s: For we are borne. as all things, to his side.


s: And dost thou doubt, since thou art in my power,


s: Thou art my victim?  By what trust in us


s: Cam'st thou, unhappy?  Scarce our people tills


s: The fields, though softened by the refluent Nile:


s: Know well our strength, and know we can no more.


s: Shalt thou, king, uphold him?  Shalt thou dare


s: War to thy kingdom?  Ere the fight was fought


s: We joined not either army -- shall we now


s: Make Magnus friend whom all the world deserts?


s: And fling a challenge to the conquering chief


s: And all his proud successes?  Fair is help


s: Lent in disaster, yet reserved for those


s: Whom fortune favours.  Faith her friends selects


s: His slaves permit him to so great a deed


s: To give his favouring voice; and for the work


s: With swords embark.  Ye gods!  and shall the Nile


s: And barbarous Memphis and th' effeminate crew


s: Its thoughts to such an enterprise?  Do thus


s: Our fates press on the world?  Is Rome thus fallen


s: That in our civil frays the Phaxian sword


s: Be thus far faithful that the hand which strikes


s: Be of our kindred; and the foreign fiend


s: Held worlds apart!  Pompeius, great in soul,


s: From Caesar's self.  And, king, hast thou no fear


s: And dost thou dare when heaven's high thunder rolls,


s: Thou, puny boy, to mingle with its tones


s: A world by arms, and thrice in triumph scaled


s: The sacred Capitol, and vanquished kings,


s: And championed the Roman Senate's cause;


s: He, kinsman of the victor?  'Twas enough


s: That he was Roman.  Wherefore with thy sword


s: Dost stab our breasts?  Thou know'st not, impious boy,


s: How stand thy fortunes; now no more by right


s: Hast thou the sceptre of the land of Nile;


s: For prostrate, vanquished in the civil wars


s: Magnus with oars approached th' accursed land,


s: When in their little boat the murderous crew


s: A ready welcome, blamed the double tides


s: Broken by shallows, and their scanty beach


s: Unfit for fleets; and bade him to their craft


s: Leaving his loftier ship.  Had not the fates'


s: Called for their victim and decreed his end


s: Now near at hand, his comrades' warning voice


s: Yet might have stayed his course: for if the court


s: To Magnus, who bestowed the Pharian crown,


s: In truth were open, should not king and fleet


s: In pomp have come to greet him?  But he yields:


s: The fates compel.  Welcome to him was death


s: Rather than fear.  But, rushing to the side,


s: His spouse would follow, for she dared not stay,


s: Fearing the guile.  Then he, "Abide, my wife,


s: And son, I pray you; from the shore afar


s: Await my fortunes; mine shall be the life


s: To test their honour."  But Cornelia still


s: Withstood his bidding, and with arms outspread


s: Frenzied she cried: "And whither without me,


s: Cruel, departest?  Thou forbad'st me share


s: Thy risks Thessalian; dost again command


s: That I should part from thee?  No happy star


s: Breaks on our sorrow.  If from every land


s: Thou dost debar me, why didst turn aside


s: Leaning upon the bulwark, dazed with dread;


s: Nor could she turn her straining gaze aside,


s: Nor see her parting husband.  All the fleet


s: Stood silent, anxious, waiting for the end:


s: Not that they feared the murder which befell,


s: But lest their leader might with humble prayer


s: Septimius, salutes him.  Gods of heaven!


s: There stood he, minion to a barbarous king,


s: Fierce, brutal, thirsting as a beast may thirst


s: For carnage.  Didst thou, Fortune, for the sake


s: Of nations, spare to dread Pharsalus field


s: This savage monster's blows?  Or dost thou place


s: Throughout the world, for thy mysterious ends,


s: Thus, to the shame of victors and of gods,


s: This story shall be told in days to come:


s: A Roman swordsman, once within thy ranks,


s: Severed Pompeius' neck.  And what shall be


s: Septimius' fame hereafter?  By what name


s: This deed be called, if Brutus wrought a crime?


s: Now came the end, the latest hour of all:


s: No longer master, and the miscreant crew


s: Unsheathed their swords; which when the chieftain saw


s: He swathed his visage, for he scorned unveiled


s: To yield his life to fortune; closed his eyes


s: And held his breath within him, lest some word,


s: Or sob escaped, might mar the deathless fame


s: His deeds had won.  And when within his side


s: Achillas plunged his blade, nor sound nor cry


s: And proved himself in dying; in his breast


s: These thoughts revolving: "In the years to come


s: Men shall make mention of our Roman toils,


s: Gaze on this boat, ponder the Pharian faith;


s: And think upon thy fame and all the years


s: While fortune smiled: but for the ills of life


s: How thou could'st bear them, this men shall not know


s: Save by thy death.  Then weigh thou not the shame


s: That waits on thine undoing.  Whose strikes,


s: The blow is Caesar's.  Men may tear this frame


s: And cast it mangled to the winds of heaven;


s: Yet have I prospered, nor can all the gods


s: Call back my triumphs.  Life may bring defeat,


s: But death no misery.  If my spouse and son


s: Shall prove their love."  Thus did Pompeius die,


s: "O, husband, whom my wicked self hath slain!


s: That lonely isle apart thy bane hath been


s: And stayed thy coming.  Caesar to the Nile


s: May do such work?  But whosoe'er thou art


s: Sent from the gods with power, for Caesar's ire,


s: Or thine own sake, to slay, thou dost not know


s: Where lies the heart of Magnus.  Haste and do!


s: Such were his prayer -- no other punishment


s: Befits the conquered.  Yet let him ere his end


s: Of all these wars, who sole of Roman wives


s: Followed my spouse afield nor feared the fates;


s: And in disaster, when the kings refused,


s: Received and cherished him.  Did I deserve


s: Thus to be left of thee, and didst thou seek


s: To spare me?  And when rushing on thine end


s: Was I to live?  Without the monarch's help


s: Death shall be mine, either by headlong leap


s: Beneath the waters; or some sailor's hand


s: Shall bind around this neck the fatal cord;


s: Or else some comrade, worthy of his chief,


s: Drive to my heart his blade for Magnus' sake,


s: And claim the service done to Ceasar's arms.


s: What!  does your cruelty withhold my fate?


s: Ah!  still he lives, nor is it mine as yet


s: To win this freedom; they forbid me death,


s: Kept for the victor's triumph."  Thus she spake,


s: While friendly hands upheld her fainting form;


s: And sped the trembling vessel from the shore.


s: Men say that Magnus, when the deadly blows


s: Fell thick upon him, lost nor form divine,


s: Still on his features anger with the gods.


s: Nor death could change his visage -- for in act


s: Of striking, fierce Septimius' murderous hand


s: (Thus making worse his crime) severed the folds


s: That swathed the face, and seized the noble head


s: And drooping neck ere yet was fled the life:


s: Then placed upon the bench; and with his blade


s: Slow at its hideous task, and blows unskilled


s: Hacked through the flesh and brake the knotted bone:


s: For yet man had not learned by swoop of sword


s: Deftly to lop the neck.  Achillas claimed


s: The gory head dissevered.  What!  shalt thou


s: A Roman soldier, while thy blade yet reeks


s: From Magnus' slaughter, play the second part


s: To this base varlet of the Pharian king?


s: Nor bear thyself the bleeding trophy home?


s: Then, that the impious boy (ah!  shameful fate)


s: Might know the features of the hero slain,


s: Seized by the locks, the dread of kings, which waved


s: The head was lifted; while almost the life


s: Gave to the tongue its accents, and the eyes


s: Were yet scarce glazed: that head at whose command


s: Was peace or war, that tongue whose eloquent tones


s: Would move assemblies, and that noble brow


s: On which were showered the rewards of Rome.


s: To prove the murder done.  The perishing flesh,


s: The tissues, and the brain he bids remove


s: Draws tight upon the bone; and poisonous juice


s: Gives to the face its lineaments in death.


s: Last of thy race, thou base degenerate boy,


s: About to perish (20) soon, and yield the throne


s: To thine incestuous sister; while the Prince


s: Now rests, and ashes of the kings are closed


s: Of thine unworthy fathers mark the graves;


s: Shall Magnus' body hither and thither borne


s: Be battered, headless, by the ocean wave?


s: Too much it troubled thee to guard the corse


s: To witness!  Such the faith which Fortune kept


s: Of light to hope for.  Shattered from the height


s: Of power in one short moment to his death!


s: Years of unbroken victories balanced down


s: By one day's carnage!  In his happy time


s: Heaven did not harass him, nor did she spare


s: That dashed him down.  Now beaten by the sands,


s: Torn upon rocks, the sport of ocean's waves


s: Poured through its wounds, his headless carcase lies,


s: Yet ere the victor touched the Pharian sands


s: Some scanty rites to Magnus Fortune gave,


s: Lest he should want all burial.  Pale with fear


s: Came Cordus, hasting from his hiding place;


s: Quaestor, he joined Pompeius on thy shore,


s: A cloud of evils.  Through the darkening shades


s: Love for the dead compelled his trembling steps,


s: And drag to land his master.  Through the clouds


s: The moon shone sadly, and her rays were dim;


s: He holds it, wrestling with the greedy sea,


s: Gains help to bring his burden to the land.


s: Then clinging to the loved remains, the wounds


s: Washed with his tears, thus to the gods he speaks,


s: And misty stars obscure: "Here, Fortune, lies


s: Nor that the smoke rise heavenward from his pyre


s: With eastern odours rich; nor that the necks


s: Their parent; while the forums shall resound


s: With dirges; nor that triumphs won of yore


s: Be borne before him; nor for sorrowing hosts


s: To cast their weapons forth.  Some little shell


s: He begs as for the meanest, laid in which


s: His mutilated corse may reach the flame.


s: Lit by this menial hand.  Is't not enough


s: Nor with a last embrace shall place the torch


s: Beneath her husband dead, but on the deep


s: Deserted of his own, with none to guard:


s: And quickly drawing from beneath the limbs


s: Some glowing logs, "Whoe'er thou art," he said


s: "Neglected shade, uncared for, dear to none,


s: Should violate thy tomb.  Yet if to shades


s: Be sense or memory, gladly shalt thou yield


s: This from thy pyre to Magnus.  'Twere thy shame,


s: Were homeless."  Speaking thus, the wood aflame


s: Back to the headless trunk at speed he bore,


s: Which hanging on the margin of the deep,


s: Almost the sea had won.  In sandy trench


s: The gathered fragments of a broken boat,


s: Trembling, he placed around the noble limbs.


s: Nor was the fire beneath.  Then as he crouched


s: Beside the blaze, "O, greatest chief," he cried,


s: Rather than these poor rites thy shade prefer,


s: Withdraw, Pompeius.  Injuries dealt by fate


s: Command this duty, lest some bird or beast


s: Or ocean monster, or fierce Caesar's wrath


s: Should venture aught upon thee.  Take the fire;


s: All that thou canst; by Roman hand at least


s: Enkindled.  And should Fortune grant return


s: To loved Hesperia's land, not here shall rest


s: Cornelia, from this humble hand received,


s: Shall place them.  Here upon a meagre stone


s: We draw the characters to mark thy tomb.


s: These letters reading may some kindly friend


s: Bring back thine head, dissevered, and may grant


s: Full funeral honours to thine earthly frame."


s: Till Magnus' body mingled with its flames.


s: Had paled the constellations: he in fear


s: Seeks for his hiding place.  Whom dost thou dread,


s: Madman, what punishment for such a crime,


s: For which thy fame by rumour trumpet-tongued


s: Has been sent down to ages?  Praise is thine


s: For this thy work, at impious Caesar's hands;


s: And beg the head dissevered.  But his work


s: Was still unfinished, and with pious hand


s: (Fearing some foe) he seizes on the bones


s: Now half consumed, and sinews; and the wave


s: Pours in upon them, and in shallow trench


s: Commits them to the earth; and lest some breeze


s: Some sailor's anchor might disturb the tomb,


s: A stone he places, and with stick half burned


s: Traces the sacred name: HERE MAGNUS LIES.


s: And art thou, Fortune, pleased that such a spot


s: Should be his tomb which even Caesar's self


s: Had chosen, rather than permit his corse


s: To rest unburied?  Why, with thoughtless hand


s: Confine his shade within the narrow bounds


s: Of this poor sepulchre?  Where the furthest sand


s: Cabined he lies; yet where the Roman name


s: Is known, and Empire, such in truth shall be


s: The boundless measure of his resting-place.


s: Blot out this stone, this proof against the gods!


s: And Nysa's mountain for the Bromian god; (21)


s: For Magnus dead: and shall one Pharian stone


s: Mark his remains?  Yet should no turf disclose


s: His title, peoples of the earth would fear


s: To spurn his ashes, and the sands of Nile


s: No foot would tread.  But if the stone deserves


s: So great a name, then add his mighty deeds:


s: Write Lepidus conquered and the Alpine war,


s: O'erthrown; the chariots which as knight he drove; (22)


s: And Commerce safe to nations; Eastern kings


s: Defeated and the barbarous Northern tribes;


s: Write that from arms he ever sought the robe;


s: Thrice only triumphed he, nor asked his due.


s: Of honours: and the name which men have read


s: And lofty arches built of hostile spoils,


s: On desolate sands here marks his lowly grave


s: With characters uncouth, such as the glance


s: High Cumae's prophetess, when she forbad (23)


s: And all the banks which in the summer-tide


s: Are covered by his flood.  What grievous fate


s: Shall I call down upon thee?  May the Nile


s: Turn back his water to his source, thy fields


s: Want for the winter rain, and all the land


s: Crumble to desert wastes!  We in our fanes


s: Have known thine Isis and thy hideous gods,


s: Half hounds, half human, and the drum that bids


s: To sorrow, and Osiris, whom thy dirge (24)


s: Our dead containest.  Nor, though her temples now


s: Serve a proud master, yet has Rome required


s: Still lies her chief.  But though men feared at first


s: The victor's vengeance, now at length receive


s: Thy Magnus' bones, if still the restless wave


s: Hath not prevailed upon that hated shore.


s: Shall men have fear of tombs and dread to move


s: The dust of those who should be with the gods?


s: O, may my country place the crime on me,


s: Who bears such holy office in his trust! (25)


s: Or burning southern winds, or fires abound


s: And earthquake shocks, and Rome shall pray an end


s: From angry heaven -- by the gods' command,


s: In council given, shalt thou be transferred


s: To thine own city, and the priest shall bear


s: Who now may seek beneath the raging Crab


s: On Nile's broad stream; or whose may exchange


s: Some Eastern merchandise, shall turn in awe


s: Thy grave, Pompeius; and shall worship more


s: Thy shade though exiled, than the fane upreared (26)


s: On Casius' mount to Jove!  In temples shrined


s: Fortune lies with thee in thy lowly tomb


s: Lashed, than are Conquerors' altars.  There in earth


s: More than to gods Tarpeian: and his name


s: Shall shine the brighter in the days to come


s: For that no marble tomb about him stands


s: Time shall soon scatter and the tomb shall fall


s: And all the proofs shall perish of his death.


s: And happier days shall come when men shall gaze


s: Upon the stone, nor yet believe the tale:


s: Than Crete's which boasts the sepulchre of Jove. (27)


s: (3)  Canopus is a star in Argo, invisible in Italy. (Haskins.)


s: (5)  Tetrarch of Galatia.  He was always friendly to Rome, and in


s: (7)  Pompeius seems to have induced the Roman public to believe


s: that he had led his armies to such extreme distances, but he


s: never in fact did so. -- Mommsen, vol. iv. p. 147.


s: (8)  Juba was of supposed collateral descent from Hannibal.


s: (9)  Confusing the Red Sea with the Persian Gulf.


s: (10) Balkh of modern times.  Bactria was one of the kingdoms


s: established by the successors of Alexander the Great.  It


s: was, however, subdued by the Parthians about the middle of


s: (11) Dion could not believe it possible that Pompeius ever


s: contemplated taking refuge in Parthia, but Plutarch states


s: dissuaded him from doing so. ("Pompeius", 76).  Mommsen


s: (vol. iv., pp. 421-423) discusses the subject, and says that


s: from Parthia only could Pompeius have attempted to seek


s: support, and that such an attempt, putting the objections to


s: it aside, would probably have failed.  Lucan's sympathies


s: (12) Probably Lucius Lentulus Crus, who had been Consul, for B.C.


s: (14) Thus rendered by Sir Thomas May, of the Long Parliament:


s: "Men used to sceptres are ashamed of nought:


s: The mildest governement a kingdome finds


s: (15) That is, he reached the most eastern mouth of the Nile


s: (16) At Memphis was the well in which the rise and fall of the


s: water acted as a Nilometer (Mr. Haskins's note).


s: (17) Comp. Herodotus, Book iii. 27.  Apis was a god who appeared


s: at intervals in the shape of a calf with a white mark on his


s: brow.  His appearance was the occasion of general rejoicing.


s: Cambyses slew the Apis which came in his time, and for this


s: (18) That is, by Achoreus, who had just spoken.


s: (19) Compare Ben Jonson's "Sejanus", Act ii., Scene 2: --


s: The prince who shames a tyrant's name to bear


s: All the command of sceptres quite doth perish


s: If it begin religious thoughts to cherish;


s: Whole empires fall, swayed by these nice respects,


s: It is the licence of dark deeds protects


s: E'en states most hated, when no laws resist


s: The sword, but that it acteth what it list."


s: (20) He was drowned in attempting to escape in the battle on the


s: (21) Dionysus.  But this god, though brought up by the nymphs of


s: Mount Nysa, was not supposed to have been buried there.


s: (23) This warning of the Sibyl is also alluded to by Cicero in a


s: letter to P. Lentulus, Proconsul of Cilicia. (Mr. Haskins'


s: note.  See also Mommsen, vol. iv., p. 305.)  It seems to


s: have been discovered in the Sibylline books at the time when


s: it was desired to prevent Pompeius from interfering in the


s: (24) That is, by their weeping for Iris departure they treated


s: him as a mortal and not as a god.  Osiris was the soul of


s: Apis (see on line 537), and when that animal grew old and


s: unfit for the residence of Osiris the latter was thought to


s: quit it.  Then began the weeping. which continued until a


s: new Apis appeared, selected, of course, by Osiris for his


s: dwelling-place.  Then they called out "We have found him,


s: conception of Osiris, and Iris place in the theogony of that


s: nation, see Hegel's "Lectures on the Philosophy of History":


s: (25) It may be noted that the Emperor Hadrian raised a monument


s: on the spot to the memory of Pompeius some sixty years after


s: this was written (Durny's 'History of Rome,' iii., 319).


s: Plutarch states that Cornelia had the remains taken to Rome


s: and interred in a mausoleum.  Lucan, it may be supposed,


s: (26) There was a temple to Jupiter on "Mount Casius old".


s: (27) The legend that Jove was buried in Crete is also mentioned


s: by Cicero: "De Natura Deorum", iii., 21.


s: Yet in those ashes on the Pharian shore,


s: In that small heap of dust, was not confined


s: So great a shade; but from the limbs half burnt


s: And narrow cell sprang forth (1) and sought the sky


s: Where dwells the Thunderer.  Black the space of air


s: Upreaching to the poles that bear on high


s: The constellations in their nightly round;


s: There 'twixt the orbit of the moon and earth


s: Who by their blameless lives and fire of soul


s: That bounds the lower ether: there shall dwell,


s: Nor richest incense, shall suffice to bring


s: The buried dead, in union with the spheres,


s: Pompeius' spirit.  When with heavenly light


s: His soul was filled, first on the wandering stars


s: And fixed orbs he bent his wondering gaze;


s: Then saw what darkness veils our earthly day


s: And scorned the insults heaped upon his corse.


s: Next o'er Emathian plains he winged his flight,


s: And ruthless Caesar's standards, and the fleet


s: Tossed on the deep: in Brutus' blameless breast


s: Tarried awhile, and roused his angered soul


s: To reap the vengeance; last possessed the mind


s: Were poised and balanced, nor the war had given


s: The world its master, hating both the chiefs,


s: Had followed Magnus for the Senate's cause


s: And for his country: since Pharsalia's field


s: Ran red with carnage, now was all his heart


s: Bound to Pompeius.  Rome in him received


s: Her guardian; a people's trembling limbs


s: He cherished with new hope and weapons gave


s: Back to the craven hands that cast them forth.


s: Nor fearing slavery: nor in arms achieved


s: Aught for himself: freedom, since Magnus fell,


s: The aim of all his host.  And lest the foe


s: In rapid course triumphant should collect


s: His scattered bands, he sought Corcyra's gulfs


s: Concealed, and thence in ships unnumbered bore


s: The fragments of the ruin wrought in Thrace.


s: Thronging the sea with keels?  Round Malea's cape


s: And fair Cythera's isle, th' advancing fleet


s: Sweeps o'er the yielding wave, by northern breeze


s: Borne past the Cretan shores.  But Phycus dared


s: Refuse her harbour, and th' avenging hand


s: Left her in ruins.  Thus with gentle airs


s: They glide along the main and reach the shore


s: Claims that her waters pleased thy soul of yore.


s: Or friend or foe they knew not.  Yet they dread


s: In every keel the presence of that chief


s: Their fear-compelling conqueror.  But in truth


s: That navy tears and sorrow bore, and woes


s: Cornelia prayed her stepson and the crew


s: To stay their flight, lest haply from the shore


s: Back to the sea might float the headless corse;


s: And when the flame arising marked the place


s: Of that unhallowed rite, "Fortune, didst thou


s: Judge me unfit," she cried, "to light the pyre


s: The lock to sever, and compose the limbs


s: Tossed by the cruel billows of the deep,


s: To shed a flood of tears upon his wounds,


s: And from the flickering flame to bear away


s: And place within the temples of the gods


s: All that I could, his dust?  That pyre bestows


s: Unburied.  To the greater shame of heaven


s: Pompeius has such funeral.  And shall this


s: Nor shed the tear beside the urn that holds


s: The ashes of the loved?  Yet for my grief


s: Is for the wife who would survive her lord


s: Yon scanty light that glimmers from afar


s: Upon the Pharian shore, somewhat of thee


s: Recalls, Pompeius!  Now the flame sinks down


s: And smoke drifts up across the eastern sky


s: Bearing thine ashes, and the rising wind


s: Sighs hateful in the sail.  To me no more


s: Dearer than this whatever land may yield


s: That carried him in triumph to the hill;


s: Gone is that happy husband from my thoughts;


s: Here let me stay; his presence shall endear


s: The sands of Nile where fell the fatal blow.


s: Thou, Sextus, brave the chances of the war


s: And bear Pompeius' standard through the world.


s: For thus thy father spake within mine ear:


s: 'When sounds my fatal hour let both my sons


s: Urge on the war; nor let some Caesar find


s: Room for an empire, while shall live on earth


s: Still one in whom Pompeius' blood shall run.


s: This your appointed task; all cities strong


s: In freedom of their own, all kingdoms urge


s: Nor shall a chieftain of that famous name


s: Ride on the seas and fail to find a fleet.


s: And mindful of his rights, mine heir shall rouse


s: All nations to the conflict.  One alone,


s: (Should he contend for freedom) may ye serve;


s: Cato, none else!'  Thus have I kept the faith;


s: Thy plot (3) prevailed upon me, and I lived


s: Thy mandate to discharge.  Now through the void


s: Of space, and shades of Hell, if such there be,


s: The punishment of life, which saw thine end


s: And could survive it; sighs shall break my heart,


s: Tears shall dissolve it: sword nor noose I need


s: Nor headlong plunge. 'Twere shameful since thy death,


s: Were aught but grief required to cause my own."


s: She seeks the cabin, veiled, in funeral garb,


s: In tears to find her solace, and to love


s: Grief in her husband's room; no prayers were hers


s: For life, as were the sailors'; nor their shout


s: Roused by the height of peril, moved her soul,


s: Nor angered waves: but sorrowing there she lay,


s: Resigned to death and welcoming the storm.


s: First reached they Cyprus on the foamy brine;


s: Then as the eastern breeze more gently held


s: The favouring deep, they touched the Libyan shore


s: Where stood the camp of Cato.  Sad as one


s: Of patriot comrades.  Swift into the wave


s: He leaps and cries,  "Where, brother, is our sire?


s: Still stands our country mistress of the world,


s: Or are we fallen, Rome with Magnus' death


s: Rapt to the shades?"  Thus he: but Sextus said


s: Hear'st of the deed that chanced on yonder shore!


s: These eyes that saw, my brother, share the guilt.


s: Not Caesar wrought the murder of our sire,


s: Shameful and base, while trusting to the gods


s: Who shield the guest; a king who in that land


s: By his concession ruled: (this the reward


s: For favours erst bestowed). Within my sight


s: Pierced through with wounds our noble father fell:


s: Yet deeming not the petty prince of Nile


s: I thought great Caesar come.  But worse than all,


s: Worse than the wounds which gaped upon his frame


s: Struck me with horror to the inmost heart,


s: Our murdered father's head, shorn from the trunk


s: To feast his eyes, and prove the bloody deed.


s: For whether ravenous birds and Pharian dogs


s: Consumed it, which with stealthy flame arose


s: Upon the shore, I know not.  For the parts


s: The gods: I weep the part preserved by men."


s: Thus Sextus spake: and Cnaeus at the words


s: Flamed into fury for his father's shame.


s: "Sailors, launch forth our navies, by your oars


s: Forced through the deep though wind and sea oppose:


s: Captains, lead on: for civil strife ne'er gave


s: So great a prize; to lay in earth the limbs


s: Of Magnus, and avenge him with the blood


s: Great Alexander's fort, nor sack the shrine


s: And plunge his body in the tideless marsh?


s: And all their ancient Kings, to swim the Nile?


s: Torn from his tomb, that god of all mankind


s: Of sacred Apis; (4) and with these their gods


s: Shall light a furnace, that shall burn the head


s: They held in insult.  Thus their land shall pay


s: The fullest penalty for the shameful deed.


s: No husbandman shall live to till the fields


s: Fallen and perished, shalt possess the land."


s: Such were the words he spake; and soon the fleet


s: Had dared the angry deep: but Cato's voice


s: While praising, calmed the youthful chieftain's rage.


s: Meanwhile, when Magnus' fate was known, the air


s: Sounded with lamentations which the shore


s: That thus a people mourned their ruler's death.


s: Yet more when worn with tears, her pallid cheek


s: Veiled by her loosened tresses, from the ship


s: Cornelia came, they wept and beat the breast.


s: The friendly land once gained, her husband's garb,


s: His arms and spoils, embroidered deep in gold,


s: Thrice worn of old upon the sacred hill (5)


s: She placed upon the flame.  Such were for her


s: The ashes of her spouse: and such the love


s: Which glowed in every heart, that soon the shore


s: Blazed with his obsequies.  Thus at winter-tide


s: By frequent fires th' Apulian herdsman seeks


s: To render to the fields their verdant growth;


s: Till blaze Garganus' uplands and the meads


s: Nought else so gratified, not all the blame


s: For him their hero slain, as these few words


s: From Cato's noble breast instinct with truth:


s: "Gone is a citizen who though no peer (6)


s: Of those who disciplined the state of yore


s: In due submission to the bounds of right,


s: Has played a noble part.  Great was his power,


s: But freedom safe: when all the plebs was prone


s: To be his slaves, he chose the private gown;


s: So that the Senate ruled the Roman state,


s: The Senate's ruler: nought by right of arms


s: Yet from a willing giver: wealth was his


s: Vast, yet the coffers of the State he filled


s: Beyond his own.  He seized upon the sword,


s: Knew when to sheath it; war did he prefer


s: To arts of peace, yet armed loved peace the more.


s: Pleased took he power, pleased he laid it down:


s: Chaste was his home and simple, by his wealth


s: Untarnished.  Mid the peoples great his name


s: He wrought much good.  True faith in liberty


s: Its counterfeit has perished.  Now unshamed


s: Shall seize the despot on Imperial power,


s: Unshamed shall cringe the Senate.  Happy he


s: Who with disaster found his latest breath


s: And met the Pharian sword prepared to slay.


s: Life might have been his lot, in despot rule,


s: Prone at his kinsman's throne.  Best gift of all


s: The knowledge how to die; next, death compelled.


s: More than had Rome resounded with his praise


s: Words such as these gave honour to the shade


s: Broke into discord, as their ancient chief


s: Cilician called them to desert the camp.


s: But Cato hailed them from the furthest beach:


s: "Untamed Cilician, is thy course now set


s: Once more a pirate?"  Thus he spake, and gazed


s: At all the stirring throng; but one whose mind


s: Was fixed on flight, thus answered,  "Pardon, chief,


s: That led us to the fight: his side was ours:


s: With him whom all the world preferred to peace,


s: Our cause is perished.  Let us seek our homes


s: Long since unseen, our children and our wives.


s: If nor the rout nor dread Pharsalia's field


s: Nor yet Pompeius' death shall close the war,


s: Whence comes the end?  The vigour of a life


s: For us is vanished: in our failing years


s: Give us at least some pious hand to speed


s: The parting soul, and light the funeral pyre.


s: Scarce even to its captains civil strife


s: Does Fortune threaten us with the savage yoke


s: Of distant nations.  In the garb of Rome


s: And with her rights, I leave thee.  Who had been


s: My first hereafter: to that sacred shade


s: Be the prime honour.  Chance of war appoints


s: I followed, Magnus; after thee the fates.


s: Of fortune rules the world, and none but he


s: Has power to keep or save.  That civil war


s: Thou, patriot Cato, find'st thy guide, we seek


s: The standards of the Consul."  Thus he spake


s: And with him leaped into the ship a throng


s: For all the shore was stirring with a crowd


s: Athirst for slavery.  But burst these words


s: From Cato's blameless breast: "Then with like vows


s: A lord and master!  not for Rome the fight,


s: Ye fight for tyranny, but for yourselves,


s: Not for some despot chief, ye live and die;


s: Since now 'tis safe to conquer and no lord


s: Shall rob you, victors, of a world subdued --


s: Ye flee the war, and on your abject necks


s: Feel for the absent yoke; nor can endure


s: Were worth the danger.  Magnus might have used


s: With liberty so near, your country's call?


s: Thus far in favour of the laws have wrought


s: The Pharian weapons and the Parthian bow;


s: This gift of Ptolemaeus. (8)  Who would think


s: Your hands were stained with blood?  The foe will deem


s: First turned your backs.  Then flee in safety, flee!


s: Caesar shall give you life!  O slaves most base,


s: Your former master slain, ye seek his heir!


s: Why doth it please you not yet more to earn


s: Than life and pardon?  Bear across the sea


s: Metellus' daughter, Magnus' weeping spouse,


s: And both his sons; outstrip the Pharian gift,


s: Nor spare this head, which, laid before the feet


s: A full reward.  Thus, cowards, shall ye learn


s: In that ye followed me how great your gain.


s: Quick to your task and purchase thus with blood


s: The parting vessels.  So when bees in swarm


s: Desert their waxen cells, forget the hive


s: Ceasing to cling together, and with wings


s: Untrammelled seek the air, nor slothful light


s: On thyme to taste its bitterness -- then rings


s: The Phrygian gong -- at once they pause aloft


s: Through all the flowers for their honey store


s: In ceaseless wanderings search; the shepherd joys,


s: Sure that th' Hyblaean mead for him has kept


s: His cottage store, the riches of his home.


s: Were brought to discipline their minds, untaught


s: To bear repose; first on the sandy shore


s: Toiling they learned fatigue: then stormed thy walls,


s: 'Twas prize enough to conquer.  Juba next


s: He bids attack, though Nature on the path


s: Had placed the Syrtes; which his sturdy heart


s: Aspired to conquer.  Either at the first


s: She left this region neither land nor sea;


s: Not wholly shrunk, so that it should receive


s: The ocean flood; nor firm enough to stand


s: Against its buffets -- all the pathless coast


s: Lies in uncertain shape; the land by earth


s: The seas are broken, and from shoal to shoal


s: The waves advance to sound upon the shore.


s: Nature, in spite, thus left her work undone,


s: Unfashioned to men's use -- Or else of old


s: A foaming ocean filled the wide expanse,


s: His burning fires (near to the zone of heat)


s: Reduced the waters; and the sea still fights


s: With Phoebus' beams, which in the length of time


s: Struck by the oars gave passage to the fleet,


s: Black from the sky rushed down a southern gale


s: Upon his realm, and from the watery plain


s: Drave back th' invading ships, and from the shoals


s: Compelled the billows, and in middle sea


s: Raised up a bank.  Forth flew the bellying sails


s: Beyond the prows, despite the ropes that dared


s: Resist the tempest's fury; and for those


s: Who prescient housed their canvas to the storm,


s: Bare-masted they were driven from their course.


s: Best was their lot who gained the open waves


s: Of ocean; others lightened of their masts


s: Shook off the tempest; but a sweeping tide


s: Hurried them southwards, victor of the gale.


s: Some freed of shallows on a bank were forced


s: Which broke the deep: their ship in part was fast,


s: Part hanging on the sea; their fates in doubt.


s: Fierce rage the waves till hems (9) them in the land;


s: Nor Auster's force in frequent buffets spent


s: Prevails upon the shore.  High from the main


s: Far from the coast arose; there watched in vain


s: The storm-tossed mariners, their keel aground,


s: No shore descrying.  Thus in sea were lost


s: Some portion, but the major part by helm


s: Who knew the devious channels, safe at length


s: Floated the marsh of Triton loved (as saith


s: The fable) by that god, whose sounding shell (10)


s: All seas and shores re-echo; and by her,


s: Pallas, who springing from her father's head


s: First lit on Libya, nearest land to heaven,


s: (As by its heat is proved); here on the brink


s: And called herself Tritonis.  Lethe's flood


s: Flows silent near, in fable from a source


s: Infernal sprung, oblivion in his stream;


s: Where once the sleepless dragon held his watch,


s: Shorn of its leafy wealth.  Shame be on him


s: Of that which in the ancient days befell;


s: But here were golden groves by yellow growth


s: Weighed down in richness, here a maiden band


s: Were guardians; and a serpent, on whose eyes


s: Sleep never fell, was coiled around the trees,


s: Whose branches bowed beneath their ruddy load.


s: But great Alcides stripped the bending boughs,


s: And bore their shining apples (thus his task


s: Accomplished) to the court of Argos' king.


s: Driven on the Libyan realms, more fruitful here,


s: Pompeius (11) stayed the fleet, nor further dared


s: Leaped in his breast, impatient of delay,


s: And trusting to their swords, 'gainst tribes unknown


s: To lead his legions.  And the storm which closed


s: The main to navies gave them hope of rain;


s: Nor biting frosts they feared, in Libyan clime;


s: Nor suns too scorching in the falling year.


s: Thus ere they trod the deserts, Cato spake:


s: "Ye men of Rome, who through mine arms alone


s: Can find the death ye covet, and shall fall


s: With pride unbroken should the fates command,


s: Meet this your weighty task, your high emprise


s: With hearts resolved to conquer.  For we march


s: On sterile wastes, burnt regions of the world;


s: Scarce are the wells, and Titan from the height


s: Burns pitiless, unclouded; and the slime


s: Of poisonous serpents fouls the dusty earth.


s: Yet shall men venture for the love of laws


s: Of trackless Libya; men who brave in soul


s: Will risk their all.  'Tis not in Cato's thoughts


s: Blind to the truth, unwitting of the risk.


s: Nay, give me comrades for the danger's sake,


s: Whom I shall see for honour and for Rome


s: Bear up against the worst.  But whose needs


s: A pledge of safety, to whom life is sweet,


s: Let him by fairer journey seek his lord.


s: First strike the burning sun; across my path


s: Know ye your perils.  Let him only thirst


s: Who sees me at the spring: who sees me seek


s: The shade, alone sink fainting in the heat;


s: Plodding their weary march: such be the lot


s: Of each, who, toiling, finds in me a chief


s: And not a comrade.  Snakes, thirst, burning sand


s: The brave man welcomes, and the patient breast


s: Courage is sweeter; and this Libyan land


s: Such cloud of ills can furnish as might make


s: Men flee unshamed."  'Twas thus that Cato spake,


s: Kindling the torch of valour and the love


s: Of toil: then reckless of his fate he strode


s: The desert path from which was no return:


s: One-third of all the world, (12) if fame we trust,


s: Is Libya; yet by winds and sky she yields


s: Some part to Europe; for the shores of Nile


s: From furthest Gades, where with bending coast,


s: From Afric shores.  Yet falls the larger world


s: Issues the Western wind; but Asia's right


s: Touches the Southern limits and her left


s: The Northern tempest's home; and of the East


s: She's mistress to the rising of the Sun.


s: No wells of water: though the Northern wind,


s: Infrequent, leaving us with skies serene,


s: Falls there in showers.  Not gold nor wealth of brass


s: It yields the seeker: pure and unalloyed


s: Down to its lowest depths is Libyan soil.


s: Were riches, had they known; but they, content,


s: Lived 'neath the shady foliage, till gleamed


s: To bring from furthest limits of the world


s: Our banquet tables and the fruit they bear. (13)


s: Burn all the glebe beside the shifting sands:


s: There die the harvests on the crumbling mould;


s: No root finds sustenance, nor kindly Jove


s: Makes rich the furrow nor matures the vine.


s: Sleep binds all nature and the tract of sand


s: Lies ever fruitless, save that by the shore


s: The hardy Nasamon plucks a scanty grass.


s: Unclothed their race, and living on the woes


s: For spoilers are they of the luckless ships


s: Cast on the shoals: and with the world by wrecks


s: His soldiers passed, in fancy from the winds


s: That sweep the sea secure: here on them fell


s: Smiting with greater strength upon the shore,


s: Than on the ocean, Auster's tempest force,


s: And yet more fraught with mischief: for no crags


s: Repelled his strength, nor lofty mountains tamed


s: He found a bar; but free from reining hand,


s: Raged at his will o'er the defenceless earth.


s: Nor did he mingle dust and clouds of rain


s: In whirling circles, but the earth was swept


s: The Nasamon saw his scanty field and home


s: Reft by the tempest, and the native huts


s: From roof to base were hurried on the blast.


s: Not higher, when some all-devouring flame


s: Has seized upon its prey, in volumes dense


s: Rolls up the smoke, and darkens all the air.


s: Then with fresh might he fell upon the host


s: Of marching Romans, snatching from their feet


s: The sand they trod.  Had Auster been enclosed


s: In some vast cavernous vault with solid walls


s: And mighty barriers, he had moved the world


s: Upon its ancient base and made the lands


s: By not resisting stood, and blasts that whirled


s: The surface upwards left the depths unmoved.


s: Helmet and shield and spear were torn away


s: By his most violent breath, and borne aloft


s: Through all the regions of the boundless sky;


s: Perchance a wonder in some distant land,


s: Where men may fear the weapons from the heaven


s: There falling, as the armour of the gods,


s: Nor deem them ravished from a soldier's arm.


s: Those shields descended which our chosen priests (14)


s: Bear on their shoulders; from some warlike race


s: By tempest rapt, to be the prize of Rome.


s: Fearing the storm prone fell the host to earth


s: Winding their garments tight, and with clenched hands


s: Gripping the earth: for not their weight alone


s: Withstood the tempest which upon their frames


s: Piled mighty heaps, and their recumbent limbs


s: Buried in sand.  At length they struggling rose


s: Back to their feet, when lo!  around them stood,


s: Forced by the storm, a growing bank of earth


s: Which held them motionless.  And from afar


s: Where walls lay prostrate, mighty stones were hurled,


s: Thus piling ills on ills in wondrous form:


s: No dwellings had they seen, yet at their feet


s: Beheld the ruins.  All the earth was hid


s: In vast envelopment, nor found they guide


s: Save from the stars, which as in middle deep


s: Flamed o'er them wandering: yet some were hid


s: Which tending downwards hid the Northern sky.


s: When warmth dispersed the tempest-driven air,


s: And rose upon the earth the flaming day,


s: Bathed were their limbs in sweat, but parched and dry


s: Their gaping lips; when to a scanty spring


s: Far off beheld they came, whose meagre drops


s: They offered to their chief.  Caked were their throats


s: With dust, and panting; and one little drop


s: Had made him envied.  "Wretch, and dost thou deem


s: Me wanting in a brave man's heart?" he cried,


s: "Me only in this throng?  And have I seemed


s: He who would quench his thirst 'mid such a host,


s: Doth most deserve its pangs."  Then in his wrath


s: Dashed down the helmet, and the scanty spring,


s: Thus by their leader spurned, sufficed for all.


s: Now had they reached that temple which possess


s: Wielding no thunderbolts, nor like to ours,


s: No wealth adorns his fane by Afric tribes


s: Bestowed, nor glittering hoard of Eastern gems.


s: Know him alone as Jove, still is he poor


s: Through time, and god as of the olden days


s: Spurns all the wealth of Rome.  That here some god


s: That buds in Libya -- for that which grows


s: Hammon uprears a wood; a fount the cause


s: Which with its waters binds the crumbling soil.


s: Yet shall the Sun when poised upon the height


s: Strike through the foliage: hardly can the tree


s: Protect its trunk, and to a little space


s: His rays draw in the circle of the shade.


s: Here have men found the spot where that high band


s: The zodiac stars: not here oblique their course,


s: Nor Scorpion rises straighter than the Bull,


s: Nor to the Scales does Ram give back his hours,


s: Is equal with the Crab, and with the Twins


s: Above Aquarius.  But the race that dwells


s: Sees to the South that shadow which with us


s: Falls to the North: slow Cynosure sinks (16)


s: For them below the deep; and, dry with us,


s: The Wagon plunges; far from either pole,


s: No star they know that does not seek the main,


s: But all the constellations in their course


s: Whirl to their vision through the middle sky.


s: Before the doors the Eastern peoples stood


s: Seeking from horned Jove to know their fates:


s: Yet to the Roman chief they yielded place,


s: Whose comrades prayed him to entreat the gods


s: Famed through the Libyan world, and judge the voice


s: Renowned from distant ages.  First of these


s: Was Labienus: (17) "Chance," he said, "to us


s: The voice and counsel of this mighty god


s: Has offered as we march; from such a guide


s: To know the issues of the war, and learn


s: To track the Syrtes.  For to whom on earth


s: If not to blameless Cato, shall the gods


s: Entrust their secrets?  Faithful thou at least,


s: Their follower through all thy life hast been;


s: Now hast thou liberty to speak with Jove.


s: Ask impious Caesar's fates, and learn the laws


s: That wait our country in the future days:


s: Their rights and customs, or the civil war


s: For us is wasted.  To thy sacred breast,


s: Demand what virtue is and guide thy steps


s: Of godlike thoughts borne in his quiet breast,


s: This answer uttered, worthy of the shrines:


s: Whether in arms and freedom I should wish


s: Is longest life worth aught?  And doth its term


s: Make difference?  Can violence to the good


s: Outweighed by virtue?  Doth it not suffice


s: Grow by achievement?  Nay!  No Hammen's voice


s: Shall teach us this more surely than we know.


s: Bound are we to the gods; no voice we need;


s: They live in all our acts, although the shrine


s: Be silent: at our birth and once for all


s: What may be known the author of our being


s: Revealed; nor Chose these thirsty sands to chaunt


s: To few his truth, whelmed in the dusty waste.


s: God has his dwelling in all things that be,


s: In earth and air and sea and starry vault,


s: In virtuous deeds; in all that thou can'st see,


s: In all thy thoughts contained.  Why further, then,


s: Seek we our deities?  Let those who doubt


s: And halting, tremble for their coming fates,


s: Make sure my heart, but surely-coming Death.


s: Coward alike and brave, we all must die.


s: Thus hath Jove spoken: seek to know no more."


s: Thus Cato spake, and faithful to his creed


s: Before the troops he marched: no panting slave


s: With bending neck, no litter bore his form.


s: He bade them not, but showed them how to toil.


s: Spare in his sleep, the last to sip the spring


s: When at some rivulet to quench their thirst


s: The eager ranks pressed onward, he alone


s: Stood motionless.  If for the truly good


s: Not by sucoessful issue, should be judged,


s: Yield, famous ancestors!  Fortune, not worth


s: Gained you your glory.  But such name as his


s: Or slaughtered peoples?  Rather would I lead


s: With him his triumph through the pathless sands


s: And Libya's bounds, than in Pompeius' car


s: Three times ascend the Capitol, (18) or break


s: The proud Jugurtha. (19)  Rome!  in him behold


s: His country's father, worthiest of thy vows;


s: A name by which men shall not blush to swear,


s: Whom, should'st thou break the fetters from thy neck,


s: Thou may'st in distant days decree divine.


s: Now was the heat more dense, and through that clime


s: Than which no further on the Southern side


s: The gods permit, they trod; and scarcer still


s: The water, till in middle sands they found


s: One bounteous spring which clustered serpents held


s: Though scaroe the space sufficed.  By thirsting snakes


s: The fount was thronged and asps pressed on the marge.


s: But when the chieftain saw that speedy fate


s: Was on the host, if they should leave the well


s: Untasted, "Vain," he cried, "your fear of death.


s: Drink, nor delay: 'tis from the threatening tooth


s: Men draw their deaths, and fatal from the fang


s: Issues the juice if mingled with the blood;


s: The cup is harmless."  Then he sipped the fount,


s: Still doubting, and in all the Libyan waste


s: There only was he first to touch the stream.


s: Why fertile thus in death the pestilent air


s: Her several nature mixed, my care to know


s: Has not availed: but from the days of old


s: Far on her limits, where the burning shore


s: Plunged in its waters, lay Medusa's fields


s: Untilled; nor forests shaded, nor the plough


s: Furrowed the soil, which by its mistress' gaze


s: Was hardened into stone: Phorcus, her sire.


s: Drew forth these noisome pests; first from her jaws


s: Issued the sibilant rattle of serpent tongues;


s: Clustered around her head the poisonous brood


s: Like to a woman's hair, wreathed on her neck


s: Which gloried in their touch; their glittering heads


s: Advanced towards her; and her tresses kempt


s: Dripped down with viper's venom.  This alone


s: Thou hast, accursed one, which men can see


s: Unharmed; for who upon that gaping mouth


s: Looked and could dread?  To whom who met her glance,


s: Was death permitted?  Fate delayed no more.


s: But ere the victim feared had struck him down:


s: Perished the limbs while living, and the soul


s: Grew stiff and stark ere yet it fled the frame.


s: Men have been frenzied by the Furies' locks,


s: Not killed; and Cerberus at Orpheus' song


s: Ceased from his hissing, and Alcides saw


s: The Hydra ere he slew.  This monster born


s: Brought horror with her birth upon her sire


s: And upon Ceto and the Gorgon brood, (20)


s: Her sisters.  She could threat the sea and sky


s: With deadly calm unknown, and from the world


s: Bid cease the soil.  Borne down by instant weight


s: Fowls fell from air, and beasts were fixed in stone.


s: Whole Ethiop tribes who tilled the neighbouring lands


s: Rigid in marble stood.  The Gorgon sight


s: No creature bore and even her serpents turned


s: Back from her visage.  Atlas in his place


s: Was turned to rocks; and when on snakes of old


s: Phlegraean giants stood and frighted heaven,


s: She made them mountains, and the Gorgon head


s: Here born of Danae and the golden shower,


s: Floating on wings Parrhasian, by the god


s: And wrestling art, came Perseus, down from heaven


s: Swooping.  Cyllenian Harp (21) did he bear


s: Still crimson from another monster slain,


s: The guardian of the heifer loved by Jove.


s: Price of the monster's head: by her command


s: He sought the rising sun, with flight averse,


s: Poised o'er Medusa's realm; a burnished shield


s: Her gift, he bore: in which she bade him see


s: The fatal face unscathed.  Nor yet in sleep


s: Lay all the monster, for such total rest


s: To her were death -- so fated: serpent locks


s: In vigilant watch, some reaching forth defend


s: Her head, while others lay upon her face


s: And slumbering eyes.  Then hero Perseus shook


s: Though turned averse; trembled his dexter hand:


s: But Pallas held, and the descending blade


s: Shore the broad neck whence sprang the viper brood.


s: What visage bore the Gorgon as the steel


s: Thus reft her life!  what poison from her throat


s: Breathed!  from her eyes what venom of death distilled!


s: The goddess dared not look, and Perseus' face


s: Had frozen, averse, had not Athena veiled


s: With coils of writhing snakes the features dead.


s: Uplifted on his wings and sought the sky.


s: Shorter had been his voyage through the midst


s: To spare her peoples and their fruitful lands;


s: For who when such an airy courser passed


s: Had not looked up to heaven?  Western winds


s: Now sped his pinions, and he took his course


s: O'er Libya's regions, from the stars and suns


s: Veiled by no culture.  Phoebus' nearer track


s: There burns the soil, and loftiest on the sky (22)


s: There fails the night, to shade the wandering moon,


s: If o'er forgetful of her course oblique,


s: Straight through the stars, nor bending to the North


s: Nor to the South, she hastens.  Yet that earth,


s: In nothing fertile, void of fruitful yield,


s: Dripping in dreadful dews upon the soil,


s: And in the crumbling sands by heat matured.


s: First from the dust was raised a gory clot (23)


s: In guise of Asp, sleep-bringing, swollen of neck:


s: Full was the blood and thick the poison drop


s: More copious held.  Greedy of warmth it seeks


s: No frozen world itself, nor haunts the sands


s: Beyond the Nile; yet has our thirst of gain


s: No shame nor limit, and this Libyan death,


s: This fatal pest we purchase for our own.


s: Haemorrhois huge spreads out his scaly coils,


s: Who suffers not his hapless victims' blood


s: To stay within their veins.  Chersydros sprang


s: To life, to dwell within the doubtful marsh


s: Where land nor sea prevails.  A cloud of spray


s: Marked fell Chelyder's track: and Cenchris rose


s: Straight gliding to his prey, his belly tinged


s: With various spots unnumbered, more than those


s: Which paint the Theban (24) marble; horned snakes


s: With spines contorted: like to torrid sand


s: In vernal frosts his slough; and thirsty Dipsas;


s: Tapering; and Natrix who in bubbling fount


s: Swift Jaculus there, and Seps (25) whose poisonous juice


s: Makes putrid flesh and frame: and there upreared


s: His regal head, and frighted from his track


s: With sibilant terror all the subject swam,


s: Baneful ere darts his poison, Basilisk (26)


s: In sands deserted king.  Ye serpents too


s: Adored as gods, and bright with golden scales,


s: In those hot wastes are deadly; poised in air


s: Whole herds of kine ye follow, and with coils


s: Encircling close, crush in the mighty bull.


s: Nor does the elephant in his giant bulk,


s: Nor aught, find safety; and ye need no fang


s: His desert journey on.  His hardy troops


s: Beneath his eyes, pricked by a scanty wound,


s: In strangest forms of death unnumbered fall.


s: Trod on a Dipsas; quick with head reversed


s: The serpent struck; no mark betrayed the tooth:


s: The aspect of the wound nor threatened death,


s: Absorbed the moisture of his inward frame,


s: Draining the natural juices that were spread


s: Set flame upon his tongue: his wearied limbs


s: No sweat bedewed; dried up, the fount of tears


s: Fled from his eyelids.  Tortured by the fire


s: Nor Cato's sternness, nor of his sacred charge


s: The honour could withhold him; but he dared


s: To dash his standard down, and through the plains


s: Raging, to seek for water that might slake


s: Pour on his burning tongue the flood of Nile,


s: Yet were the fire unquenched.  So fell the fang


s: In other climes less fatal.  Next he seeks


s: Amid the sands, all barren to the depths,


s: For moisture: then returning to the shoals


s: Laps them with greed -- in vain -- the briny draught


s: Scarce quenched the thirst it made.  Nor knowing yet


s: The poison in his frame, he steels himself


s: To rip his swollen veins and drink the gore.


s: Cato bids lift the standard, lest his troops


s: May find in thirst a pardon for the deed.


s: Their eyes were fastened.  Clinging to his skin


s: A Seps with curving tooth, of little size,


s: He seized and tore away, and to the sands


s: Pierced with his javelin.  Small the serpent's bulk;


s: None deals a death more horrible in form.


s: For swift the flesh dissolving round the wound


s: Bared the pale bone; swam all his limbs in blood;


s: Wasted the tissue of his calves and knees:


s: And all the muscles of his thighs were thawed


s: In black distilment, and file membrane sheath


s: Parted, that bound his vitals, which abroad


s: Flowed upon earth: yet seemed it not that all


s: His frame was loosed, for by the venomous drop


s: Were all the bands that held his muscles drawn


s: Down to a juice; the framework of his chest


s: Hid by the organs of life, that make the man.


s: His inmost nature.  Head and stalwart arms,


s: And neck and shoulders, from their solid mass


s: Melt in corruption.  Not more swiftly flows


s: Wax at the sun's command, nor snow compelled


s: By southern breezes.  Yet not all is said:


s: Our fleshly frame; but on the funeral pyre


s: What bones have perished?  These dissolve no less


s: Than did the mouldered tissues, nor of death


s: Thus swift is left a trace.  Of Afric pests


s: Thou bear'st the palm for hurtfulness: the life


s: They snatch away, thou only with the life


s: Not this by melting!  for a Prester's fang


s: Nasidius struck, who erst in Marsian fields


s: Guided the ploughshare.  Burned upon his face


s: A redness as of flame: swollen the skin,


s: His features hidden, swollen all his limbs


s: Till more than human: and his definite frame


s: One tumour huge concealed.  A ghastly gore


s: Is puffed from inwards as the virulent juice


s: Courses through all his body; which, thus grown,


s: His corselet holds not.  Not in caldron so


s: Boils up to mountainous height the steaming wave;


s: Nor in such bellying curves does canvas bend


s: To Eastern tempests.  Now the ponderous bulk


s: Rejects the limbs, and as a shapeless trunk


s: Burdens the earth: and there, to beasts and birds


s: A fatal feast, his comrades left the corse


s: Nor dared to place, yet swelling, in the tomb.


s: But for their eyes the Libyan pests prepared


s: More dreadful sights.  On Tullus great in heart,


s: A fierce Haemorrhois fixed.  From every limb, (27)


s: (As from a statue saffron spray is showered


s: In every part) there spouted forth for blood


s: Of moisture, gore profuse; his mouth was filled


s: And gaping nostrils, and his tears were blood.


s: Brimmed full his veins; his very sweat was red;


s: In sleep was victim, for around his heart


s: Stood still the blood congealed: no pain he felt


s: Of venomous tooth, but swift upon him fell


s: Death, and he sought the shades; more swift to kill


s: No draught in poisonous cups from ripened plants


s: Lo! Upon branchless trunk a serpent, named


s: By Libyans Jaculus, rose in coils to dart


s: His venom from afar.  Through Paullus' brain


s: It rushed, nor stayed; for in the wound itself


s: Was death.  Then did they know how slowly flies,


s: Flung from a sling, the stone; how gently speed


s: Murrus, the lance by which thou didst transfix


s: A Basilisk?  Swift through the weapon ran


s: The poison to his hand: he draws his sword


s: Which perished as he looked.  So had'st thou died,


s: A scorpion had strength o'er death or fate?


s: Yet with his threatening coils and barb erect


s: So bear the stars their witness.  And who would fear


s: Thy haunts, Salpuga? (29)  Yet the Stygian Maids


s: Have given thee power to snap the fatal threads.


s: Thus nor the day with brightness, nor the night


s: With darkness gave them peace.  The very earth


s: On which they lay they feared; nor leaves nor straw


s: They piled for couches, but upon the ground


s: Unshielded from the fates they laid their limbs,


s: Cherished beneath whose warmth in chill of night


s: The frozen pests found shelter; in whose jaws


s: Harmless the while, the lurking venom slept.


s: Nor did they know the measure of their march


s: Accomplished, nor their path; the stars in heaven


s: Their only guide.  "Return, ye gods," they cried,


s: In frequent wail, "the arms from which we fled.


s: Give back Thessalia.  Sworn to meet the sword


s: Why, lingering, fall we thus?  In Caesar's place


s: Now wage the warfare.  Rather let us seek


s: Scorched, and the zone most torrid: let us fall


s: Slain by some heavenly cause, and from the sky


s: Complain we, nor of Nature.  From mankind


s: Cut off, this quarter, teeming thus with pests


s: She gave to snakes, and to the barren fields


s: Denied the husbandman, nor wished that men


s: Should perish by their venom.  To the realms


s: Of serpents have we come.  Hater of men,


s: Receive thy vengeance, whoso of the gods


s: With death in middle space.  Our march is set


s: Through thy sequestered kingdom, and the host


s: Which knows thy secret seeks the furthest world.


s: Perchance some greater wonders on our path


s: May still await us; in the waves be plunged


s: Heaven's constellations, and the lofty pole


s: Stoop from its height.  By further space removed


s: No land, than Juba's realm; by rumour's voice


s: Drear, mournful.  Haply for this serpent land


s: There may we long, where yet some living thing


s: Lit by far other suns, nor Asia's plains.


s: But in what land, what region of the sky,


s: Where left we Africa?  But now with frosts


s: Cyrene stiffened: have we changed the laws


s: Which rule the seasons, in this little space?


s: Cast from the world we know, 'neath other skies


s: And stars we tread; behind our backs the home


s: Of southern tempests: Rome herself perchance


s: Now lies beneath our feet.  Yet for our fates


s: This solace pray we, that on this our track


s: Pursuing Caesar with his host may come."


s: Thus was their stubborn patience of its plaints


s: Disburdened.  But the bravery of their chief


s: Forced them to bear their toils.  Upon the sand,


s: All bare, he lies and dares at every hour


s: Of each is present, flies to every call;


s: And greatest boon of all, greater than life,


s: Brought strength to die.  To groan in death was shame


s: In such a presence.  What power had all the ills


s: Possessed upon him?  In another's breast


s: He conquers misery, teaching by his mien


s: Did Fortune, wearied of their perils, grant.


s: Alone unharmed of all who till the earth,


s: By deadly serpents, dwells the Psyllian race.


s: Potent as herbs their song; safe is their blood,


s: E'en when the chant has ceased.  Their home itself


s: Placed in such venomous tract and serpent-thronged


s: Gained them this vantage, and a truce with death,


s: Else could they not have lived.  Such is their trust


s: Each babe they prove by test of deadly asp


s: For foreign lineage.  So the bird of Jove


s: Turns his new fledglings to the rising sun


s: With eves unwavering, for the use of heaven


s: He rears; but such as blink at Phoebus' rays


s: Casts from the nest.  Thus of unmixed descent


s: The babe who, dreading not the serpent touch,


s: Plays in his cradle with the deadly snake.


s: Contented do they rest, but watch for guests


s: Who need their help against the noisome plague.


s: Now to the Roman standards are they come,


s: And when the chieftain bade the tents be fixed,


s: First all the sandy space within the lines


s: From which all serpents flee: next round the camp


s: Then tamarisk and costum, Eastern herbs,


s: From Thrace, and leaves of fennel feed the flames,


s: And thapsus brought from Eryx: and they burn


s: Larch, southern-wood and antlers of a deer


s: Which lived afar.  From these in densest fumes,


s: Deadly to snakes, a pungent smoke arose;


s: And thus in safety passed the night away.


s: But should some victim feel the fatal fang


s: Were seen the wonders, for a mighty strife


s: Rose 'twixt the Psyllian and the poison germ.


s: That held the venomous juice within the wound;


s: Nor suffer it to spread.  From foaming mouth


s: Next with continuous cadence would they pour


s: Unceasing chants -- nor breathing space nor pause --


s: Else spreads the poison: nor does fate permit


s: A moment's silence.  Oft from the black flesh


s: Flies forth the pest beneath the magic song:


s: But should it linger nor obey the voice,


s: Prostrate they lay their lips and from the depths


s: Now paling draw the venom.  In their mouths,


s: Sucked from the freezing flesh, they hold the death,


s: Then spew it forth; and from the taste shall know


s: Upon the barren fields in lengthy march. (30)


s: Twice veiled the moon her light and twice renewed;


s: Yet still, with waning or with growing orb


s: But more and more beneath their feet the dust


s: Once more were earth, and in the distance rose


s: Of plastered straw unfashioned: and their hearts


s: Leaped at the prospect of a better land.


s: How fled their sorrow!  how with growing joy


s: In tranquil Leptis first they found retreat:


s: And passed a winter free from heat and rain. (31)


s: Forsook the battlefield, all other cares


s: He traced in vain; then, rumour for his guide,


s: He crossed the sea and reached the Thracian strait


s: For love renowned; where on the mournful shore


s: Rose Hero's tower, and Helle born of cloud (32)


s: Took from the rolling waves their former name.


s: Nowhere with shorter space the sea divides


s: Chalcedon oyster-rich: and small the strait


s: Through which Propontis pours the Euxine wave.


s: Then marvelling at their ancient fame, he seeks


s: Sigeum's sandy beach and Simois' stream,


s: And all the hero's shades, the theme of song.


s: Next by the town of Troy burnt down of old


s: His steps, and searches for the mighty stones


s: Relics of Phoebus' wall.  But bare with age


s: Forests of trees and hollow mouldering trunks


s: Pressed down Assaracus' palace, and with roots


s: Wearied, possessed the temples of the gods.


s: All Pergamus with densest brake was veiled


s: And even her stones were perished.  He beheld


s: Where sat the arbiter; the spot from which


s: Was snatched the beauteous youth; the mountain lawn


s: Where played Oenone.  Not a stone but told


s: Scarce trickling through the arid plain he passed,


s: Nor knew 'twas Xanthus: deep in grass he placed,


s: Careless, his footstep; but the herdsman cried


s: "Thou tread'st the dust of Hector."  Stones confused


s: Lay at his feet in sacred shape no more:


s: "Look on the altar of Jove," thus spake the guide,


s: "God of the household, guardian of the home."


s: Which rescuing all things from allotted fate


s: Grudge not the glory, Caesar, of such fame.


s: For if the Latian Muse may promise aught,


s: Shall live upon the page of Smyrna's bard,


s: When by the ancient grandeur of the place


s: The chieftain's sight was filled, of gathered turf


s: Altars he raised: and as the sacred flame


s: Cast forth its odours, these not idle vows


s: Gave to the gods, "Ye deities of the dead,


s: Who watch o'er Phrygian ruins: ye who now


s: Lavinia's homes inhabit, and Alba's height:


s: The Trojan fire still burns: pledge of the past


s: Mysterious Pallas, (24) of the inmost shrine,


s: Unseen of men!  here in your ancient seat,


s: Give prosperous ending!  Here shall I replace


s: The Phrygian peoples, here with glad return


s: Time spent at Ilium, to the favouring breeze


s: Spreads all his canvas.  Past rich Asia borne,


s: Rhodes soon he left while foamed the sparkling main


s: Beneath his keels; nor ceased the wind to stretch


s: His bending sails, till on the seventh night


s: But day arose, and veiled the nightly lamp


s: Ere rode his barks on waters safe from storm.


s: Then Caesar saw that tumult held the shore,


s: Struck on his ear: and trusting not himself


s: To doubtful kingdoms, of uncertain troth,


s: Came his vile minion forth upon the wave,


s: Bearing his dreadful gift, Pompeius' head,


s: First took he speech and thus in shameless words


s: Commends the murder: "Conqueror of the world,


s: First of the Roman race, and, what as yet


s: Thou dost not know, safe by thy kinsman slain;


s: This gift receive from the Pellaean king,


s: Sole trophy absent from the Thracian field,


s: To crown thy toils on lands and on the deep.


s: Here in thine absence have we placed for thee


s: To mend his fallen fortunes; on our swords


s: Here met his death.  With such a pledge of faith


s: Here have we bought thee, Caesar; with his blood


s: Seal we this treaty.  Take the Pharian realm


s: Sought by no bloodshed, take the rule of Nile,


s: Take all that thou would'st give for Magnus' life:


s: To whom the fates against thy son-in-law


s: Such power entrusted; nor hold thou the deed


s: Lightly accomplished by the swordsman's stroke,


s: Who was its victim; who, his sire expelled,


s: Gave back to him the sceptre.  For a deed


s: So great, thou'lt find a name -- or ask the world.


s: If 'twas a crime, thou must confess the debt


s: To us the greater, for that from thy hand


s: Unveiled the head.  Now had the hand of death


s: Passed with its changing touch upon the face:


s: Nor at first sight did Caesar on the gift


s: But dwelt upon the features till he knew


s: The crime accomplished.  Then when truth was sure


s: The loving father rose, and tears he shed


s: Which flowed at his command, and glad in heart


s: Forced from his breast a groan: thus by the flow


s: Of feigned tears and grief he hoped to hide


s: His joy else manifest: and the ghastly boon


s: Rather to mourn his son's dissevered head,


s: Than count it for a debt.  For thee alone,


s: Magnus, he durst not fail to find a tear:


s: He, Caesar, who with mien unaltered spurned


s: The Roman Senate, and with eyes undimmed


s: Looked on Pharsalia's field.  O fate most hard!


s: Didst thou with impious war pursue the man


s: Whom 'twas thy lot to mourn?  No kindred ties


s: Touch on thy heart.  Didst think perchance that grief


s: Might help thy cause 'mid lovers of his name?


s: Griev'st that to other hands than thine was given


s: To shed the captive's life-blood?  and complain'st


s: Thy vengeance perished and the conquered chief


s: Snatched from thy haughty hand?  Whate'er the cause


s: That urged thy grief, 'twas far removed from love.


s: Was this forsooth the object of thy toil


s: O'er lands and oceans, that without thy ken


s: He should not perish?  Nay! but well was reft


s: From thine arbitrament his fate.  What crime


s: Did cruel Fortune spare, what depth of shame


s: To Roman honour!  since she suffered not,


s: Perfidious traitor, while yet Magnus lived,


s: To gain their credence in his sembled grief:


s: "Hence from my sight with thy detested gift,


s: Thou minion, to thy King.  Worse does your crime


s: Deserve from Caesar than from Magnus' hands.


s: Thus have we lost -- to bid the conquered live.


s: Such were the fit return.  Why did he draw


s: His separate sword, and in the toil that's ours


s: Mingle his weapons?  In Thessalia's field


s: Gave we such right to the Pellaean blade?


s: Thee, Ptolemaeus?  In vain with civil wars


s: Thus have we roused the nations, if there be


s: Now any might but Caesar's.  If one land


s: Yet owned two masters, I had turned from yours


s: Lest men should whisper that I did not damn


s: This deed of blood, but feared the Pharian land.


s: Nor think ye to deceive; victorious here


s: I stand: else had my welcome at your hands


s: Been that of Magnus; and that neck were mine


s: But for Pharsalia's chance.  At greater risk


s: So seems it, than we dreamed of, took we arms;


s: Exile, and Magnus' threats, and Rome I knew,


s: Pass by the murder.  Let the princeling know


s: We give no more than pardon for his crime.


s: Not merely that the earth may hide your guilt,


s: Lay ye the chieftain's head within the tomb;


s: And place his scattered ashes in an urn.


s: Thus may he know my coming, and may hear


s: Affection's accents, and my fond complaints.


s: Me sought he not, but rather, for his life,


s: This Pharian vassal; snatching from mankind


s: The happy morning which had shown the world


s: A peace between us.  But my prayers to heaven


s: No favouring answer found; that arms laid down


s: I might embrace thee, begging thee to grant


s: Thine ancient love to Caesar, and thy life.


s: Content, thine equal, bound in faithful peace,


s: I might have brought thee to forgive the gods


s: For thy disaster; thou had'st gained for me


s: No comrade in his tears; nor did the host


s: Give credit to his grief.  Deep in their breasts


s: They hide their groans, and gaze with joyful front


s: (O famous Freedom!) on the deed of blood:


s: And dare to laugh when mighty Caesar wept.


s: (1)  This was the Stoic theory.  The perfect of men passed after


s: death into a region between our atmosphere and the heavens,


s: where they remained until the day of general conflagration,


s: (see Book VII. line 949), with their senses amplified and


s: (2)  A promontory in Africa was so called, as well as that in


s: (3)  Meaning that her husband gave her this commission in order


s: (6)  This passage is described by Lord Macaulay as "a pure gem of


s: from historical truth" (Trevelyan's "Life and Letters", vol.


s: (7)       "... Clarum et venembile nomen


s: Gentibus, et multum nostrae quod profuit urbi,"


s: quoted by Mr. Burke, and applied to Lord Chatham, in his


s: (8)  That is, liberty, which by the murder of Pompeius they had


s: (9)  Reading "saepit", Hosius.  The passage seems to be corrupt.


s: Neptune's son and trumpeter.  That Pallas sprang armed from


s: (12) Compare Herodotus, ii., 16: "For they all say that the earth


s: (13) Citron tables were in much request at Rome. (Comp. "Paradise


s: (14) Alluding to the shield of Mars which fell from heaven on


s: Numa at sacrifice.  Eleven others were made to match it


s: ("Dict. Antiq.")  While Horace speaks of them as chief


s: objects of a patriot Roman's affection ("Odes" iii., 5, 9),


s: Lucan discovers for them a ridiculous origin.  They were in


s: the custody of the priests of Mars. (See Book I., 666.)


s: (15) I.e. Where the equinoctial circle cuts the zodiac in its


s: (18) 1st.  For his victories in Sicily and Africa, B.C. 81; 2nd.


s: For the conquest of Sertorius, B.C. 71; 3rd. For his Eastern


s: (20) Phoreus and Ceto were the parents of the Gorgons -- Stheno,


s: Euryale. and Medusa, of whom the latter alone was mortal,


s: (21) The scimitar lent by Hermes (or Mercury) to Perseus for the


s: purpose; with which had been slain Argus the guardian of Io


s: (Conf. "Prometheus vinctus", 579.)  Hermes was born in a


s: (22) The idea seems to be that the earth, bulging at the equator,


s: becomes eclipsed by it whenever she follows a straight path


s: instead of an oblique one, which may happen from her


s: (23) This catalogue of snakes is alluded to in Dante's "Inferno",


s: Of serpents terrible, so strange of shape


s: And hideous that remembrance in my veins


s: Yet shrinks the vital current.  Of her sands


s: Cenchris and Amphisbaena, plagues so dire


s: Or in such numbers swarming ne'er she showed."


s: Like him whom the Numidian Seps did thaw


s: --Shelley, "Prometheus Unbound", Act iii, Scene 1.


s: (26) The glance of the eye of the basilisk or cockatrice, was


s: supposed to be deadly. (See "King Richard III", Act i.,


s: Gloucester:    Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected


s: Anne:          Would they were basilisks, to strike


s: The word is also used for a big cannon. ("1 King Henry IV",


s: (28) According to one story Orion, for his assault on Diana, was


s: killed by the Scorpion, who received his reward by being


s: (30) No other author gives any details of this march; and those


s: given by Lucan are unreliable.  The temple of Hammon is far


s: from any possible line of route taken from the Lesser Syrtes


s: to Leptis.  Dean Merivale states that the inhospitable sands


s: extended for seven days' journey, and ranks the march as one


s: of the greatest exploits in Roman military history.


s: Described by the names known to modern geography, it was


s: from the Gulf of Cabes to Cape Africa.  Pope, in a letter to


s: Henry Cromwell, dated November 11, 1710, makes some caustic


s: remarks on the geography of this book. (See "Pope's Works",


s: (33) The "Palladium" or image of Pallas, preserved in the temple


s: When Caesar, following those who bore the head,


s: His fortunes battled, whether Rome should pass


s: In crimson conquest o'er the guilty land,


s: Or Memphis' arms should ravish from the world


s: Victor and vanquished: and the warning shade


s: Of Magnus saved his kinsman from the sword.


s: First, by the crime assured, his standards borne


s: Before, he marched upon the Pharian town;


s: But when the people, jealous of their laws,


s: Murmured against the fasces, Caesar knew


s: Their minds were adverse, and that not for him


s: Was Magnus' murder wrought.  And yet with brow


s: Dissembling fear, intrepid, through the shrines


s: His hasting steps, nor worship of the gods,


s: He sought the cave dug out amid the tombs. (1)


s: The madman offspring there of Philip lies


s: The famed Pellaean robber, fortune's friend,


s: Snatched off by fate, avenging so the world.


s: Which should be scattered o'er the earth, repose,


s: Still spared by Fortune to these tyrant days:


s: For in a world to freedom once recalled,


s: All men had mocked the dust of him who set


s: The conquest of his sire, and spurred by fate


s: Through Asia rushed with havoc of mankind,


s: Plunging his sword through peoples; streams unknown


s: Ran red with Persian and with Indian blood.


s: Curse of all earth and thunderbolt of ill


s: He launched his fleet to sail the ocean wave:


s: Nor flame nor flood nor sterile Libyan sands


s: Stayed back his course, nor Hammon's pathless shoals;


s: Far to the west, where downward slopes the world


s: He would have led his armies, and the poles


s: Had compassed, and had drunk the fount of Nile:


s: Could nature place upon the madman king,


s: Who jealous in death as when he won the world


s: His empire with him took, nor left an heir.


s: Was victim made: Yet in his fall was his


s: Babylon; and Parthia feared him.  Shame on us


s: That eastern nations dreaded more the lance


s: True that we rule beyond where takes its rise


s: The burning southern breeze, beyond the homes


s: Of western winds, and to the northern star;


s: But towards the rising of the sun, we yield


s: Now from the stream Pelusian of the Nile,


s: Was come the boyish king, taming the rage


s: Of his effeminate people: pledge of peace;


s: When Cleopatra bribed her guard to break


s: The harbour chains, and borne in little boat


s: Unchaste.  For as the Spartan queen of yore


s: Italia's frenzy.  By her drum (3) she called


s: Such word be lawful); mixed with Roman arms


s: And 'twas in doubt upon Leucadian (4) waves


s: Should hold the world in awe.  Such lofty thoughts


s: Seized on her soul upon that night in which


s: First shared our leaders' couches.  Who shall blame


s: When Caesar's haughty breast drew in the flame?


s: Who red with carnage, 'mid the clash of arms,


s: Gave place to love; and in adulterous bed,


s: Magnus forgotten, from the Queen impure,


s: Pharos would give, for her would conquer all.


s: Tearless approached him, though in form of grief;


s: Her tresses loose as though in sorrow torn,


s: "If, mighty Caesar, aught to noble birth


s: Offspring illustrious; from my father's throne


s: Cast forth to banishment; unless thy hand


s: Falls at thy feet embracing.  To our race


s: Bright star of justice thou!  Nor first shall I


s: For, neither sex preferring, Pharos bows


s: To queenly governance.  Of my parted sire


s: Read the last words, by which 'tis mine to share


s: With equal rights the kingdom and the bed.


s: And loves the boy his sister, were he free;


s: To wield my father's power; but this my prayer:


s: Save from this foul disgrace our royal house,


s: Bid that the king shall reign, and from the court


s: Remove this hateful varlet, and his arms.


s: How swells his bosom for that his the hand


s: That shore Pompeius' head!  And now he threats


s: Thee, Caesar, also; which the Fates avert!


s: 'Twas shame enough upon the earth and thee


s: That of Pothinus Magnus should have been


s: Had she implored, but aided by her charms


s: The wanton's prayers prevailed, and by a night


s: Of shame ineffable, passed with her judge,


s: Caesar had made a peace, by costliest gifts


s: Made fit memorial; and with pomp the Queen


s: To Roman fashions.  First uprose the hall


s: Could scarcely rear: the lofty ceiling shone


s: With richest tracery, the beams were bound


s: Lay on its walls, but built in solid blocks


s: Of marble, gleamed the palace.  Agate stood


s: Were trodden 'neath the foot; the mighty gates


s: He mere adornment; ivory clothed the hall,


s: And fixed upon the doors with labour rare


s: Shells of the tortoise gleamed, from Indian seas,


s: With frequent emeralds studded.  Gems of price


s: Dipped more than once within the vats of Tyre


s: Had drunk their juice: part feathered as with gold;


s: Part crimson dyed, in manner as are passed


s: Through Pharian leash the threads.  There waited slaves


s: By different blood distinguished, some by age;


s: This band with Libyan, that with auburn hair


s: Red so that Caesar on the banks of Rhine


s: None such had witnessed; some with features scorched


s: By torrid suns, their locks in twisted coils


s: Drawn from their foreheads.  Eunuchs too were there,


s: Men of full age whose cheeks with growth of hair


s: Lay kings, and Caesar in the midst supreme.


s: Thick daubed with unguents, nor with throne content


s: Nor with her brother spouse; laden she lay


s: On neck and hair with all the Red Sea spoils,


s: And faint beneath the weight of gems and gold.


s: Her snowy breast shone through Sidonian lawn


s: Which woven close by shuttles of the east


s: The art of Nile had loosened.  Ivory feet


s: Bore citron tables brought from woods that wave (6)


s: When Juba was his captive.  Blind in soul


s: By such profusion of her wealth, the mind


s: Of Caesar armed, her guest in civil war!


s: Not though he aimed with pitiless hand to grasp


s: The riches of a world; not though were here


s: Those ancient leaders of the simple age,


s: His Tuscan plough, could all their several hopes


s: Have risen to such spoil.  On plates of gold


s: They piled the banquet sought in earth and air


s: And from the deepest seas and Nilus' waves,


s: Through all the world; in craving for display,


s: No hunger urging.  Frequent birds and beasts,


s: They handed, and in massive cups of price


s: Was poured the wine; no juice of Mareot grape (7)


s: Which in few years in Meroe's vats had foamed,


s: (For such the clime) to ripeness.  On their brows


s: Chaplets were placed of roses ever young


s: With glistening nard entwined; and in their locks


s: Its fragrance perished, nor in foreign climes;


s: And rich amomum from the neighbouring fields.


s: Thus Caesar learned the booty of a world


s: To lavish, and his breast was shamed of war


s: Waged with his son-in-law for meagre spoil,


s: And with the Pharian realm he longed to find


s: They wearied and their pleasure found an end,


s: Thus with Achoreus, on the highest couch


s: Loved by the gods, as proves thy length of days,


s: Tell, if thou wilt, whence sprang the Pharian race;


s: How lie their lands, the manners of their tribes,


s: Expound the sculptures on your ancient fanes:


s: Reveal your gods if willing to be known:


s: If to th' Athenian sage your fathers taught


s: To bear in trust the secrets of the world?


s: True, by the rumour of my kinsman's flight


s: Here was I drawn; yet also by your fame:


s: The stars and heavenly spaces have I conned;


s: Nor shall Eudoxus' year (8) excel mine own.


s: But though such ardour burns within my breast,


s: Such zeal to know the truth, yet my chief wish


s: To learn the source of your mysterious flood


s: Through ages hidden: give me certain hope


s: To see the fount of Nile -- and civil war


s: "The secrets, Caesar, of our mighty sires (9)


s: I hold it right to utter.  Some may deem


s: That silence on these wonders of the earth


s: And sacred edicts should be known to men.


s: Each star possesses: (10) these alone control


s: The movement of the sky, with adverse force


s: Opposing: while the sun divides the year,


s: And day from night, and by his potent rays


s: Forbids the stars to pass their stated course.


s: The varying limits of the sea and shore.


s: 'Neath Saturn's sway the zone of ice and snow


s: Has passed; while Mars in lightning's fitful flames


s: Unvexed by storms abides a temperate air;


s: And fruitful Venus' star contains the seeds


s: Of all things.  Ruler of the boundless deep


s: The god (11) Cyllenian: whene'er he holds


s: That part of heaven where the Lion dwells


s: With neighbouring Cancer joined, and Sirius star


s: Flames in its fury; where the circular path


s: (Which marks the changes of the varying year)


s: Their several stations, under which doth lie


s: The fount of Nile, he, master of the waves,


s: Strikes with his beam the waters.  Forth the stream


s: Brims from his fount, as Ocean when the moon


s: Commands an increase; nor shall curb his flow


s: Till night wins back her losses from the sun. (12)


s: "Vain is the ancient faith that Ethiop snows (13)


s: Send Nile abundant forth upon the lands.


s: Those mountains know nor northern wind nor star.


s: Of this are proof the breezes of the South,


s: Fraught with warm vapours, and the people's hue


s: Burned dark by suns: and 'tis in time of spring,


s: When first are thawed the snows, that ice-fed streams


s: In swollen torrents tumble; but the Nile


s: Nor lifts his wave before the Dog star burns;


s: Nor seeks again his banks, until the sun


s: In equal balance measures night and day.


s: Nor are the laws that govern other streams


s: Were he in flood, when distant far the sun,


s: His waters lacked their office; but he leaves


s: His channel when the summer is at height,


s: Such is the task of Nile; thus in the world


s: He finds his purpose, lest exceeding heat


s: Consume the lands: and rising thus to meet


s: By Cancer burnt gives ear; nor curbs his wave


s: Till the slant sun and Meroe's lengthening shades


s: Proclaim the autumn.  Who shall give the cause?


s: 'Twas Parent Nature's self which gave command


s: Thus for the needs of earth should flow the Nile.


s: "Vain too the fable that the western winds (14)


s: Control his current, in continuous course


s: Clouds without number which in misty folds


s: Press on the waters; or by constant blast,


s: Forcing his current back whose several mouths


s: Burst on the sea; -- so, forced by seas and wind,


s: Men say, his billows pour upon the land.


s: Some speak of hollow caverns, breathing holes


s: Deep in the earth, within whose mighty jaws


s: From northern cold to southern climes are drawn:


s: And when hot Meroe pants beneath the sun,


s: Then, say they, Ganges through the silent depths


s: Pours all the rivers forth.  And rumour says


s: That when the sea which girdles in the world (15)


s: O'erflows, thence rushes Nile, by lengthy course,


s: Softening his saltness.  More, if it be true


s: That ocean feeds the sun and heavenly fires,


s: Then Phoebus journeying by the burning Crab


s: Sucks from its waters more than air can hold


s: Upon his passage -- this the cool of night


s: To judge such difference, 'twould seem that since


s: Creation's age has passed, earth's veins by chance


s: Some waters hold, and shaken cast them forth:


s: But others took when first the globe was formed


s: A sure abode; by Him who framed the world


s: In thirsting thus to know the source of Nile


s: Refused the secret, but the place prevailed


s: Remote by nature.  Greatest of the kings


s: By Memphis worshipped, Alexander grudged (16)


s: To Nile its mystery, and to furthest earth


s: Sent chosen Ethiops whom the crimson zone


s: Stayed in their further march, while flowed his stream


s: Warm at their feet.  Sesostris (17) westward far


s: Reached, to the ends of earth; and necks of kings


s: Bent 'neath his chariot yoke: but of the springs


s: Which fill your rivers, Rhone and Po, he drank.


s: Not of the fount of Nile.  Cambyses king


s: In madman quest led forth his host to where


s: The long-lived races dwell: then famine struck,


s: Ate of his dead (17) and, Nile unknown, returned.


s: Has e'er made mention; wheresoe'er thou art


s: Yet art thou sought, nor yet has nation claimed


s: Yet shall I tell, so far as has the god,


s: Who veils thy fountain, given me to know.


s: Thy progress.  Daring to upraise thy banks


s: 'Gainst fiery Cancer's heat, thou tak'st thy rise


s: Beneath the zenith: straight towards the north


s: By Seres (18) first beheld, yet know they not


s: Whence art thou come; and with no native stream


s: Strik'st thou the Ethiop fields.  Nor knows the world


s: To whom it owes thee.  Nature ne'er revealed


s: While still a tiny rivulet, but preferred


s: Their wonder to their knowledge.  Where the sun


s: Stays at his limit, dost thou rise in flood


s: Untimely; such try right: to other lands


s: Bearing try winter: and by both the poles


s: Thou only wanderest.  Here men ask thy rise


s: And there thine ending.  Meroe rich in soil


s: And tilled by swarthy husbandmen divides


s: Thy broad expanse, rejoicing in the leaves


s: Of groves of ebony, which though spreading far


s: Their branching foliage, by no breadth of shade


s: Soften the summer sun -- whose rays direct


s: Pass from the Lion to the fervid earth. (20)


s: Next dost thou journey onwards past the realm


s: Of burning Phoebus, and the sterile sands,


s: With equal volume; now with all thy strength


s: Gathered in one, and now in devious streams


s: Parting the bank that crumbles at thy touch.


s: Then by our kingdom's gates, where Philae parts


s: Try wandering currents, which through desert wastes


s: Flow gently on to where the merchant track


s: Divides the Red Sea waters from our own.


s: Who, gazing, Nile, upon thy tranquil flow,


s: (Where shelves the earth) thy billows shall be plunged


s: Down the steep cataracts, in fuming wrath


s: That rocks should bar the passage of thy stream


s: Free from its source?  For whirled on high the spray


s: Aims at the stars, and trembles all the air


s: With rush of waters; and with sounding roar


s: The foaming mass down from the summit pours


s: In hoary waves victorious.  Next an isle


s: In all our ancient lore "untrodden" named


s: Stems firm thy torrent; and the rocks we call


s: Springs of the river, for that here are marked


s: The earliest tokens of the coming flood.


s: With mountain shores now nature hems thee in


s: And shuts thy waves from Libya; in the midst


s: Hence do thy waters run, till Memphis first


s: Forbids the barrier placed upon thy stream


s: And gives thee access to the open fields."


s: Thus did they pass, as though in peace profound,


s: The nightly watches.  But Pothinus' mind,


s: Was frenzied still; since great Pompeius fell


s: No deed to him was crime; his rabid soul


s: Th' avenging goddesses and Magnus' shade


s: Stirred to fresh horrors; and a Pharian hand


s: No less was worthy, as he deemed, to shed


s: That blood which Fortune purposed should bedew


s: The conquered fathers: and the fell revenge


s: This hireling almost snatched.  Avert, ye fates,


s: Far hence the shame that not by Brutus' hand


s: This blow be struck!  Shall thus the tyrant's fall


s: Just at our hands, become a Pharian crime,


s: (Fated to fail) he dares; nor veils in fraud


s: Attacks th' unconquered chieftain: from his crimes


s: He gained such courage as to send command


s: His foul associate, whom the boy had made


s: Chief of his armies, and who ruled alone


s: "Now lay thy limbs upon the sumptuous couch


s: And sleep in luxury, for the Queen hath seized


s: But Caesar's gift, is Pharos.  Dost delay


s: Thou only?  Married to the Latian chief,


s: And hurrying from rival spouse to spouse


s: Then trust the boy!  Yet give him but a night


s: In her enfondling arms, and drunk with love


s: Thy life and mine he'll barter for a kiss.


s: We for his sister's charms by cross and flame


s: Here stands adulterous Caesar, here the King


s: Her spouse: how hope we from so stern a judge


s: To gain acquittal?  Shall she not condemn


s: Those who ne'er sought her favours?  By the deed


s: We dared together and lost, by Magnus' blood


s: Which wrought the bond between us, be thou swift


s: Dash in with nightly band, and mar with death


s: Their shameless nuptials: on the very bed


s: With either lover smite the ruthless Queen.


s: Nor let the fortunes of the Western chief


s: Make pause our enterprise.  We share with him


s: There lies the shore that bids us hope success:


s: Ask of our power from the polluted wave,


s: And gaze upon the scanty tomb which holds


s: Was he whom now thou fearest.  Noble blood


s: True, is not ours: what boots it?  Nor are realms


s: Nor wealth of peoples given to our command.


s: For deeds of blood, and Fortune to our hands


s: Attracts her victims.  Lo!  a nobler now


s: Hesperia shall appease; for Caesar's blood,


s: Shed by these hands, shall give us this, that Rome


s: Shall love us, guilty of Pompeius' fall.


s: Why fear these titles, why this chieftain's strength?


s: For shorn of these, before your swords he lies


s: This night shall bring completion, and shall give


s: To peoples slain fit offerings, and send


s: That life the world demands beneath the shades.


s: Rise then in all your hardihood and smite


s: This Caesar down, and let the Roman youths


s: Strike for themselves, and Lagos for its King.


s: Nor do thou tarry: full of wine and feast


s: Thou'lt fall upon him in the lists of love;


s: Then dare the venture, and the heavenly gods


s: Shall grant of Cato's and of Brutus' prayers


s: To hear the voice that counselled him to crime.


s: No sounding clarion summoned, as is wont,


s: His troops to arms; nor trumpet blare betrayed


s: Their nightly march: but rapidly he seized


s: All needed instruments of blood and war.


s: Of Latian race the most part of his train,


s: Yet to barbarian customs were their minds


s: Else had it shamed to serve the Pharian King;


s: But now his vassal and his minion's word


s: Compel obedience.  Those who serve in camps


s: Lose faith and love of kin: their pittance earned (21)


s: Makes just the deed: and for their sordid pay,


s: Not for themselves, they threaten Caesar's life.


s: Where finds the piteous destiny of the realm


s: Rome with herself at peace?  The host withdrawn


s: From dread Thessalia raves on Nilus' banks


s: As all the race of Rome.  What more had dared,


s: Each hand must render to the gods their due,


s: Nor son of Rome may cease from civil war;


s: By Heaven's command our state was rent in twain;


s: Nor love for husband nor regard for sire


s: Parted our peoples.  'Twas a slave who stirred


s: Afresh the conflict, and Achillas grasped


s: In turn the sword of Rome: nay more, had won,


s: Had not the fates adverse restrained his hand


s: Ripe for their plot were met; the spacious hall


s: Still busied with the feast.  So might have flowed


s: And in mid banquet fallen Caesar's head.


s: Yet did they fear lest in the nightly strife


s: (The fates permitting) some incautious hand --


s: So did they trust the sword -- might slay the King.


s: Thus stayed the deed, for in the minds of slaves


s: Might bear postponement: when the day arose


s: Then should he suffer; and a night of life


s: Now from the Casian rock looked forth the Sun


s: Warm from its earliest dawn, when from the walls


s: Not wandering in disorder are they seen,


s: But drown in close array, as though to meet


s: Or give the battle.  Caesar, in the town


s: Placing no trust, within the palace courts


s: Close barred: nor all the kingly rooms possessed,


s: But in the narrowest portion of the space


s: He drew his band together.  There in arms


s: They stood, with dread and fury in their souls.


s: He feared attack, indignant at his fear.


s: Imprisoned, fume, and break upon the bars


s: His teeth in frenzied wrath; nor more would rage


s: Should Etna's top be closed.  He who but now


s: By Haemus' mount against Pompeius chief,


s: His cause forbidding hope, looked at the fates


s: He knew were hostile, with unfaltering gaze,


s: Now fears before the crime of hireling slaves,


s: He whom nor Scythian nor Alaun (22) had dared


s: To violate, nor the Moor who aims the dart


s: Upon his victim slain, to prove his skill.


s: To hold him, nor the realms from furthest Ind


s: Or woman, trembling when a town is sacked,


s: He seeks for safety; on the portals closed


s: His hope of life; and with uncertain gait


s: He treads the hails; yet not without the King;


s: For his shall give atonement; and to hurl


s: Thy severed head among the servant throng


s: Should darts and torches fail.  So story tells


s: The Colchian princess (23) with sword in hand,


s: And with her brother's neck bared to the blow,


s: Despoiled, and of her flight.  In the imminent risk


s: Caesar, in hopes of peace, an envoy sent


s: To the fierce vassals, from their absent lord


s: Bearing a message, thus: "At whose command


s: Wage ye the war?"  But not the laws which bind


s: All nations upon earth, nor sacred rights,


s: Or King's ambassador; or thee from crime


s: Such as befitted thee, thou land of Nile


s: Fruitful in monstrous deeds: not Juba's realm


s: Vast though it be, nor Pontus, nor the land


s: Nor yet the tracts which chill Iberus girds,


s: Nor Libyan coasts such wickedness have dared,


s: As thou, with all thy luxuries.  Closer now


s: War hemmed them in, and weapons in the courts,


s: Yet did no ram, fatal with single stroke,


s: Nor flame they called in aid; but blind of plan


s: They wander purposeless, in separate bands


s: With strength combined attempt to breach the wall.


s: The fates forbad, and Fortune from their hands


s: Nor failed they to attack from ships of war


s: The regal dwelling, where its frontage bold


s: Made stand apart the waters of the deep:


s: There, too, was Caesar's all-protecting arm;


s: For these at point of sword, and those with fire (24)


s: He forces back, and though besieged he dares


s: To storm th' assailants: and as lay the ships


s: Joined rank to rank, bids drop upon their sides


s: Lamps drenched with reeking tar.  Nor slow the fire


s: To seize the hempen cables and the decks


s: Oozing with melting pitch; the oarsman's bench


s: All in one moment, and the topmost yards


s: Burst into flame: half merged the vessels lay


s: While swam the foemen, all in arms, the wave;


s: Nor fell the blaze upon the ships alone,


s: But seized with writhing tongues the neighbouring homes,


s: And fanned to fury by the Southern breeze


s: Tempestuous, it leaped from roof to roof;


s: Not otherwise than on its heavenly track,


s: Unfed by matter, glides the ball of light,


s: From the besieged halls.  Nor Caesar gave


s: To sleep its season; swifter than all else


s: Quick in the darkest watches of the night


s: He leaped upon his ships, and Pharos (25) seized,


s: Of Proteus seer, now bordering the walls


s: A double vantage, for his foes were pent


s: Within the narrow entrance, which for him


s: And for his aids gave access to the sea.


s: Yet not with cross or flame, nor with the wrath