Book V

The Argument
Romes flying Senate met at Epire, chose
Great Pompey generall, faint Appius goes
To Delphos Oracle to seeke advise,
Which his owne death obscurely signifies.
Caesar return'd from Spaine with victory
Quiets his Souldiers dangerous mutiny:
Dictator then, and Consull both at Rome
He makes himselfe, sailes from Brundusium
To Greece▪ but vex'd with Anthony's delayes,
In a small boate himselfe alone assayes
By night the stormy sea, and crosses ore.
His legions all met on the Graecian shore
Addresse themselues for triall of the day.
Pompey to Lesbos sends his wife away.

THus fortune kept (mixing her good with ill)
The two war-wounded generalls aequall still
For Macedonia; when with Winter's snow
The Pleiades did Oemus top bestrow:
And when the times new-naming day drew neare
Old Ianus feast beginner of the yeare:
Then both the Consuls at the vtmost date
Of their expiring honour convocate
To Epire the fled fathers; where a plaine
And forraine seat Rome's Nobles did containe:
A borrowed court in forraine land heard all
The secrets of the State. For who can call
That place a campe, where all Romes Fasces were,
And axes borne? The reverend order there
Taught all the people 'twas not Pompey's side,
But Pompey there a member did abide.
Silence possessing the sad Senate than,
From an high seat thus Lentulus began:
If you retaine a strength of minde as good
As Roman spirits, and your ancient blood
Befitts; then thinke not in what land you are
As banisht, from surprised Rome how farre:
But know the face of your owne company:
Fathers, that governe all, this first decree,
Which yet all kingdomes, and all people know,
We are the Senate. For if fortune now
Should carry vs vnder the frozen waine
Of Vrsa ma•or, or where daies remaine
Aequall in length with nights, the torrid zone,
Thither the Empire and dominion
Would follow vs▪ When Rome by Gaules was fir'd,
And that to Vey Camillus was retir'd:
There then was Rome; this order never lost
Their right by changing place. Caesar can boast
Only of mourning walls possession,
And judgement seates by sad vacation
Shut vp, and silenc'd, empty mansions.
That court those fathers onely sees, whom once,
When full, it banisht; of that ranke, who ere
Is not a banisht man, is sitting here.
We that long peacefull, free from guilt haue stood,
At wars first fury were dispers'd abroad:
Now to his place each part returnes againe;
And for the losse of Italy and Spaine
The gods the strength of all the world bestow.
Th'Illyrian Sea has overwhelm'd one foe:
And Libyan fields does slaughtred Curio
No little part of Caesars Senate strow.
Advance your Eagles, follow fate, and grant
The gods your hope: doe not that courage want
In this good fortune, which when first you fled,
Your cause stirr'd vp. The yeere has finished
Our power: you fathers, whose authorityes
No time shall end, for th'publike good advise:
Command great Pompey to be generall;
His name with joyfull cryes the Senate all
Receiue, imposing vpon Pompey straight
His countrey's, and his owne most wretched fate.
Then faithfull Kings, and Nations had their praise▪
Phaebus sea-powerfull Rhodes rewarded was,
And Spartans rough; prais'de were th'Athenians▪
Phocis made free with her Massylians.
Faithfull Deiotarus, young Sadalis,
The valiant Cotys, and Rhasipolis
Of Macedon were prais'd; Iuba to thee
The Senate giues all Libya by decree;
And (oh sad fare) ignoble Ptolemy,
Worthy of treacherous subjects, vnto thee
The crime of all the gods, and fortunes shame,
Is granted the Pellaean diadem.
A tirants sword over thy nation
Thou tak'st, proud boy, would 'twere ore them alone▪
Ore Pompey's throate it is; thy sisters crowne
Thou tak'st, and Caesars impious action.
The Senate now broke vp, the troopes all take
Their armes: the people, and the captaines make
For warres vncertaine preparation.
But Appius feares warres doubtfull chance alone
Solliciting the gods th' events to heare,
And Phoebus Temple, that for many a yeare
Had beene shut vp at Delphos, opens he.
Parnassus with two tops reaching the sky
Twixt East, and West aequally distant lyes
To Bacchus, and Apollo's deityes
Sacred: to whom in mixed sacrifice
The Theban wiues at Delphos solemnize
Their trieterickes; this one hill alone
Appear'd, when all the world was overflowne,
And stood as middle twixt the sea and sky.
One top, Parnaffus, then contented thee:
For one alone did aboue water shew.
Young Phoebus there with shafts vnvsed slew
The speckled Python, that in waite long lay
His banisht mother great with childe to slay;
Themis the kingdome then, and Tripos held.
But when Apollo the cleft ground beheld
T'inspire oraculous truth, and further findes
The gaping earth exhale prophetike windes:
Downe in that sacred caue himselfe he hides
And now turn'd Prophet there Apollo bides
Which of the gods lurkes here? what deity
Shot downe from heaven vouchsafes to dignify
This caue? what heavenly god dwells heere below,
That does the fates aeternall courses know,
And things to come? and telling people sure
Vouchsafes the touch of woman to endure?
Whether this powerfull god barely relate
The fates, or his relation make them fate?
Perchance that spirit, that all the world maintaines,
And the poiz'd earth in empty aire susteines,
Through these Cirrhaean caues does passage get.
Striving with his aethereall part to meete.
This spirit once entered the virgins brest,
Striking her humane soule, sounds forth exprest
With hideous noise; so vrging flames come from
Sicilian Aetna's over burden'd wombe:
Typhaeus so throwes vp his stones abroade
Prest with Inarime's aeternall loade.
This god expos'd to all, deny'd to none,
Is free'd from hearing human crimes alone.
To him no man whispers vnlawfull prayers;
For he things fixt vnchangeable declares,
Forbidding men to wish: and gratiously
Giues just men dwellings, though whole townes they be,
As once to Tyre; he teaches vs wars slight,
As to th' Athenians in their navall fight
At Salamine; he cleares, the causes showne,
Earths barrennesse, and aire's infection.
Our age no gift of heaven wants more then this
Of Delphos oracle, which silent is,
Since Kings afraid to haue their fates exprest,
Forbid the gods to speake; nor is the Priest
Of Delphos, for the god's long silence sad:
This Oracle's cessation makes them glad.
For to that breast, where ere he doe inspire,
Vntimely death is punishment or hire
Of his reception, the fitt's vehemence
Too much orecomes the strength of human sence;
And their fraile soules the god's high motion shakes,
Appius, whilest too too neare a search he makes
To know Rome's fate, to th' vnstirr'd Tripodes,
And silent cavernes does his steps addresse,
The Priest commanded t'ope that dreadfull seate,
And for the god a prophetesse to get,
Findes young Phemonoe, as she carelesse roues
'Mongst the Castalian springs, and silent groues,
And makes her breake the Temple doores. The maide
To stand in that most horrid place afraide,
Thought by a vaine deceit Appius to bring
From his desire of knowing future things.
Why hop'st thou, Roman, truth should here be showne?
The hill (quoth she) is mute, the god is gone
Whether the spirit haue left these cavernes quite,
And to the worlds far regions tane his flight:
Or Phytho burnt by barbarous Brennus vp
Did with the ashes fill this hole, and stop
Great Phaebus way: or that the gods decree
Make Cirrha mute, thinking it prophecy
Enough that Sibyll's bookes among you liue:
Or Phoebus wont from out his temple driue
All wicked persons, now no mouth haue found
Worthy enough his Oracles to sound.
The Maids deceit appear'd; her feare imply'd
She falsely had the present gods deny'd.
Then a white fillet ties her lockes behinde
With Delphian Bayes; and wreathed garlands binde
Her haire before. The Priest thrusts on the maid.
Who fearefull still about the entrance staid,
And durst no neerer to the god to come,
Nor to approach the temples inmost roome.
There counterfeiting that she was possest
She vtters from an vndisturbed brest
Fain'd words with no confused murmure flowing,
Nor the least signe of divine fury showing.
Her words so deepely could not Appius wound,
As great Apolloes truth; no trembling sound
That broke her speech, there was, no voice so shrill,
As all the caues capacious throat might fill:
Her Lawrell fell not from her frightd haire:
The temple and the wood vnshaken were.
These signes betray'd her fearefull to receiue
The god; when angry Appius did perceiue
That 'twas no Oracle, Thou wretch, quoth he,
Both I, and these abused gods will bee
Reveng'd for this, vnlesse thou straight descend,
And truely tell what all these stirres portend
To the affrighted world; with that the maid
Descends downe to the Oracle afraid,
And standing ore the vault, the god possest
With a full spirit her vnaccustom'd brest.
The rockes so many yeeres vnwasted spirit
He fills her with, and comming to inherit
A Delphian brest, nere fill'd he Prophetesse
Fuller: her former minde he banishes,
And bids all woman from her breast begone.
She raging beares in this distraction
Not her owne necke; her haire vpright throwes downe
The sacred ornaments, and Phoebus crowne:
Her necke turnes wildly round: & downe she throwes
All tripodes she meets with as she goes.
And with an inward fire she burnes, which shewes
Thee, Phoebus wrath: nor doest thou onely vse
Thy prickes, thy flames, and incitations now,
But bridles too, the Prophetesse shall know
More then she must reveale; all times are heapt
Vp in one heape, and many ages crept
Into her wretched breast; things orders too,
And all contend out into light to goe.
The Fates desiring vtterance striue within:
When the world ends, and when it shall begin
The prophetesse can tell, and vnderstands
The Oceans depth, and number of the sands.
As the Cumaean Sibyll in a scorne
Her prophecies should serue all nations turne,
From the vast heape of vniversall Fate,
With a proud hand cull'd out the Roman State:
So now the Phoebus fill'd Phemon••
Striues, obscure Appius, where to find out thee
'Mongst all the Delphian inspirations:
Then first from her mad mouth the foaming •unnes,
And in the horrid caue were heard at once
Broke-winded murmurs, howlings and sad grones.
At last these words fall from the maide orecome:
Great threates of war, thou only freed from,
Shalt in Eubaea's pleasant valleys rest.
And there she stopt; Phoebus her speech supprest.
Yee Tripodes keepers of fate, that know
All the world's secrets, and Apollo thou
Skill'd in all truth, from whom the gods conceale
No future times, why fear'st thou to reveale
That action, that our Empire's ruine brings,
Great Captaines deaths and funeralls of Kings,
And all the people that with Rome shall bleede?
Haue not the gods this mischiefe yet decree'd?
Or stay those fates, whilest planets are at strife
And doubt about condemning Pompey's life?
Or hid'st thou, fortune, to effect more sure
Our liberties revenge, and Brutus cure
Of monarchy againe? then the maides breast
Shou'd ope the temple doores, and out she prest.
Her mad fit holds, nor had she all explain'de,
Part of the god within her still remain'd.
And round about her wandring eyes he rowl'd;
Nor does her face one constant posture hold:
But sometimes threatning, sometimes fearefull tis;
Sometimes a fiery red her countenance dyes:
Sometimes her pallid cheekes anger exprest,
Not feare: nor can her wearied heart finde rest;
But as a while after the windes are c•as'd
The Ocean mu•mur's; so oft so bings eas'd
The maidens breast. But twixt this inspir'd light,
And her plaine humane vnderstandings sight
A darkenesse came; Phoebus oblivion sent;
Then from her breasts the gods high secrets went,
And divinations to the Tripodes
Return'd againe. But when her fit gan cease
Shee falls. Nor didst thou, beguil'd Appius, feare
From doubtfull Oracles thy death so neare;
But in that tottering world with hopes most vaine
Thought quietly Eubaea to retaine.
Ah foole what god but death could set thee free
Out of the world's generall calamity,
And war? there shall thy hearse entombed lye,
And so possesse Eubaea quietly,
Where th' sea by marble-fam'd Carystos is
Straightn'd, and pride-revenging Nemesis
Rhamnus adores, a straighten'd currert strong
That channels holds, and Eurypus along
Beares ships by violence, changing oft his tide,
From Chalcis to ill harbouring Aulis side.
By this time Caesar come from conquer'd Spaine
With his victorious Eagles was againe
Marching another way: when rate almost
The prosperous course of his whole war had crost;
For conquer'd in no fight the generall
In his owne campe gan feare the losse of all
His treason's fruit, those hands that faithfull still
Had serv'd his warres, now glutted with the fill
Of blood, began to quit their generall.
Th'alarmes tragicke sounds not heard at all
A while, and cold sheath'd swords their thirst of war
Had cool'd; or else the greedy souldier
Damning for gaine both cause and generall,
Would set his blood stain'd sword at higher sale.
Caesar not more in any danger try'd
How tottering and vnfirme a prop his pride
Had lean'd vpon, and well might stagger, reft
Of all those souldiers hands, and almost left
To his owne sword; he that so many lands
Had drawne to war, knowes now the souldiers hands,
Not his must doe the deede. Their plaints now be
Not dumbe, nor timorous is their mutiny.
That cause, that does suspitious mindes restraine,
Whilest each one feares, where he is fear'd againe,
And thinkes that he himselfe distasts alone
His rulers tyranny, in this was gone.
Their number to secure their feare is able.
Where all offend, the crime's vnpunishable.
They poure out threats; now Caesar let vs cease
From wicked war; thou seek'st by land and seas
Swords for these throates, and vpon any foe
Wouldst our too cheape esteemed liues bestow;
Some of vs slaine in war in Gallia lye,
In Spaine lye some, and some in Italy;
Ore all the world thy army's slaughtered
While thou orecom'st, what bootes our blood that's shed
'Gainst Gaules and Germans in the North so far?
For all thou pay'st vs with a civill war.
When Rome we tooke, and made the Senate flye,
What spoiles from Men or Temples gathered we?
Guilty in swords and hands, all villany
We goe vpon: vertuous in poverty
Alone; what end is there of war at all,
Or what can be enough, if Rome too small?
See our gray haires, weake hands, and bloodlesse armes
Our vse of life is gone; in warres alarmes
Our age consum'd; send vs now old at least
To choose our deaths, this is our bad request:
Our dying limmes on hard ground not to lay,
Nor strike steele helmets till our dying day:
To seeke some frends to close our eyes in death;
To get our proper Piles; our last to breath
In our wiues armes; let sicknesse end our dayes;
Let's vnder Caesar find some other wayes
Of death then sword; why hood winkt leadst thou vs
With a vaine hope on acts portentuous?
As if in civill war we were not able
To know what treason is most profitable?
Our wars haue taught him nothing, if not this,
What we can doe; nor is this enterprise
Forbid by law; he was our generall
In th'German wars: here we are fellowes all▪
Whom treason soiles, it makes of aequall state.
Besides in his vnthankefull aestimate
Our valour's lost, and whatsoere we doe
Is call'd his fortune; but let Caesar know
We are his fate. Though friended by the gods,
Caesar is nothing if with vs at odds.
This said, about his tent they mustur all
With angry lookes seeking their generall.
So let it goe, ye gods, since piety
Forsakes vs, and our hopes on vice relye,
Let discord make an end of civill war.
What generall would not such a tumult scarre?
But Caesar; that the fates still suddaine tryes,
And loues through greatest dangers t'exercise
His fortunes, comes; nor till their rage abate
Stayes he, but meetes the fury of their hate.
Cityes, and Temples spoyles to them he nere
Deny'd, though Ioue's Tarpejan house it were,
Senators wiues and daughters to deflower.
All villanyes would Caesar from his power
Haue them aske freely, and wars guerdon loue:
And nothing feares, but that his men should proue
Honest. Ah Caesar art thou not asham'd
That civill war by thine owne souldiers damn'd
Should be allow'd by thee? shall they first be
Weary of blood, and hate impiety,
Whilest thou runn'st headlong on through wrong and right?
Giue ore, and learne to liue out of a fight;
Giue thy guilt leaue to end. Why to these wars
Doest thou enforce vnwilling souldiers?
The civill war flyes from thee; on the top
Of a turfe mount stands Caesar fearlesse vp,
Deserving feare by his vndaunted looke;
And thus, as anger prompted him, he spoke.
Whom you with hands and lookes did absent braue
Souldiers, vnarm'd, and present now you haue.
Heere sheath your swords, if you would end the wars.
Sedition, that no act of valour dares,
Faint hearted fooles, and flying spirits declares,
Tir'd with their matchlesse Captaines conquering state.
But goe; leaue me to war with mine owne fate:
These weapons will find hands, when I cashiere
All you, as many men, as swords are heere,
Will fortune send me; shall all Italy
In such a fleete with vanquisht Pompey flye?
And shall my conquests not bring men to share
The wealthy spoiles of this neere finisht war,
Reaping the profit of your toile, and so
Vnwounded with my laurell'd charriot goe?
You an old worne, and bloodlesse company
(Then Rom's plebeians) shall my tryumphs see.
Can Caesars fortune feele the losse of you?
If all the streames, that into th'Ocean flow,
Should threaten to withdraw themselues; the seas
Would by the losse of them no more decrease,
Then now they fill. Thinke you that such as ye
Can any moment to my fortunes be?
The gods care never will so low descend,
That fates your deaths or safeties should attend,
The fates attend on great mens actions:
Mankind liues for a few; and you, whom once
Spaine fear'd, and all the North, whilst vnder me,
If Pompey were, your generall would flye.
Whilest Labienus did with Caesar stay,
He was a man; now a base runaway
Flyes with his chosen cheife ore sea and land.
Nor shall your faith in my opinion stand
Better though me ye make nor enemy
Nor generall; he that revolts from me,
And does not Pompeys faction straight maintaine,
He never will my souldier be againe.
The gods themselues over my campe haue care,
And would not venture me in such a war
Ere I haue chang'd my men. A burden maine
Has fortune from my weary shoulders tane;
I may disarme those hands now lawfully,
Whose boundlesse hopes earth could not satisfie.
Out of my campe; Ile for my selfe make wars:
Resigne those Eagles vp to souldiers
Base citizens: but those that authors were
Of this sedition, punishment shall heere
Detaine, not Caesar; fall vpon the ground,
Yeild your disloyall heads and necks to wound;
And you, which now my campes sole strength shall be
Young souldiers, learne to strike, and learne to dye.
Veiwing their death; the foolish people than
Gan tremble at his anger; and one man
Made all them feare▪ who had it in their hand
To ruine him, as if he could command
The swords themselues, and without souldiers make
His wars; but in this punishment to lacke
Assisting swords he feares: they patient all
Exceede the hope of their sterne Generall;
Not onely swords, but throates they offer; he
Feares nought but 'batement of their cruelty.
A covenant dire this quarrell does decide,
With punishment the army's pacify'd.
In ten dayes march to reach Brundusium
He bids them straight, and call all shipping home,
That on crookt Hydrus, and old Taras then,
Leucas close shores, and the Salapian fen
Dispersed were, and Sypus, ore which stands
Fruitfull Garganus on Italian lands
Reaching the Adriatike, and their tasts
Dalmation North, Calabrian Southerne blasts.
Caesar without his troupes goes safe alone
To trembling Rome now taught to serue a gowne,
And (kind forsooth) yeilds at the peoples prayer
To be dictator honour's highest staire,
And joyfull Calenders, being Consul, made.
For all those words then their beginning had,
With which ere since our Emperours we claw.
But Caesar that his power might want no law,
Falsely the name of Magistrate purloines,
And to his swords the Roman axes joynes,
Fasces t'his Eagles, and with fitting shame
Signes the sad times; for by what Consuls name
Will the Pharsalian yeere be better knowne?
A fain'd assembly in the field is showne;
The people giue their suffrages compell'd,
Not lawfully admitted, th'urnes are held,
The tribes are cited; voices throwne in vaine
Into the vene; the Augurs deafe remaine
Though loud it thunder, and are forc'd to sweare
That birds auspicious, though sad owles, appeare.
Thence that once honour'd power her dignity
First lost; but left the times vnnam'd should be,
Our Calenders doe monethly Consulls fill.
That god that dwells on Trojan Alba's hill
Though not deserving (Latium conquer'd) sees
The Consuls solmne nightly sacrifice.
Caesar departing thence runs forward right
Swifter then whelpe-robb'd Tyger, or the flight
Of lightening ore Apulia, where the field
Vnplow'd no cerne, but slothfull grasse does yeild.
And come to Cretan crookt Brundusium findes
The sea vnsaileable for dangerous windes,
And the fleete fearefull of cold winters face.
He thinkes it shame thus to delay the space
Of war, and keepe the haven, when the sea
Lies ope to men lesse fortunate then he,
And thus perswades his men to try the seas:
The Northerne winds more constantly possesse
Both ayre and Ocean, when they once begin,
Then those which the vnconstant spring brings in.
We haue no turnings different shores vpon,
Our way's forth right; the North winde serues alone.
Would he would stuffe our sailes, bending our mas••
And force vs vpon Greece with furious blasts,
Lest Pompey's gallys from Dyrrachium meete
With their swift oares our becalmed fleet.
Then cut the cables, that our fleete doe stay,
We loose the stormes, these clouds will passe away.
Now in the Sea bright Sol had hid his head,
And starres appear'd, the moone her shadowes spread:
The fleet at once weigh'd anchor, and drew out
The sailes at length, which straight they turn'd about
To the ships length and spread the topsailes too,
To loose no gust of wind that ever blew.
When a soft gale had made the sailes to swell,
For a short space, downe to the mast they fell•
Againe; that winde, that put them from the shore,
Was able now to follow them no more.
The seas flat face now all becalmed lyes
Like standing pooles; no waues, no billowes rise.
So bridled is the Euxine sea, whose course
Ister, nor Thracian Bosphorus can force:
The frozen sea lets goe those ships no more,
That once it takes; the horses trample ore
Safely where ships haue saild; the Bessians
Furrow Maeotis frozen backe with waines,
This cruell calme does the sad Ocean make
(As if the seas their nature did forsake)
Like standing pooles, th'Ocean obserues no more
His ancient course; he had forgot to rore:
No tides flow to and fro, nor seemes the Sun
To dance vpon the waters motion.
To many dangers this becalmed fleete
Is subject; on one side they feare to meete
Pompey's swift galleys; on the other side
Detain'd at sea a famine to abide.
From these new feares arose a new desire:
They wish the Ocean would collect his ire,
And all the windes would wrestle, so it were
No calme; but no such signes, no cloudes appeare:
The skies, and seas conspir'd to take away
All hope of shipwracke; but th'ensuing day
All clouded ore did comfortable prooue:
Waues from th' seas bottome rose; hills seem'd to mooue.
The ships were borne away, and as they swim
The waues in crooked furrowes follow them.
With prosperous windes, and seas they reach the land,
And anchor cast vpon Palestes sand.
The place, where first both generalls campes did pitch
Neare to each other, was that region, which
Swift Genusus, and gentle Apsus round
Encompasse; Apsus, because slow, profound,
And navigable is: the other flowes
(Encreast by showres, and sun-dissolved snowes)
More swift; both channells are but short, not far
From sea the springs of both these rivers are.
Heere fortune first those two fam'd Heroes brought
Together; the vaine-hoping world had thought
The generalls now no farther off remoov'd
Thus wicked war would both haue disaprov'd;
Each others face they saw, and well might heare
Each others voice; ah Pompey, many a yeare
Not nearer did thy once lov'd father in law,
Since that deare pledge the death of Iulia,
And her young sonne, see thee, till stain'd with gore
He saw thy face on Aegypts cursed shore.
But part of Caesar's forces left behinde
Made him protract the battell though his minde
Were feirce on fight; those bold Antonius led,
In civill wars now vnder Caesar bred
For Leucas fight; whom making long delay
With threats, and prayers thus Caesar calls away:
Thou mischeife of the world, why doest thou wast
The gods, and fates good will? my prosperous ha••
Has done all hitherto, fortune from thee
Requires the last hand to this speedily
Successefull war; doe Libya's quicksands lye,
Or her devouring gulfes twixt thee and me?
Haue I committed thee to vnknowne seas,
Or sent thee on vntryed casualtyes?
Caesar commands thee not, coward, to goe,
But follow him; my selfe heere, where the foe
Encamped lyes, am first arrived now.
Fear'st thou my campe? we loose what fates bestow:
And to the windes, and seas I bootlesse plaine.
My forward souldiers doe not thou detaine,
That would take any seas, if I judge right,
They'd come through shipwracke vnder me to fight.
Now I must speake in greife, the world I see
Is not divided twixt vs aequally,
In Epire Caesar, and th' whole Senate rest,
Thou art alone of Italy possest.
But having often vs'd such words as those,
They still delaying, Caesar gan suppose
The gods not wanting vnto him, but he
To them: and rashly did resolue to try
By night those seas, which they for feare forbore
Although, commanded, finding evermore
Bold actions thriue; and hopes in a small bote
T'orecome those waues whole navyes ventur'd not.
Now weary night wars toilesome cares did end:
Poore men tooke rest, whose meane estates could lend
Their breasts sound sleepe; the campe all silent proou'd,
When the third houre the second watch had moov'd.
With carefull steps through this vast silence then
Caesar, what not the meanest of his men
Would doe, entends; leaues all, and goes alone
With none but fortune his companion:
And passing through the courts of guard, he findes
All fast asleepe, complaning in his minde
That he could passe; but at the water side
He found a boate with a small cable ty'd
Fast to a rocke: the man that ow'd, and kept
This boate, not far from thence securely slept
In a small cottage of no timber trees,
But woven reedes, and barren bulrushes
Built vp: a boate's turn'd bottome did suffice
To fence his wall. There Caesar twice or thrice
Knockt with his hand that all the cottage shak'd:
From his soft bed of sedge Amyclas wak'd,
What shipwrackt man, quoth hee, knockes there, or whom
Has fortune driven to my poore house to come
For shelter? speaking thus he rose from bed,
And his fir'd match with better suell fed,
Secure from feare of warre: such houses are
(Full well he knowes) no spoile for civill war.
Oh safe blest poore mans life, oh gift of all
The gods, not yet well knowne; what city wall,
What temple had not fear'd at Caesar's stroke?
But when the doore was ope, thus Caesar spoke:
Enlarge thy hopes, poore man, expect to haue
More wealth from me then modesty can craue:
Only transport me to th' Italian shore,
This trade of living thou shalt neede no more,
No more shall labour thy poore age sustaine.
Yeild to thy fate; a god is come to raine
Downe showres of wealth thy little house vpon.
Thus Caesar, though disguisd, forgetts the tone
Of private men, when poore Amyelas made
This answere; many things (alas disswade
My minde from trusting of the seas to night.
The Sunne set pale, his beames dispers'd; whose light
Partly to North, and partly South inclin'd.
The middle of his orbe but dimn ely shin'd,
And dazled not the weake beholders eyes:
With dulled hornes did the pale mooue arise,
Not free from cloudes her middle part she had:
Her pointed ends no horne directly made:
First red betokening windes, ••en pale sh•was,
And in darke cloudes obscur'd her mourning face.
But the shores •olse, the murmur of the woods,
The Dolphins playing vp and downe the floods
With course vncertaine I mislike no more
Like I ther Cormo•ants flocking to the shore:
Nor that the Herne •n her smooth wing relying
Presumes to reach the skyes with lofty flying;
No that the Crow wagl•ng along the shore
Diu•s downe, and seemes t'anti•ipate a showre.
But if affaires of weight require mine aide,
To vse my skill I will not be afraide;
Either the windes, and seas shall it deny,
O• I will reach the shore of Italy.
This said, loosing his vessell he puts on,
And spreads his sailes, at whose first motion
Not only th'vsuall falling starres did make
In the darke aire a long and fiery tracke,
But even those starres, which make their fixt abode
In th' higheast sphaeres, did seeme to sha•e and nod.
The seas blacke face a terrour does diffuse,
The threatning waues in t•ackes voluminous
Boile vp; the seas by blasts vncertaine blowne
Betoken many windes conception
Then thus the master spake; behold how great
A danger the sea teemes withall: as yet
Vncertaine tis what winde rough East or West
Shall come; the ba•ke's on every side distrest
With severall waues; the cloudes and skies expresse
The Southwindes rage: the murmur of the seas
The Northwest winde, in such a storme to shore
Not safe, nor shipwrackt can we ere get ore,
No course but one of safety do•s remaine,
Hopelesse to steare our courses backe againe.
Let's set our danger'd barke a land, before
We are too far gone from the Graecian shore.
Caesar presuming that all dangers great
Would yeild to him, contemne quoth he, the threat
Of raging seas; spread sailes, and if the sky
Warrant thee not to goe for Italy,
Ile warrant thee; the just cause, why thou fear'st
Is this, because thou know'st not whom thou bear'st:
Him whom the gods never forsake; to whom
Fortune accounts it injury to come
After his wish; breake through the waues; alone
Thinke thy selfe safe in my protection.
These are the troubles of the seas and skyes,
Not of our barke this barke, where Caesar is,
Her cariage shall protect; nor long shall this
Storme last: but happy for the Ocean tis
This barke is heere. Oh turne not backe thy hand,
Nor thinke vpon Epire's adjoyning land;
Thinke on Calabria's shore safe to arriue,
Since no land else to me can safety giue.
Alas thou knowest not why these terrours rise;
In all these tumults of the seas and skyes
Does fortune striue to pleasure me. No more
He spoke; when straight a furious whirlewind tore
From the rent barke her shrowdes, and downe it flunge
The sailes, that on the trembling mainemast hunge.
The joynt dissolved vessell sounds, when lo
Windes full of danger from all quarters blow:
First from th' Atlantike Ocean Corus blowes
Rowling the waues and raised billowes throwes
With violence against the rockes amaine:
Him Boreas meetes, and turnes them backe againe;
The sea stands doubtful, to what winde to yeild;
But Scythian Boreas fury winnes the feild;
But though high waues he from the bottome reare,
Yet to the shore those waues he cannot beare;
They meete with those that Corus brings, and breake
The seas thus rais'd (though now the winds were weak)
Would meete themselues. Nor must you now surmise
Eurus is still, or showre-blacke Notus lyes
Imprison'd close in Aeal's rocky caue
They from their severall quarters rush to saue
With furious blasts their lands from being drown'd,
And keepe the sea within his proper bound.
For oft (they say) small seas by violent winde
Haue beene transported: so th' Aegaean joyn'd
With the Tyrrhene: so with th' Ie••an
The Adriatike met. How oft in vaine
That day the sea seem'd mountaines topps to' ore flow▪
And yeilding earth that deluge t' vndergoe.
But such high waues on no shore raised be,
But from the worlds far part, and the maine sea
They rowle; the earth embracing waters bring
Their monstrous waues, so when the heavens high king
Help'd his tir'd thunder with his •rotheis mace
To mankinds ruine, earth then added was
To Neptunes kingdome, when the sea confounded,
All lands, and Tethys by no shore was bounded,
Contented with no limit but the skyes
Then also would those •welling seas arise
Vpto the starres; had not great Ioue kept downe
Their waues with cloudes, nor sprung that night alone
From naturall causes; the thi•ke aire was growne
Infected with the dampes of Acheron,
And clogg'd with foggy stormes, waues frō the maine
Fly to the cloudes, and fall like showres againe.
The lightnings light is lost; it shines not cleare,
But shootes obscurely through nights stormy aire.
The heavens then trembled; the high pole for feare
Resounded, when his hindges mooved were.
Nature then fear'd the old confusion:
The elementall concord seem'd vndone;
And night, that mixt th'aetheriall deityes
With the infernall, •eem'd againe to rise;
Their hope of safety was that in this great
Wracke of the world they were not perisht yet.
As farre as you from Leucas top may see
The quiet sea, so farre could they desery
From waues high tops the troubled Ocean;
But when the swelling billowes fall againe,
The maine-mast top scarce aboue water stands:
The topsailes touch the cloudes, the keele the sands.
For ground is seene from whence the seas arise
In hills; in waues the seas whole water is.
Feare conquers art: the master does not know
Which waue to breake, which waue to yeeld vnto.
But the seas discord only aides them now;
The barke one billow cannot overflow
Let by anothers force, which still susteines
The yeilding side; the barke vpright mainteines
Her course, supported by all windes, no more
Low Sasons gulfes, Thessalia's crooked shore,
Or the Ambracian dangerous ports they fear'd,
But ore the high Ceraunia to be rear'd
•y billowes; Caesar thinkes it now to be
A danger worthy of his destiny;
Are the gods troubled so to ruine me,
Whom sitting heere in a small barke (quoth he)
They haue assaulted with a storme so lowd?
If on the seas, not warres they haue bestow'd
The glory of my death, fearelesse I come
Ye gods, to any death that ye can doome:
Though this too hasty fate great actes breake off,
I haue already done things great enough;
The Northren nations I haue tam'd, and quell'd
My foes at home by armes: Rome has beheld
Great Pompey my inferiour; honours stay'd
From me in war, the people forc'd haue pay'd,
All Roman honours in my titles be.
Let it be knowne, fortune, to none but thee
(Though full of honour to the shades below
I both Romes Consull, and Dictator goe)
I dye a private death, ô gods I craue
No funerall: let the seas inmost waue
Keepe my torne carkasse let me want a tombe,
And funerall pyle whilest lookt for still to come
Into all lands I am, and ever fear'd.
Thus having spoke (most strange) the tenth waue rear'd
His barke aloft; nor from the billowes top
Did she fall downe, kept by the water vp,
Till on the rocky shore she stood at last.
His fortune, and so many kingdomes (cast
On shore) and townes againe he did receiue.
Caesar's returne next morne could not deceiue
His souldiers so, as his stolne flight had done;
About their generall flock they every one
Assaulting him with lamentations,
And not ingratefull accusations;
Whither did thy rash valour carry thee
Too cruell Caesar? to what destiny
Didst thou leaue vs poore soules, venturing vpon
Th' vnwilling seas, and stormes thy selfe alone?
In thee to seeke for death was cruelty,
When all the world esteemes thy head so high,
And on thy life so many liues of ours
Depend; did none of vs deserue t'haue power
Not to surviue thee? sleepe did vs detaine,
While thou wert tost vpon the watry maine.
Was this the cause thou went'st to Italy?
(Alas it shames vs) it was cruelty
To venture any man on such a sea;
For the last act of things such hazards be.
Why doest thou tire the gods so much to goe,
And venture the worlds greatest Captaine so;
From fortune's worke, and favour thus t'haue sent
Thee safe a shore to vs, be confident.
Of the warres issue. This vse doest thou make
Of the gods favour to escape a wracke,
Rather then gaine the worlds sole soveraignety?
Thus while they talke, night past, the Sunne they see,
And a cleare day; his waues the tired maine
(By the windes leaue) compos'd, and smooth'd againe.
The Captaines also on th' Italian side
When the t•r'd Ocean free from waues they spy'd
By the pure Northwinds rising; thence convay'd
Their ships, which their skill'd Marriners had stay'd
So long for feare while winds auspicious fail'd.
Like a land army their joyn'd navy sail'd
On the broad Sea; but the chang'd windes by night
Fill'd not their sailes, but broke the order quite.
So Cranes in Winter Strymon's cold forsake
To dr•nke warme Nile, and in their first flight make
(As chance directs) of letters various formes;
When their spread wings are by the violent stormes
Of strong South-windes assailed, by and by
•n a confused globe all mingled fly:
The letter's lost in their disranked wings.
But the next morne when rising Titan brings
A stronger winde to driue the navie ore,
They passe the vaine attempted Lissus shore,
And to Nymphaeum come: Southwinds that blow,
The haven on them (the Northwindes fled) bestow.
When Caesars legions all collected were,
And Pompey saw the war was drawne so neere
To his owne campe, he thinkes best to provide
For his wiu•• safety, and in Lesbos hide
Thee, faire Cornelia, from the noise of warre.
Alas in just and noble mindes how farre
Prevailes true loue? true loue alone had power
To make great Pompey feare wars doubtfull houre;
His wife alone he wisht free from that stroke,
That all the world, and Romes whole fortune shooke.
But now a ready m•nd wants words in him:
He yeilds to sweete delayes; from fare steales time.
But when th'approching morne had banisht rest,
And faire Cornelia his care-wounded breast
Clasping, from her averted husband seekes
A loving kisse, wondring to feele his cheekes
Moistened with teares; t• hidden cause she feares,
And da•es not find great Pompey shedding teares.
He then thus mourning spake: oh dearest wife,
Dearer to me then life, not now, when life
I loath, but in our best prosperity,
That sad day's come which too too much haue we,
Yet not enough d•fferr'd. Caesar's addrest
For fight; thou must not stay; Lesbos the best,
And safest place will be for thee to hide;
Doe not en•treat me sweete; I haue deny'd
It to my selfe; nor absent long shall we
Remaine, for swift will this wars tryall be,
Great things fall speedily. To heare, not see
Thy Pompey's danger is enough so thee
Thy loue deceiues me, if thou couldst endure
To see this fight; for me to sleepe secure
With thee (this war begun) •nd from thine armes
To rise, were shame, when the wars loud alarmes
Shake all the world, and that thy Pompey came
Sad with no losse to such a war were shame.
Nor shall thy husbands fortune all together
Oppresse thee, farre remoov'd safer then either
People or king. And should the gods contriue
My death, let Pompeys better part surviue,
And a place be, whither I may desire,
If fate and Caesar vanquish, to retire.
Her weakenesse could of such great griefe containe,
Her sences fled, she did amaz'd remaine.
At length when sad complaints these words could frame,
My Lord, quoth she, I haue no cause to blame
Our wedlockes fortune, or the gods aboue:
No death, no funerall divides our loue:
We part the common, and plebeian way,
For feare of war Cornelia must not stay.
Let's be divorc'd to gratifye the foe,
Since he's at hand. Pompey esteem'st thou so
My faith, or think'st thou any thing can be
Safer to me then thee? Depend not we
Vpon one chance? canst cruell thou command
Thy absent wife this ruines shocke to stand?
Or think'st thou it a happy state for me
(While thy chance yet does doubtfull stand) to dye
For feare of future ill? I will attend
Thy death; but till sad fame the newes can send
So farre, shall be forced to surviue.
Besides thou wilt accustome me to grieue,
And beare so great a sorrow, as I feare
(Pardon that I confesse) I cannot beare.
And if the good gods heare my prayers now,
I last of all the happy newes shall know.
I on the rockes, when thou art conquerer,
Shall carefull sit, and even that ship shall feare,
That brings the happy newes: nor will my feare
Haue end, so soone as I thy conquest heare▪
So farre remoov'd from thee, that Caesar may
(Though flying) seize Cornelia as a pray.
My banishment will Lesbos shore renowne▪
And make the towne of Mitylene knowne,
Where Pompey's wife abides. My last request
Is this, if thou be conquer'd, and nought rest
To s•u• thy life but flight, to any bay
Rather then that turne thy vnhappy way.
Vpon my shore thou wilt be surely sought
This said, from bed she leapt with griefe distraught,
Her woes with no delayes to enterlace;
Nor could she then her Lord's sad breast embrace,
Nor hang about his necke; the last fruite's gone
Of so long loue: their griefes they hasten on:
And at the parting neither had the power
To say farewell. Never so sad an hower
In all their life had they Succeeding woes
Their mindes by custome hardened could compose.
She fainting falls, and in her servants hands
Lifted is borne to sea, but on the sands
She falls, as if that shore she faine would keepe,
At last perforce she's carry'd to the ship▪
From her deare countrey's shore not so distrest
Fled she, when Caesar Italy possest.
With Pompey then she went: now all alone
Wanting that guide; she from her Lord is gone.
Sleepelesse she spent in her now widow'd bed
Cold, and alone, the night that followed.
That side that naked vs'd not to be left,
Is of a husbands company bereft.
Oft would she, when her sleepy armes she spread,
With hands deceiv'd embrace the empty bed,
Seeking her Lord, her flight she would forget;
For, though l•ues flame-fed on her marrow, yet
Ore all the bed she would not tumbling spread.
Fearing to misse her Lord, that part of bed
She kept; but fate did not so well ordaine;
The howr's at hand that brings her Lord againe.