues another go,
These ships vpon the furrow'de Ocean so
Make different tracts, and waues vpon the maine,
Which oares rais'd the sea beats downe againe.
But the Greeke vessels were more nimble far
Either to flye, or turne about the war,
They could without long tedious turning weild
Themselues, and quickly to the sterne could yeeld
The Roman ships slow keel'd would firmely stand,
And lend sure footing like a fight by land.
The master then of his Praetorian ship
Brutus be spake, why doest thou let them slip?
Leaue thy Sea-tricks and joyne the battells close,
'Gainst the Phocaicke stemmes our ships oppose:
He straight obeyes, and turnes his owne bro•d side
Against their stemmes; what ship so ere they tride
To encounter her, with her owne stroke orecome
Stickes fast, and is surprisde; they hooke in some,
With oares some, some they with chaines hold fast:
On the seas cover'd face the war is plac'd.
No brandisht Iavelins manage now the war,
No darted steele bestowing wounds from far:
Hands ioyne with hands, and in this Navall fight
The sword acts all: in their owne ships vpright
They face their foes prone strokes, some fal down slaine
In their owne ships▪ dy'd is the Ocean,
And the waues stiffen'd with congealed blood:
Ships hook't together could not meet, withstood
By falling carcasses; some halfe dead sinke,
And their owne bloud mixt with salt water drinke:
Some, that desire their strugling liues to keepe,
Fall in the ruines of their broken ship.
Iavelins, that mist the aime they did intend,
Fall in the sea, and finish there their end,
Finding their bodies to receiue a wound.
A Roman ship by Greeks inviron'd round
Fights stiffely still, on left hand, and on right
Maintaining long 'gainst all a doubtfull fight;
Vpon whose lofty decke whilst Tagus bold
Strived a seazed Graecian flag to hold,
Two darts together sent together split
His breast and backe, and in the middle meet:
The blood not knowing yet which way to run
Makes stand; but out at last both darts are throwne:
He in two wounds his dying soule divides.
Hither his ship whilst haplesse Telo guides,
Then whom none better on a boistrous sea
Could guide a ship, none better knew then he
Tomorrow's weather, if the Sunne he spy'de,
Or Moone, and could for fut••re stormes provide.
He with his stemme a Roman ship had broke,
But through his heart a trembling javelin stroke;
The ship turnes off following his dying hand;
Gyareus leaping to his friends command
Straight with a Roman javelin strongly flung
Was slaine, and to the ship fast nailed hung.
Two twinnes stand vp, their fruitfull mothers fame,
That from one wombe with fates far different came,
(Death par•s them: their sad parents reft of one
Without mistaking know their living sonne,
Whose lookes the cause of lasting sorrow keepe,
And make his friends for his slaine brother weepe.)
One of those twinnes from his Greeke ship was bold
Vpon a Roman keele to lay strong hold:
But from aboue a stroke cuts off his hand,
Which in the place did still fast bended stand,
And kept the hold; the nerues more stiffe became
By death, his courage by this noble maime
Was rais'd, and greater by this accident
His valiant left hand 'gainst his foes he bent,
And rushes on his lost right hand to reach,
But that (alas) another sword did fetch
Off by the shoulder: now both hands were gone,
Nor sword, nor target could he weild; yet downe
He did not sinke, but naked breasted stood,
Formost to saue his armed brothers blood,
And there all darts, all wounds that were ordain'd
For many deaths one dying breast contein'd;
And then his soule fleeting so many wayes
He recollects, and in his tir'd limmes stayes
That little strength, and blood was left, to skip
Before his death into the Roman ship
His enemies by weight alone t'oppresse:
For now the ship laden with carcasses,
And full of blood, bor'd through the side had been,
And through her beakes drinking the water in
Was fill'd vp to the hatches, sinking than
It turn'd the face of the neere Ocean:
The waters to the sinking ship gaue way,
And in her roome clos'd vp againe. That day
Miraculous fates the Ocean did behold.
An iron hooke throwne to lay violent hold
Vpon a ship, on Lycidas did light:
Drown'd had he been, but his friends hinder'd it,
And on his lower parts caught hold, in two
The man was pluckt: nor did his blood spin slow
As from a wound, but gushing in one spout
From all his broken vaines at once let out:
Into the sea falls his life-carrying blood.
Never so great a passage open stood
To let out any soule, life straight forsakes
His lower halfe, since vitall parts it lackes:
But in his vpper halfe (since in that part)
Lay the soft lungs, and life susteining heart,
Death sta•es a while, and findes repugnancy,
Nor at one time could all his members dye.
The men, that mann'd one ship, eager of fight
All pressing to one side leaue empty quite
The other side: whose weight ore turn'd the ship,
Which topsie turvy sinking downe did keepe
The Saylers vnder water; all of them
Were drown'd nor could their armes haue roome to swim.
One horrid kind of death that day was seene,
A yong man swimming was, whose breast betweene
Two meeting Ships sharpe stemms was bored through.
The brazen stemms through bones, and flesh did goe,
And made a noise; his squeezed belly sent
Vp through his mouth blood mixt with excrement.
But when the ships divide themselues againe,
The body throwne into the Ocean,
The water through his bored bosome came:
Now in the Sea shipwrack'd Massi•ia•s swame
Towards their fellowes ship to saue their liues:
But that already over burden'd striues
To keepe her friends (though thus distressed) out,
And from aboue with swords the Souldiers cut
Their armes, when hold vpon the ship they lay,
Then downe againe into the Sea fall they
Leauing their hands behinde, the Ocean
Can now no longer their maim'd trunkes sustaine.
But now when all the Souldiers darts were gone,
Fury finds weapons, Oares by some are throwne
Against their foes: with a strong arme. The mast
Do some teare downe, and in their fury cast:
Some teare the Saylers seates, bords from the decke
Some throwe▪ for weapons they their ships do breake.
Some wanting swords their friends dead bodies spoile:
From his owne breast one drawes the mortall Pile,
With the left hand holding the wound, so long
To keepe in blood and strength, till he had flung
The iavelin at his foe, then lets it run.
But nothing wrought so much destruction
At Sea, as Seas opposed Element,
The fire, which wrapt in vnctious stuffe was sent,
And sulphur balles, the ships apt fuell were,
Their pitch, and melting waxe tooke easily fire:
Nor now could water quench th'vnruly flame,
Fragments of broken ships still burning swam:
Into the Sea to quench his fire one skips,
For feare of drowning to the burning ships
Another cleaues: that death, that was most neare
Among a thousand deaths, they most did feare.
Nor did their shipwrackt valouridly liue:
Darts floating on the waues they take and giue
Their fellowes in the ship, or on the seas
Themselues those darts (though feebly) exercise.
When weapons want, the seas their weapons be;
Foes grasping foes together gladly die.
But in that fight one Phocian did excell:
To search the seas he vnder water well
Could keepe his breath, diue to the lowest sands,
And loosen fastned anchors with his hands.
He grapling with a foe downe in the maine
Had sunke and drown'd him, and himselfe againe
Safe, and a conquerour rose: but rising found
Ships in his way, and so at last was drown'd.
Some with their armes on their foes oares lay hold
To stay their flight: deare as they could they sold
Their liues: some wounded, to keepe off the blowes
From their friends ships, their bodies enterpose.
Tyrrhenus standing on the decke aloft,
••gdamus with a Balearicke shaft
Wounded: the ponderous lead his temples broke,
His falling eyes their hollow feate forsooke,
The opticke nerues, and ligaments were broke:
He now starke blind, amazed at the stroake
Thinks this to be deaths darknesse: finding than
That all his limmes their perfect strength retaine,
Fellowes (quoth he) place me where I may throw
A pile, and plant me as you vse to doe
Engines of war: this little life that now
Remaines, Tyrrenus, on all hazzards throw;
This body, though in part already dead,
Will serue for warlike vses, and instead
Of men aliue take wounds; Thus hauing spoke
In his blind aymelesse hand a Pile he shooke,
And threw it not in vaine, which as it light
Below his belly noble Argus hit,
Whose weight now falling made it further glide.
Argus vnhappy Sire on t'other side
The beaten ship then stood (to none would he,
When he was young, in feates of souldiery
Giue place, his strength is now by age decay'de,
And he no Souldier but a patterne made)
He seeing his sonne fall with trembling step
Stumbling along came to that side the ship,
And finding there the body panting yet,
No teares fell from his cheekes, nor did he beat
His wofull breast; His hands now stiffe were growne,
And all his joynts cold numnesse seizes on:
A suddaine darkenesse closes vp his eyes,
That he discernes not Argus, whom he sees.
Argus his dying head began to reare,
And feeble necke seeing his Father there
Speachlesse, yet seem'd in silence to demand
A kisse, and to invite his Fathers hand
To close his dying eyes; but the old man
Free from amaze, when bloody griefe began
To recollect his strength, I will not loose
That time (quoth he) that angry fate bestowes.
Pardon thy wretched father, that from thee
Argus, and from thy last embrace I flee;
Thy wounds warme bloud yet signes of life do giue,
Th'art but halfe dead, and yet a while maist liue:
Ile goe before thee Sonne: these words exprest,
And with a bloudy sword piercing his brest
He leapt into the sea, hasting to death
Before his dearest Sonne: his flitting breath
Vnto one single kind of destiny
He durst not trust. Now great commanders dye;
And now no longer doubtfull is the fight;
Some of the Greekes are sunke: by hasty flight
Some get into the haven; others beare
(Changing their loade) the Roman Conquerer.
But now sad Parents mournings fill the towne:
The shore with mothers lamentation
Did ring; instead of her deare husbands face,
A weeping wife mistaken did embrace
A Roman; Fathers funerall rites to giue
About their Sonnes deformed bodies striue.
But Brutus Conquerer on the Ocean
To Caesar's side first navall honour wan.