Book X

The Argument
Caesar in Aegypt fearelesse walkes, and sees
Their temples, tombes, and fam'd antiquityes.
Before his feete faire Cleopatra kneeles,
Whom to her brother king he reconciles.
With sumptuous feasts this peace they celelrate,
To Caesars eare Achoreus doth relate
Niles ebbes, and flowes, and long concealed spring.
Within the pallace Caesar, and the King
By sterne Achillas are besieg'd by night.
Caesar to Pharos takes a secret flight;
There from his ship he leapes into the waues,
And his endanger'd life by swimming saues.

WHen Caesar first, possest of Pompey's head,
Arrived there, and those dire sands did tread:
His fortune stroue with guilty Aegypts fate,
Whether that Rome that land should captivate;
Or Aegypts sword take from the world the head
Both of the Conquerer, and the conquered.
Pompey, the ghost prevailes, thy Manes free
Caesar from death, left Nile should after thee
Be by the Romans lov'd. He goes from thence
To Alexandria arm'd with confidence
In this dire mischiefes pledge, following along
His fasces. But, perceiving that the throng
Of people murmur'd that in Aegypt he
Bore th' Ensignes vp of Romes authority,
He findes their wavering faiths, perceiving plaine
That for his sake great Pompey was not slaine.
Then with a looke still hiding feare goes he
The stately temple of th'old god to see.
Which speakes the ancient Macedonian greatnesse.
But there delighted with no objects sweetnesse,
Not with their gold, nor gods majestike dresse,
Nor losty city walls, with greedinesse
Into the burying vault goes Caesar downe
There Macedonian Philip's mad-brain'd son
The prosperous theife lyes buryed: whom just fate
Slew in the worlds revenge: vaults consecrate
Containe those limbs, which through the world 'twere just
To cast abroad: but fortune spar'd his dust,
And to that Kingdomes end his fate remain'd.
If ere the world her freedome had attaind,
He for a mocke had beene reserv'd, whose birth
Brought such a dire example to the earth,
So many lands to be possest by one,
Scorning the narrow bounds of Macedon,
And Athens, which his father had subdew'd:
Through Asian lands with human slaughter strew'd,
Led by too forward fates he rushes on,
Driving his sword through every nation:
Rivers vnknowne, Euphrates be distaines
With Persians blood Ganges with Indians:
Th'earth fatall mischiefe, lightning dire, that rent
All people, and a star malevolent
To nations. To invade the South-east sea
He built a fleete. Not barren Libya,
Water, nor heat, nor Ammons desart sands
Could stop his course. Vpon the Westerne lands
(Following the worlds devexe) he meant to tread,
To compasse both the poles, and drinke Niles head.
But death did meete his course; that checke alone▪
Could nature giue this Kings ambition:
Who to his graue the worlds sole Empire bore,
With the same envy, that 'twas got before;
And wanting heires left all he did obtaine
To be divided by the sword againe.
But fear'd in Parthia; and his Babylon
He dy'd. Oh shame, that Easterne nation
Then trembled at the Macedonian speare
Farre more, then now the Roman pile they feare.
Though all the North, the West, and South be ours,
In th' East the Parthian King contempes our powers.
That, Which to Crassus proov'd a fatall place,
A secure province to small Pella was.
Now the yong King come from Pelusium
Had pacify'd the peoples wrath: in whom
As hostage of his peace, in Aegypts court
Caesar was safe; when loe from Pharos port,
Bribing the keeper to vnchaine the same,
In a small galley Cleopatra came
Vnknowne to Caesar entering the house;
The staine of Aegypt, Romes pernicious
Fury, vnchast to Italyes disgrace,
As much as Helena's bewitching face
Fatall to Troy, and her owne Greekes did prooue,
As much Romes broiles did Cleopatra mooue.
Our Capitall she with her Sistrum scarr'd,
With Aegypts base effeminate rout prepar'd
To seize Romes Eagles, and a triumph get
Ore captiv'd Caesar: when at Leucas fleet
It doubtfull stood, whether the world that day
A woman, and not Roman should obey.
Her prides first spring that impious night had bin,
That with our chiefes mixt that incestuous queene.
Who would not pardon Anthonyes mad loue,
When Caesars flinty breast desires could moue
In midst of war, when heat of fight rag'd most,
And in a cou•t haunted by Pompey's ghost?
Embrew'd with blood from dire Pharsalias field
Could he vnto adultrous Venus yeild?
And mixe with warlike cares (oh shamelesse head)
A bastard issue, and vnlawfull bed;
Forgetting Pompey, to beget a brother
To thee, faire Iulia, on a strumpet mother:
Suffring the forces of his scattered foes
To joyne in Affrike, basely he bestowes
Time in Aegyptian loue, a conquerer
Not for himselfe, but to bestow on her;
Whom, trusting to her beauty, without teares,
Though gesture sad, with loose, as if rent haires,
Drest in a beautious, and becomming woe
Did Cleopatra meete, bespeaking so:
If, mighty Caesar, noblenesse there be,
Aegyptian Lagus royall issued,
Depos'd and banisht from my fathers state,
If thy great hand restore my former fate,
Kneele at thy feet a queene; vnto our nation
Thou dost appeare a gratious constellation.
I am not the first woman that hath sway'd
The Pharian scepter: Aegypt has obay'd
A queene; not sexe excepted: I desire
Thee read the will of my deceased Sire,
Who left me there a partner to enjoy
My brothers crowne, and marriage bed. The boy
(I know) would loue his sister, were he free:
But all his power, will, and affections be
Vnder Photinas girdle; To obtaine
The crowne I beg not, Caesar from this staine
Free thou our house: command the King to be
A King, and free from servants tyranny.
Shall slaues so proud of Pompey's, slaughter be,
Threatning the same (which fates avert) to thee?
Caesar, 'tis shame enough to th'earth, and thee
His death Photinus gift, and guilt should be.
Her suite in Caesars eares had found small grace,
But beauty pleades, and that incestuous face
Prevailes; the pleasures of a wanton bed
Corrupt the judge. The King had purchased
His peace with weighty summes of gold; which done,
With sumptuous feasts this glad accord they crowne.
Her riot forth in highest pompe (not yet
Transferr'd to Rome) did Cleopatra set.
The house excell'd those temples, which men build
In wicked'st times, the high-arch'd roofes were fill'd
With wealth? high tresses golden tables bore:
Nor did carv'd marble only cover ore
The house; alone th'vnmixt Achates stood,
And pillars of red marble: their feet troad
On pauements of rich Onyx: pillars there
Not coverd with Aegyptian Eben were;
Eben was timber there, and that rich wood
Not to adorne, but prop the Pallace stood.
The roomes with Ivory glister'd, and each dore
Inlay'd with indian shels, embellish'd ore
With choisest Emeraulds: the beds all shone
With richest gems, and yellow Iasper stone.
Coverlids rich, some purple dy'd in graine,
Whose tincture was not from one Caldron tane,
Part woue of glittering gold, part scarlet dy,
As is th'Aegyptian vse of Tapestry:
The servitours stood by, and waiting pages,
Some different in complexions, some in ages;
Some of blacke Libyan hew, some golden haires,
Tha• Caesar yeilds in all his German wars
He nere had seene so bright a yellow haire:
Some stiffe curl'd lo•kes on Sun-burnt fore heads weare.
Besides th'vnhappy strength robb'd company
The Eunuch'd youths: neere these were standing by
Youths of a stronger age, yet those so young
Scarse any downe darkning their cheekes was sprung.
Downe sate the Princes, and the higher power
Caesar; her hurtfull face all painted ore
Sate Cleopatra, not content alone
T' enjoy her brothers bed, nor Aegypts crowne:
Laden with pearles? the read seas spoyled store
On her rich haire, and weary'd necke she wore.
Her snowy breasts their whitenesse did display
Thorough the thin Sidonian tiffenay
Wrought, and extended by the curious hand
Of Aegypts workemen. Citron tables stand
On Ivory tressells, such as Caesars eyes
Saw not, when he King Iuba did surprise.
O blinde ambitious madnesse to declare
Your wealth to him, that makes a civill war,
And tempt an armed guest. For though that he
Sought not for wealth by wa•s impiety,
And the worlds wracke: suppose our cheifes of old
Were there, compos'd of that poore ages mould,
Fabri•ii, Curii graue, or that plaine man
That Consull from th' Etrurian plowes was tane,
Were sitting at those tables, whom to Rome
With such a tryumph he would wish to come.
In golden plate they fill their feasting bords
With what the aire, the earth, or Nile affords,
What luxury with vaine ambition had
Sought through the world, and not as hunger bad,
Beasts, foules, the gods of Aegypt are devour'd:
From christall ewers is Niles water powr'd
Vpon their hands: studded with gemms that shine
Their bowles conteine no Mareotike wine,
But strong, and sparkling wines of Meroe,
To whom few yeeres giue full maturity.
With fragrant Nard, and never-fading rose
Their heads are crown'd: their haire anointed flowes
With sweetest cinnamon, that has not spent
His savour in the aire, nor lost his sent
In forreine climes: and fresh Amomum brought
From harvests neere at hand, there Caesar's taught
The riches of the spoiled world to take;
And is asham'd that he a war did make
With his poore sonne in law, desiring now
Some quarrell would twixt him, and Aegypt grow.
When wine, and cates had tir'd their glutted pleasure,
Caesar begins with long discourse to measure
The howers of night, bespeaking gently thus
The linnen vested graue Achoreus:
Old man devoted to religion,
And, (which thine age confirmes) despis'd by none
Of all the gods, to longing eares relate
Aegypts originall, her site, and state,
Worship of gods, and what doth ere remaine
In your old temples character'd, explaine.
The gods, that would be knowne, to vs vnfold,
If your forefathers their religion told
T' Athenian Plato once, when had you ere
A guest more worthy, or more fit to heare?
Rumor of Pompey drew our march thus far,
And fame of you, for still in mid'st of war
I leasure had of heaven, and gods to heare,
And the stars course: nor shall Eudoxus yeare
Excell my Consulship. But though so much
My vertue be, my loue of truth be such,
There's nought I more desire to know at all
Then Niles hid head, and strange originall
So many years vnknowne: grant but to me
A certaine hope the head of Nile to see,
Ile leaue off civill war. Caesar had done,
When thus divine Achoreus begun:
Let it be lawfull, Caesar to vnfold
Our great forefathers secrets hid of old
From the lay people. Let who ere suppose
It piety to keepe these wonders close:
I thinke the gods are pleas'd to be made knowne;
And haue their sacred lawes to people showne:
Planets, which crosse, and slacke the tenth sphaeres course,
Had from the worlds first law their different powers.
The Sun divides the yeares, makes nights, and dayes,
Dimmes other stars with his resplendent rayes.
And their wilde courses moderates; the tides
Of Thetis Phabes grouth, and waning guides.
Saturne cold i•e, and frozen zones obtaines;
Mars ore the windes, and winged lightning reignes;
Quiet well temper'd aire doth Ioue possesse;
The seedes of all things Venus cherishes;
Cyllenius rules ore waters which are great;
He when he enters, where the dog-stars heat,
And burning fire's display'd, there where th• signe
Of Cancer hot doth with the Lyon joyne,
And where the Zodiacke holds his Capricorne,
And Cancer, vnder which Niles head is borne:
Ore which when Mercuryes proud fires doe stand,
And in a line direct, (as by command
Of Phaebe the obeying Ocean growes)
So from his open'd fountaine Nilus flowes;
Nor eb•s againe till night haue from the Sun
Those howers recover'd, which the summer wor.
Vaine was the old opinion, that Niles flow
Was caus'd, or help'd by Aethiopian snow.
For on those hills cold Boreas never blowes▪
As there the natiues Sunburnt visage showes,
And moist hot Southerne windes. Besides the head
Of every streame, that from thaw'd i•e is bred,
Swells then, when first the spring dissolues the snowes.
But Nile before the dog•dayes never flowes,
Nor is confin'd within his bankes againe
Till the Autumnal aequinoctian:
Thence tis he knowes no lawes of other streames,
Nor swells in winter, when Sols scorching beames
Are far remote, his waters want their end:
But Nile comes forth in summer time to lend
A cooler temper to the sweltring aire,
Vnder the torrid zone, least fire impaire
The earth, vnto her succour Nilus drawes,
And swells against the Lyons burning jawes.
And when hot Cancer his Siene burnes,
Vnto her aide implored Nilus turnes:
Nor till the Sun to Autumne doe descend,
And that hot Meroë her shades extend,
Doth he restore againe the drowned field.
Who can the causes of this flowing yeild?
Even so our mother nature hath decreed
That Nile should flow, and so the world hath neede,
As vainely doth antiquity declare
The West windes cause of this increases are,
Which keepe their seasons strictly, and long stay,
And beare within the aire continu'd sway.
These from the Westerne parts all clouds exile
Beyond the South, and hang them over Nile:
Or else their blasts the rivers current meete,
And will not let it to the Ocean get;
Prevented so from falling to the maine
The streame swells backe, and overflowes the plaine.
Some through the cavernes of earths hollow won be
In secret channells thinke these waters come
Attracted to th' aequator from the cold
North clime, when Sol his Meroë doth hold,
The scorched earth attracting water, thither
Ganges, and Padus flow vnseene together:
Venting all rivers at one fountaine so
Within one channell Nilus cannot goe.
From th'Ocean swelling, which beguirts about
All lands, some thinke, encreased Nile breakes out;
The waters loose, ere they so far haue ran,
Their saltnesse quite. Besides the Ocean
Is the stars fond, we thinke, which Phoebius drawes,
When he possesseth fiery Cancers claws▪
More then the aire digests attraced so
Falls backe by night, and causes Nilus flow.
I thinke if I may judge so great a case,
Some waters since the world created was,
In after ages from some broken vaine
Of earth haue growne; some god did then ordaine,
When he created all the world, whose tides
By certaine lawes the great Creator guides.
Caesar's desire to know our Nilus spring
Possest th Aegyptian, Persian, Graecian King;
No age, but striv'd to future time to teach
This skill: none yet his hidden nature reach.
Philipp's great son, Memphis most honourd King
Sent to th' earths vtmost bounds to finde Niles spring
Choise Aethiops; they trode the sunburnt ground
Of the hot zone, and there warme Nilus found.
The farthest West our great Sesostris saw,
Whilest captiue Kings, did his proud charriot draw:
Yet there your Rhodanus, and Padus spy'd
Before our Niles hid fountaine he descry'd.
The mad Cambises to the Easterne lands,
And lon•-liv'd people came. His famisht bands
Q•te spent, and with each others slaughter fed
Return'd thou, Nile, yet vndiscovered.
No tale dares mention thine originall,
Th'art sought, wherever seene. No land at all
Can boast that Nile is hers. Yet Ile reveale,
As far as that same god, that doth conceale
Thy spring, inspires me. From th' Antarticke pole
Vnder hot Cancer doe thy surges rowle
Directly North, winding to East and West,
Sometimes th' Arabians, sometimes Libyans blest
With fruitfullnesse thou mak'st, the Seres spy
Thee first, and seeke thee too, thy channell by
The Aethiopians, as a stranger flowes:
And the world knowes not to what land it owes
Thy sacred head, which nature hid from all,
Lest any land should see thee, Nilus, small.
She turn'd away thy spring, and did desire
No land should know it, but all lands admire.
Thou in the summer Solstice art oreflowne
Bringing with thee a winter of thine owne,
When winter is not ours: nature alone
Suffers thy streames to both the poles to run.
Not there thy mouth, not heere thy spring is found.
Thy parted channell doth encompasse round
Meroë fruitfull to blacke husband-men,
And rich in Eben wood: whose leaues, though greene,
Can with no shade asswage the summers heat,
Vnder the Lion so directly set.
From thence thy current with no waters losse
Ore the hot zone, and barren deserts goes,
Sometimes collected in one channell going,
Sometimes dispers'd and yeilding bankes oreflowing.
His parted armes againe collected slide
In one slow streame, where Philas doth divide
Arabia from Aegypt Ore the sand,
Where the red sea by one small necke of land
From ours is kept, thou, Nile, doest gently flow.
Oh who would thinke thou ere so rough couldst grow
That sees thee gentle heere, but when thy way
Steepe Catarackts, and craggy rockes would stay,
Thy never-curbed waues with scorne despise
Those petty lets, and foaming Iaue the skyes:
Thy waters sound, with noise the neighbouring hills
Thy conquering streame with froath grown hoary fills.
Hence he with fury first assaults that Ile,
Which our forefathers did Abatos stile,
And those neare rockes, which they were pleas'to call
The rivers veines, because they first of all
His swelling growth did show. Hence nature did
His stragling waues within high mountaines hide,
Which part thee, Nile, from Affricke; betwixt those
As in a vale thy pent vp water flowes.
At Memphis first thou runn'st in fields, and plaines,
Where thy proud streame all bankes, and bounds disdaines.
Thus they secure, as if in peace, a part
Of night discours'd. But base Photinus heart
Once stain'd with sacred blood, could nere be free
From horrid thoughts. Since Pompey's murder he
Counts nought a crime? great Pompey's Manes bide
Within his breast, and vengefull furyes guide
His thoughts to monsters new, hoping to staine
Base hands with Caesars blood, which fates ordaine
Great Senators shall shed. Fate to a slaue
That day almost the Senates vengeance gaue,
The mulct of civill war. Oh gods defend,
Let none that life in Brutus absence end.
Shall th'execution of Romes tirant be
Base Aegypts crime, and that example dy?
Bold man, he makes attempt against fates course,
Nor at close murder aimes, by open force
A most vnconquer'd Captaine he assaults;
So much are mindes embolden'd by their faults.
He durst the death of Caesar now command,
As Pompey's once, and by a faithfull hand
To sterne Achillas this dire message send,
Who shar'd with him in murder'd Pompey's end,
Whom the weake King against himselfe, and all
Trusts with a strength, his forces generall.
Thou on thy downy bed securely snort,
Whilest Cleopatra hath surpris'd the court.
Pharos it not betray'd, but given away.
Hast thou (though all alone) this match to stay.
Th'incestuous sister shall her brother wed,
Caesar already has enjoy'd her bed:
Twixt those two husbands Aegypt is her owne,
And Rome her hire for prostitution.
Haue Cleopatra's sorcerves beguild
Old Caesars breast, and shall we trust a childe?
Who, if one night incestuously embrac'd
The beastly pleasures of her bed he tast
Cloath'd with the name of marriage, twixt each kisse
He giues my head, and thine, the gibbet is
Our fortune, if he finde his sister sweete.
Hope we no aide from any side to meete:
The King her husband, her adulterer
Caesar; and we (I grant) both guilty are
In Cleopatras sight, where twill appeare
Crime great enough that we are chast from her.
Now by that crime, which we together did,
And lost: and by the league we ratifi'd
In Pompey's blood, I pray be speedy here,
Fill on the suddaine all with war, and feare:
Let blood breake off the marriage night, and kill
Our cruell Queene, whose armes so ere she fill
In bed to night. Not feare we Caesars sate:
That which advanc'd him to this height of state,
The fall of Pompey, was our glory too:
Behold the shore, and learne what we can doe,
Our micheifes hope: behold the bloody'd waue,
And in the dust great Pompey's little graue
Scarse covering all his limms Hee, whom we feare,
Was but his peere. But we ignoble are
In blood: all one: we stir no forreine state,
Nor King to aide, but our owne prosperous fate
To mischeife bring; and still into our hands
Fortune delivers them; see ready stands
Another nobler sacrifice then he;
This second blood appeases Italy.
The blood of Caesar will those staines remoue,
Which Pompey's murder stucke, and make Rome loue
Those hands she once thought guilty▪ Feare not than
His fame, and strength, hee's but a private man
His army absent. This one night shall end
The civill war, and to whole nations send
A sacrifice t'appease their ghosts bestow,
And pay the world that head, which fates doe ow.
Goe confidently then 'gainst Caesars throat:
For Ptolomey let Aegypts souldiers doo't,
The Romans for themselues. But stay not thou;
He's high with wine, and fit for Venus now.
Doe but attempt, the gods on thee bestow
Th'effect of Brutus, and graue Catoes vow.
Achillas prone to follow such advise
Drawes out his army straight in secret wise,
Without loud signalls given, or trumpets noise
Their armed strength he suddainely imployes.
The greatest part were Roman souldiers there,
But so degenerate, and chang'd they were
With forreine discipline; that voide of shame
Vnder a barbarous slaues command they came,
Who should disdaine to serue proud Aegypts King.
No faith, nor piety those hirelings bring
That follow campes: where greatest pay is had,
There's greatest right; for money they invade,
Not for their owne just quarrell, Caesars throat.
Oh wickednesse, within what land has not
Our Empires wretched fate found civill war?
Those troopes remoov'd from Thessaly so far
Rage Roman-like heere vpon Nilus shore.
What durst the house of Lagus venture more
Had they receiv'd great Pompey? but each hand
Performes that office, which the gods command:
Each Roman hand helpe to this war must lend.
The gods were so dispos'd Romes state to rend.
Nor now doth Caesars, or great Pompey's loue
Divide the people, or their factions moue.
This civill war Achillas vndertakes,
A barbarous slaue a Roman faction makes.
And had not fates protected Caesars blood,
This side had won, in time both ready stood;
The court in feasting drown'd did openly
To any treason; and then easily
Might they haue tane at table, Caesars head,
His blood amid'st the feasting gobblets shed.
But in the night tumultuous war they feare,
Promiscuous slaughter rul'd by chance, lost there
Their King might fall; so confident they are
Of their owne strength, they hasten not, but spare
So great an actions opportunity.
Slaues thinke differring Caesars death to be
A reparable losse. Till day breake light
His execution is put off. One night
To Caesars life Protinus power could giue,
Till Titan shew his rising face to liue.
Now on mount Casius Lucifer appear'd
With hot, though infant day, had Aegypt chear'd;
When from the wall they veiw'd those troopes afar
March on well ranck'd, and marshall'd for a war,
Not in loose maniples, but ready all
To stand, or giue a charge. The city wall
Caesar distrusts, and shuts the pallace too,
So poore a seidge enforc'd to vndergoe.
Nor all the house can his small strength maintaine,
One little part great Caesar can containe:
Whilest his great thoughts both feare, and anger beare,
He feares assaults, and yet disdaines to feare,
So in small traps a noble Lyon caught
Rages, and bites his scorned goale with wrath;
So would fierce Vulcane rage, could any stop
Sicilian Aetnas fiery cavernes top.
He that in dire Pharsalian fields of late
In a bad cause presum'd on prosperous fate,
And feared not the Senates hoast, nor all
The Roman Lords, nor Pompey generall,
Fear'd a slaues war: he heere assaulted tooke
A house, whom Sythians bold dust neere provoke,
Th' Alani fierce, nor Mauritanians hot,
Which fast-bound strangers barbarously shoote.
He whom the Roman world could not suffice,
Nor all that twixt the Gades, and India lyes,
Like a weake boy seekes lurking holes alone.
Or woman in a late surprised towne:
Nor hopes for safety but in keeping close,
And through each roome with steps vncertaine goes,
But not without the King; him he retaines
About his person still: his life he meanes
Shall the revenge, and expiation be
Of his owne fate; thy head, ô Ptolomey,
He meanes to throw for want of darts, or fire
Against thy servants; as Medea dire,
When her pursuing Sires revenge she fled,
Stood arm'd against her little brothers head
To stay her Sire. But desperate fate so nigh
Enforced Caesar tearmes of peace to try.
A courtier from the absent King is sent
To checke his men, and know this wars entent.
But there the law of Nations could obtaine
No power: their Kings Embassadour is slaine
Treating of peace, to adde one horrid crime
O monstrous Aegypt, to thy impious clime.
Impious Pharnaces Pontus Thessaly,
Nor Spaine, nor Iubaes far-spread monarchy,
Nor barbarous Syrtis durst attempt to doe,
What heere •ffaeminate Aegypt reaches too.
The war on every side growes dangerous,
And showres of falling darts even shake the house.
No battring ram had they to force the wall,
Nor any engine fit for war at all:
Nor vs'd they fire: the skillesse people run
Through the vast pallace scatter'd vp, and downe,
And vse their joyned strength no where at all:
The fates forbid, and fortune's Caesars wall.
But where the gorgeous pallace proudly stands
Into the sea, from ships the Navall bands
Assault the house; but Caesar every where
Is for defence at hand, and weapons here,
There wild-fire vses. Though besiedg'd he be,
Doth the besiedgers worke (such strength had he
Of constant spirit) wild fire balls he threw
Among the joyned ships; nor slowly flew
The flame on pitchy shrowds, and bords, that drop
With melted waxe: at once the saileyards top,
And lowest hatches burne. An halfe burnt boate
Here drownes in seas, their foes and weapons floate,
Nor ore the ships alone doe flames prevaile;
But all the houses neere the shore assaile:
The South windes feed the flame, and driue it on
Along the houses with such motion,
As through the Welkin fiery meteors run,
That wanting fuell feed on aire alone,
This fire a while the courts besiedging stay'd,
And drew the people to the cityes aide.
Caesar that time would not in sleepe bestow,
Who well could vse occasions, and knew how
In war to take the greatest benefit
Of suddaine chances, ships his men by night,
Surprises Pharos: Pharos heretofore
An Iland was, when prophet Proteus wore
That crowne: but joyn'd to Alexandria now.
Two helpes on Caesar doth that fort bestow:
Commands the sea, the foes incursions stay'd,
And made a passage safe for Caesars aide.
He now intends no longer to differ
Protinus death, though not enough severe.
Not fire, nor beasts, nor gibbets reaue his breath,
Slaine with a sword he dyes great Pompey's death.
Arsinoe from court escaped goes
By Ganymedes helpe to Caesars foes,
The •owne (as Lagus daughter) to obtaine,
By whose just sword was sterne Achillas slaine.
Another to thy ghost is sacrific'd
Pompey, but fortune is not yet suffic'd,
Far be it, •ods, that these two deaths should be
His full revenge; the fall of Ptolomey,
And Aegypts ruine not enough is thought:
Nor ere can his revenge be fully wrought,
Till Caesar by the Senates swords be slaine.
But though the author's dead, these broiles remaine;
For Ganymedes now commander moov'd
A second war, which full of danger proov'd.
So great the perill was, that day alone
Might Caesars name to future times renowne.
While Caesar striues pent vp so closely there
To ship his men from thence, a suddaine feare
Of war did his entended passage meete:
Before his face the foes well-rigged fleete,
Behinde their foote from shore against him fight:
No way of safety's left, valour, nor flight,
Nor scarse doth hope of noble death remaine.
No heapes of bodyes, no whole armyes slaine
Are now requir'd to conquer Caesar there:
A little blood will serue. Whether to feare,
Or wish for death he knowes not. In this same
Sad straite, he thinkes of noble Scaeva's fame,
Who at Dyrrachium, when his workes were downe,
Beseidg'd all Pompey's strength himselfe alone:
Th'example rais'd his thoughts, resolv'd to doe
What Scaeva did; but straight a scorne to owe
His valour to examples, checks againe
That high resolue: great thoughts, great thoughts restraine.
Yet thus at last; Scaeva was mine, 'twas I
Nurtur'd that spirit: if like him I dy,
I doe not imitate, but Caesars •eate
Rather confirmes that Scaevas act was great.
In this resolue had Caesar charg'd them all
Himselfe alone, and so a glorious fall
(Slaine by a thousand hands at once) had met,
Or else enobled by a death so great
Those thousand hands; but fortune was afraid
To venture Caesar further then her aide
Could lend a famous rescue, and endeare
The danger to him; she discovers neare
Ships of his owne; thither when Caesar makes,
He findes no safety there, but straight forsakes
Those ships againe, and leapes into the maine.
The trembling billowes fear'd to entertaine
So great a pledge of fortune, one to whom
Fate ow'd so many victoryes to come
And Ioue (whilest he on Caesars danger lookes)
Suspects the truth of th'adamantine bookes.
Who could haue thought, but that the gods aboue
Had now begun to favour Rome, and loue
Her liberty againe? and that the fate
Of Pompey's sons, of Cato, and the state
'Gainst Caesars fortune had prevailed now?
Why doe the powers Caelestiall labour so,
To be vnjust againe? againe take care
To saue that life they had expos'd so far
That now the danger even in Caesars eye,
Might cleare their doome of partiality?
But he must liue vntill his fall may prooue
Brutus and Cassius were more iust then Ioue.
Now all alone on seas doth Caesar floate;
Himselfe the oares, the Pylot, and the boate;
Yet could not all these offices employ
One mans whole strength, for his left hand on high
Raised, holds vp his papers, and preserues
The fame of his past deedes, his right hand serues
To cut the waues, and guard his life alone
'Gainst th' Oceans perills, and all darts, which throwne
From every side doe darken all the sky,
And make a cloud, though heaven it selfe deny,
Two hundred paces thus alone he swam
Till to the body of his feete he came,
His ore-ioy'd souldiers shouting to the skies
Take sure presage of future victoryes.