Book XII

The Argument.
Through Luxury, and Ease, the Lybians, made
Effeminate[…] Parthenopè invade,
And are repuls'd. From thence to […]umae, then
To Putzol, on they March, and are agen
Repuls'd: the Sulph'rous Soil, the Pools, and Lakes
Describ'd. From thence the Libyan Captain makes
His Army march to Nola, where they are
Or'ethrown. What Contributions for the War
At Rome are made: such as, would Service flie
In War, are punished with Infamy.
Torquatus prospers in Sardinia.
The Libyan, wasting Countries in his way,
And burning Towns, goes to Tarentum; where
The City is betrai'd: the Romans are,
For Safety, fo[…]c[…]d to flie into the Fort.
The Ships, by them block'd up, within the Port,
By a new Stratagem unto the Sea,
Over the Hills doth Hannibal convey.
By his Host's Treach'ry brave Graochus falls,
In vain endeav'ring the besieged Walls
Of Capua to relieve. The Libyan goes
To Rome; where Storms, and Lightning him oppose.

NOW the sharp Winter, in the Earth again,
His Icy head, his Temples swell'd with Rain,
And Cloudy Brows had hid; and Spring, with clear
And warmer Air, and Winds, began to chear
The fertile Fields; when forth the Libyan breaks
From Capua, and with Panick Terrour shakes
The neighb'ring Towns. As Serpents, that lay still
Conceal'd, while the Riphaean Winds were chill,
In warmer Days roll from their secret Beds,
And, shining new, erect their Radiant Heads,
And, from their lofty Jaws, their Venom Spout.
But soon as Libya's Ensigns Shin'd about
The Fields, through Fear, all Desolate was made,
And strait in Works, as Terrour did perswade,
Despairing Safety, they themselves enclose,
And Trembling, on the Walls, expect their Foes.
But then that Vigour, that did Arm'd invade
The Alps, and, breaking through, a Passage made,
That Trebia enjoy'd, and stain'd, with Blood
Of Bravest Romanes, the Maeonian Flood,
Was lost. Their Limbs with Wine, and Pleasure made
Effeminate, and, dull with Sleep, decai'd:
Those, that were wont in coldest Nights to ly
Loaden with Arms, beneath a Stormy Sky,
And oft, when Show'rs of Hail came Rushing down,
Contemn'd their Tents: who ne're by night were known
To lay their Quivers, Darts, Swords, Shields aside,
And Arms, as useful as their Members try'd;
Their Helmets, now, an heavy Burden call,
Their Targets Weighty seem, their Jav'lins all
So weakly thrown, that they with Silence fly.
The first of all, that was a[…]saulted by
Their Arms, was Fair Parthenop[…]e, a Town
Not Wealthy; but for Strength of some Renown:
But the convenient Port the General, who
Sought to secure the Ocean, thither drew;
That Ships from Carthage, there, might safe arrive.
The Citizens did then in Pleasure live,
And entertain'd, in Peace, the Muses, free
From weight of Cares: Siren Parthenopé,
From Achelôus sprang, whose Musick long
Reign'd in those Seas, when Her delightful Song
Destroy'd the Mariners, that near Her came,
Left, to those Walls, Her memorable Name.
Assaulting this behinde, (for by the Sea
The Front was Safe) the Libyan no way
With all his Strength could force. Inglorious in
The loss of that Design, He doth begin,
With Rams, to Batter the obstructed Gates:
And there, that Conquerour, that ev'n the Fates
At Cannae had Subdu'd, did stand, in Vain,
Before a Graecian Bulwark: and again
A cautious Resolution doth approve
By that Event; for that He did not move,
After the Daunian Field (that sadly swum
In Trojan Blood) unto the Walls of Rome.
Now You, that call me Idle, and that say,
I know not how, to give the Fates their Way;
For that I would not suffer you to Climbe
(Said He) the Walls of Rome, ev'n at a Time
When you had newly Fough[…] […] now enter, and
Within these Houses, which a Graecian Band
Onely defends, give Us that Festival,
Which once you Promis'd, in the Capitol.
While thus He them upbraids: incens'd with Shame
(Should He desert the place) of future Fame,
He ev'ry thing attempts, and eager Whets
Their Swords, with his accustomed Deceits.
But sudden Flames upon the Walls, and through
The Air, at ev'ry Breach, swift Weapons flew.
As, when an Eagle hides upon an High
Imperious Rock her Yong, if silently
A Serpent thither crawl, and gaping wide,
By his Approach, her Brood is terrifi'd,
She with her Bill, and Talons (wont to bear
The Arms of Iove) still Watchfull, ev'ry where,
Resists her Enemy, and flies about
The Circle of her Nest, to keep him out.
Weary, at length, to Cuma's Port He took
His Way, by various Motion to provoke
Fortune, and wave that Blow to His Renown.
But Gracchus, then Commander of the Town,
Was its Defence, and forc'd Him to retreat
Ev'n from the Walls, not suff'ring Him to set
Before the Gates, or hope for Entrance there.
Then, mounted on a nimble Steed, Despair
Seising His Minde, He views, and searcheth all,
And thus again doth on His Souldiers call,
With Arguments of Praise: Good Gods! (said He)
What Period (Friends) what Measure shall We see
Of Standing, thus, at Grecian Towns, while none
Of You remember, what You once have done?
Is it because a greater Bulk doth stand
Before You, then the Alps? and I command,
That You should climb again those Rocks, that strike
At Heav'n? Should We another Land, that's like
To that now finde, where sudden Rocks, and Snow
Invade the very Stars, would You not go;
And boldly Arms, where're I lead You, bear?
These Walls (Alass!) and Cuman Rampires, here,
Despairing Gracchus hold, I who, perceive,
Ev'n in the least of Danger, dare not leave
Those Ports: but shall the World then think what You
Have gain'd by Toils, you did by Chance subdue?
I, by those Gods, that at the Tyrrhen Lake
Propitious were, entreat; for Trebia's sake,
And by Sagunthus Dust, Your selves now shew
Worthy Your present Fame, and Cannae to
Your Thoughts recall. As thus He sought to raise,
And fix with Words, their Minds, with wanton Ease
Made dull, and through Prosperity decay'd;
And, as he there the Avenues survai'd,
A shining Temple, on the Top of all
The Tower He spy'd, whose fam'd Original
Thus, Capua's cruel Captain, Virius told.
In this Our Age, that Fabrick You behold,
Was not (said He) erected, greater Hands
Built it: when Daedalus liv'd in the Lands
Of the Dictaean King (thus Fame doth say)
To quit the Earth, by flying, He the Way
First found; none else, in all the World, did dare,
On borrow'd Wings, himself into the Air
To lift, and shew men how to fly. But He,
His floating Body poising equally
Amidst the Clouds, soon mounted out of Sight;
Like a strange Bird, affrighting in His Flight
The very Gods. His Son likewise assumes,
By his Advice, the Shape of borrow'd Plumes,
To try the waies of Birds. But Him again
He fal'n beheld, beating the troubled Main
With his unhappy Wings, and broken Oars
Of Quills; and, as Indulgent, he deplores
His sudden Fate, moving his Hands unto
His Breast, unmindefull whither He would go,
Sorrow his Flight delay'd: but, to appear
Gratefull for his Cloud-wandring Passage, there
To Phoebus he first built that Holy Fane;
And lai'd aside his daring Wings again.
This Virius. But Hannibal each Day
Pass'd without Action Numbers, of that Stay,
And cross asham'd he Sighs, and Quits the Town,
Resolv'd to satiate his Grief upon
The Dicarchaean City: but ev'n there
The Sea, and Industry of those, that were
Within, and lofty Walls, repell his Rage.
And, while a Tedious Labour doth engage
His Army, there to force a Passage, through
The rough obstructed ways, He takes a view
Of the Mirac'lous Pools, and Soil not far
From thence. The Chief of Capua present are;
And one among the rest begins to show,
Whence the warm Baiae were so call'd, and how
One of the Fam'd Dulichian Ship, which came
Upon that Coast, left to that Pool his Name.
Another tells, the Lucrine Lake of old
Was call'd Cocytus; and commends the Bold
Adventure of Alcides, 'midst the Sea,
When He disperst its Waves, and brought away[…]
Th' Iberian Heard: how Styx its Antient Name
Had to Avernus chang'd, of greatest Fame
Among those Silent Lakes: then the Dark Face
Of Groves, and Shadows, that invest the Place.
Fatal to Birds, it breaths, into the Air,
A dire Contagion, and is ev'ry where
Renown'd, for Stygian Worship. Near to this,
(As Fame reports) a Dreadful Pool there is,
Which leads to Acheron, and, op'ning wide
With a Deep Gulf, divides, on either Side,
The gaping Earth, and sometimes doth affright
The Ghosts below with unexpected Light.
Not far from this, the Place all Dark, they tell,
Where the Cymmerian People long did dwell,
In a Tartarean City, under Ground,
Press'd with Infernal Clouds, and Night profound.
At length, they shew those Famous Fields, that Fire,
Sulphur, and boiling Brimstone still expire.
From the parch'd Entrails of the Groaning Earth
Black Vapours break, like Waves, and, at their Birth,
Into the Air cast Stygian Blasts, that from
The trembling Caves, with dreadful Murmurs, come.
And as, sometimes, the Fire beats round about
Those hollow Rooms, and Labours to get out,
It sadly Bellows, with a threatning Sound,
And tears the mangled Entrails of the Ground,
Destroys the shaking Mountains, eaten through
With Flames. The Gyants there (if Fame say true)
Subdu'd by Hercules, the Earth that's cast
Upon them shake, and, often breathing, Blast
The Fields, and, when they Threaten to prevail,
And break their Chains, the very Heav'ns grow Pale.
There cruel Mimas Prison; Prochyté
Appears: and, farther off, Inarimé;
Which, with Black Storms, fuming Iapetus down
Doth press. While frequent sulph'rous Flames are thrown
From his Rebellious Mouth, and, if he should
At any time get loose, again He would
Against the Gods, and Iove, the War renew.
Not far from these Vesuvian Cliffs they shew,
And on the Top the Rocks, devoured still
By Flames, with Ruins, round the broken Hill,
And Stones, that equal Aetna's Fates: and there
He sees Misenus, in his Sepulcher,
Keeping his Trojan Name, and on the Shore
Th' Herculean Bauli. Thus doth he explore.
With Wounder, both the threatnings of the Sea,
And Labours of the Land. These seen, away
To th' Pherecyades high Walls he hasts,
And the Nysaean Top of Gaurus wasts,
Fertil[…] in Gen'rous Vines. From thence amain
His Troops he leads to Nola; (in a Plain
Nola is scituate, encompass'd round
With num'rous Tow'rs, guarding the Level Ground
With a deep Trench) but there Marcellus, who
Assum'd not Arms to be protected so
By Tow'rs, who would have Valour onely made
Their Wall's Defence, brought them both Strength, and Aid.
He, when far off the Libyan Fleet he spy'd,
Which thither Steer'd, and tow'rds the Walls apply'd
The Flow'r of all their Force; To Arms, said He;
The cruel Fo draws near. And instantlie,
Exclaiming thus, his Arms he takes in Hand;
And strait the eager Youth about him stand,
And in a Rage (as Custom was) put on
Their bloudy Casks. Then, running up and down,
The Troops he orders thus; Nero, by Thee
That Port, on the Right-Hand, shall guarded be:
Thou Tullus, who the Volsci's Glory art,
Thy Larinantian Ensigns shalt divert,
And Country Cohorts, to the Le[…]t; and, when
I give the Word, with sudden Fury then,
And Silence, force the Gates, and pour into
The Fields your Show'rs of Darts against the Fo;
Into the Midst of them I'le charge, and force
From th' open Gates the Skirmish of their Horse.
As thus Marcellus spoke, the Libyans strove
The Bars, and Pallisadoes, to remove,
And the despised Walls to scale. Then, round
The Town, the Trumpets, and shrill Cornets sound,
With Shouts of Men, hoarse Horns, and clashing Arms
Against their furious Limbs. With these Alarms
The Elephants advance, incited by
The Darts upon them thrown: and suddenly,
Like a rude Storm, the Troops of Horse came on,
And charg'd. As when, the Banks, & Locks, o'rethrown,
Unruly Rivers Inundations make:
Or, driv'n by Boreas, foaming Billows break
Against the Rocks: Or, an Eruption made
From their dark Prisons, Winds the Land invade
Nor with that dreadfull Sight of Arms, and Men,
Could Libya hope to gain the Place. For then,
On's frighted Steed, the Dardan General
Advanc'd, and at their flying Backs, withall
His Fury, press'd His Lance: invoking thus
His Friends; The Gods, and Time, now favour Us.
Go on, this leads to Capua's Walls. And then,
Turning upon the Enemy agen;
Stay, whither haste Ye[…] I do not (said He)
Upbraid thy flying Men, but rather Thee,
Perfidious Hannibal; for in our Hands
The War, this present Field, and Army stands:
I'le quit Thy Troops from Slaughter, let Them see
A single Combate between Thee, and Me.
Marcellus this demands! This said, the Fame,
And Value, of the Danger did enflame
Him with the Libyan to begin the Fight.
But this to Iuno was no pleasing Sight;
Who Him diverted, hasting to His Fall,
From what He then design'd: while Hannibal
Strives all He can to Rally, and to Stay
His frighted Troops. Such then from Capua,
And from those fatal Mansions, do We come?
(Said He) Oh stand, ye Wretches; You, whose Summ
Of Glory, is Dishonour! Credit Me,
No Place will Faithfull prove to You, that flee:
You have deserv'd, that all Ausonia now
Should rise against You; and it is from You,
You, that with so great Terrour routed are,
That all may both of Peace, and Life despair.
His Voice suppress'd the Trumpet's Sound; and, though
Obstructed, through their Ears, his Clamours go.
In Graecian Arms young Pedianus stood,
Most fierce in Fight, and from that Trojan Blood
Himself derived, that from Antenor came.
Nor less, then His Original, in Fame
Was He, Sacred Timavus Glory, and
A Name belov'd in the Euganëan Land.
To Him, nor Father Po, nor those, that boast
Their Aponus, nor the Venetian Coast
Could any Equal finde. Whether he fought,
Or in a studious Life the Muses sought,
Or turn'd Aönian Ditties with his Quill,
Not any was more famous for His Skill:
As He, in full Career, did close pursue
The Libyans at their Backs; and, near them, knew
The Cask, and Noble Spoils, of Paulus slain,
Worn by young Cinyps, who rejoyc'd (in vain)
In that great Favour of his General.
This Cinyps was belov'd by Hannibal:
None was, then He, more Beautifull in Face,
None in the Fore-Head had a greater Grace;
So shines that Ivory, that, in the Air
Of Tibur bred, Time never can impair;
Or Gems of the Red-Sea, which in the Ear,
For Whiteness of admired Price, We wear.
Him Glorious in His Helmet, and His Crest
Well known, in the last Rank, among the Lest,
When Pedianus spy'd, and to His Eys
Paulus, from Shades below, appear'd to rise,
Gnashing his Teeth, he charg'd him; Must (said He)
The Trophies of that Sacred Head by Thee
Be worn; which not, without the Crime of all
The Gods, and Envy, ev'n your General
Could wear? See Paulus! (and, with that, upon
The Ghost of Paulus calls to see it done)
And, as he fled, his Lance, with all his Force,
Thrusts in his Side; then, lighting from his Horse,
Tears off the Cask, and Trophies of the Great
Consul, with his Right-Hand, and, while he yet
Could see, despoils him of his Honour: all
His Beauty is dissolved in his Fall.
And strait a Stygian Colour over-casts
His Snow[…]white Limbs, and all the Glory blasts
Of His admired Form; His Amber Hair
Disorder'd falls; His limber Neck can bear
No more its former Weight; but, as opprest,
Sinks with His Head into His Milky Breast.
So, when then Cythereian Star again
Rising, refresh'd, from the Eöan Main,
Himself to Venus boasts, if Clouds invade
His Face, the Lustre of his Beams will fade,
And soon, decreasing in that Mask of Night,
Retires his languishing, and fainting Light.
Ev'n Pedianus, as he takes in Hand
His Helmet, at his naked Face doth stand
Amaz'd, and checks his Rage, and then away
Bearing, with Shouts, unto his Friends his Prey,
He Spurs his furious Steed; which Stains with Gore,
From his fierce Mouth, the frothy Rems he wore.
But, then Marcellus, fierce in Arms, came on,
And meeting Him, the Honour He had won
Thus gratulates. Go, Antenorides,
Go on; and by such valiant Acts, as these,
Surpass thy Ancestours[…] it now (said He)
Remains, the Spoils of Hannibal should be
Our Prize. Then, fir'd with Rage, his fatal Lance,
With dreadfull Noise, he threw; nor had, perchance,
His Wish been vain, had not the Obvious Force
Of Gestar with his Body stop'd the Course
O'th' flying Shaft: for, while He, fighting near
At Hand, defends his General, the Spear,
Not aim'd at Him, past through Him, ending all
His mighty Threatnings in His changed Fall.
With that the General, with Speed, withdrew,
Struck with the Danger of his Death, and to
The Camp retir'd. Then, with a Headlong Rout,
The Libyan Army turn'd their Arms about,
And all contend, who shall most Speedy fly:
Their Enemies Pursue, and satisfie
The long-contracted Anger of their Woes;
While ev'ry Man with Emulation shows
To the Revenging Gods, and Heav'n, His Sword,
All stain'd with Blood. That Day did first afford
That, which ev'n from the Gods none durst believe
Before; that it was possible to give
A Stand to Hannibal in Fight: but then
They took His Chariots, Eleph[…]nts, and Men,
And strip'd the Living; and, thus joy'd to see,
That Hannibal did from the Slaughter flee,
Return. Marcellus to the God of War,
In Honour, is compar'd; and Greater, far,
In Triumph march'd, then when He once did bring
Opimous Spoils to the Tarpeian King.
But, when the Libyan Prince, with much ado,
Had from His Trenches forc'd the Conqu'ring Fo;
When, and with how much Hostile Blood, shall I
Wipe off this Stain? Ausonia saw Me fly.
Oh Iove! (said He) dost thou conclude, that I
Am worthy, after Trebia, thus to dy?
And You, My long-unconquer'd Troops! who are
(Alass!) now Vanquished without a War
By Capua's Wealth; I, not degenerate
From former Acts, have seen You turn of late
Your Conqu'ring Ensigns from the Latines, and
Shew'd them Your Backs: and, when I call'd to stand,
And fight, from Me You fled, Affrighted, all,
As if from the Italian General.
What then o'th' antient War remains (said He)
In You, who can, when I recall You, flee?
Thus Hannibal, while, with loud Shouts, their Prey
The Romane Troops to Nola bear away.
But Rome, which had been long inur'd to hear
The sad Disasters of their Friends, and ne're
Enjoy'd Success, the joyfull Tidings brought
At Length, how Happily they then had fought,
With that great Favour of the Gods erects
Her drooping Head, and Courage recollects.
But, first, those Coward Youths, that slowly to
The War were drawn; and, while it rag'd, withdrew,
And hid themselves from Danger, punish'd be
For their Concealment. Then with Infamy
They Mark all those, that, through a fond Desire
Of Life, had Arts invented to retire;
Or, in a League with Hannibal had bin
Involv'd: and purge the Nation from that Sin.
That fatal Counsel's punish'd, and Thy Crime
(Metellus) who consulted in a Time
Of Danger to desert Thy Native Land.
Such then the Hearts of Men: the Women stand
Resolv'd to equal them, and to require
A Share in Glory. Then their Antique Tire,
And Gems, which did their Heads, and Hands adorn,
And Carkanets, that from their Necks were torn,
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The joyfull Matrons bring, and to the War
With Emulation Sacrifice; nor are
The Men unwilling, they should share so great
A Lot of Praise, and, to perpetuate
That Act, rejoice to give them Place. Next whom
A Noble Troop of Senatours doth come,
And all into the Publick Treasure heap
Their private Riches: none desire to keep
A secret Stock, in Store, for better Days:
But, ev'n the Vulgar strive the Banks to raise,
And with the Spoils of their poor Lares come.
Thus all her Limbs, and Her whole Body, Rome
At once employing, rais'd again to Heav'n
Her Bloodless Face: besides the Answer giv'n
At Cyrrha adds new Hopes, and seems t' allay
Their Woes; the Messengers reporting, they
Had joyfull Tidings heard, when from the Den
A Sacred Voice, like Thunder, broke, and when,
Inspir'd by Phoebus, the Prophetick Maid
This bellow'd out; Let all your Fears be lai'd
Aside, fair Venus Race! Whate're remain'd
Of Misery, in your sad War sustain'd,
Exhausted is: Light Labours are behinde,
And, without Dangers, Fears: be still inclin'd
To Pray'rs, and to the Gods Devotions pay;
Warm Sacrifices on their Altars lay:
Nor yield to Misery; for Mars will you
Assist, and the (p) Cyrrhaean Prophet (who
Was ever prompt to ease the Trojans Woes)
Will all those Ills, that threaten you, oppose;
But let an hundred Altars, first of all,
Be Crow'nd with Fire, as many Victimes fall
To Iove; He this dire Cloud, and Storms of War
Shall, Violent, to Libya drive. From far
Your selves shall see Him shaking, for the Fight,
His Aegis, which shall all the World affright.
When this, at Cyrrha sung, they did Proclaim,
And to the People's Ears Apollo came,
Up to the Capitol they flock amain,
There, prostrate to the God, the Holy Fane
With Blood they Honour, Paeans sing, and Iove
Entreat, the Answer may Authentick prove.
In the mean time, Torquatus, old in Arms,
Sardinia, with his Countrey's Force, Alarms:
For there (his Name from Trojan Blood deriv'd)
Hapsagoras unto the War, reviv'd,
The Tyrians call'd: brave Oscus was His Son,
Worthy a better Father, who, upon
His forward Youth relying, train'd His Young,
And tender Years (as Custom was among
Those Barb'rous Nations) in Arms. When He
Torquatus saw Advancing, furiously,
With hasty Ensigns, greedy to begin
The Fight; strait fallying forth, experienc'd in
Th' Advantage of the Place, a nearer Way
He takes, and, where thick Forests did display
Their shady Heads, through devious Paths, He flies,
And, in an hidden Vale, in Ambush lies.
The Isle, Man's Foot resembling, by the Sea
Encompass'd, and assaulted ev'ry Way
By Billows, and by Waves compress'd, contains
Vast Tracts of Land: at first the Graecian Swains
Call'd it Ichnusa; But, soon after these
(Boasting His Blood from Libyan Hercules)
From Himself, Sardus on the Land His Name
Impos'd; the Teucri likewise thither came,
And, there dispers'd through all the Sea, when Troy
Was overthrown, did forc'd Abodes enjoy.
Then likewise, Iölaus, to the Land
No little Fame didst add; when with a Band
Of Thespians, in thy Father's Navy, there
Thou didst arrive. 'Tis said, when Cynthia Fair
Was by Actaeon in the Fountain seen,
And, all his Members torn, his Crime had been
Sadly Reveng'd, affrighted at his strange
Unusual Fate, and his prodigious Change,
His Father Aristaeus fled by Sea,
And to Sardinia came: they tell the Way
Unto that Coast, to Him before unknown,
Was by His Mother fam'd Cyrene shown.
The Countrey is from Serpents free, and void
Of Poison; but with Bogs, and Fens annoy'd,
The Air 's unwholsom; where it looks upon
Th' Italian Shore, with Rocks, and Hills of Stone,
It breaks the sparkling Waves. Within, the Plains
With sultry South-Winds, when hot Cancer reigns,
Are Pale, and too much parch'd; but all the rest
Is Fertile, and with Ceres Favours blest.
Through this rude Tract of Land, & Pathless Groves,
The Fo, Torquatus oft deluding, moves,
And in Expectance of Iberian Aid,
And Tyrian Weapons, for the Battel stay'd.
At Length, the Fleet arriving, and his Men
Encourag'd more, without Delay, agen
He from his Covert leaps: and then at large
The adverse Troops drew out, and seem to charge,
And joyn, though Distant; and no Space between,
For hasty Darts, at Distance could be see:
Till, trustier Weapons, their try'd Swords they drew,
And then a cruel Slaughter doth ensue.
They kill, and fall alternately, and, on
Their fatal Points, descend to Acheron.
I cannot hope their num'rous Slaughters, and
So many horrid Acts, for a Command
So High, so Great, to utter, as I ought,
Or equal with my Words their Rage, that fought.
But Thou, Calliope, my Labours bless;
That, to Eternity, I may express
Our Poët's Noble Deeds, but little known
As yet, and Consecrate His due Renown!
Ennius, of King Mesâpus antient Line,
Who to the Honour of the Latine Vine
Did, by His Valour, add, led the Forlorn
To fight, sent thither from Calabria; born
Among the antient Rudiae, now known
In His surviving Memory alone.
He (as, of old, the Thracian Singer, who,
When Cizycus with War shook Argos, threw
His Rhodopeian Darts, when He had lai'd
His Quill aside) with no small Slaughter made
Himself to be observ'd, when first he Charg'd,
And from the Slaughters of his Hand enlarg'd
His Fury. Oscus hoping, if that Stain
He wip'd away, Immortal Praise to gain,
Upon Him flies; and at Him throws his Spear,
With all His Force: Apollo, sitting near
Within a Cloud, derides what He design'd,
And, driving far the Shaft into the Winde,
Fond Youth (said He) Alass! Thou dost aspire
Loo high, to let His Spoils be thy Desire:
He's Sacred, and the Muses greatest Care,
A Poët worthy Phoebus; who shall dare
The first, in Noble Verse, Italian Wars
To sing, and raise their Captains to the Stars:
He Helicon, with His Immortal Lays,
Shall make to Eccho; nor shall He in Praise,
Or Fame, unto the Old Ascraean yield.
Thus Phoebus; and through Oscus Temples thrill'd
A swift Revenging Dart: his sudden Fall
Makes the whole Army face about, and all
The Troops, affrighted, through the Champagn fled.
The Father, hearing that his Son was dead,
Groaning with Rage, pierc'd his own panting Breast,
And to the Shades below his Foot-steps prest.
But, Hannibal in Fight thus broken, and
Crush'd by Marcellus, wasts the Neighb'ring Land,
And turns His unjust Arms upon the Poor
Acerrae; which to Fire, and Sword, giv'n o're,
With no less Rage He on Neuceria falls,
And levels with the Ground her stately Walls.
Next, Casilinum's Gates, that long had bin
Stoutly defended by their Arms within,
By Fraud with much ado he gain'd, and sold
Unto the starv'd Besieg'd their Lives for Gold.
And then into the Daunian Fields He falls,
And, to what Place soe're His Malice calls,
Or Plunder doth invite, His Fury turns.
Then, smoaking in Her Fall, Petilia burns,
Unhappy in her Faith, the next to sad
Sagunthus Fate, and Proud, that once She had
Alcides Quiver kept. To th' Libyan Side
Tarentum, after this, her self apply'd,
And gave them Entrance; but a Latine Band,
Relying on the Place's Strength, remain'd
A strong Reserve within the Cittadel.
Here he remov'd his Navy (strange to tell)
That ready Rigg'd within the Harbour lay;
For, at two narrow Mouths, the crouded Sea
Breaks out between two Rocks, and, with a Large
Recess, a secret Ocean doth discharge
Into the Plains: But He the Ships (that there
Block'd up, by th' Arcenal Commanded were)
By Stratagem, recover'd from the Sea's
Embrace, another Way by Land conveys.
First slipp'ry Planks on ev'ry Oaken Wain
Were lai'd, and Hides of Oxen newly slain:
The nimbly-turning Wheels, through Meadows, drew
Their Load, and then o're lofty Hills, and through
Thick Groves, the Fleet arriv'd, upon the Shore,
And swum, brought to the Sea, without the Oar.
But Fame (the Navy by no usual Way
Transported) Him, that terrifi'd the Sea,
Now fills with frequent Cares (while He pursu'd
The War far off, and hop'd to have subdu'd
Th' Oëbalian Race) that Capua was then
On ev'ry Side besieg'd, the Bars agen
O'th' Gates forc'd open, and quite overthrown,
And the whole War upon that Wretched Town
Was turn'd. Enrag'd, He quits that Enterprize;
And, Shame, and Anger, Wings affording, flies
The next Way thither, with prodigious Haste,
And Threatning, to the Fight, desired, past.
So, of her Young depriv'd, a Tigress flies
From Covert, and with Rage-inflamed Eys
Explores all Caucasus, and in few Hours,
With the like Speed, o're Ganges Borders scours;
Till in her Course, their Tract She apprehend,
And on her Fo, surpriz'd, her Fury spend.
Him, in his March, Centenius (rashly prone
To all Attempts, and Dangers) falls upon
With sudden scatter'd Troops, but yet with small
Honour to the Sidonian General:
For, Rich in Latine Vines, the Pesants He
Had round about Him rais'd, and suddenly
An half-Arm'd Band oppos'd against the Fo.
Twice sev'n were slain, and still they forward go:
Then twice sev'n thousand Fulvius (then He
No more expert, but of a Family
Renown'd in Arms) all well Appointed led:
But He still over Heaps of scatter'd Dead,
A Conquerour, goes on, and cuts his Way
Through all; nor in his March admits Delay.
But the Ambitious vain Desires to raise
Unto Himself the empty Name, and Praise,
Of a Brave, Gen'rous Minde, upon Him call
To solemnize a joyfull Funeral.
For, while a Parley Gracchus did demand,
And the perfidious Promise entertain'd
Of the Lucanian People, (Sad to tell)
By His Host's Treachery, surpriz'd, He fell;
And Hannibal with Greediness assum'd
The wish'd-for Praise, to see His Corps entomb'd.
But, soon as it was known, that, with such Haste,
To the Campanian Walls the Libyan past,
Affairs no where stand still. Both Consuls take
The Field with Speed. Nola, and Arpis make
What Strength they can; Young Fabius, among
The Rest, His hasty Forces brings along.
There Nero, here Syllanus, Day, and Night
Their Cohorts speed to the desired Fight,
And from all Quarters come; resolving all
Their Gen'rals to oppose 'gainst Hannibal
Alone. While, nearer to Tifata, He
Advances, where the Hill's Vicinity
Press'd on the Neighb'ring Walls; and, looking down
From that near Height, survays the lower Town.
But, when such numbers of Allies He found,
Which with their Arms the Gates encompass'd round,
That Entrance was deny'd to Him alone,
And that they could not sally from the Town,
Doubtfull of the Event, sometime He thought
Through all, that then oppos'd Him, to have fought
A Passage with His Sword; and then declin'd
Again whate're before He had design'd;
And seeks those Myriads by Policy
To draw from the besieged Gates, and free
Th' inclosed Walls. Thus therefore His resolves
He with Himself debates, and Cares revolves.
Oh! whither tend My troubled Thoughts? Shall I
In this unequal Place new Dangers try,
And Capua see Me fly? Or sitting still,
Upon the Top of this adjoyning Hill,
Shall I endure this Town of My Allies
To be destroy'd, and fall before mine Eys?
Such Me nor Fabius, nor Minutius found,
When I escap'd from Hills encompass'd round
With armed Troops: With Victory, compell'd
The affrighted Herd to scatter, through the Field,
Flames from their burning Horns, wheree're they run.
Nor yet are all My Arts, and Projects done:
If Capua cannot now defended be
By Us, yet Rome may be Besieg'd. When He
Had thus His Resolution fix'd, before
The Sun had rais'd from the Eöan Shore
His Horses, breathing Day, both with His Hand,
And Voice, He draws His Troops together, and
Declares His high Design. Go on (said He)
My Souldiers, let all Difficulties be
Surmounted by Your Valour, and (as fast,
As You can March away) now boldly haste;
To Rome You go: this March the Alps to You,
This Cannae did decree. Go, and into
Th' Ilîack Walls your Targets drive, and there
Retalliate Capua's Ruins, which so dear
Shall cost, that you shall see high Tow'rs, and Iove
From his Tarpeian Temple to remove[…]:
Instructed thus, away the Army hies:
Rome in their Ears, Rome onely in their Eys
Is fix'd; and they believe the Diligence
Of Hannibal that Action did commence
More aptly, then had He conducted them
From the Aetolian fatal Field. The Stream
Of swift Vulturnus overpast, the Rear,
To stop th' Italians, that behinde them were,
Burn all their Boats; and then, with nimble Bands,
March over all the Sidicinian Lands,
And Thracian Cales, that its antient Name
Did from thy Son (fair Orithya claim:
Then Alifanus, that great Plenty yields
Of Bacchus Fruits, and the Casinian Fields,
Inhabited by Nymphs; and straitway, near
To those, Aquinas, and Fregellae, where
The smoaking Giant buried lies, in Haste
They over-run: Then, with like Speed, they past
O're lofty Hills, where Warlike Frusino
Sticks on hard Rocks, and where Anagnia too
Hangs on a rising Hill, and Plenty yields
Of Corn. At length, into Labîcus Fields,
And Plains, He enters, and those Walls declines,
Batter'd by Telegon. His high Designs,
Admit no Stop: nor pleasant Algida,
Nor yet Gabinian Iuno's Tow'rs can stay
His March; but on, like a rude Storm, He goes
To those low Banks, where Anyo gently Flows
With sulph'rous Waters, and, with Silence, to
Old Tiber's Arms. When here the Line He drew
Of's Camp, and set His Standard up, and shook
The Banks with 's Cavalry; first, Ilia, strook
With Fear, flies to her Husband's Sacred Cave,
And all the frighted Nymphs the Waters leave.
But the Italian Dames, as if they had
No Walls at all, Affrighted run, like Mad,
About the Streets; and, figur'd by their Fear,
Those wounded Ghosts before their Eys appear,
That at sad Trebia, and Ticinus Stream,
Were slain; brave Paulus, Gracchus, and with them
Flaminius seems to wander up, and down.
The Waies, and all the Passes of the Town
Are throng'd. The Stately Senate troubled to
Behold their Fear, endeavour to subdue
Their sad Distraction with an angry Frown;
Yet Tears sometimes, with Silence, trickle down
Under their Helmets, as they Doubtfull are,
What Fortune threatens, or the Gods prepare.
Through their high tow'rs, the youth dispersed, thought
Affairs were then to such a Period brought,
That 't was enough, for Rome, Her Walls to keep.
But Hannibal, who scarce the whole Night's Sleep
Had to His weary Souldiers granted, rose
Betimes, an Enemy to all Repose,
And thinking whatsoever Time was spent
In Slumber, that so much from Life was rent,
His Radiant Arms puts on, commands His Light
Numidians to break forth: and then, in Sight
Of frighted Rome, with Nimble Coursers, round
About her trembling Bulwarks, with a Sound,
Like Thunder, Rides. Sometimes the sev'ral Ways
The Avenues, and Passes He survays:
Now 'gainst the Barricado'd Gates His Spear
He strikes, and seems delighted with their Fears:
Then, Pleas'd, He to the lofty Hills retires,
And, entring with His Eys the Town, enquires
Of Places, and their Causes: and in that
Survey had taken Time to penetrate
Into all Parts, and ev'ry thing had seen;
Had Fulvius, with a strong Relief, not been
At Hand: nor was the Siege of Capua quite
Relinquish'd; but the Libyan, with the Sight
Of Rome much satisfied in His Desires,
With His insulting Troops, to th' Camp retires.
But, when the Night from Heav'n was chas'd away,
And with the first Appearance of the Day
The Ocean blush'd, and Morn reviv'd again
Their Labours, breaking down the Works, amain
He pours His Forces out, and with a Cry,
As loud as He could make; Oh Souldiers! by
Our many Trophies, and our Hands in Blood
Now Sacred, make (said He) Your Wishes good:
Equal Your own Desires; Attempt, and Dare
As much in Arms, as Rome hath Cause to Fear.
Destroy this Heap, and there is Nought for You
In all the World beside left to subdue:
Nor let the Fame of their Original
From Mars retard You; You that City shall
Now take by Myriads, enter'd long ago
Of Warlike Senones, accustom'd to
Be taken; and, perhaps, amidst their Fears,
Their Senatours in their Triumphal Chairs,
Like their Fore-Fathers, sit, expecting by
Your Hands a Noble Death, resolv'd to dy.
Thus He: but the Oënotrian Youth require
No Language of their General, to fire
Their Thoughts: their Wives, and Children, with their Dear
Parents, that up to Heav'n, lamenting, rear
Their feeble Palms, sufficiently excite
Their Courage; and, presenting to their Sight
Their Babes, ev'n penetrating with their Cry
Their Hearts, their armed Hands with Kisses ply.
On they desire to go, and to oppose
Their Bodies, for their Walls, against their Foes:
Then, on their Friends reflecting, swallow down
Their Tears. But, when the Gates were open thrown,
And the whole Army sallyed forth, a Cry,
Mingled with Pray'rs, and Groans, invades the Sky,
From the high Walls: the Matrons, with their Hair
Dishevel'd, howle, and lay their Bosoms bare.
But, Fulvius, flying out before the rest,
Exclaims, Who knows not, that the Libyans prest,
Through a Necessity, to come before
Our Walls? He flies from Capua's Gates: — As more
He would have said, with horrid Murmurs, from
The broken Clouds, loud Cracks of Thunder come.
For, when the threatning Libyan Father Iove
(As He from Aethiopia did remove)
Beheld approaching near the Romane Walls,
The other Gods he strait together calls,
Commands the Dardan Temples to defend,
And quickly into the sev'n Tow'rs descend.
Himself, high seated on the Capitol,
Musters up all his Forces, summons all
The Winds, and Clouds, with Storms of Hail: then powr's
Thunder, and Lightning down, with Stygian Show'rs.
The Poles with Horrour shake, the Heav'ns are quite
Obscur'd; the Earth is cover'd o're with Night;
The Tempest blinds their Eys; and Rome, though near,
To the approaching Fo doth disappear.
Flames, from the Clouds, upon the Army, thrown,
Continue still their Noise, and hiss upon
Their blasted Limbs: here Notus, Boreas there,
And Africus, with Cloudy Wings appear,
And War with such a Rage, and Fury, move,
As might suffice the Wrath, and Minde of Iove:
Then sudden Cataracts of Water fall,
Mix'd with black Storms, and Blasts, and cover all
The Neighb'ring Champagn with a foaming Flood.
Iove on the Top of all the Mountain stood,
And, as He Thunder poiz'd in his Right-Hand,
It 'gainst the Shield of Hannibal (His Stand
Not yet resolv'd to quit) with Fury throws:
His Lance's Head strait melts, and His Sword flows,
As from the Forge it were but newly ta'ne.
At length, His Arms thus burnt, He doth restrain
His Men, declares the Vanity of all
That secret Fire, that from the Clouds did fall,
And Murmurs intermix'd with Winds: But, then,
After so many Miseries of His Men,
And Ruins, pour'd from Heav'n, the Fo not seen,
Nor Sword in all the Storms, that there had been;
He bids His fainting Army to retire
To Camp, and sadly thus revives His Ire.
Well: to the Winds, and Winter-Storms, Thou now
(Oh Rome) the Safety of one Day dost ow:
But Thee the Morrow's Light shall not defend
From Us; though angry Iove himself descend
To Earth, to guard Thee. And, as this He spoke,
From the clear Heav'ns a sudden Lustre broke,
And all the Clouds dispers'd. The purged Sky
Shin'd out again, the Romanes instantly
Perceiv'd the God, and straitway, laying all
Their Arms aside, to the high Capitol
Erect their humble Hands; and, Pious, round
The Sacred Hill, their joyfull Laurel bound:
And then the chearfull Face of Iove, bedew'd,
Of late, with no small Sweat, thus praying, View'd.
Grant Father Iove (say They) Thou Chief of all
The Gods! O, grant, that Hannibal may fall
By thine own Sacred Shaft, in Fight! for none
Can Him destroy, We fear, but Thou alone.
As thus they pray'd, the Ev'ning 'gan t' invest
The Earth with Shades, and Silence stop'd the rest.
But Night, by Sol dispers'd, as from the Sea
He rais'd his Lamp, and use of Life, with Day,
Restor'd to Mortals, Hannibal agen
Came on: nor did the Romane Youth within
Their Trenches keep. But, when they came as near
To fight, as one might well have thrown a Spear,
Their Swords scarce drawn, the Light of Heav'n began
To fail, thick Darkness suddenly o'reran
The Skies, the new-born Day was put to Flight;
And Iove began again to arm for Fight,
The Winds blew high, and a thick Globe of Show'rs,
By Auster driv[…]n along, grew Hot; Iove pou'rs
His Thunder down, by which he Atlas shakes,
With Taurus, Pindus, Rhodope: the Lakes
Of Erebus it heard, and, buried far
In Darkness, once again Celestial War
Typhaeus saw. Now Notus, whistling loud,
Comes on, and whirling round a pitchy Cloud,
Full fraught with Hail, the Libyan charg'd, in Vain
Struggling, and threatning, and Him forc'd again
Into His Camp: but He no sooner there
Had lai'd His Arms aside; but strait a clear,
And joyfull Face of Heav'n again was shown:
Nor could you think mild Iove his Bolts had thrown,
Or had with Thunder torn the Peacefull Sky.
All this He, vex'd, endures with Constancy,
And oft affirming, the ensuing Day
No more should be against them. Onely they
Their Valour of their Countrey must assume,
And, lest they should believe to ruin Rome
Might prove a Sin, Where was (I pray, said He)
The Thunder of their Conqur'ing Iove, when We
With these our Swords th' Aetolian Champagn strow'd
With Slaughter? when the Tyrrhen Pools o'reflow'd
With Humane Blood. If now the King of Gods
Fights for the Romane Walls, with so much Ods
Of Thunder thrown; Why strikes He not at Me,
Who fight against Him 'midst this Noise? No; We
Most poorly turn Our Backs to Storms, and Winde:
Oh! (pray) resume that Courage, and that Minde,
Which, while as yet the Leagues, and the Decrees
Of Senate were in Force, did prompt Us these
Our Arms to take in Hand. Thus ev'ry Breast
He fires, till Sol his weary Steeds releast.
The following Night could not His Cares allay;
Sleep durst not once approach Him: With the Day
His former Rage returns, and then agen
He summons to the Fight His frighted Men,
And strikes His dreadfull Shield; the Noise, and Storms
Of Heav'n so imitating, with His Arms.
But when He found, that Rome so confident
Was of the Gods, that She Supplies had sent
Unto the Betick Coast, and that by Night
The Troops march'd from the Walls full of Despight,
And Rage, that the Besieg'd such Leisure had,
(As now secure of Hannibal) more Mad
He presseth forward; and Advanceth near
The Walls: when Iuno, almost sick with Care,
Thus Iove with Counsel seeks to qualifie.
Sister (said He) and Wife, most Dear to Me,
When wilt thou check this Tyrian Youth? or when
Wilt thou restrain this furious Man agen?
Let it suffice, Sagunthus to destroy,
To level the high Alps, and to annoy,
And Chains impose upon the Sacred Po […]
And to pollute the Lakes. He's ready now
Into Our Temples, and Our Tow'rs to break.
Stop Him, for you may see (as now We speak)
How He prepares, how He for Fire exclaims,
To imitate Our Thunder with His Flames.
To this Saturnia giving Thanks, through Air
(Much troubled) to the Earth descends, and there
Seising the Youth's Right-Hand; Whither, said She,
Thou Mad-Man, dost Thou run? and, not to be
Maintain'd by Mortals, dost a War pursue?
'Tis Iuno speaks to Thee: (with that She drew
Her Vail of Clouds away, and shew'd her Face)
Thou hast not now with Phrygian Swains (Alass)
Or the Laurentines, to contend: behold!
(For 'Ile remove the Mist awhile, t' unfold
All Things to Thee) observe, and see Thou where
That Hill's high Top ascends into the Air,
(The Palace call'd of the Parrhasian King)
By Phoebus 'tis possess'd; who, menacing,
Prepares his Ecchoing Quiver, and his Bow
For Fight: but where upon the lofty Brow
Of Neighb'ring Hills, the Aventine doth rise,
See! how Diana shakes, before thine Eys,
Her Torches, fir'd from Phlegethon! how She
Hath strip'd her Arms for Fight! Then that way see,
How Mars, in cruel Arms, that Field, that bears
His Name, hath fill'd! there Ianus, furious, Wars;
And here Quirinus: ev'ry Deity
Fights from his Hill; but then observe with me,
How Iove his Aegis, breathing Storms, and Fire
Shakes, and with how great Flames he feeds his Ire:
Or this way turn thy Face, and, if Thou dare,
Behold the Thunderer, what Tempests are
Beneath his Nod! or, when he shakes his Head,
What Thunder falls! what dreadfull Flames are shed
Against Thine Eys! at length, give Way unto
The Gods, nor such Titanian Wars pursue.
This said, the Man, intractable to Peace,
Or Rule, yet wondring at the stormy Face,
And fiery Members of the Gods, with Pain
Away She drew, and Peace to Heav'n again,
And Earth, restor'd. He, looking still behinde,
Retires, and to the Camp, much vex'd in Minde,
Commands His Ensigns strait to march away,
And threatens to return another Day;
When through the Air a clearer Light displaies
It self, and Phoebus gilds the trembling Seas.
But, when the Romanes from the Walls beheld
Far off, that Hannibal had left the Field,
And pull'd His Ensigns up, they, Silent, view
Each other's Face; and, Nodding onely, shew
That, which as yet, through Greatness of their Fear,
They durst not then believe, nor willing were
To think Him gone; but rather, that He then
Practis'd His Punick Frauds, and Arts agen.
In this Suspense each silent Mother stands,
Kissing her Children, till the Punick Bands
Quite vanish'd from their Eys, and, Fear remov'd,
All his suspected Plots but Fancies prov'd.
Then to the Sacred Capitol they throng,
And, mutually imbracing, chant a Song
Of Triumph to Tarpeian Iove: and, there
Adorn the Temple of the Thunderer.
Now all the Gates fly open, ev'rywhere
Those Joys, which they so lately did despair,
The People rush to see: these view the Place,
Where the Sidonian King's Pavilion was,
And where He proudly, from a lofty Throne,
Spoke to his summon'd Troops; those look upon
The Place, where Warlike Astur lay, and where
Fierce Getes, and cruel Hanno Quarter'd were.
This done, their Bodies purg'd in living Springs,
Each Hand its Aid, to build up Altars, brings
To th' Anienian Nymphs; and, Joyfull, then
Hallowing the Wall, return to Rome agen.