Lucans FIRST BOOK TRANSLATED LINE FOR LINE, BY CHR. MARLOWE.   serpent cross 
AT LONDON, Printed by P. Short, and are to be sold by Walter Burr at the Sign of the Flower de Luce in Paul's Churchyard, 1600.   

TO HIS KIND, AND TRUE FRIEND: EDWARD BLUNT.  
BLount:  
I purpose to be blunt with you, & out of my dullness to encounter you with a Dedication in the memory of that pure Elemental wit Chr. Marlowe; whose ghost or Genius is to be seen walk the Churchyard in (at the least) three or four sheets. Me thinks you should presently look wild now, and grow humorously frantic upon the taste of it. Well, lest you should, let me tell you. This spirit was sometime a familiar of your own, Lucan's first book translated; which (in regard of your old right in it) I have raised in the circle of your Patronage. But stay now Edward (if I mistake not) you are to accommodate yourself with some few instructions, touching the property of a Patron, that you are not yet possessed of; and to study them for your better grace as our Gallants do fashions. First you must be proud and think you have merit enough in you, though you are ne'er so empty; then when I bring you the book take physic, and keep state, assign me a time by your man to come again, and afore the day be sure to have changed your lodging; in the mean time sleep little, and sweat with the invention of some pitiful dry jest or two which you may happen to utter, with some little (or not at all) marking of your friends when you have found a place for them to come in at: or if by chance something has dropped from you worth the taking up weary all that come to you with the often repetition of it; Censure scornfully enough, and somewhat like a travailer; commend nothing lest you discredit your (that which you would seem to have) judgement. These things if you can mould yourself to them Ned I make no question but they will not become you. One special virtue in our Patrons of these days I have promised myself you shall fit excellently, which is to give nothing; Yes, thy love I will challenge as my peculiar Object both in this, and (I hope) many more succeeding offices: Farewell, I affect not the world should measure my thoughts to thee by a scale of this Nature: Leave to think good of me when I fall from thee.  
Thine in all rites of perfect friendship, THOM. THORPE.   

THE FIRST BOOK OF LUCAN TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH.  

WARS worse than civil on Thessalian plains,  
And outrage strangling law & people strong,  
We sing, whose conquering swords their own breasts launched  
Armies allied, the kingdom's league uprooted  
Th'affrighted world's force: bend on public spoil,  
Trumpets, and drums like deadly threatening other,  
Eagles alike displayed, darts answering darts.   

Romans, what madness, what huge lust of war  
Hath made Barbarians drunk with latin blood?  
Now Babylon, (proud through our spoil) should stoop  
While slaughtered Crassus ghost walks unrevenged.  
Will ye wadge war, for which you shall not triumph?   

Ay me, O what a world of land and sea,  
Might they have won whom civil broils have slain,  
As far as Titan springs where night dims heaven,  
I to the Torrid Zone where midday burns,  
And where stiff winter whom no spring resolves,  
Fetters the Euxin sea, with chains of ye:  
Scythia and wild Armenia had been yoked,   

And they of Nilus' mouth (if there live any.)  
Room if thou take delight in impious war,  
First conquer all the earth, then turn thy force  
Against thyself: as yet thou wants not foes,   

That now the walls of houses half reaered totter,  
That rampires fallen down, huge heaps of stone  
Lie in our towns, that houses are abandoned,  
And few live that behold their ancient seats;  
Italy many years hath lain untiled,  
And choked with thorns, that greedy earth wants hinds  
Fierce Pyrrhus, neither thou nor Hannibal  
Art cause, no foreign foe could so afflict us,  
These plagues arise from wreak of civil power.   

But if for Nero (then unborn) the fates  
Would find no other means, (and gods not slightly  
Purchase immortal thrones; nor Jove ioide heaven  
Until the cruel Giants war was done.)  
We plain not heavens, but gladly bear these evils  
For Nero's sake: Pharsalia groan with slaughter;  
And Carthage souls be glutted with our bloods;  
At Munda let the dreadful battles join;  
Add Caesar; to these ills Perusian famine;  
The Mutin toils; the fleet at Leuca sunk;  
And cruel field, near burning Aetna fought:   

Yet Room is much bound to these civil arms,  
Which made thee Emperor, thee (seeing thou being old  
Must shine a star) shall heaven (whom thou lovest,)  
Receive with shouts; where thou wilt reign as King,  
Or mount the suns flame bearing chariot,  
And with bright restless fire compass the earth,  
Undaunted though her former guide be changed,  
Nature, and every power shall give thee place,  
What God it please thee be, or where to sway:   

But neither choose the north t'erect thy seat;  
Nor yet the adverse reeking southern pole,  
Whence thou shouldst view thy Room with squinting beams  
If any one part of vast heaven thou swayest  
The burdened axes with thy force will bend;  
The midst is best; that place is pure, and bright,  
Their Caesar mayst thou shine and no cloud dim thee;  
Then men from warshal bide in league, and ease,  
Peace through the world from Janus Fane shall fly,  
And boult the brazen gates with bars of Iron.  
Thou Caesar at this instant art my God,  
Thee if I invocate, I shall not need  
To crave Appolles' aid, or Bacchus' help;  
Thy power inspires the Muse that sings this war.   

The causes first, I purpose to unfold  
Of these garboils, whence springs along discourse,  
And what made madding people shake off peace.   

The fates are envious, high seats quickly perish,  
Under great burdens falls are ever grievous;  
Room was so great it could not bear itself:  
So when this world's compounded union breaks,  
Time ends and to old Chaos all things turn;  
Confused stars shall meet, celestial fire  
Fleet on the floods, the earth shoulder the sea,  
Affording it no shore, and Phoebe's wain,  
Chase Phoebus and enraged affect his place,  
And striùe to shine by day, and full of strife  
Dissolve the engines of the broken world.   

All great things crush themselves, such end the gods,  
Allot the height of honour, men so strong.  
By land, and sea, no foreign force could ruin:  
O Room thyself art cause of all these evils,  
Thyself thus shivered out to three men's shares,  
Dire league of partners in a kingdom last not.   

O faintly joined friends with ambition blind,  
Why join you force to share the world betwixt you?  
While th'earth, the sea, and air, the earth sustains;  
While Titan strives against the world's swift course;  
Or Cynthia nights Queen waits upon the day;  
Shall never faith be found in fellow kings.  
Dominion cannot suffer partnership;  
This need no foreign proof, nor far fet story:  
Rooms infant walls were steeped in brother's blood;  
Nor then was land, or sea, to breed such hate,  
A town with one poor church set them at odds.   

Caesar's, and Pompey's jarring love soon ended,  
'Twas peace against their wills, betwixt them both  
Stepped Crassus in, even as the slender Jsthmos,  
Betwixt the Aegean and the Ionian sea,  
Keeps each from other, but being worn away  
They both burst out, and each encounter other:  
So when as Crassus' wretched death who stayed them,  
Had filled Assyrian Carras walls with blood,  
His loss made way for Roman outrages.   

Parthians y'afflict us more than ye suppose,  
Being conquered, we are plagued with civil war,  
Swords share our Empire, fortune that made Room  
Govern the earth, the sea, the world itself  
Would not admit two Lords: for Julia  
Snatched hence by cruel fates with ominous howls,  
Bore down to hell her son the pledge of peace,  
And all bands of that death presaging alliance.   

julia, had heaven given thee longer life  
Thou hadst restrained thy headstrong husband's rage,  
Yea and thy father to, and swords thrown down.  
Made all shake hands as once the Sabines did;  
Thy death broke amity and trained to war,  
These captains emulous of each others glory.   

Thou feard'st (great Pompey that late deeds would dim)  
Old triumphs, and that Caesar's conquering France,  
Would dash the wreath thou wear'st for pirates wrack  
Thee wars use stirred, and thoughts that always scorned  
A second place; Pompey could bide no equal,  
Nor Caesar no superior, which of both  
Had justest cause unlawful 'tis to judge:  
Each side had great partakers; Caesar's cause,  
The gods abetted; Cato liked the other;  
Both differed much, Pompey was struck in years,  
And by long rest forgot to manage arms,  
And being popular sought by liberal gifts,  
To gain the light unstable commons love,  
And joyed to hear his theatres applause;  
He lived secure boasting his former deeds,  
And thought his name sufficient to uphold him,  
Like to a tall oak in a fruitful field,  
Bearing old spoils and conquerors monuments,  
Who though his root be weak, and his own weight  
Keep him within the ground, his arms all bare,  
His body (not his boughs) send forth a shade;  
Though every blast it nod, and seem to fall,  
When all the woods about stand bolt upright,  
Yet he alone is held in reverence.   

Caesar's renown for war was less, he restless,  
Shaming to strive but where he did subdue,  
When ire, or hope provoked, heady, & bold,  
At all times charging home, & making havoc;  
Urging his fortune, trusting in the gods  
Destroying what withstood his proud desires,  
And glad when blood, & ruin made him way:  
So thunder which the wind tears from the clouds,  
With crack of riven air and hideous sound,  
Filling the world, leaps out and throws forth fire,  
Affrights poor fearful men, and blasts their eyes  
With overthwarting flames, and raging shoots  
Alongst the air and not resisting it  
Falls, and returns, and shivers where it lights.  
Such humours stirred them up; but this wars seed,  
Was even the same that wracks all great dominions.   

When fortune made us lords of all, wealth flowed,  
And then we grew licentious and rude,  
The soldiers pray, and rapine brought in riot,  
Men took delight in jewels, houses, plate,  
And scorned old sparing diet, and aware robes  
Too light for women; Poverty (who hatched  
Rooms greatest wits) was loathed, and all the world  
Ransanckt for gold, which breeds the world decay;  
And then large limits had their butting lands,  
The ground which Curius and Camillus tilled,  
Was stretched unto the fields of hinds unknown;  
Again, this people could not brook calm peace,  
Them freedom without war might not suffice,  
Quarrels were rife, greedy desire still poor  
Did vild deeds, than 'twas worth the price of blood,  
And deemed renown to spoil their native town,  
Force mastered right, the strongest governed all,  
Hence came it that th'edicts were overruled,  
That laws were broke, Tribunes with Consuls strove,  
Sale made of offices, and people's voices,  
Bought by themselves & sold, and every year  
Frauds and corruption in the field of Mars;  
Hence interest and devouring usury sprang,  
Faith's breach, & hence came war to most men welcome.  
Now Caesar overpast the snowy Alps,  
His mind was troubled, and he aimed at war,  
And coming to the ford of Rubicon,  
At night in dreadful vision fearful Room,  
Mourning appeared, whose hoary hairs were torn,  
And on her Turret, bearing head dispersed,  
And arms all naked, who with broken sighs,  
And staring, thus bespoke, what meanest thou Caesar?  
Whether goes my standard? Romans if ye be,  
And bear true hearts, stay hear: this spectacle  
Stroke Caesar's heart with fear, his hair stood up,  
And faintness numbed his steps there on the brink:  
He thus cried out: Thou thunderer that guardst  
Rooms mighty walls built on Tarpeian rock,  
Ye gods of Phrigia and Iûlus line,  
Quirinus' rites and Latian Jove advanced,  
On Alba hill, o Vestal flames, o Room,  
My thoughts sole gods, aid mine enterprise,  
I hate thee not, to thee my conquests stoop,  
Caesar is thine, so please it thee, thy soldier;  
He, he afflicts Room that made me Rooms foe.  
This said, he laying aside all lets of war,  
Approached the swelling stream with drum and ensign,  
Like to a Lion of scorched desert Africa,  
Who seeing hunters pauseth till fell wrath  
And kingly rage increase, then having whisked  
His tail athwart his back, and crest heaved up,  
With jaws wide open ghastly roaring out;  
(Albeit the Moors light javelin or his spear  
Sticks in his side) yet runs upon the hunter.   

In summer time the purple Rubicon,  
Which issues from a small spring is but shallow,  
And creeps along the vales dividing just  
The bounds of Italy, from Cisalpin France;  
But now the winter's wrath and wat'ry moon,  
Being three days old enforced the flood to swell,  
And frozen Alps thawed with resolving winds.   

The thunder hold horse in a crooked line,  
To scape the violence of the stream first waded,  
Which being broke the foot had easy passage.   

As soon as Caesar got unto the bank  
And bounds of Italy; here, here (saith he)   

An end of peace; here end polluted laws;  
Hence leagues, and covenants; Fortune thee I follow,  
War and the destinies shall try my cause.   

This said, the restless general through the dark.  
(Swifter than bullets thrown from Spanish slings,  
Ordarts which Parthians backward shoot (marched on  
And then (when Lucifer did shine alone,  
And some dim stars) he Arriminum entered:  
Day rose and viewed these tumults of the war;  
Whether the gods, or blustering south were cause  
I know not, but the cloudy air did frown;  
The soldiers having won the market place,  
There spread the colours, with confused noise  
Of trumpets clang, shrill cornets, whistling mischiefs;  
The people started; young men left their beds;  
And snatched arms near their household gods hung up  
Such as peace yields; worm-eaten leathern targets,  
Through which the wood peered, headless darts, old swords  
With ugly teeth of black rust foully scared:   

But seeing white Eagles, & Rooms flags well known,  
And lofty Caesar in the thickest throng,  
They shook for fear, & cold benumbed their limbs,   

And muttering much, thus to themselves complained.  
O walls unfortunate too near to France,  
Predestinate to ruin; all lands else  
Have stable peace, here wars rage first gins,  
We bide the first brunt, safer might we dwell,  
Under the frosty bear, or parching East,  
Wagons or tents, then in this frontier town,  
We first sustained the uproars of the Gauls,  
And furious Cymbrians and of Carthage moors,  
As oft as Room was sacked, here 'gan the spoil:   

Thus sighing whispered they, and none durst speak  
And show their fear, or grief: but as the fields  
When birds are silent through winter's rage;  
Or sea far from the land, so all were whist.   

Now light had quite dissolved the misty might,  
And Caesar's mind unsettled musing stood;  
But gods and fortune pricked him to this war,  
Infringing all excuse of modest shame,  
And labouring to approve his quarrel good.   

The angry Senate urging Grachus deeds,  
From doubtful Room wrongly expelled the Tribunes,  
That crossed them; both which now approached the camp,  
And with them Curio; sometime Tribune too,  
One that was feed for Caesar, and whose tongue  
Can tune the people to the Nobles mind:  
Caesar (said he) while eloquence prevailed,  
And I might plead, and draw the Commons minds  
To favour thee, against the senates will.  
Five years I lengthened thy command in France;  
But law being put to silence by the wars;  
We from our houses driven, most willingly  
Suffered exile: let thy sword bring us home.  
Now while their part is weak, and fears, march hence  
Where men are ready, linger ever hurts:  
●n ten years wonst thou France; Room may be won  
With far less toil, and yet the honours more;  
Few battles fought with prosperous success  
May bring her down, and with her all the world;  
Nor shalt thou triumph when thou comest to Room;  
Nor capital be adorned with sacred bays:  
Envy denies all, with thy blood must thou  
abye thy conquest past: the son decrees  
To expel the father; share the world thou canst not;  
●nioy it all thou mayest: thus Curio spoke,  
And therewith Caesar prone enough to war,  
Was so incensed as are Eleius steeds  
With clamours: who though locked and chained in stalls,  
Souse down the walls, and make a passage forth:  
Strait summoned he his several companies  
Unto the standard: his grave look appeased  
The wrestling tumult, and right hand made silence:  
And thus he spoke; you that with me have borne  
A thousand brunts, and tried me full ten years,  
See how they quit our bloodshed in the North;  
Our friend's death; and our wounds; our wintering  
Under the Alps; Room rageth now in arms  
As if the Carthage Hannibal were near;  
Cornets of horse are mustered for the field;  
Woods turned to ships; both land and sea against us:  
Had foreign wars ill thrived; or wrathful France  
Pursued us hither, how were we bestead  
When coming conqueror Room afflicts me thus?  
Let come their leaders whom long peace hath quailed;  
Raw soldiers lately priest; and troops of gowns;  
Brabbling Marcellus; Cato whom fools reverence;  
Must Pompey's followers with stranger's aid,  
(Whom from his youth he bribed) needs make him king?  
And shall he triumph long before his time,  
And having once got head still shall he reign?  
What should I talk of men's corn reaped by force,  
And by him kept of purpose for a dearth,  
Who sees not war sit by the quivering judge;  
And sentence given in rings of naked swords,  
And laws assailed, and armed men in the Senate;  
'twas his troop hemmed in Milo being accused;  
And now least age might wain his state, he casts  
For civil war, wherein through use he's known  
To exceed his master, that arch-traitor Sylla.   

A brood of barbarous Tigers having leapt  
The blood of many a heard, whilst with their dams  
They kenneled in Hyrcania evermore  
Will rage's and pray: so Pompey thou having licked  
Warm gore from Sulla's sword art yet athirst,  
jaws, flesh, with blood continue murderous.  
Speak, when shall this thy long usurped power end?  
What end of mischief? Sylla teaching thee,  
At last learn wretch to leave thy monarchy;  
What, now Sicilian Pirates are suppressed,  
And Jaded, king of Pontus poisoned slain,  
Must Pompey as his last foe plume on me,  
Because at his command I wound not up  
My conquering Eagles? say I merit nought,  
Yet for long service done, reward these men,  
And so they triumph, be't with whom ye wil  
Whether now shall these old bloodless souls repair?  
What seats for their deserts? what store of ground  
For servitors to till? what Colonies  
To rest their bones? say Pompey, are these worse  
Than Pirates of Sycillia? they had houses:  
Spread, spread these flags that ten years' space have conquered,  
Let's use our tried force, they that now thwart right  
In wars will yield to wrong: the gods are with us,  
Neither spoil, nor kingdom seek we by these arms,  
But Room at thraldoms feet to rid from tyrants.   

This spoke none answered but a murmuring buzz  
Th'unstable people made: their household gods  
And love to Room (though slaughter steeled their hearts  
And minds were prone) restrained them; but wars love  
And Caesar's awe dashed all: then Lalius  
The chief Centurion crowned with Oaken leaves,  
For saving of a Roman Citizen,  
Steptforth, and cried, chief leader of Rooms force,  
So be I may be bold to speak a truth:  
We grieve at this thy patience and delay,  
What doubtst thou us? even now when youthful blood  
Pricks forth our lively bodies, and strong arms  
Can mainly throw the dart; wilt thou endure  
These purple grooms? that Senate's tyranny?  
Is conquest got by civil war so heinous?  
Well, lead us then to Syrteses desert shore;  
Or Scythia; or hot libia's thirsty sands.  
This hand that all behind us might be quailed,  
Hath with thee past the swelling Ocean;  
And swept the foaming breast of Arctics Rhine,  
Love overrules my will, I must obey thee,  
Caesar, he whom I hear thy trumpets charge  
I hold no Roman; by these ten blessed ensigns  
And all thy several triumphs, shouldst thou bid me  
Entomb my sword within my brother's bowels;  
Or father's throat; or women's groaning womb;  
This hand (albeit unwilling) should perform it;  
Or rob the gods; or sacred temples fire:  
These troops should soon pull down the church of Jove,  
If to encamp on Tuscan Tiber's streams;  
I'll boldly quarter out the fields of Rome;  
What walls thou wilt be leaveld with the ground,  
These hands shall thrust the ram, and make them fly,  
Albeit the City thou wouldst have so ra'st  
Be Room itself. Here every band applauded,  
And with their hands held up, all jointly cried  
They'ill follow where he please, the shouts rend heaven,  
As when against pine bearing Ossa's rocks,  
Beats Thracian Boreas; or when trees bowed down,  
And rustling swing up as the wind fets breath.   

When Caesar saw his army prone to war,  
And fates so bend, least sloth and long delay  
Might cross him, he withdrew his troops from France,  
And in all quarters musters men for Room.   

They by Lemannus nook forsook their tents;  
They whom the Lingones foiled with painted spears,  
Under the rocks by crooked Vogesus;  
And many came from shallow Jsara,  
Who running long, falls in a greater flood,  
And ere he sees the sea looseth his name;  
The yellow Ruthens left their garrisons;  
Mild Atax glad it bears not Roman bloats;  
And frontier Varus that the camp is far,  
Sent aid; so did Alcides' port, whose seas  
Eat hollow rocks, and where the northwest wind;  
Nor Zephir rules not, but the north alone,  
Turmoils the coast, and entrance forbids;  
And others came from that uncertain shore,  
Which is nor sea, nor land, but oft times both,  
And changeth as the Ocean ebbs and flows:  
Whether the sea rolled always from that point,  
Whence the wind blows still forced to and fro;  
Or that the wandering main follow the moon?  
Or flaming Titan (feeding on the deep,  
Pulls them aloft, and makes thè surge kiss heaven,  
Philosophers look you, for unto me  
Thou cause what ere thou be whom God assigns,  
This great effect, art hid. They came that dwell  
By Nemes fields, and banks of Satirus,  
Where Tarbels winding shores embrace the sea,  
The Santons that rejoice in Caesar's love,  
Those of Bituriges and light Axon pikes;  
And they of Rhine, and Leuca cunning darters,  
And Sequana that well could manage steeds;  
The Belgians apt to govern British cars;  
Th' Auerni, too which boldly feign themselves;  
The Romans brethren, sprung of Ilian race;  
The stubborn nervians stained with Cottas' blood;  
And vangions who like those of Sarmata,  
Were open slops: and fierce Batavians,  
Whom trumpets clang incites, and those that dwell  
By Cyngas' stream, and where swift Rhodanus  
Drives Araxis to sea; They near the hills,  
Under whose hoary rocks Gebenna hangs;  
And Trevier; thou being glad that wars are passed thee;  
And you late shorn Ligurians, who were wont  
In large spread heir to exceed the rest of France;  
And where to Hesus, and fell Mercury (Jove)  
They offer human flesh, and where it seems  
Bloody like Diana, whom the Scythians serve;  
And you French Bardi, whose immortal pens  
Renown the valiant souls slain in your wars,  
Sat safe at home and chant sweet Poesy,  
And Druids you now in peace renew  
Your barbarous customs, and sinister rites,  
In unfeld woods, and sacred groves you dwell,  
And only gods & heavenly powers you know,  
Or only know you nothing. For you hold  
That souls pass not to silent Erebus  
Or Pluto's bloodless kingdom, but else where  
Resume a body: so (if truth you sing)  
Death brings long life. Doubtless these northern men  
Whom death the greatest of all fears affright not,  
Are blest by such sweet error, this makes them  
Run on the sword's point and desire to die,  
And shame to spare life which being lost is won;  
You likewise that repulsed the Caicke foe,  
March towards Room; and you fierce men of Rhine  
Leaving your country open to the spoil.   

These being come, their huge power made him bold  
To manage greater deeds; the bordering towns  
He garrisoned; and Italy he filled with soldiers.   

Vain fame increased true fear, and did invade  
The people's minds, and laid before their eyes  
Slaughter to come, and swiftly bringing news  
Of present war, made many lies and tales,  
One swears his troops of daring horsemen fought  
Upon Mevanias' plain, where Bulls are grazed;  
Other that Caesar's barbarous bands were spread  
Along Nar flood that into Tiber falls,  
And that his own ten ensigns, and the rest  
Marched not entirely, and yet hide the ground,  
And that he's much changed, looking wild and big,  
And far more barbarous than the French (his vassals)  
And that he lags behind with them of purpose;  
Borne twixt the Alps & Rhine, which he hath brought  
From out their Northern parts, and that Room  
He looking on by these men should be sacked.  
Thus in his fright did each man strengthen Fame,  
And without ground, feared, what themselves had feigned:  
Nor were the Commons only struck to heart  
With this vain terror; but the Court, the Senate;  
The father's selves leapt from their seats; and flying  
Left hateful war decreed to both the Consuls.  
Then with their fear, and danger all distract,  
Their sway of flight carries the heady rout  
That in chained troops break forth at every port;  
You would have thought their houses had been fired  
Or dropping-ripe, ready to fall with Ruin,  
So rushed the inconsiderate multitude  
Through the City hurried headlong on,  
As if, the only hope (that did remain  
To their afflictions) were t'abandon Room.   

Look how when stormy Auster from the breach  
Of Libyan Syrteses, rolls a monstrous wave,  
Which makes the main sail fall with hideous sound;  
The Pilot from the helm leaps in the sea;  
And Mariners, albeit the keel be sound  
Ship wrack themselves: even so the City left,  
All rise in arms; nor could the bedrid parents  
Keep back their sons, or women's tears their husbands;  
They staid not either to pray or sacrifice,  
Their household gods restrain them not, none lingered,  
As loath to leave Room whom they held so dear,  
Th'irrevocable people fly in troops.   

O gods that easy grant men great estates,  
But hardly grace to keep them: Room that flows  
With Citizens and Captains, and would hold  
The world (were it together) is by cowards  
Left as a pray now Caesar dòth approach:  
When Romans are besieged by foreign foes,  
With slender trench they escape night stratagems,  
And sudden rampire raised of turf snatched up  
Would make them sleep securely in their tents.  
Thou Room at name of war run'st from thyself,  
And wilt not trust thy City walls one night:  
Well might these fear, when Pompey feared and fled,  
Now evermore lest some one hope might ease  
The Commons jangling minds, apparent signs arose,  
Strange sights appeared, the angry threatening gods  
Filled both the earth and seas with prodigies;  
Great store of strange and unknown stars were seen  
Wandering about the North, and rings of fire  
Fly in the air, and dreadful bearded stars,  
And Comets that presage the fall of kingdoms.   

The flattering sky glitered in often flames,  
And sundry fiery meteors blazed in heaven:  
Now spearlike, long; now like a spreading torch:  
Lightning in silence, stole forth without clouds,  
And from the northern climate snatching fire  
Blasted the Capitol: The lesser stars  
Which want to run their course through empty night  
At noon day mustered; Phoebe having filled  
Her meeting horns to match her brother's light,  
Struck with th'earth's sudden shadow waxed pale,  
Titan himself throne in the midst of heaven,  
His burning chariot plunged in sable clouds,  
And whelmed the world in darkness, making men  
Despair of day; as did Thyestes' town;  
(Mycenae) Phoebus flying through the East:  
Fierce Mulciber unbarred; Aetna's gate,  
Which flamed not on high; but headlong pitched  
Her burning head on bending Hespery.  
Coal-black Charybdis whirled a sea of blood;  
Fierce Mastiffs hold; the vestal fires went out,  
The flame in Alba consecrate to Jove,  
Parted in twain; and with a double point  
Rose like the Theban brother's funeral fire;  
The earth went off her hinges; And the Alps  
shook the old snow from off their trembling laps.  
The Ocean swelled, as high as Spanish Calpe;  
Or Atlas' head, their saints and household gods  
Sweat tears to show the travails of their city.  
Crowns fell from holy statues, ominous birds  
Defiled the day, and wild beasts were seen,  
Leaving the woods lodge in the streets of Rome.  
cattle were seen that muttered human speech:  
Prodigious births with more and ugly joints  
Then nature gives, whose sight appauls the mother,  
And dismal Prhphesies were spread abroad:  
And they whom fierce Bellona's fury moves,  
To wound their arms, sing vengeance, Sibyls priests,  
Curling their bloody locks, howl dreadful things,  
Souls quiet and appeased sight from their graves,  
Clashing of arms was heard, in untrod woods,  
Shrill voices schright, and ghosts encounter men,  
Those that inhabited the suburb fields  
Fled, fowl Erinys stalked about the walls,  
Shaking her snaky hair and crooked pine  
With flaming top, much like that hellish fiend;  
Which made the stern Lycurgus wound his thigh,  
Or fierce Agave mad; or like Megaera  
That scared Alcides, when by Juno's task  
He had before looked Pluto in the face,  
Trumpets were heard to sound; and with what noise  
An armed battle joins, such and more strange  
Black night brought forth in secret: Sylla's ghost  
Was seen to walk, singing sad Oracles,  
And Marius head above cold Tau'ron peering  
(His grave broke open) did affright the Boores.  
To these ostents (as their old custom was)  
They call th' Etrurian Augurs, amongst whom  
The gravest, Aruns, dwelled in forsaken 
* or Lunae  Leucae  
Well skilled in Pyromancy; one that knew  
The hearts of beasts, and flight of wandering fowls;  
First he commands such monster's Nature hatched  
Against her kind (the barren Mules loathed issue)  
To be cut forth and cast in dismal fires:  
Then, that the trembling Citizens should walk  
About the City; then the sacred priests  
That with divine lustration purged the walls,  
And went the round, in, and without the town.  
Next, an inferior troop, in tucked up vestures;  
After the Gabine manner: then the Nuns  
And their veiled Matron, who alone might view  
Minerva's statue; then, they that keep, and read  
Sibylla's secret works, and washed their saint  
In Almo's flood: Next learned Augurs follow;  
Apollo's soothsayers, and Jove's feasting priests;  
The skipping Salij with shields like wedges;  
And Flamens last, with network  veils.  
While these thus in and out had circled Room,  
Look what the lightning blasted, Aruns takes  
And it inters with murmurs dolorous,  
And calls the place Bidentall, on the Altar  
He lays a ne're-yoakt Bull, and powers down wine,  
Then crams salt levin on his crooked knife;  
The beast long struggled, as being like to prove  
An awkward sacrifice, but by the horns  
The quick priest pulled him on his knees & slew him:  
No vain sprung out but from the yawning gash,  
In steed of red blood wallowed venomous gore,  
These direful signs made Aruns stand amazed,  
And searching farther for the gods displeasure,  
The very colour scared him; a dead blackness  
Ran through the blood, that turned it all to jelly,  
And stained the bowels with dark loathsome spots,  
The liver swelled with filth: and every vain  
Did threaten horror from the host of Caesar;  
A small thin skin contained the vital parts,  
The heart stirred not, and from the gaping liver  
Squised matter through the call; the entrails pearde,  
And which (aye me) ever pretendeth ill,  
At that bunch where the liver is, appeared  
A knob of flesh, whereof one half did look  
Dead, and discoloured; th'other lean and thin.  
By these he seeing what mischiefs must ensue,  
Cried out, O gods! I tremble to unfold  
What you intent, great Jove is now displeased,  
And in the breast of this slain Bull are crept,  
Th'infernal powers. My fear transcends my words  
Yet more will happen 〈◊〉 I can unfold,  
Turn all to good, be Augury vain, and Tages  
Th'arts master falce. Thus in ambiguous terms,  
involving all, did Aruns darkly sing.  
But Figulus more seen in heavenly mysteries,  
Whose like Egyptian Memphis never had  
For skill in stars, and tuneful planeting  
In this sort spoke. The world's swift course is lawless  
And casual; all the stars at random raged:  
Or if Fate rule them, Rome thy Citizens  
Are near some plague? what mischief shall ensue?  
Shall towns be swallowed? shall the thickened air,  
Become intemperate? shall the earth be barren?  
Shall water be congealed and turned to ice?  
O Gods what death prepare ye? with what plague  
Mean ye to raged? the death of many men  
Meets in one period. If cold noisome Saturn  
Were now exalted, and with blue beams shined,  
Then Gaynimede would renew Deucalion's flood,  
And in the fleeting sea the earth be drenched.  
O Phoebus shouldst thou with thy rays now sing  
The fell Nemean beast, th'earth would be fired,  
And heaven tormented with thy chafing heat,  
But thy fires hurt not; Mars, 'tis thou enflam'st  
The threatening Scorpion with the burning tail  
And fier'st his cleyes. Why art thou thus enraged?  
Kind Jupiter hath low declined himself;  
Venus is faint; swift Hermes retrograde;  
Mars only rules the heaven: ●●y do the Planets  
Altar their course; and vainly dim their virtue?  
Sword-girt Orion's side glisters too bright.  
Wars raged draws near; & to the swords strong hand,  
Let all Laws yield, sin bear the name of virtue,  
Many a year these firious broils let last,  
Why should we wish the gods should ever end them?  
War only gives us peace, o Rome continue  
The course of mischief, and stretch out the date  
Of slaughter; only civil broils make peace.   

These sad presages were enough to scar  
The quivering Romans, but worse things affright them,  
As Maenus full of wine on Pindus raves,  
So runs a Matron through th'amazed streets,  
Disclosing Phoebus' fury in this sort:  
Pean whither am I hauled? where shall I fall?  
Thus borne aloft I see Pangeus hill,  
With hoary top, and under Hemus mount  
Philippi plains; Phoebus what raged is this?  
Why grapples Rome, and makes war, having no foes?  
Whither turn I now? thou leadest me toward th'east,  
Where Nile augmenteth the Pelusian sea:  
This headless trunk that lies on Nilus' sand  
I know, now throughout the air I fly,  
To doubtful Sirtes and dry Africa, where  
A fury leads the Emathian bands, from thence  
To the pine bearing hills, hence to the mounts  
Pirene, and so back to Rome again.  
See impious war defiles the Senate house,  
New factions rise; now through the world again:  
I go; o Phoebus show me Neptune's shore,  
And other Regions, I have seen Philippi:  
This said being tired with fury she sunk down.   
FINIS.