s: Be war from Rome, I'll cross the torrid zone


s: Or those for ever frozen Scythian shores.


s: What!  shall my victory rob thee of the peace


s: I gave thee by my flight?  Rather than thou


s: Should'st feel the evils of this impious war,


s: Let Caesar deem thee his."  Thus said, his course


s: He turned towards the rising of the sun,


s: And following devious paths, through forests wide,


s: Thessalia on that side where Titan first


s: Is prisoned in: but in th' advancing year


s: When higher in the vault his chariot rides


s: 'Tis Pelion that meets the morning rays.


s: And when beside the Lion's flames he drives


s: The middle course, Othrys with woody top


s: Screens his chief ardour.  On the hither side


s: And as the evening falls brings darkness in.


s: There too Olympus, at whose foot who dwells


s: Nor fears the north nor sees the shining bear.


s: Between these mountains hemmed, in ancient time


s: The fields were marsh, for Tempe's pass not yet


s: Was cleft, to give an exit to the streams


s: That filled the plain: but when Alcides' hand


s: Of waters to the main, then on the shore


s: (Would it had slept for ever 'neath the deep)


s: And Phylace (13) whence sailed that ship of old


s: Whose keel first touched upon the beach of Troy;


s: On Thamyris (14) vanquished: Trachis; Melibe


s: Strong in the shafts (15) of Hercules, the price


s: Of that most awful torch; Larissa's hold


s: Potent of yore; and Argos, (16) famous erst,


s: O'er which men pass the ploughshare: and the spot


s: Fabled as Echionian Thebes, (17) where once


s: (Grieving 'twas all she had) the head and neck


s: Of Pentheus massacred.  The lake set free


s: Flowed forth in many rivers: to the west


s: Aeas, (18) a gentle stream; nor stronger flows


s: The sire of Isis ravished from his arms;


s: Of Oeneus' daughter, rolls his earthy flood (19)


s: To silt the shore beside the neighbouring isles.


s: Evenus (20) purpled by the Centaur's blood


s: Wanders through Calydon: in the Malian Gulf


s: Thy rapids fall, Spercheius: pure the wave


s: With which Amphrysos (21) irrigates the meads


s: Where once Apollo served: Anaurus (22) flows


s: Nameless itself, to Ocean gives its waves


s: Through thee, Peneus: (23) whirled in eddies foams


s: Swift only when fresh streams his volume swell:


s: And thus Asopus takes his ordered course,


s: His stream aloof from that with which he flows,


s: Upon the channel.  Fable says that, sprung


s: From darkest pools of Styx, with common floods


s: He scorns to mingle, mindful of his source,


s: So that the gods above may fear him still.


s: Soon as were sped the rivers, Boebian ploughs


s: Dark with its riches broke the virgin soil;


s: By whom the glebe was furrowed.  Steed-renowned


s: Magnetians dwelt there, and the Minyan race


s: Who smote the sounding billows with the oar.


s: There in the cavern from the pregnant cloud


s: Ixion's sons found birth, the Centaur brood


s: Half beast, half human: Monychus who broke


s: The stubborn rocks of Pholoe, Rhoetus fierce


s: Which northern storms could hardly overturn;


s: The Queen across Evenus' (24) waves, to feel


s: And aged Chiron (25) who with wintry star


s: Against the huger Scorpion draws his bow.


s: Here sparkled on the land the warrior seed; (26)


s: Here leaped the charger from Thessalian rocks (27)


s: Struck by the trident of the Ocean King,


s: Omen of dreadful war; here first he learned,


s: Champing the bit and foaming at the curb,


s: Yet to obey his lord.  From yonder shore


s: The keel of pine first floated, (28) and bore men


s: To dare the perilous chance of seas unknown:


s: First from the furnace molten masses drew


s: Of iron and brass; here first the hammer fell


s: To weld them, shapeless; here in glowing stream


s: Ran silver forth and gold, soon to receive


s: The minting stamp.  'Twas thus that money came


s: Whereby men count their riches, cause accursed


s: Of warfare.  Hence came down that Python huge


s: On Cirrha: hence the laurel wreath which crowns


s: Gigantic rose against the gods, what time


s: Pelion had almost touched the stars supreme,


s: Opposing, barred the constellations' way.


s: When in this fated land the chiefs had placed


s: Their several camps, foreboding of the end


s: Now fast approaching, all men's thoughts were turned


s: And as the hour drew near, the coward minds


s: Trembling beneath the shadow of the fate


s: Now hanging o'er them, deemed disaster near:


s: While some took heart; yet doubted what might fall,


s: In hope and fear alternate.  'Mid the throng


s: Who soon upon the waves that Scylla guards, (29)


s: Stained by his deeds of shame the fights he won,


s: Could bear delay no more; his feeble soul,


s: Sick of uncertain fate, by fear compelled,


s: The shrine of Delos nor the Pythian caves;


s: Of Jove's brass cauldron, 'mid Dodona's oaks,


s: By her primaeval fruits the nurse of men:


s: Nor sought he sages who by flight of birds,


s: Or watching with Assyrian care the stars


s: And fires of heaven, or by victims slain,


s: May know the fates to come; nor any source


s: Lawful though secret.  For to him was known


s: That which excites the hate of gods above;


s: Magicians' lore, the savage creed of Dis


s: And all the shades; and sad with gloomy rites


s: Mysterious altars.  For his frenzied soul


s: Heaven knew too little.  And the spot itself


s: Kindled his madness, for hard by there dwelt


s: The brood of Haemon (30) whom no storied witch


s: Of fiction e'er transcended; all their art


s: In things most strange and most incredible;


s: There were Thessalian rocks with deadly herbs


s: Thick planted, sensible to magic chants,


s: Of violence to the gods: the Queenly guest (31)


s: From Colchis gathered here the fatal roots


s: That were not in her store: hence vain to heaven


s: For deaf the ears divine: save for one voice


s: Which penetrates the furthest depths of airs


s: To hearken to its accents.  Not the care


s: Can call them from it ever.  Once the sound


s: Of those dread tones unspeakable has reached


s: Nor secret Memphis, though they open wide


s: The shrines of ancient magic and entreat


s: The gods, could draw them from the fires that smoke


s: To hearts of flint those incantations bring


s: Love, strange, unnatural; the old man's breast


s: Burns with illicit fire.  Nor lies the power


s: Of love maternal from the forehead drawn; (32)


s: Charmed forth by spells alone the mind decays,


s: By poisonous drugs unharmed.  With woven threads


s: Crossed in mysterious fashion do they bind


s: Those whom no passion born of beauteous form


s: Or loving couch unites.  All things on earth


s: Change at their bidding; night usurps the day;


s: At that dread hymn the Universe stands still;


s: And Jove while urging the revolving wheels


s: Wonders they move not.  Torrents are outpoured


s: Beneath a burning sun; and thunder roars


s: Uncaused by Jupiter.  From their flowing locks


s: Vapours immense shall issue at their call;


s: When falls the tempest seas shall rise and foam (33)


s: Moved by their spell; though powerless the breeze


s: To raise the billows.  Ships against the wind


s: With bellying sails move onward.  From the rock


s: Hangs motionless the torrent: rivers run


s: Uphill; the summer heat no longer swells


s: Nile in his course; Maeander's stream is straight;


s: Slow Rhone is quickened by the rush of Saone;


s: Hills dip their heads and topple to the plain;


s: Driven onward by the moon, at that dread chant


s: Ebb from their course; earth's axes, else unmoved,


s: Have trembled, and the force centripetal


s: Has tottered, and the earth's compacted frame


s: Struck by their voice has gaped, (34) till through the void


s: Men saw the moving sky.  All beasts most fierce


s: And savage fear them, yet with deadly aid


s: Furnish the witches' arts.  Tigers athirst


s: With bland caresses: serpents at their word


s: Uncoil their circles, and extended glide


s: And dies the snake by human venom slain.


s: Whence comes this labour on the gods, compelled


s: To hearken to the magic chant and spells,


s: Nor daring to despise them?  Doth some bond


s: Control the deities?  Is their pleasure so,


s: Or must they listen?  and have silent threats


s: So great a guerdon?  Against all the gods


s: Is this their influence, or on one alone


s: Who to his will constrains the universe,


s: Himself constrained?  Stars most in yonder clime


s: Shoot headlong from the zenith; and the moon


s: Is shorn of lustre by their poisonous chant,


s: Dimmed by dark earthly fires, as though our orb


s: Shadowed her brother's radiance and barred


s: The light bestowed by heaven; nor freshly shines


s: She sheds her baneful drops upon the mead.


s: These sinful rites and these her sister's songs


s: Abhorred Erichtho, fiercest of the race,


s: Spurned for their piety, and yet viler art


s: Practised in novel form.  To her no home


s: Beneath a sheltering roof her direful head


s: Thus to lay down were crime: deserted tombs


s: Her dwelling-place, from which, darling of hell,


s: She dragged the dead.  Nor life nor gods forbad


s: But that she knew the secret homes of Styx


s: And learned to hear the whispered voice of ghosts


s: At dread mysterious meetings. (35)  Never sun


s: Shed his pure light upon that haggard cheek


s: Pale with the pallor of the shades, nor looked


s: Upon those locks unkempt that crowned her brow.


s: In starless nights of tempest crept the hag


s: Out from her tomb to seize the levin bolt;


s: She burned the fruitful growth, and with her breath


s: Poisoned the air else pure.  No prayer she breathed


s: Nor knew the pulse of entrails as do men


s: Who worship.  Funeral pyres she loves to light


s: And snatch the incense from the flaming tomb.


s: The gods at her first utterance grant her prayer


s: For things unlawful, lest they hear again


s: Its fearful accents: men whose limbs were quick


s: With vital power she thrust within the grave


s: Despite the fates who owed them years to come:


s: The funeral reversed brought from the tomb


s: Those who were dead no longer; and the pyre


s: Yields to her shameless clutch still smoking dust


s: And bones enkindled, and the torch which held


s: Some grieving sire but now, with fragments mixed


s: Singed with the redolent fire that burned the dead.


s: Untouched by fire, whose dried and mummied frames


s: Venting her rage she tears, the bloodless eyes


s: Drags from their cavities, and mauls the nail


s: Upon the withered hand: she gnaws the noose


s: By which some wretch has died, and from the tree


s: Drags down a pendent corpse, its members torn


s: Asunder to the winds: forth from the palms


s: Wrenches the iron, and from the unbending bond


s: Hangs by her teeth, and with her hands collects


s: The slimy gore which drips upon the limbs.


s: On ravening birds and beasts of prey the hag


s: Kept watch, nor marred by knife or hand her spoil,


s: Till on his victim seized some nightly wolf; (36)


s: Then dragged the morsel from his thirsty fangs;


s: Nor fears she murder, if her rites demand


s: Blood from the living, or some banquet fell


s: Requires the panting entrail.  Pregnant wombs


s: Yield to her knife the infant to be placed


s: On flaming altars: and whene'er she needs


s: Some fierce undaunted ghost, he fails not her


s: Who has all deaths in use.  Her hand has chased


s: From smiling cheeks the rosy bloom of life;


s: Has shorn the fatal lock: and holding oft


s: Severed the head, and through the ghastly lips,


s: Held by her own apart, some impious tale


s: Dark with mysterious horror hath conveyed


s: Her name to Sextus, in the depth of night,


s: Wheeled on his middle course, he took his way


s: Through fields deserted; while a faithful band,


s: Where Haemus falls towards Pharsalia's plain. (37)


s: There was she proving for her gods and priests


s: Words still unknown, and framing numbered chants


s: Of dire and novel purpose: for she feared


s: Lest Mars might stray into another world,


s: And spare Thessalian soil the blood ere long


s: To flow in torrents; and she thus forbade


s: Philippi's field, polluted with her song,


s: Thick with her poisonous distilments sown,


s: To let the war pass by.  Such deaths, she hopes,


s: Soon shall be hers!  the blood of all the world


s: Shed for her use!  to her it shall be given


s: To sever from their trunks the heads of kings,


s: The mightiest warriors to her host of shades.


s: And now what spoils from Magnus' tombless corse


s: Her hand may snatch, on which of Caesar's limbs


s: She soon may pounce, she makes her foul forecast


s: Of Haemon's daughters, in whose power it lies


s: Or to reveal the fates, or from its course


s: Fortune now guides the issue.  Not the least


s: Lord of the world or heir to death and doom.


s: The unknown affrights me: I can firmly face


s: Yield to thy power the dark and hidden end,


s: And let me fall foreknowing.  From the gods


s: Extort the truth, or, if thou spare the gods,


s: Force it from hell itself.  Fling back the gates


s: That bar th' Elysian fields; let Death confess


s: Whom from our ranks he seeks.  No humble task


s: Of such a struggle fought for such a prize


s: Pleased that her impious fame was noised abroad


s: Thus made her answer: "If some lesser fates


s: Thy wish had been to change, against their wish


s: To its accomplishment.  My art has power


s: When of one man the constellations press


s: And mine it is, though every star decrees


s: A ripe old age, by mystic herbs to shear


s: The life midway.  But should some purpose set


s: And all the labouring fortunes of mankind,


s: Be brought in question, then Thessalian art


s: Bows to the power supreme.  But if thou be


s: That shall be swiftly thine; for earth and air


s: Shall speak the future.  Yet it easiest seems


s: Where death in these Thessalian fields abounds


s: To raise a single corpse.  From dead men's lips


s: Scarce cold, in fuller accents falls the voice;


s: Not from some mummied flame in accents shrill


s: And through redoubled night, a squalid veil


s: Swathing her pallid features, stole among


s: Unburied carcases.  Fast fled the wolves,


s: Relaxed their talons, as with creeping step


s: She sought her prophet.  Firm must be the flesh


s: As yet, though cold in death, and firm the lungs


s: Untouched by wound.  Now in the balance hung


s: The fates of slain unnumbered; had she striven


s: Whole ranks of warriors, the laws had failed


s: Its ghostly tenants had obeyed her call,


s: And rising fought once more.  At length the witch


s: Picks out her victim with pierced throat agape


s: Fit for her purpose.  Gripped by pitiless hook


s: O'er rocks she drags him to the mountain cave


s: Accursed by her fell rites, that shall restore


s: The land that girds the precipice of hell


s: Sinks towards the depths: with ever falling leaves


s: Fills all the space, and in the deep recess


s: Darkness unbroken, save by chanted spells,


s: Reigns ever.  Not where gape the misty jaws


s: Of either world, through which the nether kings


s: Permit the passage of the dead to earth,


s: Nay, though the witch had power to call the shades


s: Forth from the depths, 'twas doubtful if the cave


s: Were not a part of hell.  Discordant hues


s: Dread vipers hissed, beneath her streaming locks


s: In sable coils entwined.  But when she saw


s: The youth's companions trembling, and himself


s: With eyes cast down, with visage as of death,


s: Thus spake the witch: "Forbid your craven souls


s: These fears to cherish: soon returning life


s: This frame shall quicken, and in tones which reach


s: Even the timorous ear shall speak the man.


s: If I have power the Stygian lakes to show,


s: The bank that sounds with fire, the fury band,


s: And giants lettered, and the hound that shakes


s: Bristling with heads of snakes his triple head,


s: What fear is this that cringes at the sight


s: First through his gaping bosom blood she pours


s: Still fervent, washing from his wounds the gore.


s: Then copious poisons from the moon distils


s: Mixed with all monstrous things which Nature's pangs


s: Bring to untimely birth; the froth from dogs


s: Stricken with madness, foaming at the stream;


s: A lynx's entrails: and the knot that grows


s: Which holds the vessel back (38) though eastern winds


s: Make bend the canvas; dragon's eyes; and stones


s: That sound beneath the brooding eagle's wings.


s: Who in the Red Sea waters guards the shell,


s: Are wanting; nor the slough on Libyan sands


s: Snatched from an altar where the Phoenix died.


s: Has made, she adds, whereto no name is given:


s: Pestiferous leaves pregnant with magic chants


s: And blades of grass which in their primal growth


s: Her cursed mouth had slimed.  Last came her voice


s: More potent than all herbs to charm the gods


s: Who rule in Lethe.  Dissonant murmurs first


s: And sounds discordant from the tongues of men


s: Of wolves, and barking as of dogs, were mixed


s: With that fell chant; the screech of nightly owl


s: Raising her hoarse complaint; the howl of beast


s: And sibilant hiss of snake -- all these were there;


s: And more -- the waft of waters on the rock,


s: The sound of forests and the thunder peal.


s: Such was her voice; but soon in clearer tones


s: Reaching to Tartarus, she raised her song:


s: And Pluto, king of earth, whose weary soul


s: Grieves at his godhead; Styx; and plains of bliss


s: My patron goddess, last and lowest form (39)


s: Hold silent converse; warder of the gate


s: Ye sisters who shall spin the threads again; (40)


s: And thou, O boatman of the burning wave,


s: Now wearied of the shades from hell to me


s: Hath ne'er been absent from my proffered song,


s: Flesh washed with brains still quivering; if the child


s: Whose severed head I placed upon the dish


s: But for this hand had lived -- a listening ear


s: Lend to my supplication!  From the caves


s: I claim no soul long banished from the light.


s: For one but now departed, lingering still


s: Grant (for ye may) that listening to the spell


s: Once more he seek his dust; and let the shade


s: Of this our soldier perished (if the war


s: Well at your hands has merited), proclaim


s: Such prayers she uttered; then, her foaming lips


s: And head uplifting, present saw the ghost.


s: Hard by he stood, beside the hated corpse


s: His ancient prison, and loathed to enter in.


s: There was the yawning chest where fell the blow


s: That was his death; and yet the gift supreme


s: Of death, his right, (Ah, wretch!) was reft away.


s: Angered at Death the witch, and at the pause


s: Conceded by the fates, with living snake


s: Scourges the moveless corse; and on the dead


s: She barks through fissures gaping to her song,


s: Breaking the silence of their gloomy home:


s: Flies not this wretched soul before your whips


s: The void of Erebus?  By your very names,


s: She-dogs of hell, I'll call you to the day,


s: Not to return; through sepulchres and death


s: Your gaoler: from funereal urns and tombs


s: I'll chase you forth.  And thou, too, Hecate,


s: Who to the gods in comely shape and mien,


s: Not that of Erebus, appearst, henceforth


s: At my command shalt come.  I'll noise abroad


s: The banquet that beneath the solid earth


s: Holds thee, thou maid of Enna; by what bond


s: Thou lov'st night's King, by what mysterious stain


s: To call her daughter.  And for thee, base king,


s: Titan shall pierce thy caverns with his rays


s: And sudden day shall smite thee.  Do ye hear?


s: At whose dread name earth trembles; who can look


s: Unflinching on the Gorgon's head, and drive


s: The Furies with his scourge, who holds the depths


s: Ye cannot fathom, and above whose haunts


s: Grew warm and liquid, and with softening touch


s: Cherished the stiffened wounds and filled the veins,


s: Till throbbed once more the slow returning pulse


s: Life was commingled.  Then, not limb by limb,


s: With toil and strain, but rising at a bound


s: Leaped from the earth erect the living man.


s: Fierce glared his eyes uncovered, and the life


s: Was dim, and still upon his face remained


s: Brought back again: but from his lips tight drawn


s: When questioned to reply.  "Speak," quoth the hag,


s: "As I shall bid thee; great shall be thy gain


s: If but thou answerest truly, freed for aye


s: From all Haemonian art.  Such burial place


s: Shall now be thine, and on thy funeral pyre


s: Such fatal woods shall burn, such chant shall sound,


s: Or spell shall reach, and thy Lethaean sleep


s: Think not this second life enforced in vain.


s: In search of truth, should gain a sure response.


s: Then speak, I pray thee.  Let the hidden fates


s: Tell through thy voice the mysteries to come."


s: Thus spake she, and her words by mystic force


s: Gave him his answer; but with gloomy mien,


s: And tears swift flowing, thus he made reply:


s: "Called from the margin of the silent stream


s: I saw no fateful sisters spin the threads.


s: Yet know I this, that 'mid the Roman shades


s: Reigns fiercest discord; and this impious war


s: Destroys the peace that ruled the fields of death.


s: In paths diverse the Roman chieftains leave


s: And thus disclose the fates.  The blissful ghosts


s: And great Camillus, wept; and Sulla's shade


s: To Carthage, grieves for that indignant soul


s: Which shall disdain to serve.  Brutus alone


s: First consul when the kings were thrust from Rome.


s: The chains were fallen from boastful Catiline.


s: In laws immoderate; and the famous pair (42)


s: Of greatly daring brothers: guilty bands


s: That close the prison of hell, applaud the fates,


s: Claiming the plains Elysian: and the King


s: Throws wide his pallid halls, makes hard the points


s: Of craggy rocks, and forges iron chains,


s: The victor's punishment.  But take with thee


s: This comfort, youth, that there a calm abode,


s: And peaceful, waits thy father and his house.


s: Disturb thy boding heart: the hour shall come


s: When all the chiefs shall meet.  Shrink not from death,


s: But glowing in the greatness of your souls,


s: E'en from your humble sepulchres descend,


s: And tread beneath your feet, in pride of place,


s: The wandering phantoms of the gods of Rome. (43)


s: Which of the chiefs by Tiber's yellow stream,


s: And which by Nile shall rest (the leaders' fate)


s: This fight decides, no more.  Nor seek to know


s: From me thy fortunes: for the fates in time


s: Shall give thee all thy due; and thy great sire, (44)


s: Shall speak thy future -- doubting even he


s: What regions of the world thou should'st avoid


s: And what should'st seek.  O miserable race!


s: Europe and Asia and Libya's plains, (45)


s: Which saw your conquests, now shall hold alike


s: Your burial-place -- nor has the earth for you


s: He stands in mournful guise, with silent look


s: Asking for death again; yet could not die


s: Till mystic herb and magic chant prevailed.


s: For nature's law, once used, had power no more


s: To slay the corpse and set the spirit free.


s: With plenteous wood she builds the funeral pyre


s: To which the dead man comes: then as the flames


s: Seized on his form outstretched, the youth and witch


s: Together sought the camp; and as the dawn


s: Now streaked the heavens, by the hag's command


s: The day was stayed till Sextus reached his tent,


s: And mist and darkness veiled his safe return.


s: (1)  Dyrrhachium (or Epidamnus) was a Corcyraean colony, but its


s: founder was of Corinth, the metropolis of Corcyra.  It stood


s: some sixty miles north of the Ceraunian promontory (Book V.,


s: Robert the Guiscard, after furious battles with the troops


s: of the Emperor Alexius.  Its modern name is Durazzo.  It may


s: be observed that, according to Caesar's account, he


s: succeeded in getting between Pompey and Dyrrhachium, B.C. 3,


s: (2)  C. del Faro, the N.E. point of Sicily.


s: (4)  Aricia was situated on the Via Appia, about sixteen miles


s: from Rome.  There was a temple of Diana close to it, among


s: some woods on a small lake.  Aricia was Horace's first


s: halting place on his journey to Brundisium ("Satires", i.


s: (6)  Typhon, the hundred-headed giant, was buried under Mount


s: (8)  The vinewood staff was the badge of the centurion's office.


s: (9)  This giant, like Typhon, was buried under Mount Etna.


s: (10) Juba and Petreius killed each other after the battle of


s: Thepsus to avoid falling into Caesar's hands.  See Book IV.,


s: (11) So Cicero: "Shall I, who have been called saviour of the


s: city and father of my country, bring into it an army of


s: Getae Armenians and Colchians?" ("Ep. ad Atticum," ix., 10.)


s: (13) Protesilaus, from this place, first landed at Troy.


s: (14) Thamyris challenged the Muses to a musical contest, and


s: being vanquished, was by them deprived of sight.


s: (15) The arrows given to Philoctetes by Hercules as a reward for


s: (16) This is the Pelasgic, not the historical, Argos.


s: daughter of Cadmus, and mother of Pentheus, king of the


s: Boeotian Thebes.  He was opposed to the mysterious worship


s: of Dionysus, which his mother celebrated, and which he had


s: watched from a tree.  She tore him to pieces, being urged


s: into a frenzy and mistaking him for a wild beast.  She then


s: retired to another Thebes, in Phthiotis, in triumph, with


s: his head and shoulders.  By another legend she did not leave


s: the Boeotian Thebes. (See Grote, vol. i., p. 220. Edit.


s: (18) Aeas was a river flowing from the boundary of Thessaly


s: through Epirus to the Ionian Sea.  The sire of Isis, or Io,


s: was Inachus; but the river of that name is usually placed in


s: (19) A river rising in Mount Pindus and flowing into the Ionian


s: Sea nearly opposite to Ithaca.  At its mouth the sea has


s: (20) The god of this river fought with Hercules for the hand of


s: Deianira.  After Hercules had been married to Deianira, and


s: when they were on a journey, they came to the River Evenus.


s: Here Nessus, a Centaur, acted as ferryman, and Hercules bade


s: him carry Deianira across.  In doing so he insulted her, and


s: (21) Admetus was King of Pherae in Thessaly, and sued for


s: Alcestis, the daughter of Pelias, who promised her to him if


s: he should come in a chariot drawn by lions and boars.  With


s: the assistance of Apollo, Admetus performed this.  Apollo,


s: for the slaughter of the Cyclops, was condemned to serve a


s: mortal, and accordingly he tended the flocks of Admetus for


s: nine years.  The River Amphrysos is marked as flowing into


s: the Pagasaean Gulf at a short distance below Pherae.


s: (22) Anaurus was a small river passing into the Pagasaean Gulf


s: past Iolcos.  In this river Jason is said to have lost one


s: (23) The River Peneus flowed into the sea through the pass of


s: Tempe, cloven by Hercules between Olympus and Ossa (see line


s: Apidanus, and Titaresus (or Eurotas).  The Styx is generally


s: placed in Arcadia, but Lucan says that Eurotas rises from


s: the Stygian pools, and that, mindful of this mysterious


s: source, he refuses to mingle his streams with that of


s: Peneus, in order that the gods may still fear to break an


s: (25) Chiron, the aged Centaur, instructor of Peleus, Achilles,


s: and others.  He was killed by one of the poisoned arrows of


s: Hercules, but placed by Zeus among the stars as the Archer,


s: from which position he appears to be aiming at the Scorpion.


s: (26) The teeth of the dragon slain by Cadmus; though this took


s: (27) Poseidon and Athena disputed as to which of them should name


s: of them who should produce the thing most useful to man;


s: whereupon Athena produced an olive tree, and Poseidon a


s: horse.  Homer also places the scene of this event in


s: (30) Son of Pelasgus.  From him was derived the ancient name of


s: (32) It was supposed that there was on the forehead of the new-


s: born foal an excrescence, which was bitten off and eaten by


s: the mother.  If she did not do this she had no affection for


s: Without a breath of wind, hath knocked the sky."


s: (34) The sky was supposed to move round, but to be restrained in


s: its course by the planets. (See Book X., line 244.)


s: (35) "Coatus audire silentum."  To be present at the meetings of


s: the dead and hear their voices.  So, in the sixth Aeneid,


s: the dead Greek warriors in feeble tones endeavour to express


s: their fright at the appearance of the Trojan hero (lines


s: (36) "As if that piece were sweeter which the wolf had bitten."


s: Note to "The Masque of Queens", in which the first hag says:


s: And soon as she turned her beak to the south


s: I snatched this morsel out of her mouth."


s: But more probably the meaning is that the wolf's bite gave


s: (37) Confusing Pharsalia with Philippi. (See line 684.)


s: (38) One of the miraculous stories to be found in Pliny's


s: "Natural History".  See Lecky's "Augustus to Charlemagne",


s: (39) The mysterious goddess Hecate was identified with Luna in


s: heaven, Diana on earth, and Proserpine in the lower regions.


s: (40) That is, for the second life of her victim.


s: (42) The Gracchi, the younger of whom aimed at being a perpetual


s: tribune, and was in some sort a forerunner of the Emperors.


s: (43) That is, the Caesars, who will be in Tartarus.


s: (44) Referring probably to an episode intended to be introduced


s: in a later book, in which the shade of Pompeius was to


s: (45) Cnaeus was killed in Spain after the battle of Munda; Sextus


s: Ne'er to the summons of the Eternal laws


s: More slowly Titan rose, (1) nor drave his steeds,


s: Forced by the sky revolving, (2) up the heaven,


s: With gloomier presage; wishing to endure


s: The pangs of ravished light, and dark eclipse;


s: And drew the mists up, not to feed his flames, (3)


s: But lest his light upon Thessalian earth


s: In troubled sleep an empty dream conceived.


s: For in the watches of the night he heard


s: To raise his fame and place him with the gods;


s: O'er conquered tribes where swift Iberus flows, (4)


s: And where Sertorius' armies fought and fled,


s: He sat triumphant in his pure white gown


s: A Roman knight, and heard the Senate's cheer.


s: Perhaps, as ills drew near, his anxious soul,


s: Shunning the future wooed the happy past;


s: Or, as is wont, prophetic slumber showed


s: That which was not to be, by doubtful forms


s: Kind Fortune gave.  Break not his latest sleep,


s: Strike on his ear: for on the morrow's night


s: Shapes of the battle lost, of death and war


s: Shall crowd his rest with terrors.  Whence shalt thou


s: The poor man's happiness of sleep regain?


s: Happy if even in dreams thy Rome could see


s: Once more her captain!  Would the gods had given


s: To reap the latest fruit of such a love:


s: Though sure of fate to come!  Thou marchest on


s: As though by heaven ordained in Rome to die;


s: She, conscious ever of her prayers for thee


s: Heard by the gods, deemed not the fates decreed


s: The last sad solace of her Magnus' tomb.


s: Then young and old had blent their tears for thee,


s: And child unbidden; women torn their hair


s: And struck their bosoms as for Brutus dead.


s: But now no public woe shall greet thy death


s: As erst thy praise was heard: but men shall grieve


s: In silent sorrow, though the victor's voice


s: Amid the clash of arms proclaims thy fall;


s: Though incense smoke before the Thunderer's shrine,


s: And shouts of welcome bid great Caesar hail.


s: The stars had fled before the growing morn,


s: Demand the battle signal.  What!  by those


s: So soon to perish, shall the sign be asked,


s: Their own, their country's doom?  Ah!  fatal rage


s: "Pompeius fears!" they cry.  "He's slow to act;


s: Too 'kind to Caesar; and he fondly rules


s: A world of subject peoples; but with peace


s: Such rule were ended."  Eastern kings no less,


s: And peoples, eager for their distant homes,


s: Thus hath it pleased the gods, when woe impends


s: On guilty men, to make them seem its cause.


s: We court disaster, crave the fatal sword.


s: Of Magnus' camp Pharsalia was the prayer;


s: Fierce Catiline at the peace-compelling axe


s: Trembled and fled, arose, to Magnus' ear


s: Bearing the voice of all.  To him was war


s: Grown hateful, and he longed once more to hear


s: The Senate's plaudits; and with eloquent lips


s: "Fortune, Pompeius, for her gifts to thee


s: Asks this one boon, that thou should'st use her now.


s: Here at thy feet thy leading captains lie;


s: And here thy monarchs, and a suppliant world


s: Entreats thee prostrate for thy kinsman's fall.


s: So long shall Caesar plunge the world in war?


s: Swift was thy tread when these proud nations fell;


s: How deep their shame, and justly, should delay


s: Now mar thy conquests!  Where thy trust in Fate,


s: Thy fervour where?  Ingrate!  Dost dread the gods,


s: Or think they favour not the Senate's cause?


s: Thy troops unbidden shall the standards seize


s: And conquer; thou in shame be forced to win.


s: The war is waged, then give to us the right


s: To choose the battle-field.  Why dost thou keep


s: From Caesar's throat the swords of all the world?


s: Scarce one awaits the signal.  Strike at once,


s: Or without thee the trumpets sound the fray.


s: Art thou the Senate's comrade or her lord?


s: His mind was adverse, but he felt the fates


s: Opposed his wish, and knew the hand divine.


s: "Since all desire it, and the fates prevail,


s: I share the labours of the battle-field.


s: Let Fortune roll the nations of the earth


s: See their last sun to-day.  Yet, Rome, I swear,


s: This day of blood was forced upon thy son.


s: Might have been thine, and he who broke the peace


s: In peace forgotten.  Whence this lust for crime?


s: Be shunned, not sought?  We've ravished from our foe


s: All boundless seas, and land; his starving troops


s: Have snatched earth's crop half-grown, in vain attempt


s: Their hunger to appease; they prayed for death,


s: Sought for the sword-thrust, and within our ranks


s: Were fain to mix their life-blood with your own.


s: Much of the war is done: the conscript youth


s: Whose heart beats high, who burns to join the fray


s: (Though men fight hard in terror of defeat),


s: Bravest is he who promptly meets the ill


s: When fate commands it and the moment comes,


s: Yet brooks delay, in prudence; and shall we,


s: Trust to the sword the fortunes of the world?


s: Who mad'st Pompeius guardian, from his hands


s: Take back the charge grown weightier, and thyself


s: Nor blame nor glory shall be mine to-day.


s: Thy prayers unjustly, Caesar, have prevailed:


s: We fight!  What wickedness, what woes on men,


s: Destruction on what realms this dawn shall bring!


s: Crimson with Roman blood yon stream shall run.


s: Would that (without the ruin of our cause)


s: The first fell bolt hurled on this cursed day


s: Might strike me lifeless!  Else, this battle brings


s: The victor wins, but conquest is a crime."


s: Thus to the soldiers, burning for the fray,


s: He yields, forbidding, and throws down the reins.


s: Upon his barque, which, driven by the seas,


s: Hums with impatience, and the brave man's heart


s: With beats tumultuous throbs against his breast;


s: And all the host had standing in their looks (5)


s: The paleness of the death that was to come.


s: On that day's fight 'twas manifest that Rome


s: Hung trembling; and by weightier dread possessed,


s: They knew not danger.  Who would fear for self


s: Should ocean rise and whelm the mountain tops,


s: They trust no sword until its deadly point


s: Glows on the sharpening stone; no lance will serve


s: Till straightened for the fray; each bow is strung


s: Fill all the quivers; horsemen try the curb


s: And fit the bridle rein and whet the spur.


s: 'Twas thus, when Phlegra bore the giant crew, (6)


s: In Etna's furnace glowed the sword of Mars,


s: Neptunus' trident felt the flame once more;


s: Sharpened his darts afresh: on Pallas' shield


s: Was spread anew the dread Medusa's hair;


s: Of Vulcan forging thunderbolts for Jove.


s: Yet Fortune failed not, as they sought the field,


s: All heaven opposed their march: portentous fire


s: In columns filled the plain, and torches blazed:


s: And thirsty whirlwinds mixed with meteor bolts


s: Smote on them as they strode, whose sulphurous flames


s: Perplexed the vision.  Crests were struck from helms;


s: The melted sword-blade flowed upon the hilt:


s: The spear ran liquid, and the hurtful steel


s: Smoked with a sulphur that had come from heaven.


s: Nay, more, the standards, hid by swarms of bees


s: Scarce lifted from the earth; bedewed with tears;


s: No more of Rome the standards, (7) or her state.


s: And from the altar fled the frantic bull


s: Didst thou appeal?  What furies didst thou call,


s: What powers of madness and what Stygian Kings


s: Whelmed in th' abyss of hell?  Didst favour gain


s: Strange sights were seen; or caused by hands divine


s: Plunged headlong in the valley, Pindus met


s: Red ran Baebeis, (8) and Pharsalia's field


s: Gave warlike voices forth in depth of night.


s: Now darkness came upon their wondering gaze,


s: Now daylight pale and wan, their helmets wreathed


s: In pallid mist; the spirits of their sires


s: Hovered in air, and shades of kindred dead


s: Passed flitting through the gloom.  Yet to the host


s: Conscious of guilty prayers which sought to shed


s: The blood of sires and brothers, earth and air


s: Distraught, and horrors seething in their hearts


s: Was't strange that peoples whom their latest day


s: Foreknew the doom) should tremble with affright?


s: And Tyrian Gades, (9) in whatever clime,


s: 'Neath every sky, struck by mysterious dread


s: Were plunged in sorrow -- yet rebuked the tear,


s: Thus on Euganean hills (10) where sulphurous fumes


s: Disclose the rise of Aponus (11) from earth,


s: And where Timavus broadens in the meads,


s: An augur spake: "This day the fight is fought,


s: To end the impious conflict."  Or he saw


s: Or else the sky discordant o'er the space


s: Of heaven, from pole to pole; or else perchance


s: And told the battle by his wasted beams.


s: Passed not as others; if the gifted sense


s: Of reading portents had been given to all,


s: All men had known Pharsalia.  Gods of heaven!


s: How do ye mark the great ones of the earth!


s: The world gives tokens of their weal or woe;


s: The sky records their fates: in distant climes


s: To future races shall their tale be told,


s: Borne through the centuries: and men shall read


s: And breathless pray, as though it were to come,


s: For that long since accomplished; and for thee


s: Thus far, Pompeius, shall that prayer be given.


s: Reflected from their arms, th' opposing sun


s: Filled all the slope with radiance as they marched


s: In ordered ranks to that ill-fated fight,


s: And stood arranged for battle.  On the left


s: Thou, Lentulus, had'st charge; two legions there,


s: The fourth, and bravest of them all, the first:


s: While on the right, Domitius, ever stanch,


s: Though fates be adverse, stood: in middle line


s: In Scipio's care; their chief in Libyan days,


s: To-day their comrade.  By Enipeus' pools


s: And by the rivulets, the mountain troops


s: Thy squadrons, Pontus: on the firmer ground


s: Galatia's tetrarchs and the greater kings;


s: And all the purple-robed, the slaves of Rome.


s: Numidian hordes were there from Afric shores,


s: Full space to wing their arrows; there the tribes


s: From brave Iberia clashed their shields, and there


s: Gaul stood arrayed against her ancient foe.


s: Let all the nations be the victor's prize,


s: This fight demands the slaughter of a world.


s: Caesar that day to send his troops for spoil


s: Had left his tent, when on the further hill


s: Behold!  his foe descending to the plain.


s: The moment asked for by a thousand prayers


s: Is come, which puts his fortune on the risk


s: His eager soul ill brooked the small delay


s: This civil war compelled: each instant lost


s: Robbed from his due!  But when at length he knew


s: The last great conflict come, the fight supreme,


s: Whose prize the leadership of all the world:


s: Swiftest to strike, yet for a little space


s: His rage for battle failed; the spirit bold


s: To pledge itself the issue, wavered now:


s: For Magnus' fortunes gave no room for hope,


s: Though Caesar's none for fear.  Deep in his soul


s: Such doubt was hidden, as with mien and speech


s: That augured victory, thus the chief began:


s: "Ye conquerors of a world, my hope in all,


s: Prayed for so oft, the dawn of fight is come.


s: No more entreat the gods: with sword in hand


s: Seize on our fates; and Caesar in your deeds


s: This day is great or little.  This the day


s: For which I hold since Rubicon was passed


s: Your promise given: for this we flew to arms: (12)


s: For this deferred the triumphs we had won,


s: And which the foe refused: this gives you back


s: Your homes and kindred, and the peaceful farm,


s: Your prize for years of service in the field.


s: And by the fates' command this day shall prove


s: Whose quarrel juster: for defeat is guilt


s: To him on whom it falls.  If in my cause


s: With fire and sword ye did your country wrong,


s: Strike for acquittal!  Should another judge


s: This war, not Caesar, none were blameless found.


s: Not for my sake this battle, but for you,


s: 'Gainst all the world.  Wishful myself for life


s: Apart from public cares, and for the gown


s: That robes the private citizen, I refuse


s: To yield from office till the law allows


s: Your right in all things.  On my shoulders rest


s: All blame; all power be yours.  Nor deep the blood


s: Between yourselves and conquest.  Grecian schools


s: Of exercise and wrestling (13) send us here


s: Their chosen darlings to await your swords;


s: And scarcely armed for war, a dissonant crowd


s: Barbaric, that will start to hear our trump,


s: Nay, their own clamour.  Not in civil strife


s: Your blows shall fall -- the battle of to-day


s: Sweeps from the earth the enemies of Rome.


s: Dash through these cowards and their vaunted kings:


s: One stroke of sword and all the world is yours.


s: Make plain to all men that the crowds who decked


s: Pompeius' hundred pageants scarce were fit


s: For one poor triumph.  Shall Armenia care


s: Who leads her masters, or barbarians shed


s: One drop of blood to make Pompeius chief


s: O'er our Italia?  Rome, 'tis Rome they hate


s: And all her children; yet they hate the most


s: Those whom they know.  My fate is in the hands


s: Of you, mine own true soldiers, proved in all


s: The wars we fought in Gallia.  When the sword


s: Of each of you shall strike, I know the hand:


s: The javelin's flight to me betrays the arm


s: That launched it hurtling: and to-day once more


s: I see the faces stern, the threatening eyes,


s: Kings trodden down and scattered senators


s: Fill all th' ensanguined plain, and peoples float


s: Unnumbered on the crimson tide of death.


s: Enough of words -- I but delay the fates;


s: Forgive the pause.  I tremble with the hopes (14)


s: Thus finding utterance.  I ne'er have seen


s: The mighty gods so near; this little field


s: Who when this war is done shall have the power


s: O'er all that peoples, all that kings enjoy


s: To shower it where I will.  But has the pole


s: Been moved, or in its nightly course some star


s: Turned backwards, that such mighty deeds should pass


s: Here on Thessalian earth?  To-day we reap


s: Of all our wars the harvest or the doom.


s: Think of the cross that threats us, and the chain,


s: Limbs hacked asunder, Caesar's head displayed


s: Piled up with slaughter: for this hostile chief


s: If conquered, that I grieve: my lot apart


s: Is cast long since.  This sword, should one of you


s: Turn from the battle ere the foe be fled,


s: Shall rob the life of Caesar.  O ye gods,


s: Drawn down from heaven by the throes of Rome,


s: Against the vanquished an inhuman sword,


s: Preferred another's standard to his own.


s: Pompeius' sword drank deep Italian blood


s: When cabined in yon space the brave man's arm


s: No more found room to strike.  But you, I pray,


s: Touch not the foe who turns him from the fight,


s: But while the gleaming weapons threaten still,


s: Let no fond memories unnerve the arm, (15)


s: Drive home the blade.  Unless the slain be known


s: Your foes account his slaughter as a crime;


s: Spare not our camp, but lay the rampart low


s: But holds his post within the ranks to-day.


s: Shall give us shelter when the rout is done."


s: Scarce had he paused; they snatch the hasty meal,


s: And seize their armour and with swift acclaim


s: Welcome the chief's predictions of the day,


s: Tread low their camp when rushing to the fight;


s: And take their post: nor word nor order given,


s: In fate they put their trust.  Nor, had'st thou placed


s: All Caesars there, all striving for the throne


s: Of Rome their city, had their serried ranks


s: With speedier tread dashed down upon the foe.


s: But when Pompeius saw the hostile troops


s: Move forth in order and demand the fight,


s: Struck to his heart -- omen itself of woe,


s: That such a chief should at the call to arms,


s: Thus dread the issue: but with fear repressed,


s: Of all his forces, thus he spake: "The day


s: Put forth your strength, your all; the sword to-day


s: Does its last work.  One crowded hour is charged


s: With nations' destinies.  Whoe'er of you


s: Longs for his land and home, his wife and child,


s: Seek them with sword.  Here in mid battle-field,


s: The gods place all at stake.  Our better right


s: Bids us expect their favour; they shall dip


s: Your brands in Caesar's blood, and thus shall give


s: Our cause of battle.  If for him were meant


s: An empire o'er the world, had they not put


s: An end to Magnus' life?  That I am chief


s: Of all these mingled peoples and of Rome


s: Disproves an angry heaven.  See here combined


s: All means of victory.  Noble men have sought


s: Unasked the risks of war.  Our soldiers boast


s: Here would they take their stand.  From furthest east


s: All nations gathered, cities as the sand


s: Unnumbered, give their aid: a world complete


s: Serves 'neath our standards.  North and south and all


s: Who have their being 'neath the starry vault,


s: Here meet in arms conjoined: And shall we not


s: Crush with our closing wings this paltry foe?


s: Few shall find room to strike; the rest with voice


s: Must be content to aid: for Caesar's ranks


s: Suffice not for us.  Think from Rome's high walls


s: The matrons watch you with their hair unbound;


s: Think that the Senate hoar, too old for arms,


s: With snowy locks outspread; and Rome herself,


s: The world's high mistress, fearing now, alas!


s: A despot -- all exhort you to the fight.


s: Think that the people that is and that shall be


s: Joins in the prayer -- in freedom to be born,


s: In freedom die, their wish.  If 'mid these vows


s: Be still found place for mine, with wife and child,


s: Before you suppliant -- unless this fight


s: My kinsman's scorn.  From this, 'tis yours to save.


s: Then save!  Nor in the latest stage of life,


s: At these his words, indignant at the thought,


s: And Rome rose up within them, and to die


s: Moved either host to battle, one in fear


s: And one in hope of empire.  These hands shall do


s: Not all mankind though free from sword and war


s: Shall e'er make good.  Nations that were to live


s: This fight shall crush, and peoples pre-ordained


s: Shall come not to the birth.  The Latin names


s: Shall sound as fables in the ears of men,


s: Shall hardly mark her cities.  Alba's hill,


s: Home of our gods, no human foot shall tread,


s: Save of some Senator at the ancient feast


s: By Numa's orders founded -- he compelled


s: Serves his high office. (16)  Void and desolate


s: Yet not the tooth of envious time destroyed


s: These storied monuments -- 'twas civil war


s: That rased their citadels.  Where now hath fled


s: Not all the earth can furnish her with men:


s: Untenanted her dwellings and her fields:


s: Slaves till her soil: one city holds us all:


s: Finds none on whom to fall; and Rome herself,


s: Void of her citizens, draws within her gates


s: The dregs of all the world.  That none might wage


s: Pharsalia's fight the life-blood of her sons.


s: And shall Pharsalus' morn, darkest of all,


s: Stand on the page unmarked?  Alas, the fates!


s: Not plague nor pestilence nor famine's rage,


s: Not cities given to the flames, nor towns


s: Trembling at shock of earthquake shall weigh down


s: Such heroes lost, when Fortune's ruthless hand


s: Leaders and men embattled.  How great art thou,


s: Rome, in thy fall!  Stretched to the widest bounds


s: Beheld thine empire; and the furthest east


s: Was almost thine, till day and night and sky


s: For thee revolved, and all the stars could see


s: Throughout their course was Roman.  But the fates


s: In one dread day of slaughter and despair


s: Turned back the centuries and spoke thy doom.


s: And now the Indian fears the axe no more


s: The girded Consul curbs the Getan horde,


s: Or in Sarmatian furrows guides the share: (17)


s: Still Parthia boasts her triumphs unavenged:


s: Foul is the public life; and Freedom, fled


s: To furthest Earth beyond the Tigris' stream,


s: And Rhine's broad river, wandering at her will


s: 'Mid Teuton hordes and Scythian, though by sword


s: Sought, yet returns not.  Would that from the day


s: When Romulus, aided by the vulture's flight,


s: Ill-omened, raised within that hateful grove


s: Rome's earliest walls, down to the crimsoned field


s: In dire Thessalia fought, she ne'er had known


s: In vain for liberty?  Why laws and rights


s: With consular titles?  Happier far the Medes


s: That nation serves the worst which serves with shame.


s: No guardian gods watch over us from heaven:


s: Jove (18) is no king; let ages whirl along


s: In blind confusion: from his throne supreme


s: Shall he behold such carnage and restrain


s: His thunderbolts?  On Mimas shall he hurl


s: This life to Cassius' hand?  On Argos fell


s: At grim Thyestes' feast (19) untimely night


s: By him thus hastened; shall Thessalia's land


s: Receive full daylight, wielding kindred swords


s: In fathers' hands and brothers'?  Careless of men


s: Are all the gods.  Yet for this day of doom


s: Such vengeance have we reaped as deities


s: May give to mortals; for these wars shall raise


s: Our parted Caesars to the gods; and Rome


s: Shall deck their effigies with thunderbolts,


s: And stars and rays, and in the very fanes


s: They seize the space that yet delays the fates


s: Till short the span dividing.  Then they gaze


s: For one short moment where may fall the spear,


s: What hand may deal their death, what monstrous task


s: Soon shall be theirs; and all in arms they see,


s: In reach of stroke, their brothers and their sires


s: With front opposing; yet to yield their ground


s: With horror; cold upon each loving heart,


s: Awe-struck, the life-blood pressed; and all men held


s: With arms outstretched their javelins for a time,


s: Poised yet unthrown.  Now may th' avenging gods


s: Allot thee, Crastinus, (20) not such a death


s: May'st thou have feeling and remembrance still!


s: For thine the hand that first flung forth the dart,


s: Which stained with Roman blood Thessalia's earth.


s: Madman!  To speed thy lance when Caesar's self


s: Still held his hand!  Then from the clarions broke


s: The strident summons, and the trumpets blared


s: The sound re-echoes where nor clouds may reach


s: Nor thunder penetrate; and Haemus' slopes (21)


s: Groan, and Pangaean cliffs, till at their rage


s: Borne back from all the earth they shook for fear.


s: Unnumbered darts they hurl, with prayers diverse;


s: Some hope to wound: others, in secret, yearn


s: For hands still innocent.  Chance rules supreme,


s: Makes fall the guilt.  Yet for the hatred bred


s: Urged on their flight afar: the hand must grip


s: The sword and drive it to the foeman's heart.


s: But while Pompeius' ranks, shield wedged to shield,


s: Were ranged in dense array, and scarce had space


s: To draw the blade, came rushing at the charge


s: Full on the central column Caesar's host,


s: Mad for the battle.  Man nor arms could stay


s: The crash of onset, and the furious sword


s: Clove through the stubborn panoply to the flesh,


s: There only stayed.  One army struck -- their foes


s: Struck not in answer; Magnus' swords were cold,


s: But Caesar's reeked with slaughter and with guilt.


s: Nor Fortune lingered, but decreed the doom


s: Soon as withdrawn from all the spacious plain,


s: Pompeius' horse was ranged upon the flanks;


s: Passed through the outer files, the lighter armed


s: Of all the nations joined the central strife,


s: With divers weapons armed, but all for blood


s: Of Rome athirst: then blazing torches flew,


s: Arrows and stones. and ponderous balls of lead


s: Molten by speed of passage through the air.


s: Winged forth their countless shafts till all the sky


s: Grew dark with missiles hurled; and from the night


s: Brooding above, Death struck his victims down,


s: Guiltless such blow, while all the crime was heaped


s: Had placed some companies of foot, in fear


s: The foremost ranks might waver.  These at his word,


s: No trumpet sounding, break upon the ranks


s: Of Magnus' horsemen where they rode at large


s: Flanking the battle.  They, unshamed of fear


s: And careless of the fray, when first a steed


s: Pierced through by javelin spurned with sounding hoof


s: The temples of his rider, turned the rein,


s: And through their comrades spurring from the field


s: In panic, proved that not with warring Rome


s: There stood the victim, and the victor's arm


s: Wearied of slaughter.  Oh, that to thy plains,


s: Pharsalia, might suffice the crimson stream


s: Pollute thy fountains' sources!  these alone


s: Shall clothe thy pastures with the bones of men!


s: Or if thy fields must run with Roman blood


s: Then spare the nations who in times to come


s: Through all the army, and the favouring fates


s: Decreed for Caesar's triumph: and the war


s: Ceased in the wider plain, though still ablaze


s: Where stood the chosen of Pompeius' force,


s: Upholding yet the fight.  Not here allies


s: Begged from some distant king to wield the sword:


s: Here were the Roman sons, the sires of Rome,


s: Here the last frenzy and the last despair:


s: Here, Caesar, was thy crime: and here shall stay


s: Shall tell the horrors of the final strife,


s: Which civil war permits.  Be all obscured


s: In deepest darkness!  Spare the useless tear


s: And vain lament, and let the deeds that fell


s: In that last fight of Rome remain unsung.


s: That each might bear his portion of the guilt


s: Which stained the host, unflinching through the ranks


s: Passed at his will.  He looked upon the brands,


s: These reddened only at the point, and those


s: Streaming with blood and gory, to the hilt:


s: He marks the hand which trembling grasped the sword,


s: Or held it idle, and the cheek that grew


s: Pale at the blow, and that which at his words


s: Glowed with the joy of battle: midst the dead


s: He treads the plain and on each gaping wound


s: Presses his hand to keep the life within.


s: Thus Caesar passed: and where his footsteps fell


s: As when Bellona shakes her crimson lash,


s: Or Mavors scourges on the Thracian mares (22)


s: When shunning the dread face on Pallas' shield,


s: He drives his chariot, there arose a night


s: Dark with huge slaughter and with crime, and groans


s: As of a voice immense, and sound of alms


s: As fell the wearer, and of sword on sword


s: Crashed into fragments.  With a ready hand


s: Caesar supplies the weapon and bids strike


s: Full at the visage; and with lance reversed


s: Urges the flagging ranks and stirs the fight.


s: Where flows the nation's blood, where beats the heart,


s: Knowing, he bids them spare the common herd,


s: But seek the senators -- thus Rome he strikes,


s: Thus the last hold of Freedom.  In the fray,


s: Then fell the nobles with their mighty names


s: Of ancient prowess; there Metellus' sons,


s: Not once nor twice the conquerors of kings,


s: First of all men, Pompeius' name except,


s: Where was thy sword? (23)  "Veiled by a common helm


s: Unknown thou wanderest.  Thy country's pride,


s: Hope of the Senate, thou (for none besides);


s: Thou latest scion of that race of pride,


s: Whose fearless deeds the centuries record,


s: Tempt not the battle, nor provoke the doom!


s: Thy Thessaly.  Not here shalt thou prevail


s: 'Gainst Caesar's life.  Not yet hath he surpassed


s: The height of power and deserved a death


s: Noble at Brutus' hands -- then let him live,


s: Lay all the honour of Rome; no common stream


s: Mixed with the purple tide.  And yet of all


s: Thee, brave Domitius. (24)  Whene'er the day


s: Was adverse to the fortunes of thy chief


s: Thine was the arm which vainly stayed the fight.


s: Vanquished so oft by Caesar, now 'twas thine


s: Yet free to perish.  By a thousand wounds


s: Came welcome death, nor had thy conqueror power


s: The dark blood welling forth and death at hand,


s: And thus in words of scorn: "And dost thou lie,


s: Thee his successor, thee?  Why leavest thou then


s: His standards helpless?"  But the parting life


s: Still faintly throbbed within Domitius' breast,


s: Thus finding utterance: "Yet thou hast not won


s: Thy hateful prize, for doubtful are the fates;


s: Nor thou the master, Caesar; free as yet,


s: With great Pompeius for my leader still,


s: Warring no more, I seek the silent shades,


s: Yet with this hope in death, that thou subdued


s: May'st pay atonement."  So he spake: no more;


s: When thus a world was perishing, the tear


s: Meet for each fate, or sing the wound that reft


s: Each life away.  Through forehead and through throat


s: The pitiless weapon clove its deadly path,


s: Or forced the entrails forth: one fell to earth


s: Prone at the stroke; one stood though shorn of limb;


s: Glanced from this breast unharmed the quivering spear;


s: That it transfixed to earth.  Here from the veins


s: Spouted the life-blood, till the foeman's arms


s: Were crimsoned.  One his brother slew, nor dared


s: To spoil the corse, till severed from the neck


s: Full in his father's teeth the fatal sword,


s: By murderous frenzy striving to disprove


s: His kinship with the slain.  Yet for each death


s: We find no separate dirge, nor weep for men


s: When peoples fell.  Thus, Rome, thy doom was wrought


s: At dread Pharsalus.  Not, as in other fields,


s: By soldiers slain, or captains; here were swept


s: Whole nations to the death; Assyria here,


s: Gushing in torrents forth, forbade the rest


s: To stagnate on the plain.  Nor life was reft,


s: Nor safety only then; but reeled the world


s: And all her manifold peoples at the blow


s: In that day's battle dealt; nor only then


s: Felt, but in all the times that were to come.


s: Those swords gave servitude to every age


s: That shall be slavish; by our sires was shaped


s: Yet have we trembled not, nor feared to bare


s: Our throats to slaughter, nor to face the foe:


s: Such be our doom; yet, Fortune, sharing not


s: In that last battle, 'twas our right to strike


s: One blow for freedom ere we served our lord.


s: Now saw Pompeius, grieving, that the gods


s: Had left his side, and knew the fates of Rome


s: Passed from his governance; yet all the blood


s: That filled the field scarce brought him to confess


s: His fortunes fled.  A little hill he sought


s: Whence to descry the battle raging still


s: Upon the plain, which when he nearer stood


s: The warring ranks concealed.  Thence did the chief


s: Gaze on unnumbered swords that flashed in air


s: And sought his ruin; and the tide of blood


s: In which his host had perished.  Yet not as those


s: Who, prostrate fallen, would drag nations down


s: Still were the gods thought worthy of his prayers


s: Might live his Romans.  "Spare, ye gods," he said,


s: "Nor lay whole peoples low; my fall attained,


s: The world and Rome may stand. And if ye need


s: More bloodshed, here on me, my wife, and sons


s: Wreak out your vengeance -- pledges to the fates


s: Such have we given.  Too little for the war


s: Is our destruction?  Doth the carnage fail,


s: The world escaping?  Magnus' fortunes lost,


s: Why doom all else beside him?"  Thus he cried,


s: And passed amid his standards, and recalled


s: His vanquished host that rushed on fate declared.


s: Not for his sake such carnage should be wrought.


s: So thought Pompeius; nor the foeman's sword


s: He feared, nor death; but lest upon his fall


s: To quit their chief his soldiers might refuse,


s: And o'er his prostrate corpse a world in arms


s: Might find its ruin: or perchance he wished


s: From Caesar's eager eyes to veil his death.


s: He shall behold, shorn from the bleeding trunk,


s: Again thy visage.  And thou, too, his spouse,


s: Beloved Cornelia, didst cause his flight;


s: Thy longed-for features; yet he shall not die


s: Though fearing not the weapons at his back,


s: To meet his destinies.  No groan nor tear,


s: But solemn grief as for the fates of Rome,


s: Was in his visage, and with mien unchanged


s: He saw Pharsalia's woes, above the frowns


s: Or smiles of Fortune; in triumphant days


s: And in his fall, her master.  The burden laid


s: Of thine impending fate, thou partest free


s: Hope now has fled; but in the fleeting past


s: How wast thou great!  Seek thou the wars no more,


s: And call the gods to witness that for thee


s: Henceforth dies no man.  In the fights to come


s: On Afric's mournful shore, by Pharos' stream


s: Of dire Pharsalia's battle, not thy name


s: Doth stir the war and urge the foeman's arm,


s: But those great rivals biding with us yet,


s: Some solace thus in parting from the fight


s: Nor seeing all the horrors of its close?


s: Look back upon the dead that load the plain,


s: The rivers turbid with a crimson stream;


s: Then pity thou thy victor.  How shall he


s: Finds happiness?  Trust thou in Fortune yet,


s: Whate'er thy sufferings 'neath the Pharian king,


s: 'Twere worse to conquer.  Then forbid the tear,


s: Cease, sounds of woe, and lamentation cease,


s: As in thy triumphs.  With unfaltering gaze,


s: Look on the suppliant kings, thy subjects still;


s: Search out the realms and cities which they hold,


s: Larissa.  Weeping, yet with gifts of price


s: Fit for a victor, from her teeming gates


s: Poured forth her citizens, their homes and fanes


s: Flung open; wishing it had been their lot


s: With thee to share disaster.  Of thy name


s: Still much survives, unto thy former self


s: Alone inferior, still could'st thou to arms


s: All nations call and challenge fate again.


s: But thus he spake: "To cities nor to men


s: Avails the conquered aught; then pledge your faith


s: To him who has the victory."  Caesar trod


s: Pharsalia's slaughter, while his daughter's spouse


s: Thus gave him kingdoms; but Pompeius fled


s: 'Mid sobs and groans and blaming of the gods


s: For this their fierce commandment; and he fled


s: Full of the fruits and knowledge of the love


s: The peoples bore him, which he knew not his


s: Flowed deep enough upon the fatal field,


s: Caesar bade halt, and gave their lives to those


s: Whose death had been no gain.  But that their camp


s: Might not recall the foe, nor calm of night


s: Banish their fears, he bids his cohorts dash,


s: While Fortune glowed and terror filled the plain,


s: Straight on the ramparts of the conquered foe.


s: Light was the task to urge them to the spoil;


s: "Soldiers," he said, "the victory is ours,


s: Full and triumphant: there doth lie the prize


s: Which you have won, not Caesar; at your feet


s: Snatched from Hesperian nations ruddy gold,


s: Are piled within the tents.  The wealth of kings


s: Haste, soldiers, and outstrip the flying foe;


s: E'en now the vanquished of Pharsalia's field


s: Anticipate your spoils."  No more he said,


s: But drave them, blind with frenzy for the gold,


s: To spurn the bodies of their fallen sires,


s: And trample chiefs in dashing on their prey.


s: What rampart had restrained them as they rushed


s: To seize the prize for wickedness and war


s: And learn the price of guilt?  And though they found


s: In ponderous masses heaped for need of war


s: The trophies of a world, yet were their minds


s: Unsatisfied, that asked for all.  Whate'er


s: May gather, had they seized; still had they thought


s: Their guilt too cheaply sold.  When pledged to them


s: And all the spoils of Rome, by Caesar's word,


s: On senators' turf took rest, on kingly couch


s: The meanest soldier; and the murderer lay


s: Where yesternight his brother or his sire.


s: In raving dreams within their waking brains


s: Yet raged the battle, and the guilty hand


s: Still wrought its deeds of blood, and restless sought


s: The absent sword-hilt.  Thou had'st said that groans


s: Issued from all the plain, that parted souls


s: Had breathed a life into the guilty soil,


s: That earthly darkness teemed with gibbering ghosts


s: And Stygian terrors.  Victory foully won


s: Thus claimed its punishment.  The slumbering sense


s: Already heard the hiss of vengeful flames


s: Deep in the trances of the night his sire


s: And one his brother slain.  But all the dead


s: To purge his sin within the Scythian bounds;


s: Nor in more fierce convulsions raged the soul


s: Of Pentheus raving; nor Agave's (26) mind


s: When she had known her son.  Before his gaze


s: Flashed all the javelins which Pharsalia saw,


s: Or that avenging day when drew their blades


s: Infernal monsters from the depths of hell


s: Scourged him in slumber.  Thus his guilty mind


s: Brought retribution.  Ere his rival died


s: The terrors that enfold the Stygian stream


s: And black Avernus, and the ghostly slain


s: Unveiled the butchery of Pharsalia's field (27)


s: He shrank not from its horror, nor withdrew


s: His feasting gaze.  There rolled the streams in flood


s: With crimson carnage; there a seething heap


s: Rose shrouding all the plain, now in decay


s: Slow settling down; there numbered he the host


s: Of Magnus slain; and for the morn's repast


s: That spot he chose whence he might watch the dead,


s: Concealed by corpses; of the bloody sight


s: Who at the close of Cannae's fatal fight


s: Laid in the earth the Roman consul dead,


s: For these were all his countrymen, nor yet


s: His ire by blood appeased.  Yet ask we not


s: Burn in one holocaust the nations slain;


s: Or should it please thy soul to torture more


s: Thy kinsman, pile on high from Oeta's slopes


s: And Pindus' top the woods: thus shall he see


s: While fugitive on the deep the blaze that marks


s: Nought dost thou profit; for these corporal frames


s: Bearing innate from birth the certain germs


s: Or fire consumed, shall fall into the lap


s: Thou should'st deny the pyre, still in that flame


s: When all shall crumble, (28) earth and rolling seas


s: And stars commingled with the bones of men,


s: These too shall perish.  Where thy soul shall go


s: These shall companion thee; no higher flight


s: In airy realms is thine, nor smoother couch


s: Beneath the Stygian darkness; for the dead


s: No fortune favours, and our Mother Earth


s: All that is born from her receives again,


s: And he whose bones no tomb or urn protects


s: Yet sleeps beneath the canopy of heaven.


s: And thou, proud conqueror, who would'st deny


s: Why flee thy field of triumph?  Why desert


s: This reeking plain?  Drink, Caesar, of the streams,


s: Drink if thou can'st, and should it be thy wish


s: Breathe the Thessalian air; but from thy grasp


s: The earth is ravished, and th' unburied host,


s: Routing their victor, hold Pharsalia's field.


s: Came all the beasts of earth whose facile sense


s: Of odour tracks the bodies of the slain.


s: Sped from his northern home the Thracian wolf;


s: Bears left their dens and lions from afar


s: Scenting the carnage; dogs obscene and foul


s: Their homes deserted: all the air was full


s: Of gathering fowl, who in their flight had long


s: Pursued the armies.  Cranes (29) who yearly change


s: The frosts of Thracia for the banks of Nile,


s: This year delayed their voyage.  As ne'er before


s: The air grew dark with vultures' hovering wings,


s: Dripped from their crimsoned beaks a gory dew.


s: Oft on the conquerors and their impious arms


s: Or purple rain of blood, or mouldering flesh


s: Fell from the lofty heaven; or limbs of men


s: Of ravening beast or fowl; the inmost flesh


s: Scarce did they touch, nor limbs -- thus lay the dead


s: Scorned by the spoiler; and the Roman host


s: By sun and length of days, and rain from heaven,


s: At length was mingled with Emathia's plain.


s: Ill-starred Thessalia!  By what hateful crime


s: Didst thou offend that thus on thee alone


s: Was laid such carnage?  By what length of years


s: Shalt thou be cleansed from the curse of war?


s: When shall the harvest of thy fields arise


s: Free from their purple stain?  And when the share


s: Cease to upturn the slaughtered hosts of Rome?


s: First shall the battle onset sound again,


s: A crimson torrent.  Thus may be o'erthrown


s: Our sires' memorials; those erected last,


s: Or those which pierced by ancient roots have spread


s: Through broken stones their sacred urns abroad.


s: Thus shall the ploughman of Haemonia gaze


s: Pass o'er more frequent bones.  Wert, Thracia, thou.


s: Upon thy shore should make his cable fast;


s: Thy fields, the resting-place of Roman dead;


s: No lowing kine should graze, nor shepherd dare


s: To leave his fleecy charge to browse at will


s: On fields made fertile by our mouldering dust;


s: All bare and unexplored thy soil should lie,


s: As past man's footsteps, parched by cruel suns,


s: Or palled by snows unmelting!  But, ye gods,


s: Give us to hate the lands which bear the guilt;


s: Let not all earth be cursed, though not all


s: And sad Pachynus, (30) made Philippi pure.


s: (1)       "It is, methinks, a morning full of fate!


s: Had all the weight of sleep and death hung at it!"


s: And her sick head is bound about with clouds


s: As if she threatened night ere noon of day."


s: (3)  As to the sun finding fuel in the clouds, see Book I., line


s: (4)  Pompeius triumphed first in 81 B.C. for his victories in


s: Sicily and Africa, at the age of twenty-four.  Sulla at


s: first objected, but finally yielded and said, "Let him


s: triumph then in God's name."  The triumph for the defeat of


s: Sertorius was not till 71 B.C., in which year Pompeius was


s: elected Consul along with Crassus. (Compare Book IX., 709.)


s: (5)  These two lines are taken from Ben Jonson's "Catiline", act


s: (6)  The volcanic district of Campania, scene of the fabled


s: battle of the giants.  (See Book IV., 666.)


s: (7)  Henceforth to be the standards of the Emperor.


s: (8)  A lake at the foot of Mount Ossa.  Pindus, Ossa, Olympus,


s: and, above all, Haemus (the Balkans) were at a long distance


s: (9)  Gades (Cadiz) is stated to have been founded by the


s: (10) This alludes to the story told by Plutarch ("Caesar", 47)


s: that, at Patavium, Caius Cornelius, a man reputed for skill


s: in divination, and a friend of Livy the historian, was


s: sitting to watch the birds that day.  "And first of all (as


s: Livius says) he discovered the time of the battle, and he


s: said to those present that the affair was now deciding and


s: the men were going into action.  Looking again, and


s: observing the signs, he sprang up with enthusiasm and called


s: out, 'You conquer, Caesar.'"  (Long's translation.)


s: (11) The Fontes Aponi were warm springs near Padua.  An altar,


s: inscribed to Apollo Aponus, was found at Ribchester, and is


s: now at St. John's College, Cambridge. (Wright, "Celt, Roman,


s: (13) For the contempt here expressed for the Greek gymnastic


s: schools, see also Tacitus, "Annals", 14, 21.  It is well


s: known that Nero instituted games called Neronia which were


s: borrowed from the Greeks; and that many of the Roman


s: citizens despised them as foreign and profligate.  Merivale,


s: "I tremble not with terror, but with hope,


s: As the great day reveals its coming scope;


s: Never in earlier days, our hearts to cheer,


s: Have such bright gifts of Heaven been brought so near,


s: Nor ever has been kept the aspiring soul


s: By space so narrow from so grand a goal."


s: Inaugural address at St. Andrews. 1873, on the "Study of


s: (15) That such were Caesar's orders is also attested by Appian.


s: (17) That is, marked out the new colony with a plough-share.


s: This was regarded as a religious ceremony, and therefore


s: performed by the Consul with his toga worn in ancient


s: (20) This act of Crastinus is recorded by Plutarch ("Pompeius",


s: called him by name and said: "Well, Crastinus, shall we win


s: today?"  "We shall win with glory, Caesar," he replied in a


s: loud voice, "and to-day you will praise me, living or dead."


s: -- Durny, "History of Rome", vol. iii., 312.  He was placed


s: (22) That is, lashes on his team terrified by the Gorgon shield


s: (23) Plutarch states that Brutus after the battle escaped and


s: made his way to Larissa, whence he wrote to Caesar.  Caesar,


s: pleased that he was alive, asked him to come to him; and it


s: was on Brutus' opinion that Caesar determined to hurry to


s: entrusted Brutus with the command of Cisalpine Gaul when he


s: (24) "He perished, after a career of furious partisanship,


s: disgraced with cruelty and treachery, on the field of


s: Pharsalia" (Merivale, "Hist. Romans under the Empire",


s: chapter lii.).  Unless this man had been an ancestor of Nero


s: it is impossible to suppose that Lucan would have thus


s: singled him out.  But he appears to have been the only


s: leader who fell.  (Compare Book II, lines 534-590, for his


s: (25) This appears to be the only possible meaning of the text.


s: But in truth, although Cornelia was not by her husband's


s: side at his murder, she was present at the scene.


s: (27) The whole of this passage is foreign to Caesar's character,


s: and unfounded in fact.  Pompeians perished on the field, and


s: were taken prisoners.  When Caesar passed over the field he


s: is recorded to have said in pity, "They would have it so;


s: after all my exploits I should have been condemned to death


s: had I not thrown myself upon the protection of my soldiers."


s: -- Plutarch, "Caesar"; Durny, "History of Rome", vol. iii.,


s: (28) Alluding to the general conflagration in which (by the Stoic


s: (29) Wrongly supposed by Lucan to feed on carrion.


s: (30) Alluding to the naval war waged by Sextus Pompeius after


s: Caesar's death.  He took possession of Sicily, and had


s: command of the seas, but was ultimately defeated by the


s: fleet of Octavius under Agrippa in B.C. 36.  Pachynus was


s: the S.E. promontory of the island, but is used in the sense


s: of Sicily, for this battle took place on the north coast.


s: Now through Alcides'(1) pass and Tempe's groves


s: And forests lone, urged on his wearied steed


s: Scarce heeding now the spur; by devious tracks


s: Seeking to veil the footsteps of his flight:


s: The rustle of the foliage, and the noise


s: Of following comrades filled his anxious soul


s: Some ambushed enemy.  Fallen from the height


s: Of former fortunes, still the chieftain knew


s: His life not worthless; mindful of the fates:


s: And 'gainst the price he set on Caesar's head,


s: Yet, as he rode, the features of the chief


s: Made known his ruin.  Many as they sought


s: News of the battle, met the chief, amazed,


s: And wondered at the whirl of human things:


s: Nor held disaster sure, though Magnus' self


s: Brought peril on his flight: 'twere better far


s: Safe in a name obscure, through all the world


s: Too long had great Pompeius from the height


s: Looked on all others; nor for him henceforth


s: Could life be lowly.  The honours of his youth


s: Too early thrust upon him, and the deeds


s: Which brought him triumph in the Sullan days,


s: And crushed his pondering soul.  So length of days


s: Drags down the haughty spirit, and life prolonged


s: When power has perished.  Fortune's latest hour,


s: Be the last hour of life!  Nor let the wretch


s: But for the boon of death, who'd dare the sea


s: Borne in a sloop, to lightest wind and wave


s: Scarce equal, he, whose countless oars yet smote


s: Crept trembling to the sea.  He bids them steer


s: For there wert thou, sharer of all his griefs,


s: Than wert thou present in Thessalia's fields.


s: Racked is thy heart with presages of ill;


s: Pharsalia fills thy dreams; and when the shades


s: Give place to coming dawn, with hasty step


s: Thou tread'st some cliff sea-beaten, and with eyes


s: Of each approaching bark: yet dar'st not ask


s: Whose bending canvas bears her to the shore:


s: She brings (unknown as yet) thy chiefest dread,


s: Magnus, thy conquered spouse.  Fear then no more,


s: But give to grief thy moments.  From the ship


s: He leaps to land; she marks the cruel doom


s: Wrought by the gods upon him: pale and wan


s: Dark on her soul a night of anguish fell;


s: Her trembling limbs no longer bore her frame:


s: Scarce throbbed her heart, and prone on earth she lay


s: Deceived in hope of death.  The boat made fast,


s: Pompeius treading the lone waste of sand


s: Drew near; whom when Cornelia's maidens saw,


s: They stayed their weeping, yet with sighs subdued,


s: Reproached the fates; and tried in vain to raise


s: Their mistress' form, till Magnus to his breast


s: Drew her with cherishing arms; and at the touch


s: Of soothing hands the life-blood to her veins


s: Returned once more, and she could bear to look


s: Chiding her grief.  "Not at the earliest blow


s: Bequeathed by noble fathers, should thy strength


s: Thus fail and yield: renown shall yet be thine,


s: To last through ages; not of laws decreed


s: Nor conquests won; a gentler path to thee


s: As to thy sex, is given; thy husband's woe.


s: Let thine affection struggle with the fates,


s: And in his misery love thy lord the more.


s: I bring thee greater glory, for that gone


s: Is all the pomp of power and all the crowd


s: Of faithful senators and suppliant kings;


s: Tis thine to love.  Curb this unbounded grief,


s: While yet I breathe, unseemly.  O'er my tomb


s: Weep out thy full, the final pledge of faith.


s: Thou hast no loss, nor has the war destroyed


s: Aught save my fortune.  If for that thy grief


s: Yet scarcely could she raise her trembling limbs,


s: Thus speaking through her sobs: "Would I had sought


s: Detested Caesar's couch, ill-omened wife


s: A Fury has been bridesmaid, and the ghosts


s: Of slaughtered Crassi, with avenging shades


s: Brought by my wedlock to the doomed camp


s: The Parthian massacre.  Twice my star has cursed


s: The world, and peoples have been hurled to death


s: In one red moment; and the gods through me


s: Have left the better cause.  O, hero mine,


s: Unworthy!  'Twas through her that Fortune gained


s: The right to strike thee.  Wherefore did I wed


s: To bring thee misery?  Mine, mine the guilt,


s: May bear thee gently onwards, and the kings


s: May keep their faith to thee, and all the earth


s: To bring thee victory; thy disasters thus,


s: Who by this war hast vengeance on our vows,


s: In this thy rival's death, and spare at least


s: Thy Magnus."  Then upon his breast she fell,


s: While all the concourse wept -- e'en Magnus' self,


s: Who saw Thessalia's field without a tear.


s: From Mitylene thus approached the chief:


s: "If 'tis our greatest glory to have kept


s: The pledge with us by such a husband placed,


s: Do thou one night within these friendly walls


s: We pray thee, stay; thus honouring the homes


s: Long since devoted, Magnus, to thy cause.


s: This spot in days to come the guest from Rome


s: For thee shall honour.  Nowhere shalt thou find


s: May court the victor's favour; we long since


s: Have earned his chastisement.  And though our isle


s: Rides on the deep, girt by the ocean wave,


s: No ships has Caesar: and to us shall come,


s: Be sure, thy captains, to our trusted shore,


s: The war renewing.  Take, for all is thine,


s: The treasures of our temples and the gold,


s: Take all our youth by land or on the sea


s: This from the chief who sought her in his pride,


s: Not in his fall to leave her."  Pleased in soul


s: At such a love, and joyed that in the world


s: Some faith still lingered, thus Pompeius said:


s: "Earth has for me no dearer land than this.


s: Did I not trust it with so sweet a pledge


s: And find it faithful?  Here was Rome for me,


s: Country and household gods.  This shore I sought


s: Nor was afraid to trust you with the means


s: To gain his mercy.  But enough -- through me


s: Your guilt was caused -- I part, throughout the world


s: To prove my fate.  Farewell thou happiest land!


s: Some other kings and peoples may be pleased


s: To give me shelter; or should'st thou alone


s: Be faithful.  And now seek I in what lands


s: Right may be found or wrong.  My latest prayer


s: Thou bidest, thus.  May it be mine again,


s: Conquered, with hostile Caesar on my tracks


s: He placed his spouse: while from the shore arose


s: Such lamentation, and such hands were raised


s: In ire against the gods, that thou had'st deemed


s: All left their kin for exile, and their homes.


s: And though for Magnus grieving in his fall


s: Long since their gentle guest.  For her had wept


s: The Lesbian matrons had she left to join


s: A victor husband: for she won their love,


s: Ere yet her lord was conquered, while as yet


s: He sought (if such there be), was shown his orb,


s: Though veiled from those he quitted.  Magnus' mind,


s: Anxious with waking cares, sought through the kings


s: His subjects, and the cities leagued with Rome


s: In faith, and through the pathless tracts that lie


s: Beyond the southern bounds: until the toil


s: Of sorrowing thought upon the past, and dread


s: Of that which might be, made him cast afar


s: His wavering doubts, and from the captain seek


s: Some counsel on the heavens; how by the sky


s: He marked his track upon the deep; what star


s: Guided the path to Syria, and what points


s: Found in the Wain would pilot him aright


s: The well-skilled watcher of the silent skies:


s: Across the heavens do we guide our barks;


s: For that were perilous; but by that star (2)


s: Which never sinks nor dips below the wave,


s: Girt by the glittering groups men call the Bears.


s: When stands the pole-star clear before the mast,


s: Then to the Bosphorus look we, and the main


s: Which carves the coast of Scythia.  But the more


s: Towards Syria tends, till bright Canopus (3) shines,


s: In southern skies content to hold his course;


s: With him upon the left past Pharos borne


s: Straight for the Syrtes shalt thou plough the deep.


s: But whither now dost bid me shape the yards


s: "This only be thy care: from Thracia steer


s: The vessel onward; shun with all thy skill


s: Italia's distant shore: and for the rest


s: Trust to the winds for guidance.  When I sought,


s: Pledged with the Lesbians, my spouse beloved,


s: My course was sure: now, Fortune, where thou wilt


s: Give me a refuge."  These his answering words.


s: The pilot, as they hung from level yards


s: Shifted the sails; and hauling to the stern


s: One sheet, he slacked the other, to the left


s: Steering, where Samian rocks and Chian marred


s: The stillness of the waters; while the sea


s: A different murmur.  Not so deftly turns


s: Curbing his steeds, his wain the Charioteer,


s: While glows his dexter wheel, and with the left


s: Now Titan veiled the stars and showed the shore;


s: When, following Magnus, came a scattered band


s: His son; (4) next, captains who preserved their faith;


s: For at his side, though vanquished in the field,


s: Cast down by fate, in exile, still there stood,


s: Lords of the earth and all her Orient realms,


s: He bids (5) Deiotarus: "O faithful friend,


s: Since in Emathia's battle-field was lost


s: To test the faith of peoples of the East


s: Who drink of Tigris and Euphrates' stream,


s: The fates that favour Magnus: to the courts


s: To bear my message, 'Hold ye to the faith,


s: Pledged by your priests and by the Thunderer's name


s: Of Latium sworn?  Then fill your quivers full,


s: Draw to its fullest span th' Armenian bow;


s: And, Getan archers, wing the fatal shaft.


s: The Caspian gates, and on th' Alaunian tribes (6)


s: Fierce, ever-warring, pressed, I suffered you


s: In Persian tracts to wander, nor compelled


s: If beyond Cyrus' kingdom (7) and the bounds


s: Pours down Hydaspes, and the Ganges flood


s: Than Persia's bounds to Phoebus' rising fires;


s: If by my sufferance, Parthians, you alone


s: Decked not my triumphs, but in equal state


s: Sole of all Eastern princes, face to face


s: Through me were saved; (for after that dread day


s: Who but Pompeius soothed the kindling fires


s: Of Latium's anger?) -- by my service paid


s: Come forth to victory: burst the ancient bounds


s: March, Parthians, to Rome's conquest.  Rome herself


s: Yet doffed his robe, and swift obeyed, the king


s: Wrapped in a servant's mantle.  If a Prince


s: For safety play the boor, then happier, sure,


s: The peasant's lot than lordship of the world.


s: The king thus parted, past Icaria's rocks


s: Of little Samos: Colophon's tranquil sea


s: Breathed freely on him from the Coan shore.


s: Cuidos he shunned, and, famous for its sun,


s: Rhodos, and steering for the middle deep


s: Till rose Pamphylian coasts before the bark,


s: And first the fallen chieftain dared to find


s: Scarce was the husbandman, and empty homes


s: Forbad to fear.  Next Taurus' heights he saw


s: And Dipsus falling from his lofty sides:


s: Thus severed by the billows from the foe,


s: To make his safety sure?  His little boat


s: But to their exiled lord in chiefest part


s: The senate of Rome was drawn.  Celendrae there


s: Received their fleet, where fair Selinus' stream


s: In spacious bay gives refuge from the main;


s: And to the gathered chiefs in mournful words


s: At length Pompeius thus resolved his thoughts:


s: "O faithful comrades mine in war and flight!


s: To me, my country!  Though this barren shore


s: Our place of meeting, and no gathered host


s: Surrounds us, yet upon our changed estate


s: I seek your counsel.  Rouse ye as of yore


s: With hearts of courage!  Magnus on the field


s: Not all is perished, nor do fates forbid


s: Full of his honours?  shall a lighter blow


s: Keep Magnus down, whose thousand chiefs and ships


s: Still plough the billows; by defeat his strength


s: Not whelmed but scattered?  And the fame alone


s: Shall now protect us, and the world unchanged


s: Ye chiefs, which best may help the needs of Rome,


s: In faith and armies; or the Parthian realm


s: I veil no secret thoughts, but thus advise.


s: His age forbids: nor on the cunning Moor,


s: Of Carthaginian memories and descent (8)


s: Supposed from Hannibal, and swollen with pride


s: Rome lie beneath him.  Wherefore, comrades, seek


s: At speed, the Eastern world.  Those mighty realms


s: Disjoins from us Euphrates, and the gates


s: Called Caspian; on another sky than ours


s: There day and night revolve; another sea


s: Of different hue is severed from our own. (9)


s: Rule is their wish, nought else: and in their plains


s: Taller the war-horse, stronger twangs the bow;


s: There fails nor youth nor age to wing the shaft


s: Fatal in flight.  Their archers first subdued


s: The lance of Macedon and Baetra's (10) walls,


s: With all her storied towers: nor shall they dread


s: By which the host of fated Crassus fell.


s: Nor trust they only to the javelin blade


s: Untipped with poison: from the rancorous edge


s: Forced me not thus to trust that savage race


s: Of Arsaces! (11)  Yet now their emulous fate


s: Smile favouring on their nation.  Thence I'll pour


s: And all the Orient ravished from its home.


s: But should the East and barbarous treaties fail,


s: Fate, bear our shipwrecked fortunes past the bounds


s: Of earth, as known to men.  The kings I made


s: I supplicate not, but in death shall take


s: To other spheres this solace: chief of all;


s: His hands, my kinsman's, never shed my blood


s: Nor soothed me dying.  Yet as my mind in turn


s: The varying fortunes of my life recalls,


s: How was I glorious in that Eastern world!


s: And where swift Tanais flows!  No other land


s: So sent me home triumphant.  Rome, do thou


s: Approve my enterprise!  What happier chance


s: Could favouring gods afford thee?  Parthian hosts


s: Shall fight the civil wars of Rome, and share


s: Her ills, and fall enfeebled.  When the arms


s: Of Caesar meet with Parthian in the fray,


s: And Magnus speaking knew his words condemned.


s: Then Lentulas (12) answered, with indignant soul,


s: Foremost to rouse their valour, thus in words


s: Condemned the world to ruin?  Is the cause


s: Find we no cure for wounds?  Does Fortune drive


s: Thee, Magnus, to the Parthians' feet alone?


s: And dost thou, fugitive, spurn the lands and skies


s: Known heretofore, and seek for other poles


s: And rites barbarian, servant of the realm Of


s: For love of liberty?  If thou canst slave


s: Thou hast deceived the world!  Shall Parthia see


s: Thee at whose name, ruler of mighty Rome,


s: She trembled, at whose feet she captive saw


s: Hyrcanian kings and Indian princes kneel,


s: Now humbly suppliant, victim of the fates;


s: And at thy prayer her puny strength extol


s: In mad contention with the Western world?


s: Nor think, Pompeius, thou shalt plead thy cause


s: In that proud tongue unknown to Parthian ears


s: Of which thy fame is worthy; sobs and tears


s: He shall demand of thee.  And has our shame


s: Brought us to this, that some barbarian foe


s: Shall venge Hesperia's wrongs ere Rome her own?


s: Mid Scythia's peoples dost thou bruit abroad


s: Wounds and disasters which are ours alone?


s: Rome until now, though subject to the yoke


s: Has brooked no foreign lord.  And art thou pleased


s: From all the world to summon to her gates


s: These savage peoples, while the standards lost


s: Shall lead thy columns?  Shall the only king


s: Who failed Emathia, while the fates yet hid


s: Their favouring voices, brave the victor's power,


s: And join with thine his fortune?  Nay, not so


s: This nation trusts itself.  Each race that claims


s: A northern birth, unconquered in the fray


s: Claims but the warrior's death; but as the sky


s: Slopes towards the eastern tracts and gentler climes


s: So are the nations.  There in flowing robes


s: True that the Parthian in Sarmatia's plains,


s: Where Tigris spreads across the level meads,


s: Unbounded; but should uplands bar his path


s: He scales them not; nor through the night of war


s: Repel the foeman; nor his strength of arm


s: The torrent stem; nor all a summer's day


s: In dust and blood bear up against the foe.


s: They fill no hostile trench, nor in their hands


s: Shall battering engine or machine of war


s: Dash down the rampart; and whate'er avails


s: To stop their arrows, battles like a wall. (13)


s: Wide sweep their horsemen, fleeting in attack


s: And light in onset, and their troops shall yield


s: A camp, not take it: poisoned are their shafts;


s: They draw their bows at venture.  Brave men love


s: The sword which, wielded by a stalwart arm,


s: Drives home the blow and makes the battle sure.


s: Not such their weapons; and the first assault


s: Shall force the flying Mede with coward hand


s: And empty quiver from the field.  His faith


s: In poisoned blades is placed; but trustest thou


s: Those who without such aid refuse the war?


s: For such alliance wilt thou risk a death,


s: With all the world between thee and thy home?


s: Shall some barbarian earth or lowly grave


s: Enclose thee perishing?  E'en that were shame


s: While Crassus seeks a sepulchre in vain.


s: Thy lot is happy; death, unfeared by men,


s: Is thy worst doom, Pompeius; but no death


s: This king shall not reserve; for know not we


s: Which, blind as that of beasts, the marriage bed


s: Pollutes with wives unnumbered?  Nor the laws


s: By nature made respect they, nor of kin.


s: Of birth incestuous?  This gracious dame


s: Born of Metellus, noblest blood of Rome,


s: Shall share the couch of the barbarian king


s: With thousand others: yet in savage joy,


s: Proud of her former husbands, he may grant


s: Some larger share of favour; and the fates


s: May seem to smile on Parthia; for the spouse


s: Of Crassus, captive, shall to him be brought


s: As spoil of former conquest.  If the wound


s: Dealt in that fell defeat in eastern lands


s: Still stirs thy heart, then double is the shame


s: First to have waged the war upon ourselves,


s: Then ask the foe for succour.  For what blame


s: Can rest on thee or Caesar, worse than this


s: For Crassus' slaughtered troops the vengeance due?


s: Have poured her captains, and the troops who guard


s: The northern frontier from the Dacian hordes;


s: And all her legions should have left the Rhine


s: Free to the Teuton, till the Parthian dead


s: Were piled in heaps upon the sands that hide


s: Lay at her victor's feet.  To this foul peace


s: Has closed our warfare, let the conqueror march


s: Straight on our Parthian foe.  Then should this heart,


s: Then only, leap at Caesar's triumph won.


s: On this thine errand; and the fleeting ghost


s: Pierced by the Scythian shaft shall greet thee thus:


s: 'Art thou not he to whom our wandering shades


s: Looked for their vengeance in the guise of war?


s: And dost thou sue for peace?'  There shalt thou meet


s: Where passed their headless trunks: Euphrates here


s: Engulfed them slain, or Tigris' winding stream


s: Cast on the shore to perish.  Gaze on this,


s: And thou canst supplicate at Caesar's feet


s: In mid Thessalia seated.  Nay, thy glance


s: Turn on the Roman world, and if thou fear'st


s: King Juba faithless and the southern realms,


s: Girt by the trackless Syrtes forces back


s: By sevenfold stream the ocean; rich in glebe


s: And gold and merchandise; and proud of Nile


s: Asks for no rain from heaven.  Now holds this boy


s: Her sceptre, owed to thee; his guardian thou:


s: And who shall fear this shadow of a name?


s: Hope not from monarchs old, whose shame is fled,


s: Upon his hearers.  With what freedom speaks,


s: When states are trembling, patriot despair!


s: For Cyprus shaped, whose altars more than all


s: The goddess loves who from the Paphian wave


s: Sprang, mindful of her birth, if such be truth,


s: And gods have origin.  Past the craggy isle


s: Its southern cape, and struck across the main


s: With winds transverse and tides; nor reached the mount


s: Grateful to sailors for its nightly gleam:


s: With battling canvas, where divided Nile


s: Pours through the shallows his Pelusian stream. (15)


s: Now was the season when the heavenly scale


s: Repays to night her losses of the spring;


s: Or flagged his canvas, thither steered his ship.


s: Brought news their guest was come.  Short was the time


s: For counsel given; but in haste were met


s: Less harsh in failing years, in Memphis born


s: Of empty rites, and guardian of the rise (16)


s: Of fertilising Nile.  While he was priest


s: Not only once had Apis (17) lived the space


s: Marked by the crescent on his sacred brow.


s: First was his voice, for Magnus raised and troth


s: And for the pledges of the king deceased:


s: But, skilled in counsel meet for shameless minds


s: And tyrant hearts, Pothinus, dared to claim


s: Judgment of death on Magnus.  "Laws and right


s: And faith thus lauded (18) brings its punishment


s: When it supports the fallen.  To the fates


s: Yield thee, and to the gods; the wretched shun


s: But seek the happy.  As the stars from earth


s: Differ, and fire from ocean, so from right


s: Expedience. (19)  The tyrant's shorn of strength


s: Who ponders justice; and regard for right


s: Bring's ruin on a throne.  For lawless power


s: The best defence is crime, and cruel deeds


s: Virtue's the bane of rule; he lives in dread


s: Who shrinks from cruelty.  Nor let this chief


s: Unpunished scorn thy youth, who thinks that thou


s: Not even the conquered from our shore can'st bar.


s: Nor to a stranger, if thou would'st not reign,


s: Resign thy sceptre, for the ties of blood


s: Speak for thy banished sister.  Let her rule


s: O'er Nile and Pharos: we shall at the least


s: What Magnus owned not ere the war was done,


s: No more shall Caesar.  Driven from all the world,


s: Trusting no more to Fortune, now he seeks


s: Some foreign nation which may share his fate.


s: Shades of the slaughtered in the civil war


s: Compel him: nor from Caesar's arms alone


s: Whose blood outpoured has gorged Thessalian fowl;


s: Monarchs he fears whose all he hath destroyed,


s: And nations piled in one ensanguined heap,


s: He asks for help from ours not yet betrayed.


s: Has juster quarrel; who has sought with arms


s: To stain our Pharos, distant from the strife


s: And peaceful ever, and to make our realm


s: Should this our country please thee in thy fall?


s: Why bringst thou here the burden of thy fates,


s: Pharsalia's curse?  In Caesar's eyes long since


s: We have offence which by the sword alone


s: By thy persuasion from the Senate gained


s: This our dominion.  By our prayers we helped


s: If not by arms thy cause.  This sword, which fate


s: Prepared, but for the vanquished; and on thee


s: (Would it had been on Caesar) falls the stroke;