s: Who past his shallows gliding, flows at last


s: The fair-haired people of Cevennes are free:


s: Soft Aude rejoicing bears no Roman keel,


s: Nor pleasant Var, since then Italia's bound;


s: Where hollow crags encroach upon the sea,


s: Is left in freedom: there nor Zephyr gains


s: Nor Caurus access, but the Circian blast (16)


s: Forbids the roadstead by Monaecus' hold.


s: And others left the doubtful shore, which sea


s: And land alternate claim, whene'er the tide


s: Pours in amain or when the wave rolls back --


s: Be it the wind which thus compels the deep


s: From furthest pole, and leaves it at the flood;


s: Or else the moon that makes the tide to swell,


s: Or else, in search of fuel (17) for his fires,


s: The sun draws heavenward the ocean wave; --


s: Whate'er the cause that may control the main


s: Lock in their breasts the secrets of the world.


s: Those who kept watch beside the western shore


s: Have moved their standards home; the happy Gaul


s: Through peaceful meads glides onward to the sea.


s: And where the river broadens, neath the cape


s: Her quiet harbour sleeps.  No outstretched arm


s: Except in mimic war now hurls the lance.


s: The scythed chariot 'gainst his country's foe.


s: Now rest the Belgians, and the Arvernian race


s: That boasts our kinship by descent from Troy;


s: And those brave rebels whose undaunted hands


s: Were dipped in Cotta's blood, and those who wear


s: Sarmatian garb.  Batavia's warriors fierce


s: Nor those who dwell where Rhone's swift eddies sweep


s: Saone to the ocean; nor the mountain tribes


s: Who dwell about its source.  Thou, too, oh Treves,


s: Rejoicest that the war has left thy bounds.


s: Ligurian tribes, now shorn, in ancient days


s: First of the long-haired nations, on whose necks


s: Once flowed the auburn locks in pride supreme;


s: And those who pacify with blood accursed


s: Loved by Diana (18), goddess of the north;


s: All these now rest in peace.  And you, ye Bards,


s: Whose martial lays send down to distant times


s: The fame of valorous deeds in battle done,


s: Pour forth in safety more abundant song.


s: While you, ye Druids (19), when the war was done,


s: To mysteries strange and hateful rites returned:


s: To you alone 'tis given the gods and stars


s: Your dwelling-place, and forests far remote.


s: If what ye sing be true, the shades of men


s: Or death's pale kingdoms; but the breath of life


s: Still rules these bodies in another age --


s: Life on this hand and that, and death between.


s: Happy the peoples 'neath the Northern Star


s: In this their false belief; for them no fear


s: Of that which frights all others: they with hands


s: And scorn to spare the life that shall return.


s: Ye too depart who kept the banks of Rhine


s: Safe from the foe, and leave the Teuton tribes


s: Free at their will to march upon the world.


s: Caesar, with strength increased and gathered troops


s: New efforts daring, spreads his bands afar


s: Through Italy, and fills the neighbouring towns.


s: Gave strength, and heralding the coming war


s: In hundred voices 'midst the people spread.


s: One cries in terror, "Swift the squadrons come


s: Where Nar with Tiber joins: and where, in meads


s: By oxen loved, Mevania spreads her walls,


s: Fierce Caesar hurries his barbarian horse.


s: Eagles and standards wave above his head,


s: And broad the march that sweeps across the land."


s: More fierce and pitiless -- from conquered foes


s: Advancing; in his rear the peoples march.


s: Snatched from their homes between the Rhine and Alps,


s: To pillage Rome while Roman chiefs look on.


s: Thus each man's panic thought swells rumour's lie:


s: They fear the phantoms they themselves create.


s: Nor does the terror seize the crowd alone:


s: But fled the Fathers, to the Consuls (20) first


s: And doubting of their safety, doubting too


s: Where lay the peril, through the choking gates,


s: Each where he would, rushed all the people forth.


s: Thou would'st believe that blazing to the torch


s: Were men's abodes, or nodding to their fall.


s: So streamed they onwards, frenzied with affright,


s: Hope for their country.  So, when southern blasts


s: From Libyan whirlpools drive the boundless main,


s: And mast and sail crash down upon a ship


s: With ponderous weight, but still the frame is sound,


s: Each making shipwreck for himself. 'Twas thus


s: They passed the city gates and fled to war.


s: Nor wife her spouse, nor did they pray the gods


s: To grant the safety of their fatherland.


s: Of their loved city, though perchance the last.


s: Ye gods, who lavish priceless gifts on men,


s: Nor care to guard them, see victorious Rome


s: Teeming with life, chief city of the world,


s: With ample walls that all mankind might hold,


s: The Roman soldier, when in foreign lands


s: And hurried mound finds guard enough to make


s: His slumber safe; but thou, imperial Rome,


s: They trust not for one night.  Yet for their fear


s: This one excuse was left; Pompeius fled.


s: Nor found they room for hope; for nature gave


s: Unerring portents of worse ills to come.


s: The angry gods filled earth and air and sea


s: With frequent prodigies; in darkest nights


s: Strange constellations sparkled through the gloom:


s: The pole was all afire, and torches flew


s: Across the depths of heaven; with horrid hair


s: A blazing comet stretched from east to west


s: And threatened change to kingdoms.  From the blue


s: Pale lightning flashed, and in the murky air


s: The fire took divers shapes; a lance afar


s: A noiseless thunderbolt from cloudless sky


s: Rushed down, and drawing fire in northern parts


s: Plunged on the summit of the Alban mount.


s: The stars that run their courses in the night


s: Shone in full daylight; and the orbed moon,


s: Hid by the shade of earth, grew pale and wan.


s: The sun himself, when poised in mid career,


s: Shrouded his burning car in blackest gloom


s: And plunged the world in darkness, so that men


s: Despaired of day -- like as he veiled his light


s: From that fell banquet which Mycenae saw (21).


s: That rose not heavenwards, but headlong fell


s: In smoking stream upon the Italian flank.


s: Then black Charybdis, from her boundless depth,


s: Howled the wild dogs; the Vestal fire was snatched


s: From off the altar; and the flame that crowned


s: As on the Theban pyre (22), in ancient days;


s: Earth tottered on its base: the mighty Alps


s: From off their summits shook th' eternal snow (23).


s: O'er Calpe's rock and Atlas' hoary head.


s: The native gods shed tears, and holy sweat


s: Dropped from the idols; gifts in temples fell:


s: Foul birds defiled the day; beasts left the woods


s: And made their lair among the streets of Rome.


s: Monsters were brought to birth and mothers shrieked


s: At their own offspring; words of dire import


s: From Cumae's prophetess were noised abroad.


s: Bellona's priests with bleeding arms, and slaves


s: Of Cybele's worship, with ensanguined hair,


s: Howled chants of havoc and of woe to men.


s: Arms clashed; and sounding in the pathless woods


s: Were heard strange voices; spirits walked the earth:


s: And dead men's ashes muttered from the urn.


s: Those who live near the walls desert their homes,


s: For lo!  with hissing serpents in her hair,


s: Waving in downward whirl a blazing pine,


s: A fiend patrols the town, like that which erst


s: At Thebes urged on Agave (24), or which hurled


s: Lycurgus' bolts, or that which as he came


s: From Hades seen, at haughty Juno's word,


s: Trumpets like those that summon armies forth


s: Were heard re-echoing in the silent night:


s: And from the earth arising Sulla's (25) ghost


s: All fled the homesteads, frighted by the shade


s: In desolate Luca, came, well versed in all


s: The lore of omens; knowing what may mean


s: The flight of hovering bird, the pulse that beats


s: All monsters first, by most unnatural birth


s: He bids consume (26).  Then round the walls of Rome


s: Each trembling citizen in turn proceeds.


s: The priests, chief guardians of the public faith,


s: With holy sprinkling purge the open space


s: That borders on the wall; in sacred garb


s: Follows the lesser crowd: the Vestals come


s: By priestess led with laurel crown bedecked,


s: Minerva's effigy that came from Troy (27).


s: Next come the keepers of the sacred books


s: And fate's predictions; who from Almo's brook


s: Taught to observe sinister flight of birds;


s: And those who serve the banquets to the gods;


s: And Titian brethren; and the priest of Mars,


s: Proud of the buckler that adorns his neck;


s: The cap of office.  While they tread the path


s: That winds around the walls, the aged seer


s: Collects the thunderbolts that fell from heaven,


s: And lays them deep in earth, with muttered words


s: Naming the spot accursed.  Next a steer,


s: Picked for his swelling neck and beauteous form,


s: He leads to the altar, and with slanting knife


s: Spreads on his brow the meal, and pours the wine.


s: The victim's struggles prove the gods averse;


s: But when the servers press upon his horns


s: He bends the knee and yields him to the blow.


s: No crimson torrent issued at the stroke,


s: But from the wound a dark empoisoned stream


s: Ebbed slowly downward.  Aruns at the sight


s: Spotted they were and pale, with sable streaks


s: Of lukewarm gore bespread; the liver damp


s: With foul disease, and on the hostile part


s: The fibre hid, and through the vital parts


s: The membrane small; the heart had ceased to throb;


s: Blood oozes through the ducts; the caul is split:


s: One lobe o'ergrows the other; of the twain


s: The one lies flat and sick, the other beats


s: And keeps the pulse in rapid strokes astir.


s: Disaster's near approach thus learned, he cries --


s: "Whate'er may be the purpose of the gods,


s: 'Tis not for me to tell; this offered beast


s: We dare not speak our fears, yet fear doth make


s: The future worse than fact.  May all the gods


s: Be void of truth, and Tages (famous seer)


s: Have vainly taught these mysteries."  Such his words


s: For knowledge of the secret depths of space


s: And laws harmonious that guide the stars,


s: Memphis could find no peer, then spake at large:


s: "Either," he said, "the world and countless orbs


s: Throughout the ages wander at their will;


s: Or, if the fates control them, ruin huge


s: Hangs o'er this city and o'er all mankind.


s: Shall Earth yawn open and engulph the towns?


s: Shall scorching heat usurp the temperate air


s: And fields refuse their timely fruit?  The streams


s: Flow mixed with poison?  In what plague, ye gods,


s: In what destruction shall ye wreak your ire?


s: Whate'er the truth, the days in which we live


s: Shall find a doom for many.  Had the star


s: Of baleful Saturn, frigid in the height,


s: Kindled his lurid fires, the sky had poured


s: Its torrents forth as in Deucalion's time,


s: And whelmed the world in waters.  Or if thou,


s: Wert driving now thy chariot, flames should seize


s: These are at peace; but, Mars, why art thou bent


s: Stays on his course: Mars only holds the sky.


s: Why does Orion's sword too brightly shine?


s: Why planets leave their paths and through the void


s: Thus journey on obscure?  'Tis war that comes,


s: Fierce rabid war: the sword shall bear the rule


s: Confounding justice; hateful crime usurp


s: The name of virtue; and the havoc spread


s: Through many a year.  But why entreat the gods?


s: The end Rome longs for and the final peace


s: Comes with a despot.  Draw thou out thy chain


s: Of lengthening slaughter, and (for such thy fate)


s: Make good thy liberty through civil war."


s: The frightened people heard, and as they heard


s: His words prophetic made them fear the more.


s: But worse remained; for as on Pindus' slopes


s: Speeds some Bacchante, thus in Roman streets


s: Behold a matron run, who, in her trance,


s: "Where dost thou snatch me, Paean, to what shore


s: Through airy regions borne?  I see the snows


s: Of Thracian mountains; and Philippi's plains


s: Lie broad beneath.  But why these battle lines,


s: No foe to vanquish -- Rome on either hand?


s: That paint thine eastern skies, where regal Nile


s: Meets with his flowing wave the rising tide.


s: That lies upon the sand!  Across the seas


s: By changing whirlpools to the burning climes


s: From Thracia brought by fate's command.  And now


s: Thou bear'st me o'er the cloud-compelling Alps


s: There in mid-Senate see the closing scene


s: Of this foul war in foulest murder done.


s: Again the factions rise; through all the world


s: Once more I pass; but give me some new land,


s: Washed by the Pontic billows!  for these eyes


s: Already once have seen Philippi's plains!" (28)


s: The frenzy left her and she speechless fell.


s: (1)  'The great Emathian conqueror' (Milton's sonnet).  Emathia


s: was part of Macedonia, but the word is used loosely for


s: (2)  Crassus had been defeated and slain by the Parthians in B.C.


s: (3)  Mr. Froude in his essay entitled "Divus Caesar" hints that


s: these famous lines may have been written in mockery.


s: Probably the five years known as the Golden Era of Nero had


s: passed when they were written: yet the text itself does not


s: aid such a suggestion; and the view generally taken, namely


s: that Lucan was in earnest, appears preferable.  There were


s: many who dreamed at the time that the disasters of the Civil


s: War were being compensated by the wealth and prosperity of


s: the empire under Nero; and the assurance of universal peace,


s: then almost realised, which is expressed in lines 69-81,


s: seems inconsistent with the idea that this passage was


s: written in irony.  (See Lecky's "European Morals from


s: Augustus to Charlemagne", vol. i.p.240, who describes these


s: latter verses as Written with all the fervour of a Christian


s: poet.  See also Merivale's "Roman Empire," chapter liv.)


s: (4)  See a similar passage in the final scene of Ben Jonson's


s: "Catiline".  The cutting of the Isthmus of Corinth was


s: proposed in Nero's reign, and actually commenced in his


s: presence; but abandoned because it was asserted that the


s: level of the water in the Corinthian Gulf was higher than


s: that in the Saronic Gulf, so that, if the canal were cut,


s: the island of Aegina would be submerged.  Merivale's "Roman


s: "Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere;


s: Nor can one England brook a double reign


s: (6)  This had taken place in B.C.54, about five years before the


s: (7)  This famous line was quoted by Lamartine when addressing the


s: interests of his own party (which in the Assembly was all-


s: powerful), that the President of the Republic should be


s: chosen by the nation, and not by the Assembly; and he ended


s: by saying that if the course he advocated was disastrous to


s: himself, 'Victrix causa Diis placuit, sed victa Catoni.'


s: (8)  'Plausuque sui gaudere theatri.'  Quoted by Mr. Pitt, in his


s: being made with France, Spain, and America; in allusion to


s: Mr. Sheridan.  The latter replied, 'If ever I again engage


s: in the compositions he alludes to, I may be tempted to an


s: act of presumption -- to attempt an improvement on one of


s: Ben Jonson's best characters -- the character of the Angry


s: (9)  Cicero wrote thus of Caesar: 1Have you ever read or heard of


s: victory than our Caesar?' -- Epp. ad Diversos,' viii. 15.


s: With ugly teeth of black rust foully scarred."


s: (11) In the Senate, Curio had proposed and carried a resolution


s: that Pompeius and Caesar should lay their arms down


s: simultaneously; but this was resisted by the Oligarchal


s: party, who endeavoured, though unsuccessfully, to expel


s: Curio from the Senate, and who placed Pompeius in command of


s: the legions at Capua.  This was in effect a declaration of


s: war; and Curio, after a last attempt at resistance, left the


s: city, and betook himself to Caesar. (See the close of Book


s: (13) Plutarch, "Pomp.", 49.  The harbours and places of trade


s: were placed under his control in order that he might find a


s: remedy for the scarcity of grain.  But his enemies said that


s: he had caused the scarcity in order to get the power.


s: (14) Milo was brought to trial for the murder of Clodius in


s: B.C.52, about three years before this.  Pompeius, then sole


s: Consul, had surrounded the tribunal with soldiers, who at


s: one time charged the crowd.  Milo was sent into exile at


s: (16) The north-west wind.  Circius was a violent wind from about


s: the same quarter, but peculiar to the district.


s: (17) This idea that the sun found fuel in the clouds appears


s: again in Book VII., line 7; Book IX., line 379; and Book X.,


s: (18) This Diana was worshipped by the Tauri, a people who dwelt


s: in the Crimea; and, according to legend, was propitiated by


s: human sacrifices.  Orestes on his return from his expiatory


s: wanderings brought her image to Greece, and the Greeks


s: identified her with their Artemis. (Compare Book VI., 93.)


s: (19) The horror of the Druidical groves is again alluded to in


s: Book III., lines 462-489.  Dean Merivale remarks (chapter


s: li.) on this passage, that in the despair of another life


s: which pervaded Paganism at the time, the Roman was


s: exasperated at the Druids' assertion of the transmigration


s: of souls.  But the passage seems also to betray a lingering


s: suspicion that the doctrine may in some shape be true,


s: however horrible were the rites and sacrifices.  The reality


s: of a future life was a part of Lucan's belief, as a state of


s: reward for heroes. (See the passage at the beginning of Book


s: uncertain, and he appears to have viewed the Druidical


s: transmigration rather with doubt and unbelief, as a possible


s: form of future or recurring life, than with scorn as an


s: (20) Plutarch says the Consuls fled without making the sacrifices


s: (22) When the Theban brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, were being


s: tongues, indicating that even in death they could not be


s: reconciled. (Mr. Haskins' note, citing Statius, "Thebiad")


s: (23) "Shook the old snow from off their trembling laps."


s: (25) Sulla was buried in the Campus Martius.  (Plutarch,


s: "Sulla,".)  The corpse of Marius was dragged from his tomb


s: by Sulla's order, and thrown into the Anio.


s: (26) Such a ceremonial took place in A.D. 56 under Nero, after


s: the temples of Jupiter and Minerva had been struck by


s: lightning, and was probably witnessed by Lucan himself.


s: (See Merivale's "History of the Roman Empire," chapter lii.)


s: (28) The confusion between the site of the battle of Philippi and


s: writers. (See the note to Merivale, chapter xxvi.)


s: This was made plain the anger of the gods;


s: In monstrous tumult fraught with prodigies


s: Her laws, and prescient spake the coming guilt.


s: How seemed it just to thee, Olympus' king,


s: That suffering mortals at thy doom should know


s: When first the flames gave way and yielding left


s: And realms unbalanced, fix by stern decree'


s: (Himself, too, bound by law), so that for aye


s: All Nature moves within its fated bounds?


s: Or, is Chance sovereign over all, and we


s: The sport of Fortune and her turning wheel?


s: Whate'er be truth, keep thou the future veiled


s: From mortal vision, and amid their fears


s: The world should suffer, from the truth divine,


s: A solemn fast was called, the courts were closed,


s: Adorned the togas of the chiefs of Rome;


s: No plaints were uttered, and a voiceless grief


s: Knocks at some door but enters not as yet,


s: Or bids her grieving maidens beat the breast,


s: While still she marks the glazing eye, and soothes


s: The stiffening limbs and gazes on the face,


s: In nameless dread, not sorrow, and in awe


s: Of death approaching: and with mind distraught


s: The matrons laid aside their wonted garb:


s: Crowds filled the temples -- on the unpitying stones


s: Some dashed their bosoms; others bathed with tears


s: The statues of the gods; some tore their hair


s: Upon the holy threshold, and with shrieks


s: And vows unceasing called upon the names


s: Of those whom mortals supplicate.  Nor all


s: Lay in the Thunderer's fane: at every shrine


s: Some prayers are offered which refused shall bring


s: Reproach on heaven.  One whose livid arms


s: Were dark with blows, whose cheeks with tears bedewed


s: And riven, cried, "Beat, mothers, beat the breast,


s: Tear now the lock; while doubtful in the scales


s: Still fortune hangs, nor yet the fight is won,


s: You still may grieve: when either wins rejoice."


s: Seeking the camp and setting forth to war,


s: Address the cruel gods in just complaint.


s: "Happy the youths who born in Punic days


s: On Cannae's uplands or by Trebia's stream


s: Fought and were slain!  What wretched lot is ours!


s: No peace we ask for: let the nations rage;


s: Rouse fiercest cities!  may the world find arms


s: To wage a war with Rome: let Parthian hosts


s: Rush forth from Susa; Scythian Ister curb


s: No more the Massagete: unconquered Rhine


s: Let loose from furthest North her fair-haired tribes:


s: Elbe, pour thy Suevians forth!  Let us be foes


s: Of all the peoples.  May the Getan press


s: Here, and the Dacian there; Pompeius meet


s: Confront th' Iberian.  Leave to Rome no hand


s: To raise against herself in civil strife.


s: Let all the sky, fierce Parent, be dissolved


s: And falling on the earth in flaming bolts,


s: Their hands still bloodless, strike both leaders down,


s: With both their hosts!  Why plunge in novel crime


s: To settle which of them shall rule in Rome?


s: Scarce were it worth the price of civil war


s: To hinder either."  Thus the patriot voice


s: Still found an utterance, soon to speak no more.


s: Meantime, the aged fathers o'er their fates


s: In anguish grieved, detesting life prolonged


s: And thus spake one, to justify his fears:


s: "No other deeds the fates laid up in store


s: When Marius (1), victor over Teuton hosts,


s: Afric's high conqueror, cast out from Rome,


s: O Fortune!  by the yielding soil concealed


s: And waving rushes; but ere long the chains


s: And lengthened squalor: thus he paid for crime


s: His punishment beforehand; doomed to die


s: Death oft refused him; and the very foe,


s: In act to murder, shuddered in the stroke


s: And dropped the weapon from his nerveless hand.


s: For through the prison gloom a flame of light


s: Mysterious, 'Hold!  the fates permit thee not


s: That neck to sever.  Many a death he owes


s: To time's predestined laws ere his shall come;


s: Cease from thy madness.  If ye seek revenge


s: For all the blood shed by your slaughtered tribes to


s: Let this man, Cimbrians, live out all his days.'


s: Not as their darling did the gods protect


s: The man of blood, but for his ruthless hand


s: Which fate demanded.  By the sea's despite


s: Borne to our foes, Jugurtha's wasted realm


s: He saw, now conquered; there in squalid huts


s: Awhile he lay, and trod the hostile dust


s: Of Carthage, and his ruin matched with hers:


s: Each from the other's fate some solace drew,


s: And prostrate, pardoned heaven.  On Libyan soil (2)


s: Fresh fury gathering (3), next, when Fortune smiled


s: The prisons he threw wide and freed the slaves.


s: Forth rushed the murderous bands, their melted chains


s: Forged into weapons for his ruffian needs.


s: No charge he gave to mere recruits in guilt


s: Who brought not to the camp some proof of crime.


s: How dread that day when conquering Marius seized


s: The city's ramparts!  with what fated speed


s: Death strode upon his victims!  plebs alike


s: And nobles perished; far and near the sword


s: Struck at his pleasure, till the temple floors


s: Ran wet with slaughter and the crimson stream


s: Befouled with slippery gore the holy walls.


s: Just tottering to the grave, were hurled to death;


s: From infants, in their being's earliest dawn (4),


s: The growing life was severed.  For what crime?


s: Twas cause enough for death that they could die.


s: The fury grew: soon 'twas a sluggard's part


s: To seek the guilty: hundreds died to swell


s: The tale of victims.  Shamed by empty hands,


s: The bloodstained conqueror snatched a reeking head


s: From neck unknown.  One way of life remained,


s: To kiss with shuddering lips the red right hand (5).


s: Degenerate people!  Had ye hearts of men,


s: Though ye were threatened by a thousand swords,


s: Bought at such price; much more that breathing space


s: Till Sulla comes again (6).  But time would fail


s: In weeping for the deaths of all who fell.


s: His vitals dragged abroad.  Antonius too,


s: Prophet of ill, whose hoary head (7) was placed,


s: Dripping with blood, upon the festal board.


s: There headless fell the Crassi; mangled frames


s: 'Neath Fimbria's falchion: and the prison cells


s: Were wet with tribunes' blood.  Hard by the fane


s: Where dwells the goddess and the sacred fire,


s: Fell aged Scaevola, though that gory hand (8)


s: Had spared him, but the feeble tide of blood


s: Still left the flame alive upon the hearth.


s: That selfsame year the seventh time restored (9)


s: The Consul's rods; that year to Marius brought


s: The end of life, when he at Fortune's hands


s: All ills had suffered; all her goods enjoyed.


s: "And what of those who at the Sacriport (10)


s: And Colline gate were slain, then, when the rule


s: Of Earth and all her nations almost left


s: Who led the Samnite hoped that Rome might bleed


s: More than at Caudium's Forks she bled of old?


s: Then came great Sulla to avenge the dead,


s: And all the blood still left within her frame


s: Drew from the city; for the surgeon knife


s: Which shore the cancerous limbs cut in too deep,


s: And shed the life stream from still healthy veins.


s: True that the guilty fell, but not before


s: All else had perished.  Hatred had free course


s: The victor's voice spake once; but each man struck


s: Just as he wished or willed.  The fatal steel


s: Urged by the servant laid the master low.


s: Sons dripped with gore of sires; and brothers fought


s: Or slew each other for the price of blood.


s: Men sought the tombs and, mingling with the dead,


s: Hoped for escape; the wild beasts' dens were full.


s: One strangled died; another from the height


s: Fell headlong down upon the unpitying earth,


s: And from the encrimsoned victor snatched his death:


s: One built his funeral pyre and oped his veins,


s: And sealed the furnace ere his blood was gone.


s: Borne through the trembling town the leaders' heads


s: Were piled in middle forum: hence men knew


s: Of murders else unpublished.  Not on gates


s: Of Diomedes (11), tyrant king of Thrace,


s: Were hung such horrors; nor in Pisa's hall


s: Were seen and wept for when the suitors died.


s: Decay had touched the features of the slain


s: When round the mouldering heap, with trembling steps


s: The grief-struck parents sought and stole their dead.


s: Thought to remove, my victim to the peace


s: Which Sulla made, and place his loved remains


s: On the forbidden pyre.  The head I found,


s: And those dread tortures which the living frame


s: Of Marius (12) suffered at the tomb of him


s: Who haply wished them not?  Pierced, mangled, torn --


s: Nor speech nor grasp was left: his every limb


s: Maimed, hacked and riven; yet the fatal blow


s: The murderers with savage purpose spared.


s: 'Twere scarce believed that one poor mortal frame


s: Such agonies could bear e'er death should come.


s: Thus crushed beneath some ruin lie the dead;


s: Thus shapeless from the deep are borne the drowned.


s: The head of Marius?  To please Sulla's heart


s: That mangled visage must be known to all.


s: Fortune, high goddess of Praeneste's fane,


s: Saw all her townsmen hurried to their deaths


s: In one fell instant.  All the hope of Rome,


s: The flower of Latium, stained with blood the field


s: Where once the peaceful tribes their votes declared.


s: Famine and Sword, the raging sky and sea,


s: And Earth upheaved, have laid such numbers low:


s: But ne'er one man's revenge.  Between the slain


s: And living victims there was space no more,


s: Death thus let slip, to deal the fatal blow.


s: Hardly when struck they fell; the severed head


s: Scarce toppled from the shoulders; but the slain


s: Pressed out the life and helped the murderer's arm.


s: Secure from stain upon his lofty throne,


s: Unshuddering sat the author of the whole,


s: Nor feared that at his word such thousands fell.


s: At length the Tuscan flood received the dead


s: The first upon his waves; the last on those


s: That lay beneath them; vessels in their course


s: Were stayed, and while the lower current flowed


s: Still to the sea, the upper stood on high


s: Dammed back by carnage.  Through the streets meanwhile


s: In headlong torrents ran a tide of blood,


s: Which furrowing its path through town and field


s: Forced the slow river on.  But now his banks


s: No longer held him, and the dead were thrown


s: Back on the fields above.  With labour huge


s: At length he struggled to his goal and stretched


s: In crimson streak across the Tuscan Sea.


s: "For deeds like these, shall Sulla now be styled


s: For these, a tomb in middle field of Mars


s: Record his fame?  Like horrors now return


s: Thus shall be waged again and thus shall end.


s: Yet worse disasters may our fears suggest,


s: The rival hosts in weightier battle meet.


s: Was Rome regained; triumphant Sulla knew


s: To wreak his vengeance with unsparing sword.


s: But these more powerful rivals Fortune calls


s: To worse ambitions; nor would either chief


s: For such reward as Sulla's wage the war."


s: Thus, mindful of his youth, the aged man


s: Wept for the past, but feared the coming days.


s: Such terrors found in haughty Brutus' breast


s: No home.  When others sat them down to fear


s: When the great wain was turning round the pole


s: He sought his kinsman Cato's humble home.


s: Him sleepless did he find, not for himself


s: Fearing, but pondering the fates of Rome,


s: And deep in public cares.  And thus he spake:


s: "O thou in whom that virtue, which of yore


s: Took flight from earth, now finds its only home,


s: Outcast to all besides, but safe with thee:


s: Vouchsafe thy counsel to my wavering soul


s: And make my weakness strength.  While Caesar some,


s: Cato is Brutus' guide.  Art thou for peace,


s: Holding thy footsteps in a tottering world


s: Unshaken?  Or wilt thou with the leaders' crimes


s: And with the people's fury take thy part,


s: And by thy presence purge the war of guilt?


s: In impious battles men unsheath the sword;


s: But each by cause impelled: the household crime;


s: Laws feared in peace; want by the sword removed;


s: In general ruin.  Drawn by hope of gain,


s: And not by thirst for blood, they seek the camp.


s: Shall Cato for war's sake make war alone?


s: What profits it through all these wicked years


s: That thou hast lived untainted?  This were all


s: Thy meed of virtue, that the wars which find


s: Guilt in all else, shall make thee guilty too.


s: Ye gods, permit not that this fatal strife


s: Should stir those hands to action!  When the clouds


s: Let not a dart be thine; nor spent in vain


s: Shall launch itself on thee, for who, when faint


s: And wounded, would not rush upon thy sword,


s: Take thence his death, and make the murder thine?


s: As on their paths the stars unshaken roll.


s: The deeps below the world engulph the winds


s: And tracts of flaming fire.  By Jove's decree


s: Olympus rears his summit o'er the clouds:


s: In lowlier valleys storms and winds contend,


s: But peace eternal reigns upon the heights.


s: What joy for Caesar, if the tidings come


s: Glad would he see thee e'en in Magnus' tents;


s: For Cato's conduct shall approve his own.


s: And half the Senate and the other chiefs,


s: Bend to a master's yoke, in all the world


s: The one man free is Caesar.  But if thou


s: For freedom and thy country's laws alone


s: Be pleased to raise the sword, nor Magnus then


s: Not till the fight is fought shall Brutus strike,


s: Cato from inmost breast these sacred words:


s: Yet virtue in the paths marked out by fate


s: Treads on securely.  Heaven's will be the crime


s: To have made even Cato guilty.  Who has strength


s: When stars and sky fall headlong, and when earth


s: Slips from her base, who sits with folded hands?


s: Shall unknown nations, touched by western strife,


s: Brave the dividing seas to join the war?


s: Shall Scythian tribes desert their distant north,


s: And Getae haste to view the fall of Rome,


s: Reft of his sons, compelled by grief, himself


s: Marshals the long procession to the tomb,


s: Thrusts his own hand within the funeral flames,


s: Soothing his heart, and, as the lofty pyre


s: Rises on high, applies the kindled torch:


s: Nought, Rome, shall tear thee from me, till I hold


s: Thy form in death embraced; and Freedom's name,


s: Shade though it be, I'll follow to the grave.


s: The war be robbed.  I would that, to the gods


s: Of heaven and hell devoted, this my life


s: Might satisfy their vengeance.  Decius fell,


s: Crushed by the hostile ranks.  When Cato falls


s: Let Rhine's fierce barbarous hordes and both the hosts


s: Thrust through my frame their darts!  May I alone


s: Receive in death the wounds of all the war!


s: Thus may the people be redeemed, and thus


s: Rome for her guilt pay the atonement due.


s: Why should men die who wish to bear the yoke


s: And shrink not from the tyranny to come?


s: Strike me, and me alone, of laws and rights


s: In vain the guardian: this vicarious life


s: Shall give Hesperia peace and end her toils.


s: Who then will reign shall find no need for war.


s: You ask, 'Why follow Magnus?  If he wins (13)


s: He too will claim the Empire of the world.'


s: Then let him, conquering with my service, learn


s: Not for himself to conquer."  Thus he spoke


s: And stirred the blood that ran in Brutus' veins


s: Soon as the sun dispelled the chilly night,


s: The sounding doors flew wide, and from the tomb


s: Of dead Hortensius grieving Marcia came (14).


s: First joined in wedlock to a greater man


s: Three children did she bear to grace his home:


s: She came with hair dishevelled, beaten breast,


s: And ashes on her brow, and features worn


s: With grief; thus only pleasing to the man.


s: "When youth was in me and maternal power


s: A second husband: now in years grown old


s: Give back the name of wife: upon my tomb


s: Let 'Marcia, spouse to Cato,' be engraved.


s: Nor let men question in the time to come,


s: Did'st thou compel, or did I willing leave


s: My first espousals.  Not in happy times,


s: Partner of joys, I come; but days of care


s: And labour shall be mine to share with thee.


s: Nor leave me here, but take me to the camp,


s: Thy fond companion: why should Magnus' wife


s: Be nearer, Cato, to the wars than thine?"


s: Although the times were warlike and the fates


s: Called to the fray, he lent a willing ear.


s: Yet must they plight their faith in simple form


s: No festal wreath of flowers crowned the gate


s: Nor glittering fillet on each post entwined;


s: No flaming torch was there, nor ivory steps,


s: No couch with robes of broidered gold adorned;


s: The bridal garland, or forbad the foot (15)


s: To touch the threshold stone; no saffron veil


s: Concealed the timid blushes of the bride;


s: Nor modest circle bound her neck; no scarf


s: Hung lightly on the snowy shoulder's edge


s: Wearing the garb of sorrow, while the wool


s: Thus was she wedded.  As she greets her sons


s: So doth she greet her husband.  Festal games


s: Graced not their nuptials, nor were friends and kin


s: They joined in marriage, yet content, unseen


s: Were still unsoftened, and the hoary hair


s: Hung o'er his reverend visage; for since first


s: Men flew to arms, his locks were left unkempt


s: To stream upon his brow, and on his chin


s: His beard untended grew.  'Twas his alone


s: Who hated not, nor loved, for all mankind


s: To mourn alike.  Nor did their former couch


s: E'en lawful love resisted.  'Twas his rule


s: Marked out and bounded; to observe the laws


s: Of natural right; and for his country's sake


s: To risk his life, his all, as not for self


s: Brought into being, but for all the world:


s: Such was his creed.  To him a sumptuous feast


s: Was hunger conquered, and the lowly hut,


s: Which scarce kept out the winter, was a home


s: Such hairy garments as were worn of old:


s: The end of marriage, offspring.  To the State


s: No thought of selfish pleasure turned the scale


s: In Cato's acts, or swayed his upright soul.


s: Meanwhile Pompeius led his trembling host


s: First founded by the chief of Trojan race (17).


s: These chose he for the central seat of war,


s: Some troops despatching who might meet the foe


s: Upsoaring, with the seas on either hand,


s: Here bound his mountains: there Ancona's towers


s: Laved by Dalmatian waves.  Rivers immense,


s: In his recesses born, pass on their course,


s: Metaurus, and Crustumium's torrent, fall


s: And Sena's streams and Aufidus who bursts


s: On Adrian billows; and that mighty flood


s: Which, more than all the rivers of the earth,


s: Sweeps down the soil and tears the woods away


s: And drains Hesperia's springs.  In fabled lore


s: His banks were first by poplar shade enclosed: (18)


s: Was drawn in path transverse, and all the heaven


s: Blazed with his car aflame, and from the depths


s: Of inmost earth were rapt all other floods,


s: Padus still rolled in pride of stream along.


s: Nile were no larger, but that o'er the sand


s: Nor Ister, if he sought the Scythian main


s: Unhelped upon his journey through the world


s: But on the right hand Tiber has his source,


s: And Sarnus breathing vapours of the night


s: Rise there, and Liris with Vestinian wave


s: Still gliding through Marica's shady grove,


s: And Siler flowing through Salernian meads:


s: Whose spurs strike plainwards, and on fields of Gaul


s: The cloudy heights of Apennine look down


s: In further distance: on his nearer slopes


s: The Sabine turns the ploughshare; Umbrian kine


s: And Marsian fatten; with his pineclad rocks


s: He girds the tribes of Latium, nor leaves


s: Hesperia's soil until the waves that beat


s: On Scylla's cave compel.  His southern spurs


s: Stretched further than Italia, till the main


s: O'erstepped his limits and the lands repelled.


s: But, when the seas were joined, Pelorus claimed


s: Caesar, in rage for war, rejoicing found


s: Nor vacant homes had pleased him (19); so his march


s: Were wasted: now the coming war was joined


s: Unbroken to the past; to force the gates


s: Not find them open, fire and sword to bring


s: Upon the harvests, not through fields unharmed


s: To pass his legions -- this was Caesar's joy;


s: In peaceful guise to march, this was his shame.


s: Italia's cities, doubtful in their choice,


s: About to yield, strengthened their walls with mounds


s: And deepest trench encircling: massive stones


s: They place upon the turrets.  Magnus most


s: The people's favour held, yet faith with fear


s: Fought in their breasts.  As when, with strident blast,


s: A southern tempest has possessed the main


s: And all the billows follow in its track:


s: Then, by the Storm-king smitten, should the earth


s: It shall not yield to him, though cloud and sky


s: Confess his strength; but in the former wind


s: Still find its master.  But their fears prevailed,


s: And Caesar's fortune, o'er their wavering faith.


s: Her freedom, driving Thermus (20) from her bounds;


s: Great Sulla's son, unworthy of his sire,


s: Feared at the name of Caesar: Varus sought


s: The caves and woods, when smote the hostile horse


s: The gates of Auximon; and Spinther driven


s: Fled with his standards, soldierless; and thou,


s: Deserted, though by bravest legions held


s: Sent home by Caesar for the Parthian war (21);


s: Whom Magnus earlier, to his kinsman gave


s: A loan of Roman blood, to fight the Gaul.


s: But brave Domitius held firm his post (22)


s: Behind Corfinium's ramparts; his the troops


s: At Milo's trial (23).  When from far the plain


s: Rolled up a dusty cloud, beneath whose veil


s: The sheen of armour glistening in the sun,


s: Revealed a marching host.  "Dash down," he cried,


s: Swift; as ye can, the bridge that spans the stream;


s: And thou, O river, from thy mountain source


s: With all thy torrents rushing, planks and beams


s: Bear onward to the sea.  The war shall stop


s: Here, to our triumph; for this headlong chief


s: Here first at our firm bidding shall be stayed."


s: He bade his squadrons, speeding from the walls,


s: Charge on the bridge: in vain: for Caesar saw


s: They sought to free the river from his chains (24)


s: And bar his march; and roused to ire, he cried:


s: "Were not the walls sufficient to protect


s: Your coward souls?  Seek ye by barricades


s: And streams to keep me back?  What though the flood


s: Now Rubicon is passed, no stream on earth


s: Shall hinder Caesar!  Forward, horse and foot,


s: And ere it totters rush upon the bridge."


s: Urged in their swiftest gallop to the front


s: Dashed the light horse across the sounding plain;


s: A cloud of javelins forth, by sinewy arms


s: Hurled at the foe; the guard is put to flight,


s: And conquering Caesar, seizing on the bridge,


s: Gigantic stones, press forward, and the ram


s: Creeps 'neath the ramparts; when the gates fly back,


s: And lo! the traitor troops, foul crime in war,


s: Yield up their leader.  Him they place before


s: His proud compatriot; yet with upright form,


s: And scornful features and with noble mien,


s: He asks his death.  But Caesar knew his wish


s: Was punishment, and pardon was his fear:


s: "Live though thou would'st not," so the chieftain spake,


s: "And by my gift, unwilling, see the day:


s: Be to my conquered foes the cause of hope,


s: Take arms again -- and should'st thou conquer, count


s: This pardon nothing."  Thus he spake, and bade


s: Let loose the bands and set the captive free.


s: Ah!  better had he died, and fortune spared


s: The Roman's last dishonour, whose worse doom


s: It is, that he who joined his country's camp


s: And fought with Magnus for the Senate's cause


s: Should gain for this -- a pardon!  Yet he curbed


s: His anger, thinking, "Wilt thou then to Rome


s: And peaceful scenes, degenerate?  Rather war,


s: Break with life's ties: be Caesar's gift in vain."


s: Pompeius, ignorant that his captain thus


s: Was taken, armed his levies newly raised


s: To give his legions strength; and as he thought


s: To sound his trumpets with the coming dawn,


s: To test his soldiers ere he moved his camp


s: Thus in majestic tones their ranks addressed:


s: "Soldiers of Rome!  Avengers of her laws!


s: To whom the Senate gives no private arms,


s: Fierce falls the pillage on Hesperian fields,


s: And Gallia's fury o'er the snowy Alps (25)


s: Is poured upon us.  Caesar's swords at last


s: Are red with Roman blood.  But with the wound


s: We gain the better cause; the crime is theirs.


s: We wreak the vengeance; as when Catiline


s: Lifted against her roofs the flaming brand


s: And mad Cethegus (26) with his naked arm.


s: Is such thy madness, Caesar?  when the Fates


s: With great Camillus' and Metellus' names


s: Might place thine own, dost thou prefer to rank


s: Carbo (27), now buried in Sicanian tomb;


s: Or who, in exile, roused Iberia's hordes,


s: Sertorius -- yet, witness Heaven, with these


s: I hate to rank thee; hate the task that Rome


s: Would that in safety from the Parthian war


s: And Scythian steppes had conquering Crassus come!


s: Then haply had'st thou fallen by the hand


s: That smote vile Spartacus the robber foe.


s: Thy conquest shall be written, know this heart


s: Still sends the life blood coursing: and this arm (28)


s: Still vigorously flings the dart afield.


s: He deems me slothful.  Caesar, thou shalt learn


s: We brook not peace because we lag in war.


s: Old, does he call me?  Fear not ye mine age.


s: And leave his people free, is mine: a throne


s: Pompeius, aims at that.  Both Consuls stand


s: Here; here for battle stand your lawful chiefs:


s: And shall this Caesar drag the Senate down?


s: Not with such blindness, not so lost to shame


s: Does Fortune rule.  Does he take heart from Gaul:


s: For years on years rebellious, and a life


s: Spent there in labour?  or because he fled


s: Rhine's icy torrent and the shifting pools


s: He calls an ocean?  or unchallenged sought


s: Britannia's cliffs; then turned his back in flight?


s: Were driven in arms to leave their hearths and homes?


s: Ah, vain delusion!  not from thee they fled:


s: My steps they follow -- mine, whose conquering signs


s: Swept all the ocean (29), and who, ere the moon


s: Twice filled her orb and waned, compelled to flight


s: The pirate, shrinking from the open sea,


s: In some poor nook on shore.  'Twas I again


s: Who, happier far than Sulla, drave to death (30)


s: That king who, exiled to the deep recess


s: Of Scythian Pontus, held the fates of Rome


s: Still in the balances.  Where is the land


s: That hath not seen my trophies?  Icy waves


s: Knows shade on neither hand (31): all these have learned


s: To fear Pompeius: and far Baetis' (32) stream,


s: Last of all floods to join the refluent sea.


s: Arabia and the warlike hordes that dwell


s: That lost the golden fleece; Cilician wastes,


s: All felt my yoke.  What conquests now remain,


s: What wars not civil can my kinsman wage?"


s: No loud acclaim received his words, nor shout


s: Asked for the promised battle: and the chief


s: Drew back the standards, for the soldier's fears


s: Were in his soul alike; nor dared he trust


s: Of Caesar's powers, to fight for such a prize.


s: And as some bull, his early combat lost,


s: Forth driven from the herd, in exile roams


s: Through lonely plains or secret forest depths,


s: Whets on opposing trunks his growing horn,


s: And proves himself for battle, till his neck


s: Is ribbed afresh with muscle: then returns,


s: Leads wheresoe'er he will his lowing bands:


s: Thus Magnus, yielding to a stronger foe,


s: Fled Cretan settlers when the dusky sail (33)


s: Spread the false message of the hero dead;


s: Draws back her coast, a little tongue of land


s: Shuts in with bending horns the sounding main.


s: Were it not sheltered by an isle on which


s: And tempests lose their strength: on either hand


s: That beats upon them, while the ships within


s: Held by their trembling cables ride secure.


s: He shapes his sails, or for Illyria's shore,


s: Fierce Adria whelms in foam Calabria's coast,


s: When clouds tempestuous veil Ceraunus' height,


s: Could find no hope in battle on the soil


s: "Search out the far recesses of the earth,


s: Nile and Euphrates, wheresoe'er the fame


s: Of Magnus lives, where, through thy father's deeds,


s: And Pharnaces and all the vagrant tribes


s: Of both Armenias; and the Pontic hordes,


s: Warlike and fierce; the dwellers on the hills


s: Rhipaean, and by that dead northern marsh


s: Whose frozen surface bears the loaded wain.


s: Why further stay thee?  Let the eastern world


s: Sound with the war, all cities of the earth


s: Send all their levied hosts.  And you whose names


s: Strike for Epirus with the northern wind;


s: And thence in Greece and Macedonian tracts,


s: (While winter gives us peace) new strength acquire


s: For coming conflicts."  They obey his words


s: And loose their ships and launch upon the main.


s: Or lengthy armistice, lest now perchance


s: The fates might change their edicts, swift pursued


s: The footsteps of his foe.  To other men,


s: So many strongholds captured, might suffice;


s: And Rome herself, the mistress of the world,


s: Lay at his feet, the greatest prize of all.


s: He fiercely presses; thinking nothing done


s: While aught remained to do.  Now in his grasp


s: Lay all Italia; -- but while Magnus stayed


s: Upon the utmost shore, his grieving soul


s: Deemed all was shared with him.  Yet he essayed


s: Piled in the greedy main gigantic rocks:


s: Mountains of earth down to the sandy depths


s: Were swallowed by the vortex of the sea;


s: Were cast into the deep, yet not a speck


s: Should mark the watery plain; or Gaurus huge


s: Split from his summit to his base, were plunged


s: The billows thus unstemmed, 'twas Caesar's will


s: To hew the stately forests and with trees


s: Enchained to form a rampart.  Thus of old


s: (If fame be true) the boastful Persian king


s: And marched upon the waters, wind and storm


s: Counting as nought, but trusting his emprise


s: To one frail bridge, so that his ships might pass


s: Through middle Athos.  Thus a mighty mole


s: Free until then, and lofty turrets rose,


s: And land usurped the entrance to the main.


s: This when Pompeius saw, with anxious care


s: His soul was filled; yet hoping to regain


s: Wherein to wage the war, on chosen ships


s: He hoists the sails; these, driven by the wind


s: And drawn by cables fastened to their prows,


s: Scattered the beams asunder; and at night


s: Not seldom engines, worked by stalwart arms,


s: Flung flaming torches forth.  But when the time


s: For secret flight was come, no sailor shout


s: Rang on the shore, no trumpet marked the hour,


s: Leading the Scorpion in her course, whose claws


s: Foretell the rising Sun, when noiseless all


s: They cast the vessels loose; no song was heard


s: To greet the anchor wrenched from stubborn sand;


s: Was raised, or yards were bent; a silent crew


s: Drew down the sails which hung upon the ropes,


s: Nor shook the mighty cables, lest the wind


s: Should sound upon them.  But the chief, in prayer,


s: Thus spake to Fortune: "Thou whose high decree


s: Has made us exiles from Italia's shores,


s: Grant us at least to leave them."  Yet the fates


s: Came from the ocean, as the countless keels


s: Furrowed the waters, and with ceaseless splash


s: Then were the gates thrown wide; for with the fates


s: Seizing the town, rushed onward by the pier


s: That circled in the harbour; then they knew


s: With shame and sorrow that the fleet was gone


s: The channel which gave access to the sea


s: Than that Euboean strait (34) whose waters lave


s: The shore by Chalcis.  Here two ships stuck fast


s: Grappled their decks and drew them to the land,


s: And the first bloodshed of the civil war


s: As when the famous ship (36) sought Phasis' stream


s: The rocky gates closed in and hardly gripped


s: Her flying stern; then from the empty sea


s: The cliffs rebounding to their ancient seat


s: Were fixed to move no more.  But now the steps


s: Of morn approaching tinged the eastern sky


s: With roseate hues: the Pleiades were dim,


s: Which ushers in the day, was lost in light.


s: Then Magnus, hold'st the deep; yet not the same


s: Now are thy fates, as when from every sea


s: Thy fleet triumphant swept the pirate pest.


s: Tired of thy conquests, Fortune now no more


s: Shall smile upon thee.  With thy spouse and sons,


s: Thy household gods, and peoples in thy train,


s: Thou seek'st thy fated fall; not that the gods,


s: Fortune on shores remote might hide her crime,


s: And Roman soil be pure of Magnus' blood.


s: (1)  When dragged from his hiding place in the marsh, Marius was


s: sent by the magistrates of Minturnae to the house of a woman


s: named Fannia, and there locked up in a dark apartment.  It


s: does not appear that he was there long.  A Gallic soldier


s: was sent to kill him; "and the eyes of Marius appeared to


s: him to dart a strong flame, and a loud voice issued from the


s: gloom, 'Man, do you dare to kill Caius Marius?'"  He rushed


s: out exclaiming, "I cannot kill Caius Marius." (Plutarch,


s: (2)  The Governor of Libya sent an officer to Marius, who had


s: landed in the neighbourhood of Carthage.  The officer


s: delivered his message, and Marius replied, "Tell the


s: Governor you have seen Caius Marius, a fugitive sitting on


s: the ruins of Carthage," a reply in which he not inaptly


s: compared the fate of that city and his own changed fortune.


s: (3)  In the "gathering of fresh fury on Libyan soil", there


s: appears to be an allusion to the story of Antruns, in Book


s: (4)  See Ben Jonson's "Catiline", Act i., scene 1, speaking of


s: Cethegus: Not infants in the porch of life were free.


s: Catiline: 'Twas crime enough that they had lives: to


s: strike but only those that could do hurt was dull and


s: poor: some fell to make the number as some the prey.


s: (5)  Whenever he did not salute a man, or return his salute, this


s: (7)  The head of Antonius was struck off and brought to Marius at


s: (8)  Scaevola, it would appear, was put to death after Marius the


s: (9)  B.C. 86, Marius and Cinna were Consuls.  Marius died


s: seventeen days afterwards, in the seventieth year of his


s: (10) The Battle of Sacriportus was fought between Marius the


s: younger and the Sullan army in B.C. 82.  Marius was defeated


s: with great loss, and fled to Praeneste, a town which


s: afterwards submitted to Sulla, who put all the inhabitants


s: to death (line 216).  At the Colline gate was fought the


s: decisive battle between Sulla and the Saranires, who, after


s: (11) Diomedes was said to feed his horses on human flesh. (For


s: Antaeus see Book IV., 660.)  Enomaus was king of Pisa in


s: Elis.  Those who came to sue for his daughter's hand had to


s: compete with him in a chariot race, and if defeated were put


s: (13) So Cicero: "Our Cnaeus is wonderfully anxious for such a


s: royalty as Sulla's.  I who tell you know it." ("Ep. ad


s: (14) Marcia was first married to Cato, and bore him three sons;


s: he then yielded her to Hortensius.  On his death she


s: returned to Cato. (Plutarch, "Cato", 25, 52.)  It was in


s: reference to this that Caesar charged him with making a


s: traffic of his marriage; but Plutarch says "to accuse Cato


s: of filthy lucre is like upbraiding Hercules with cowardice."


s: After the marriage Marcia remained at Rome while Cato


s: (15) The bride was carried over the threshold of her new home,


s: for to stumble on it would be of evil omen.  Plutarch


s: ("Romulus") refers this custom to the rape of the Sabine


s: women, who were "so lift up and carried away by force."


s: (North, volume i., p. 88, Edition by Windham.)  I have read


s: "vetuit" in this passage, though "vitat" appears to be a


s: better variation according to the manuscripts.


s: (16) The bride was dressed in a long white robe, bound round the


s: waist with a girdle.  She had a veil of bright yellow


s: (17) Capua, supposed to be founded by Capys, the Trojan hero.


s: (18) Phaethon's sisters, who yoked the horses of the Sun to the


s: chariot for their brother, were turned into poplars.


s: Phaethon was flung by Jupiter into the river Po.


s: (19) See the note to Book I., 164.  In reality Caesar found


s: little resistance, and did not ravage the country.


s: (20) Thermus. to whom Iguvium had been entrusted by the Senate,


s: was compelled to quit it owing to the disaffection of the


s: inhabitants. (Merivale, chapter xiv.)  Auximon in a similar


s: (21) After Caesar's campaign with the Nervii, Pompeius had lent


s: him a legion.  When the Parthian war broke out and the


s: Senate required each of the two leaders to supply a legion


s: for it, Pompeius demanded the return of the legion which he


s: had sent to Gaul; and Caesar returned it, together with one


s: of his own.  They were, however, retained in Italy.


s: (24) That is to say, by the breaking of the bridge, the river


s: would become a serious obstacle to Caesar.


s: (26) This family is also alluded to by Horace ("Ars Poetica,") as


s: (27) In B.C. 77, after the death of Sulla, Carbo had been


s: defeated by Pompeius in 81 B.C., in which occasion Pompeius


s: had, at the early age of twenty-five, demanded and obtained


s: B.C., when Pompeius and Metellus triumphed in respect of his


s: (29) In B.C. 67, Pompeius swept the pirates off the seas.  The


s: whole campaign did not last three months.


s: (30) From B.C. 66 to B.C. 63, Pompeius conquered Mithridates,


s: (31) Being (as was supposed) exactly under the Equator.  Syene


s: (the modern Assouan) is the town mentioned by the priest of


s: Sais, who told Herodotus that "between Syene and Elephantine


s: are two hills with conical tops.  The name of one of them is


s: Crophi, and of the other, Mophi.  Midway between them are


s: the fountains of the Nile." (Herod., II., chapter 28.)  And


s: "Syene, and where the shadow both way falls,


s: (33) Theseus, on returning from his successful exploit in Crete,


s: hoisted by mistake black sails instead of white, thus


s: spreading false intelligence of disaster.


s: (34) It seems that the Euripus was bridged over. (Mr. Haskins'


s: With canvas yielding to the western wind


s: Turned not his vision from his native shore


s: Now left for ever, while the morning mists


s: Drew down upon the mountains, and the cliffs


s: No longer knew them.  Then his wearied frame


s: Sank in the arms of sleep.  But Julia's shape,


s: In mournful guise, dread horror on her brow,


s: Rose through the gaping earth, and from her tomb


s: "Driven from Elysian fields and from the plains


s: The souls of all the guilty.  There I saw


s: Th' Eumenides with torches in their hands


s: Prepared against thy battles; and the fleets (2)


s: Which by the ferryman of the flaming stream


s: Were made to bear thy dead: while Hell itself


s: Relaxed its punishments; the sisters three


s: With busy fingers all their needful task


s: Could scarce accomplish, and the threads of fate


s: Dropped from their weary hands.  With me thy wife,


s: Thou, Magnus, leddest happy triumphs home:


s: New wedlock brings new luck.  Thy concubine,


s: Whose star brings all her mighty husbands ill,


s: Cornelia, weds in thee a breathing tomb. (3)


s: Through wars and oceans let her cling to thee


s: So long as I may break thy nightly rest:


s: No moment left thee for her love, but all


s: Me not the oblivious banks of Lethe's stream


s: Have made forgetful; and the kings of death


s: Have suffered me to join thee; in mid fight


s: I will be with thee, and my haunting ghost


s: Remind thee Caesar's daughter was thy spouse.


s: Thy sword kills not our pledges; civil war


s: Shall make thee wholly mine."  She spake and fled.


s: But he, though heaven and hell thus bode defeat,


s: More bent on war, with mind assured of ill,


s: "Why dread vain phantoms of a dreaming brain?


s: Or nought of sense and feeling to the soul


s: Is left by death; or death itself is nought."


s: Dipped to the waves, his bright circumference


s: Not yet full circled, or when past the full;


s: Gave access, and the ropes in order laid,


s: The sailors struck the masts and rowed ashore.


s: When Caesar saw the fleet escape his grasp


s: And hidden from his view by lengthening seas,


s: He found no joy in triumph; rather grieved


s: That thus in safety Magnus' flight was sped.


s: Unless the war was finished with the stroke.


s: Then arms he laid aside, in guise of peace


s: Seeking the people's favour; skilled to know


s: How to arouse their ire, and how to gain


s: The popular love by corn in plenty given.


s: By gifts of food the tyrant buys a crowd


s: To cringe before him: but a people starved


s: The land, or split the isthmus right in twain,


s: Leaving a path for seas.  Unceasing tides


s: There labour hugely lest again should meet


s: The mountains rent asunder.  Nor were left


s: Is blest with noble harvests which have filled


s: More than all else the granaries of Rome,


s: And poured their plenty on Hesperia's shores.


s: Their yield surpasses, when the southern wind


s: Gives way to northern and permits the clouds


s: To drop their moisture on the teeming earth.


s: This ordered, Caesar leads his legions on,


s: Not armed for war, but as in time of peace


s: Returning to his home.  Ah!  had he come


s: With only Gallia conquered and the North (4),


s: What long array of triumph had he brought!


s: What pictured scenes of battle!  how had Rhine


s: And Ocean borne his chains!  How noble Gaul,


s: And Britain's fair-haired chiefs his lofty car


s: Had followed!  Such a triumph had he lost


s: By further conquest.  Now in silent fear


s: They watched his marching troops, nor joyful towns


s: Poured out their crowds to welcome his return.


s: Yet did the conqueror's proud soul rejoice,


s: Far more than at their love, at such a fear.


s: Now Anxur's hold was passed, the oozy road


s: That separates the marsh, the grove sublime (5)


s: Where reigns the Scythian goddess, and the path


s: By which men bear the fasces to the feast


s: On Alba's summit.  From the height afar --


s: "Who would not fight for such a god-like town?


s: And have they left thee, Rome, without a blow?


s: Thank the high gods no eastern hosts are here


s: To wreak their fury; nor Sarmatian horde


s: With northern tribes conjoined; by Fortune's gift


s: This war is civil: else this coward chief


s: He found the city: deadly fire and flame,


s: As from a conqueror, gods and fanes dispersed;


s: Such was the measure of their fear, as though


s: His power and wish were one.  No festal shout


s: Greeted his march, no feigned acclaim of joy.


s: Scarce had they time for hate.  In Phoebus' hall


s: Their hiding places left, a crowd appeared


s: Of Senators, uncalled, for none could call.


s: No Consul there the sacred shrine adorned


s: Nor Praetor next in rank, and every seat


s: Placed for the officers of state was void:


s: Caesar was all; and to his private voice (6)


s: All else were listeners.  The fathers sat


s: If such his wish; and for themselves to vote


s: Or death or exile.  Well it was for Rome


s: That Caesar blushed to order what they feared.


s: Yet in one breast the spirit of freedom rose


s: Indignant for the laws; for when the gates


s: Were yielding to the shock, he clove the ranks


s: Of Caesar's troops, and stood before the doors


s: Alone that fears not death; no hand is raised


s: But for this dross, the vilest cause of all,


s: Men fight and die.  Thus did the Tribune bar


s: The victor's road to rapine, and with voice


s: Clear ringing spake: "Save o'er Metellus dead


s: Shall flow, thou robber, ere the gold be thine.


s: And surely shall the Tribune's power defied


s: Find an avenging god; this Crassus knew (7),


s: Who, followed by our curses, sought the war


s: And met disaster on the Parthian plains.


s: Draw then thy sword, nor fear the crowd that gapes


s: To view thy crimes: the citizens are gone.


s: Thy hosts shall ravish: other towns are left,


s: And other nations; wage the war on them --


s: Drain not Rome's peace for spoil."  The victor then,


s: Incensed to ire: "Vain is thy hope to fall


s: In noble death, as guardian of the right;


s: With all thine honours, thou of Caesar's rage


s: Art little worthy: never shall thy blood


s: Defile his hand.  Time lowest things with high


s: Confounds not yet so much that, if thy voice


s: Could save the laws, it were not better far


s: They fell by Caesar."  Such his lofty words.


s: But as the Tribune yielded not, his rage


s: Rose yet the more, and at his soldiers' swords


s: One look he cast, forgetting for the time


s: What robe he wore; but soon Metellus heard


s: These words from Cotta: "When men bow to power


s: Freedom of speech is only Freedom's bane (8),


s: Whose shade at least survives, if with free will


s: Thou dost whate'er is bidden thee.  For us


s: Some pardon may be found: a host of ills


s: Compelled submission, and the shame is less


s: That to have done which could not be refused.


s: Yield, then, this wealth, the seeds of direful war.


s: When laws protect it; but the hungry slave


s: Brings danger to his master, not himself."


s: And as the gates rolled backward, echoed loud


s: The rock Tarpeian, and the temple's depths


s: Gave up the treasure which for centuries


s: No hand had touched: all that the Punic foe


s: And Perses and Philippus conquered gave,


s: And all the gold which Pyrrhus panic-struck


s: Left when he fled: that gold (9), the price of Rome,


s: Which yet Fabricius sold not, and the hoard


s: Laid up by saving sires; the tribute sent


s: By Asia's richest nations; and the wealth


s: Which conquering Metellus brought from Crete,


s: And Cato (10) bore from distant Cyprus home;


s: And last, the riches torn from captive kings


s: In frequent triumph.  Thus was robbed the shrine,


s: And Caesar first brought poverty to Rome.


s: Meanwhile all nations of the earth were moved


s: To share in Magnus' fortunes and the war,


s: Nearest of all, her succours to the host.


s: And from Amphissa, Phocis sent her youth:


s: By Dirce laved, and where Cephisus rolls


s: Gifted with fateful power his stream along:


s: And where Alpheus, who beyond the sea (11)


s: Are left to silence by the sacred train,


s: Sends three poor ships (alas! her all) to prove


s: Her ancient victory o'er the Persian King.


s: Next seek the battle Creta's hundred tribes


s: In skill to wing the arrow from the bow.


s: Whose king was Cadmus, and whose name records


s: His transformation (12), join the host; and those


s: Who till Penean fields and turn the share


s: There first men steeled their hearts to dare the waves (13)


s: And 'gainst the rage of ocean and the storm


s: To match their strength, when the rude Argo sailed


s: Upon that distant quest, and spurned the shore,


s: And gave the fates another form of death.


s: Where dwelt the fabled race of double form (14);


s: Named Haemus; Strymon whence, as autumn falls,


s: Winged squadrons seek the banks of warmer Nile;


s: And all the isles the mouths of Ister bathe


s: Mixed with the tidal wave; the land through which


s: Celaenae's fields which mourned of yore the gift


s: Of Pallas (15), and the vengeance of the god,


s: All draw the sword; and those from Marsyas' flood


s: First swift, then doubling backwards with the stream


s: Pactolus leaves his golden source and leaps


s: From Earth permitting; and with rival wealth


s: Rich Hermus parts the meads.  Nor stayed the bands


s: Of Troy, but (doomed as in old time) they joined


s: Pompeius' fated camp: nor held them back


s: The fabled past, nor Caesar's claimed descent


s: Of Ninus great of yore; from windy plains


s: From Sidon's courts enriched with purple dye,


s: And Tyre oft trembling with the shaken earth.


s: All these led on by Cynosura's light (16)


s: Furrow their certain path to reach the war.


s: Phoenicians first (if story be believed)


s: Papyrus was not fashioned, and the priests


s: Of mystic sense (in shape of beast or fowl)


s: Preserved the secrets of their magic art.


s: Next Persean Tarsus and high Taurus' groves


s: And all Cilicia's ports, pirate no more,


s: Refused the call, where furthest Ganges dares,


s: Alone of rivers, to discharge his stream


s: Against the sun opposing; on this shore (17)


s: The Macedonian conqueror stayed his foot


s: And found the world his victor; here too rolls


s: Yet hardly feels it; here from luscious reed


s: Men draw sweet liquor; here they dye their locks


s: With tints of saffron, and with coloured gems


s: Bind down their flowing garments; here are they,


s: Ascend the blazing pyre, and conquering fate,


s: Scorn to live longer; but triumphant give


s: The remnant of their days in flame to heaven. (18)


s: Once pirates of the main: nor those who dwell


s: Where steep Niphates hurls the avalanche,


s: And you, Arabians, from your distant home


s: Came to a world unknown, and wondering saw


s: The shadows fall no longer to the left. (19)


s: Then fired with ardour for the Roman war


s: Whose clime lies southward, yet men thence descry


s: Hasting to set, part seen, his nightly course;


s: Which lies without the circuit of the stars,


s: Did not the Bull with curving hoof advanced


s: O'erstep the limit.  From that mountain zone


s: They come, where rising from a common fount


s: Euphrates flows and Tigris, and did earth


s: Permit, were joined with either name; but now


s: Drawn down by earth in covered depths is plunged


s: And holds a secret course; then born again


s: But warlike Parthia wavered 'twixt the chiefs,


s: Content to have made them two (20); while Scythia's hordes


s: Dipped fresh their darts in poison, whom the stream


s: Of Bactros bounds and vast Hyrcanian woods.


s: Hence springs that rugged nation swift and fierce,


s: Descended from the Twins' great charioteer. (21)


s: Nor failed Sarmatia, nor the tribes that dwell


s: Which sealed the doom of Croesus' king; nor where


s: Carves out a continent; nor where the strait


s: In boiling surge pours to the Pontic deep


s: Of those Herculean pillar-gates that guard


s: The entrance to an ocean.  Thence with hair


s: And fierce Massagetae, who quaff the blood


s: Of the brave steed on which they fight and flee.


s: Not when great Cyrus on Memnonian realms


s: His warriors poured; nor when, their weapons piled, (22)


s: The Persian told the number of his host;


s: Nor when th' avenger (23) of a brother's shame


s: Loaded the billows with his mighty fleet,


s: Beneath one chief so many kings made war;


s: Nor e'er met nations varied thus in garb


s: And thus in language.  To Pompeius' death


s: Thus Fortune called them: and a world in arms


s: Witnessed his ruin.  From where Afric's god,


s: Two-horned Ammon, rears his temple, came


s: All Libya ceaseless, from the wastes that touch


s: The Western Ocean.  Thus, to award the prize


s: Of Empire at one blow, Pharsalia brought


s: 'Neath Caesar's conquering hand the banded world.


s: Now Caesar left the walls of trembling Rome


s: He winged his march; but while all others fled


s: Far from his path, in terror of his name,


s: Phocaea's (24) manhood with un-Grecian faith


s: Held to their pledged obedience, and dared


s: To follow right not fate; but first of all


s: With olive boughs of truce before them borne


s: The chieftain they approach, with peaceful words


s: And tame his fury.  "Search the ancient books


s: Which chronicle the deeds of Latian fame;


s: Thou'lt ever find, when foreign foes pressed hard,


s: And now, if triumphs in an unknown world


s: Thou seekest, Caesar, here our arms and swords


s: Accept in aid: but if, in impious strife


s: Thou seek'st to join in battle, weeping then


s: We hold aloof: no stranger hand may touch


s: Celestial wounds.  Should all Olympus' hosts


s: Have rushed to war, or should the giant brood


s: Assault the stars, yet men would not presume


s: Or by their prayers or arms to help the gods:


s: And, ignorant of the fortunes of the sky,


s: Taught by the thunderbolts alone, would know


s: That Jupiter supreme still held the throne.


s: Add that unnumbered nations join the fray:


s: Nor shrinks the world so much from taint of crime


s: That civil wars reluctant swords require.


s: But grant that strangers shun thy destinies


s: And only Romans fight -- shall not the son


s: Shrink ere he strike his father?  on both sides


s: Brothers forbid the weapon to be hurled?


s: The world's end comes when other hands are armed (25)


s: Than those which custom and the gods allow.


s: For us, this is our prayer: Leave, Caesar, here


s: Thy dreadful eagles, keep thy hostile signs


s: Back from our gates, but enter thou in peace


s: Withdrawn from crime, to Magnus and to thee


s: Safe: and should favouring fate preserve our walls


s: Inviolate, when both shall wish for peace


s: Here meet unarmed.  Why hither turn'st thou now


s: Thy rapid march?  Nor weight nor power have we


s: To sway the mighty conflicts of the world.


s: We boast no victories since our fatherland


s: Perished in flames, we sought another here;


s: And here on foreign shores, in narrow bounds


s: Confined and safe, our boast is sturdy faith;


s: Nought else.  But if our city to blockade


s: Is now thy mind -- to force the gates, and hurl


s: Javelin and blazing torch upon our homes --


s: Do what thou wilt: cut off the source that fills


s: Our foaming river, force us, prone in thirst,


s: To dig the earth and lap the scanty pool;


s: Seize on our corn and leave us food abhorred:


s: Nor shall this people shun, for freedom's sake,


s: The ills Saguntum bore in Punic siege; (26)


s: Torn, vainly clinging, from the shrunken breast


s: The starving babe shall perish in the flames.


s: Wives at their husbands' hands shall pray their fate,


s: And brothers' weapons deal a mutual death.


s: Such be our civil war; not, Caesar, thine."


s: But Caesar's visage stern betrayed his ire


s: Which thus broke forth in words: "Vain is the hope


s: Ye rest upon my march: speed though I may


s: Towards my western goal, time still remains


s: To blot Massilia out.  Rejoice, my troops!


s: Unsought the war ye longed for meets you now:


s: The fates concede it.  As the tempests lose


s: Their strength by sturdy forests unopposed,


s: And as the fire that finds no fuel dies,


s: When those who may be conquered will not fight


s: Their gates admit me!  Not content, forsooth,


s: With shutting Caesar out they shut him in!


s: They shun the taint of war!  Such prayer for peace


s: Brings with it chastisement.  In Caesar's age


s: Learn that not peace, but war within his ranks


s: Fast barred the gate-ways, while in arms the youths


s: Stand on the battlements.  Hard by the walls


s: Fit (as he deemed it) for a camp with ditch


s: And mound encircling.  To a lofty height


s: These summits with a mighty trench to bind


s: The chief resolves, gigantic though the toil.


s: But first, from furthest boundaries of his camp,


s: Enclosing streams and meadows, to the sea


s: Heaved up with earthy sod; with lofty towers


s: Crowned; and to shut Massilia from the land.


s: Eternal, deathless, for that uncompelled


s: Nor fearing for herself, but free to act


s: She made the conqueror pause: and he who seized


s: All in resistless course found here delay:


s: Low at her favourite's feet, was forced to stay


s: For these few moments her impatient hand.


s: Now fell the forests far and wide, despoiled


s: Of all their giant trunks: for as the mound


s: On earth and brushwood stood, a timber frame


s: Held firm the soil, lest pressed beneath its towers


s: The mass might topple down.  There stood a grove


s: Which from the earliest time no hand of man


s: Had dared to violate; hidden from the sun (27)


s: Its chill recesses; matted boughs entwined


s: Prisoned the air within.  No sylvan nymphs


s: Here found a home, nor Pan, but savage rites


s: On massive stones upreared; sacred with blood


s: Of men was every tree.  If faith be given


s: To rest upon those branches, and no beast


s: Has made his lair beneath: no tempest falls,


s: Nor lightnings flash upon it from the cloud.


s: Stagnant the air, unmoving, yet the leaves


s: Filled with mysterious trembling; dripped the streams


s: From coal-black fountains; effigies of gods


s: Rude, scarcely fashioned from some fallen trunk


s: Held the mid space: and, pallid with decay,


s: Their rotting shapes struck terror.  Thus do men


s: Dread most the god unknown.  'Twas said that caves


s: Rumbled with earthquakes, that the prostrate yew


s: Rose up again; that fiery tongues of flame


s: Gleamed in the forest depths, yet were the trees


s: Unkindled; and that snakes in frequent folds


s: Were coiled around the trunks.  Men flee the spot


s: Nor dare to worship near: and e'en the priest


s: Or when bright Phoebus holds the height, or when


s: Dark night controls the heavens, in anxious dread


s: Draws near the grove and fears to find its lord.


s: Spared in the former war, still dense it rose


s: Where all the hills were bare, and Caesar now


s: Its fall commanded.  But the brawny arms


s: Which swayed the axes trembled, and the men,


s: Awed by the sacred grove's dark majesty,


s: Held back the blow they thought would be returned.


s: This Caesar saw, and swift within his grasp


s: Uprose a ponderous axe, which downward fell


s: Cleaving a mighty oak that towered to heaven,


s: While thus he spake: "Henceforth let no man dread


s: To fell this forest: all the crime is mine.


s: This be your creed."  He spake, and all obeyed,


s: For Caesar's ire weighed down the wrath of Heaven.


s: Yet ceased they not to fear.  Then first the oak,


s: Dodona's ancient boast; the knotty holm;


s: The cypress, witness of patrician grief,


s: The buoyant alder, laid their foliage low


s: Admitting day; though scarcely through the stems


s: Their fall found passage.  At the sight the Gauls


s: Grieved; but the garrison within the walls


s: Rejoiced: for thus shall men insult the gods


s: And find no punishment?  Yet fortune oft


s: The gods can vent their ire.  Enough hewn down,


s: They seize the country wagons; and the hind,


s: His oxen gone which else had drawn the plough,


s: Carries the warfare to the furthest west.


s: Meanwhile a giant mound, on star-shaped wheels


s: Concealed, they fashion, crowned with double towers


s: High as the battlements, by cause unseen


s: Slow creeping onwards; while amazed the foe,


s: Beheld, and thought some subterranean gust


s: Had burst the caverns of the earth and forced


s: The nodding pile aloft, and wondered sore


s: Their walls should stand unshaken.  From its height


s: Hissed clown the weapons; but the Grecian bolts


s: With greater force were on the Romans hurled;


s: Through arms and shield and flesh, and left a death


s: Behind, nor stayed its course: and massive stones


s: Cast by the beams of mighty engines fell;


s: As from the mountain top some time-worn rock


s: At length by winds dislodged, in all its track


s: Spreads ruin vast: nor crushed the life alone


s: Forth from the body, but dispersed the limbs


s: In fragments undistinguished and in blood.


s: The might of Rome drew nigh beneath the wall


s: (The front rank with their bucklers interlaced


s: And held above their helms), the missiles fell


s: Behind their backs, nor could the toiling Greeks


s: Deflect their engines, throwing still the bolts


s: Far into space; but from the rampart top


s: Flung ponderous masses down.  Long as the shields


s: Held firm together, like to hail that falls


s: Harmless upon a roof, so long the stones


s: Crushed down innocuous; but as the blows


s: Rained fierce and ceaseless and the Romans tired,


s: Some here and there sank fainting.  Next the roof


s: Advanced with earth besprinkled: underneath


s: The ram conceals his head, which, poised and swung,


s: They dash with mighty force upon the wall,


s: Covered themselves with mantlets.  Though the head


s: Light on the lower stones, yet as the shock


s: Falls and refalls, from battlement to base


s: The rampart soon shall topple.  But by balks


s: And rocky fragments overwhelmed, and flames,


s: The roof at length gave way; and worn with toil


s: All spent in vain, the wearied troops withdrew


s: And sought the shelter of their tents again.


s: Thus far to hold their battlements was all


s: The Greeks had hoped; now, venturing attack,


s: With glittering torches for their arms, by night


s: Fearless they sallied forth: nor lance they bear


s: Nor deadly bow, nor shaft; for fire alone


s: Is now their weapon.  Through the Roman works


s: Driven by the wind the conflagration spread:


s: Nor did the newness of the wood make pause


s: The fury of the flames, which, fed afresh


s: Leaped on in fiery tongues.  Not wood alone


s: Dissolved beneath the heat; the mighty mound


s: Lay prone, yet in its ruin larger seemed.


s: Next, conquered on the land, upon the main


s: They try their fortunes.  On their simple craft


s: Nor claimed protection from the gods; but rude,


s: Just as they fell upon their mountain homes,


s: The trees were knit together, and the deck


s: Gave steady foot-hold for an ocean fight.


s: Meantime had Caesar's squadron kept the isles


s: Named Stoechades (28), and Brutus (29) turret ship


s: Mastered the Rhone.  Nor less the Grecian host --


s: Boys not yet grown to war, and aged men,


s: Armed for the conflict, with their all at stake.


s: Ships meet for service; but their ancient keels


s: Brought from the dockyards.  When the morning rays


s: Broke from the waters, and the sky was clear,


s: And all the winds were still upon the deep,


s: Smoothed for the battle, swift on either part


s: The fleets essay the open; and the ships


s: Tremble beneath the oars that urge them on,


s: By sinewy arms impelled.  Upon the wings


s: That bound the Roman fleet, the larger craft


s: Gird in the lesser: so they front the sea;


s: While in their rear, shaped as a crescent moon,


s: Towers Brutus' deck praetorian.  Oars on oars


s: Propel the bulky vessel through the main,


s: Six ranks; the topmost strike the waves afar.


s: When such a space remained between the fleets


s: Drowning with resonant din the beat of oars


s: Sat on the benches and with mighty stroke


s: Swept o'er the sea and gained the space between.


s: Then crashed the prows together, and the keels


s: Rebounded backwards, and unnumbered darts


s: Or darkened all the sky or, in their fall,


s: The vacant ocean.  As the wings grew wide,


s: Less densely packed the fleet, some Grecian ships


s: Pressed in between; as when with west and east


s: The tide contends, this way the waves are driven


s: And that the sea; so as they plough the deep


s: In various lines converging, what the prow


s: Throws up advancing, from the foemen's oars


s: Falls back repelled.  But soon the Grecian fleet


s: Was handier found in battle, and in flight


s: Pretended, and in shorter curves could round;


s: More deftly governed by the guiding helm:


s: While on the Roman side their steadier keels


s: Gave vantage, as to men who fight on land.


s: "Dost suffer them to range the wider deep,


s: Draw close the war and drive us on the prows


s: Of these Phocaeans."  Him the pilot heard;


s: And turned his vessel slantwise to the foe.


s: Then was the sea all covered with the war:


s: Then Grecian ships attacking Brutus found


s: Their ruin in the stroke, and vanquished lay


s: Beside his bulwarks; while with grappling hooks


s: Others laid fast the foe, themselves by oars


s: Held back the while.  And now no outstretched arm


s: Hurls forth the javelin, but hand to hand


s: With swords they wage the fight: each from his ship


s: Leans forward to the stroke, and falls when slain


s: Upon a foeman's deck.  Deep flows the stream


s: By piles of floating corpses are the sides,


s: Though grappled, kept asunder.  Some, half dead,


s: Plunge in the ocean, gulping down the brine


s: Encrimsoned with their blood; some lingering still


s: Draw their last struggling breath amid the wreck


s: Of broken navies: weapons which have missed


s: Find yet their victims, and the falling steel


s: Fails not in middle deep to deal the wound.


s: Divides her strength, and on the right and left


s: On whose high poop while Tagus fighting gripped


s: The stern Phocaean, pierced his back and breast


s: Two fatal weapons; in the midst the steel


s: Meets, and the blood, uncertain whence to flow,


s: Stands still, arrested, till with double course


s: Forth by a sudden gush it drives each dart,


s: And sends the life abroad through either wound.


s: More deftly ruled a vessel.  Well he knew,


s: Or by the sun or crescent moon, how best


s: To-morrow's light would bring.  His rushing stem


s: Hurled at the moment quivers in his breast.


s: He falls, and in the fall his dying hand


s: To climb the friendly deck, by javelin pierced,


s: Still as he hung, by the retaining steel


s: A fruitful mother's pride; with different fates,


s: But ne'er distinguished till death's savage hand


s: Struck once, and ended error: he that lived,


s: Cause of fresh anguish to their sorrowing souls,


s: Grecian and Roman mixed their teeth oblique,


s: Grasped with his dexter hand the Roman ship;


s: When fell a blow that shore his arm away.


s: So died, upon the side it held, the hand,


s: Nor loosed its grasp in death.  Yet with the wound


s: His noble courage rose, and maimed he dared


s: Renew the fray, and stretched across the sea


s: To grasp the lost -- in vain!  another blow


s: Lopped arm and hand alike.  Nor shield nor sword


s: Henceforth are his.  Yet even now he seeks


s: No sheltering hold, but with his chest advanced


s: Before his brother armed, he claims the fight,


s: And holding in his breast the darts which else


s: Had slain his comrades, pierced with countless spears,


s: He fails in death well earned; yet ere his end


s: Collects his parting life, and all his strength


s: Strains to the utmost and with failing limbs


s: Leaps on the foeman's deck; by weight alone


s: And piled on high with corpses, while her sides


s: Sounded to ceaseless blows, the fated ship


s: Were level with the waters -- then she plunged


s: In whirling eddies downwards -- and the main


s: First parted, then closed in upon its prey.


s: Full many wondrous deaths, with fates diverse,


s: Upon the sea in that day's fight befell.


s: Caught by a grappling-hook that missed the side,


s: Had Lysidas been whelmed in middle deep;


s: But by his feet his comrades dragged him back,


s: And rent in twain he hung; nor slowly flowed


s: As from a wound the blood; but all his veins (30)


s: Were torn asunder and the stream of life


s: Gushed o'er his limbs till lost amid the deep.


s: Rushed by so wide a path; the lower trunk


s: Succumbed to death, but with the lungs and heart


s: Long strove the fates, and hardly won the whole.


s: While, bent upon the fight, an eager crew


s: Were gathered to the margin of their deck


s: (Leaving the upper side as bare of foes),


s: Their ship was overset.  Beneath the keel


s: Which floated upwards, prisoned in the sea,


s: And powerless by spread of arms to float


s: The main, they perished.  One who haply swam


s: Strange and unheard of; for two meeting prows


s: Transfixed his body.  At the double stroke


s: Wide yawned his chest; blood issued from his mouth


s: With flesh commingled; and the brazen beaks


s: Resounding clashed together, by the bones


s: Unhindered: now they part and through the gap


s: Swift pours the sea and drags the corse below.


s: Next, of a shipwrecked crew, the larger part


s: Struggling with death upon the waters, reached


s: A comrade bark; but when with elbows raised do


s: They seized upon the bulwarks and the ship


s: Rolled, nor could bear their weight, the ruthless crew


s: Hacked off their straining arms; then maimed they sank


s: Below the seething waves, to rise no more.


s: Now every dart was hurled and every spear,


s: The soldier weaponless; yet their rage found arms:


s: Tugs at the twisted stern; or from the seats


s: The oarsmen driving, swings a bench in air.


s: The ships are broken for the fight.  They seize


s: The fallen dead and snatch the sword that slew.


s: Nay, many from their wounds, frenzied for arms,


s: Pluck forth the deadly steel, and pressing still


s: Upon their yawning sides, hurl forth the spear


s: Back to the hostile ranks from which it came;


s: Was that fell force most hostile to the sea;


s: For, thrown in torches and in sulphurous bolts


s: Whose oily timbers soaked in pitch and wax


s: Inflammable, gave welcome to the flames.


s: Nor could the waves prevail against the blaze


s: Which claimed as for its own the fragments borne


s: One hardly 'scapes destruction; one to save


s: His flaming ship, gives entrance to the main.


s: Of all the forms of death each fears the one


s: That brings immediate dying: yet quails not


s: Their heart in shipwreck: from the waves they pluck


s: The fallen darts and furnishing the ship


s: Essay the feeble stroke; and should that hope


s: Still fail their hand, they call the sea to aid


s: And seizing in their grasp some floating foe


s: Phoceus above all others proved his skill.


s: Well trained was he to dive beneath the main


s: And search the waters with unfailing eye;


s: And should an anchor 'gainst the straining rope


s: Too firmly bite the sands, to wrench it free.


s: Nor loosed his grip until the life was gone.


s: Such was his frequent deed; but this his fate:


s: For rising, victor (as he thought), to air,


s: Full on a keel he struck and found his death.


s: Some, drowning, seized a hostile oar and checked


s: Their single care; some on their vessel's side


s: Hanging, in death, with wounded frame essayed


s: Upon the bulwarks of his ship was struck


s: Of Lygdamus; straight through his temples passed


s: The fated missile; and in streams of blood


s: Forced from their seats his trembling eyeballs fell.


s: Plunged in a darkness as of night, he thought


s: That life had left him; yet ere long he knew


s: The living rigour of his limbs; and cried,


s: "Place me, O friends, as some machine of war


s: Straight facing towards the foe; then shall my darts


s: Strike as of old; and thou, Tyrrhenus, spend


s: Thy latest breath, still left, upon the fight:


s: So shalt thou play, not wholly dead, the part


s: That fits a soldier, and the spear that strikes


s: Thy frame, shall miss the living."  Thus he spake,


s: And hurled his javelin, blind, but not in vain;


s: For Argus, generous youth of noble blood,


s: Below the middle waist received the spear


s: And failing drave it home.  His aged sire


s: From furthest portion of the conquered ship


s: Beheld; than whom in prime of manhood none,


s: More brave in battle: now no more he fought,


s: Oft stumbling o'er the benches the old man hastes


s: To reach his boy, and finds him breathing still.


s: No tear bedewed his cheek, nor on his breast


s: One blow he struck, but o'er his eyes there fell


s: That blotted out the day; nor could he more


s: Discern his luckless Argus.  He, who saw


s: His parent, raising up his drooping head


s: With parted lips and silent features asks


s: To close his dying eyes.  But soon his sire,


s: Recovering from his swoon, when ruthless grief


s: Possessed his spirit, "This short space," he cried,


s: "I lose not, which the cruel gods have given,


s: But die before thee.  Grant thy sorrowing sire


s: Forgiveness that he fled thy last embrace.


s: Not yet has passed thy life blood from the wound


s: Nor yet is death upon thee -- still thou may'st (31)


s: Outlive thy parent." Thus he spake, and seized


s: The reeking sword and drave it to the hilt,


s: Then plunged into the deep, with headlong bound,


s: To anticipate his son: for this he feared


s: A single form of death should not suffice.


s: Now gave the fates their judgment, and in doubt


s: No longer was the war: the Grecian fleet


s: In most part sunk; -- some ships by Romans oared


s: Conveyed the victors home: in headlong flight


s: Some sought the yards for shelter.  On the strand


s: What tears of parents for their offspring slain,


s: How wept the mothers!  'Mid the pile confused


s: Ofttimes the wife sought madly for her spouse


s: And chose for her last kiss some Roman slain;


s: While wretched fathers by the blazing pyres


s: Fought for the dead.  But Brutus thus at sea


s: First gained a triumph for great Caesar's arms. (32)


s: (1)  Reading adscenso, as Francken (Leyden, 1896).


s: (2)  So:       "The rugged Charon fainted,


s: (Ben Jonson, "Catiline", Act i., scene 1.)


s: (3)  I take "tepido busto" as the dative case; and, as referring


s: to Pompeius, doomed, like Cornelia's former husband, to


s: (4)  It may be remarked that, in B.C. 46, Caesar, after the


s: battle of Thapsus, celebrated four triumphs: for his


s: victories over the Gauls, Ptolemaeus, Pharnaces, and Juba.


s: (7)  The tribune Ateius met Crassus as he was setting out from


s: Rome and denounced him with mysterious and ancient curses.


s: (8)  That is, the liberty remaining to the people is destroyed by


s: (9)  That is, the gold offered by Pyrrhus, and refused by


s: Fabricius, which, after the final defeat of Pyrrhus, came


s: (11) It was generally believed that the river Alpheus of the


s: Peloponnesus passed under the sea and reappeared in the


s: fountain of Arethusa at Syracuse.  A goblet was said to have


s: been thrown into the river in Greece, and to have reappeared


s: in the Sicilian fountain.  See the note in Grote's "History


s: (12) As a serpent. XXXXX is the Greek word for serpent.


s: (15) Probably the flute thrown away by Pallas, which Marsyas


s: picked up and then challenged Apollo to a musical contest.


s: For his presumption the god had him flayed alive.


s: (16) That is, the Little Bear, by which the Phoenicians steered,


s: while the Greeks steered by the Great Bear.  (See Sir G.


s: Lewis's "Astronomy of the Ancients", p. 447.)  In Book VI.,


s: line 193, the pilot declares that he steers by the pole star


s: itself, which is much nearer to the Little than to the Great


s: Bear, and is (I believe) reckoned as one of the stars


s: forming the group known by that name.  He may have been a


s: (17) He did not in fact reach the Ganges, as is well known.


s: (18) Perhaps in allusion to the embassy from India to Augustus in


s: he had lived in happiness and would not risk the chance of a


s: reverse, burnt himself publicly.  (Merivale, chapter xxxiv.)


s: (19) That is to say, looking towards the west; meaning that they


s: came from the other side of the equator. (See Book IX.,


s: (21) A race called Heniochi, said to be descended from the


s: (22) "Effusis telis".  I have so taken this difficult expression.


s: thousands by being packed close together and having a circle


s: drawn round them.  After the first ten thousand had been so


s: measured a fence was put where the circle had been, and the


s: subsequent ten thousands were driven into the enclosure.  It


s: is not unlikely that they piled their weapons before being


s: so measured, and Lucan's account would then be made to agree


s: with that of Herodotus.  Francken, on the other hand, quotes


s: a Scholiast, who says that each hundredth man shot off an


s: (24) Massilia (Marseilles) was founded from Phocaea in Asia Minor


s: founders were fugitives from their city when it was stormed


s: by the Persians sixty years later.  See Thucydides I. 13;


s: Grote, "History of Greece", chapter xxii.


s: (25) A difficult passage, of which this seems to be the meaning


s: (26) Murviedro of the present day.  Its gallant defence against


s: Hannibal has been compared to that of Saragossa against the


s: (28) Three islands off the coast near Toulon, now called the


s: (29) This was Decimus Brutus, an able and trusted lieutenant of


s: Caesar, who made him one of his heirs in the second degree.


s: He, however, joined the conspiracy, and it was he who on the


s: day of the murder induced Caesar to go to the Senate House.


s: Less than two years later, after the siege of Perasia, he


s: was deserted by his army, taken and put to death.


s: (30) According to some these were the lines which Lucan recited


s: while bleeding to death; according to others, those at Book


s: (31) It was regarded as the greatest of misfortunes if a child


s: (32) It was Brutus who gained the naval victory over the Veneti


s: some seven years before; the first naval fight, that we know


s: Fierce Caesar warring, though in fight he dealt


s: No baneful slaughter, hastened on the doom


s: To swift fulfillment.  There on Magnus' side


s: Who ruled alternate, and the rampart guard


s: Obeyed the standard of each chief in turn.


s: There with the Romans in the camp were joined


s: Asturians (2) swift, and Vettons lightly armed,


s: And Celts who, exiled from their ancient home,


s: Had joined "Iberus" to their former name.


s: Where the rich soil in gentle slope ascends


s: And forms a modest hill, Ilerda (3) stands,


s: Founded in ancient days; beside her glides


s: Of stone o'erspanned, which not the winter floods


s: Was Magnus' camp; but Caesar's on a hill,


s: Rivalling the first; and in the midst a stream.


s: Here boundless plains are spread beyond the range


s: With tides of ocean; for that larger flood


s: Who names the land, Iberus, sweeps along


s: The lesser stream commingled with his own.


s: Guiltless of war, the first day saw the hosts


s: Essayed attack, in shame of impious strife.


s: One day they gave their country and her laws.


s: But Caesar, when from heaven fell the night,


s: Drew round a hasty trench; his foremost rank


s: With close array concealing those who wrought.


s: Then with the morn he bids them seize the hill


s: Which parted from the camp Ilerda's walls,


s: And gave them safety.  But in fear and shame


s: On rushed the foe and seized the vantage ground,


s: First in the onset.  From the height they held


s: Their hopes of conquest; but to Caesar's men


s: Their hearts by courage stirred, and their good swords


s: Promised the victory.  Burdened up the ridge


s: The soldier climbed, and from the opposing steep


s: But for his comrade's shield had fallen back;


s: None had the space to hurl the quivering lance


s: Upon the foeman: spear and pike made sure


s: The failing foothold, and the falchion's edge


s: Hewed out their upward path.  But Caesar saw


s: By circuit to the left, with shielded flank,


s: Hold back the foe.  Thus gained his troops retreat,


s: For none pressed on them; and the victor chiefs,


s: Forced to withdrawal, gained the day in vain.


s: Henceforth the fitful changes of the year


s: Governed the fates and fashioned out the war.


s: For stubborn frost still lay upon the land,


s: And northern winds, controlling all the sky,


s: Prisoned the rain in clouds; the hills were nipped


s: With snow unmelted, and the lower plains


s: By frosts that fled before the rising sun;


s: And all the lands that stretched towards the sky


s: Which whelms the sinking stars, 'neath wintry heavens